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      11-01-2017, 09:48 AM   #1
autopal
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Backup Camera- not as good as Mercedes

I returned to BMW recently, after a 2 year stint with Mercedes C450. I love most thing about my 340i but today, the first day of real snow, and I realize how Benz reverse camera setup is superior. I had to get out of my car to clean the camera lens, as it was covered in snow, and I literally couldn't see a thing. Never had to do that with the Benz, the camera is hidden, and just roll down when u engage reverse, so the view is always crystal clear. I really do think this is a feature worth copying.
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      11-01-2017, 09:53 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by autopal View Post
I returned to BMW recently, after a 2 year stint with Mercedes C450. I love most thing about my 340i but today, the first day of real snow, and I realize how Benz reverse camera setup is superior. I had to get out of my car to clean the camera lens, as it was covered in snow, and I literally couldn't see a thing. Never had to do that with the Benz, the camera is hidden, and just roll down when u engage reverse, so the view is always crystal clear. I really do think this is a feature worth copying.
Pretty nit picky, sounds like something you will need to replace at year 4 and when out of warranty.
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      11-01-2017, 10:04 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by Mr. Tasty View Post
Pretty nit picky, sounds like something you will need to replace at year 4 and when out of warranty.
Mercedes have been using motorized backup camera for sometime now. I think it is a neat feature on a luxury car, and I don't see any complains on any of the Mercedes forum. I think it is way more useful than gesture control
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      11-01-2017, 10:08 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by autopal View Post
Mercedes have been using motorized backup camera for sometime now. I think it is a neat feature on a luxury car, and I don't see any complains on any of the Mercedes forum. I think it is way more useful than gesture control
Seems rather gimmicky, to each their own I suppose.
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      11-01-2017, 10:10 AM   #5
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I look at it this way; although it could be a useful feature to some, it wouldn't be for me because I park in a garage. It is also another thing that can break; which reminds me of the cup holder in my last car and was powered....worked for less than a year before it needed replacing. If there are any additional motors/electronic screens/doors, I want no part of it lol.

I do like innovative yet useless features such as the awesome ambient lighting color options in the MB along with the fragrance options. MB certainly has its own perks
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That seat was meant to be used, are you going to deny it's purpose in life?
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      11-01-2017, 11:14 AM   #6
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It is also another thing that can break
+1. Seems like a good idea until it doesn't work, leaving you blind. Might be interesting to go to the MB forums and see if there are complaints about that happening.
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      11-01-2017, 11:20 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by autopal View Post
I returned to BMW recently, after a 2 year stint with Mercedes C450. I love most thing about my 340i but today, the first day of real snow, and I realize how Benz reverse camera setup is superior. I had to get out of my car to clean the camera lens, as it was covered in snow, and I literally couldn't see a thing. Never had to do that with the Benz, the camera is hidden, and just roll down when u engage reverse, so the view is always crystal clear. I really do think this is a feature worth copying.
If your camera lens was covered in snow--what about your windows? Weren't you already standing outside the car clearing those?
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      11-01-2017, 11:36 AM   #8
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Just as I suspected:

http://www.metrisforum.com/forum/193...ra-frozen.html

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...t-working.html

https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ck-up-cam.html

No thank you....
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Originally Posted by jmg

That seat was meant to be used, are you going to deny it's purpose in life?
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      11-01-2017, 12:17 PM   #9
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Just don't let your car get that dirty or at least wipe off the lens. Not a big deal.
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      11-01-2017, 12:44 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Tasty View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by autopal View Post
I returned to BMW recently, after a 2 year stint with Mercedes C450. I love most thing about my 340i but today, the first day of real snow, and I realize how Benz reverse camera setup is superior. I had to get out of my car to clean the camera lens, as it was covered in snow, and I literally couldn't see a thing. Never had to do that with the Benz, the camera is hidden, and just roll down when u engage reverse, so the view is always crystal clear. I really do think this is a feature worth copying.
Pretty nit picky, sounds like something you will need to replace at year 4 and when out of warranty.
My thoughts exactly. Nice touch.. but more motors mean more problems down the line. Especially when all the gremlins start rearing its head one by one.

I personally never used backup cameras so I guess whatever the way it is set up never concerns me.
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      11-01-2017, 01:03 PM   #11
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It's not only the motor, it's also the camera wiring, which has to be stressed in some manner every time the camera extends and retracts. Combine that with Murphy's Law and it's reason enough to KISS.
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I personally never used backup cameras so I guess whatever the way it is set up never concerns me.
I didