Dashcam with temporary mounting

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ByTheLake

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I've poked around and haven't found an answer for my situation, so I'm asking the experts here.

I want to purchase a nice dashcam but do not want to route wires or use adhesives for mounting.
I am in a different company car every 6 months, so the dashcam needs to be easy to dismount and take with me to the next vehicle. I am ok with wires being visible on the dashboard, but would prefer not to have wires hanging down from the window.

Any suggestions?
 
No offence but 6 months is a long time, adhesive mounts take under a minute to remove if one needs to. All I'm saying is don't limit yourself to suction mounted cameras as then you're seriously limiting yourself from otherwise good/better choices that could be a better bang for your buck.
 
Last edited:
That's a good point.

3M VHB adhesive comes off quite cleanly and 6 months is a long time.
 
OCD Tronic said:
That's a good point.

3M VHB adhesive comes off quite cleanly and 6 months is a long time.
Click to expand...

Does that mean I could re-use the adhesive mount? Would that involve a new sticky pad or a completely new mount when changing vehicles?
 
Yes, that's why the supplied cables are long enough to go around the window and down the pillar though so that you can tuck the cables away
 
Use cord clips, I can send some if needed. I don't know anyone that mounts their dashcam on the actual dashboard. (As ironic as that is). The hood and other obstructions cuts out too much of the view then as well
 
yeah you will need to route wire around windscreen, on top you are probably able to shove it in over the felt headliner, then you come to the A-pillar and there you might be lucky to also push the wire in behind the plastic or at least wedge it in there so it holds out of the way.
Then when you get to the dashbord you can most likely route wire under weather seal by door and then dive in under the dashbord and route out around the center console to the lighter plug there.

You will find a lot of how to install a dashcam videos on youtube, it is no big deal and if you are not too anal about seeing a little wire near the edges of your windscreen you should be able to install it without use of a tool.

For a simple install it should take you no more than 2 - 30 minutes, unless you are technically/ mechanically handicapped and have 10 thumbs for fingers.

On youtube there should also be guides in how to remove sticky mounts from the windscreen.
 
Thanks again for the feedback - appreciated. I now have the VIOFO G1W-S, and so far, it's doing its job. It's still a royal pain in the ass, though - perhaps my situation just isn't well suited for dashcam use.

My random thoughts...

1) I'm blessed with a company car that is replaced every 6 months, but my coworkers often like to "trade" their company cars with me for weekends, especially if my current 'car' is a pickup truck or large SUV like a Suburban. So, I'll be continually wiring and unwiring this dashcam, perhaps every 1-2 months (or more often). That's my biggest gripe, but there's not much I can do about that. So, I'm not inclined to use adhesives, since sometimes these vehicle trades are made on a moment's notice.

2) The mirror mount for the G1W-S works ok but the cam hangs a bit lower than I'd prefer, so the video takes in more of the vehicle's hood than I'd like, but it's not a show-stopper. I can play with the positioning a bit more, I'm sure. Again, given the frequency of switching vehicles, I'm not inclined to use any adhesive mounts.

3) The power cord length for the G1W-S is still 2-3 feet too short. I routed the cable around the headliner and A-pillar, etc, as most people do. The only 12-volt outlet is under the center armrest, unfortunately, there's not enough length to reach. I think I'll look at purchasing a long USB cord instead, since there are several USB ports that are easier to reach than the 12-volt outlet.

4) If I had to do it over again I'd choose a dashcam with a built-in GPS receiver. The external cable-connected optional GPS receiver just adds to the pain of yet-another adhesive mount and cable to connect. When I get some time I'll see if I can create a home-made GPS mount that will slip under the headliner and hold the receiver in place under the windshield. GPS isn't critical, just a nice-to-have.

Thanks again for all the prompt advice.
 
I use an external power bank & mount the Mobius on a small thin rubber dash mat , from EBay with a round shiny black disc for the suction cup mount . Sometimes i use the Arkon mount with magnetic head & Mobius magnetic mount. If possible i can also use the Arkon bean bag style mount which has some weight to anchor it on the dashboard. If i have no passenger i have put the Mobius camera on the headrest with velco mount.
 
sydney2218 said:
I use an external power bank & mount the Mobius on a small thin rubber dash mat , from EBay with a round shiny black disc for the suction cup mount . Sometimes i use the Arkon mount with magnetic head & Mobius magnetic mount. If possible i can also use the Arkon bean bag style mount which has some weight to anchor it on the dashboard. If i have no passenger i have put the Mobius camera on the headrest with velco mount.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll check out those options. Just might be what I need.

My initial experience with the VIOFO G1W-S is that the video is quite good for the price point, although the audio is picking up some crackly electronic interference. Perhaps the OnStar/SiruisXM/4G LTE communications are affecting it - not sure, but it's not a show stopper. Perhaps moving the cam to a mount like you described would minimize that interference, although I suspect the video angle will be less favorable. I'll do some experimenting.

Thanks again to all for advice/tips. Truly appreciate your time. Stay safe.
 
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