Parking Sensors

_Kaiser_

Morning all,

As much as I love my beautiful black Passat, this weekend's shopping trip has made me decide she's just too big and the visibility not good enough to reverse comfortably in confined spaces.

So I've decided she needs parking sensors. As I was in Coolock anyway I dropped into Halfords and had a look at their top price one here

Anyone got any opinions or recommendations? (Yes Nelly, no doubt you'll be on taking the piss, but if anyone ELSE has any tips I'd appreciate it )

Fey!

I'm assuming that that kit has 4 sensors. If it only has 2, then don't waste your time.

Also, there is a META kit available that takes a towbar into account if you have one on the car. It needs to be fitted and progammed by a META dealer, though.

I think it's a COBRA one I have on my car. Find it brilliant - has saved me bashing my bumpers!

Big Nelly

Kaiser2000 wrote:

Morning all,

As much as I love my beautiful black Passat, this weekend's shopping trip has made me decide she's just too big and the visibility not good enough to reverse comfortably in confined spaces.

So I've decided she needs parking sensors. As I was in Coolock anyway I dropped into Halfords and had a look at their top price one here

Anyone got any opinions or recommendations? (Yes Nelly, no doubt you'll be on taking the piss, but if anyone ELSE has any tips I'd appreciate it )

Ahh big baby cant park his car, was it a railing again? how much damage you done this time? told you that you need a tri-cycle not a car!! haha

Funny how I have no probs parking mine??

Please note this is not personal abuse!! I know the learner driver

_Kaiser_

Big Nelly wrote:

Ahh big baby cant park his car, was it a railing again? how much damage you done this time? told you that you need a tri-cycle not a car!! haha

Funny how I have no probs parking mine??

Please note this is not personal abuse!! I know the learner driver

Actually no Nelly, there's not a mark on her but as you have admitted yourself in the past, they are a big car and can be tricky sometimes.

Dunno where you're going with this learner thing again as my pink license says different

Fey: yes it has 4 sensors and looks like a good setup (Halfords had a demo of it on the display stand) but before I go spending the money I thought I'd check here

Savman

A Passat? Too big? Christ.

Try driving a van for a day, reversing blind with no rear view and you'll see how easy a VW Passat is in comparison.

Practice...

franksm

Dude, I was in the same boat (or barge heh heh.... cough.... I'll get me coat) with the Merc I bought. So, I'm in the process of fitting this generic sensor kit:

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecommerce/Search_Results.asp?Product=24

I haven't had the chance (or the balls) to drill holes in the rear bumper yet, but I did hook the think up to a 12v power supply and fitted the sensors in a test-rig. It works VERY well. Beeps, changes colour, and reads out the actual disctance too. Very accurate. Where to put the display though... ?

Fey!

Mine just beeps, but that's enough in itself.

hiscan

Fey! wrote:

I'm assuming that that kit has 4 sensors. If it only has 2, then don't waste your time.

Also, there is a META kit available that takes a towbar into account if you have one on the car. It needs to be fitted and progammed by a META dealer, though.

I think it's a COBRA one I have on my car. Find it brilliant - has saved me bashing my bumpers!

where do you get this META kit fey?

Rabies

Savman wrote:

A Passat? Too big? Christ.

Try driving a van for a day, reversing blind with no rear view and you'll see how easy a VW Passat is in comparison.

Practice...

I would be of the same mind as you. Just take practice. I used to drive big vans on a regular basis, no parking sensors or rear view mirrors. It takes time but you do learn to judge the distance.

That isn't to say parking sensors are not handy, if they come on the next car I get I will be happy. Nice little extra to have.

Fey!

Hiscan - got it put on the van by MJ Systems in Galway - 091-561449. They're a META agent.

Lex Luthor

keep us posted on the Halfords kit. I'll be getting the mrs an estate in the new year and she is worried she'll be bumping the rear of it all the time and unless the car comes with parking sensors, I'll have to fit a kit.

TwoShedsJackson

Kaiser2000 wrote:

Morning all,

As much as I love my beautiful black Passat, this weekend's shopping trip has made me decide she's just too big and the visibility not good enough to reverse comfortably in confined spaces.

So I've decided she needs parking sensors. As I was in Coolock anyway I dropped into Halfords and had a look at their top price one here

Anyone got any opinions or recommendations? (Yes Nelly, no doubt you'll be on taking the piss, but if anyone ELSE has any tips I'd appreciate it )

Quite interested in these myself - presumably Halfords will fit them for you, anyone know what length of time that takes?

nialler

Parking sensors are excellent but do spoil ya, you just find yourself looking at the sensors in the mirrors rather than out the window, and always push it a tad more when the alarm goes off, then again me car is about 18 feet long.

finbarrk

I got one of those Meta kits in Halfords, Limerick for €99. It cost €80 to get fitted in an auto electrics place. Its a good value system but probarbly not as good as a manufacturers one which I was quoted €600+ for a toyota.

kluivert

I drove my mates Nissan van (the huge one) and reversed into a parking space no bother, takes time to judge the mirrors, one of them is magnified.

I drove my gf's fathers Citroen Berlingo and reversed into a wall in a lane way trying to do a three point turn, just broke the tail light and door panel. :rolleyes:

Parking sensors are handy thing to have.

Good tip is to get two parking cones and practise reversing into them using just your side mirrors, you quickly learn to judge spaces alot better.

As I live in an estate liek most people these days I able to park my car inchs behind or infront of the gf's car parked on the same road. Takes practice thats all.

_Kaiser_

Update on this..

Dropped into Halfords Blanch this afternoon. As it turns out it's not as clear cut as they advertise on the stand.

Before they can do it, they need to inspect the car itself (fair enough). The actual work itself takes about 4/5 hours (they do it onsite) but only the first hour's labor is included in the price - end result being the total cost comes closer to €500!

Anan1

I just had a set fitted for €200, by the guy mentioned in my "Protecting an E30" thread. There are 4 sensors, they're very neatly fitted and they seem to work perfectly.

finbarrk

Gus Murphy auto electrics in Ennis fitted the Meta system for €80, it didnt take that long either.

hiscan

Fey! wrote:

Hiscan - got it put on the van by MJ Systems in Galway - 091-561449. They're a META agent.

thanks fey i will give them a ring tomorrow

Big Nelly

Kaiser2000 wrote:

Update on this..

Dropped into Halfords Blanch this afternoon. As it turns out it's not as clear cut as they advertise on the stand.

Before they can do it, they need to inspect the car itself (fair enough). The actual work itself takes about 4/5 hours (they do it onsite) but only the first hour's labor is included in the price - end result being the total cost comes closer to €500!

Easier than paying out 500 euro, learn how to drive!!:p you could use the €500 on the lessons you never took!!

Bluehair

You can get reverse parking sensor kits on ebay for buttons (well depending on the kit well under €100) and fitting it is simple enough to be honest. I'm damned if i know how they are taking 4 or 5 hours to fit it!

HungryJoey

Pfft, driving has been made too easy for you kaiser :rolleyes: First an automatic passat, now parking sensors

Hj

hiscan

rang mj systems today and was quoted 350 to fit them to a landcruiser with a towbar

louie

500 euro to get parking sensors fitted?
Does it park the car for you as well? It's a bit OTT and it only takes 1-2 hour max if the bumper needs to be removed, or 1/2 hour if not.
If you want them paited the same color as the bumper than maybe...

Big Nelly

HungryJoey wrote:

Pfft, driving has been made too easy for you kaiser :rolleyes: First an automatic passat, now parking sensors

Hj

Problem is HJ he still wont be any better after getting the parking sensors!!:p

You would want to watch yourself around our area, kaiser is on the roads. Children have already been warned and there is posters up after the railing was killed one day:p

HungryJoey

Uh oh..Thank god most mornings i'm gone before himself :eek:

Hj

Big Nelly

HungryJoey wrote:

Uh oh..Thank god most mornings i'm gone before himself :eek:

Hj

Why do you think I a leave at 6.20-6.30 each morning!:p

littlejukka

try parking in the 2.2 metre space i was given when i bought this apartment. with a monster of a concrete column on one side and a retard who can't park their mazda straight on the other, my parking has improved immensely.

regarding the reversing sensors, i'd be inclined not to get them. you spend 500 quid but the value of your motor increases by zero. invest in a newere car with sensors built in and you won't be throwing money away.

Rabies

hiscan wrote:

rang mj systems today and was quoted 350 to fit them to a landcruiser with a towbar

Would you not class the towbar was the parking sensor I know I have done it a few times when I needed to pin the van or jeep against the wall.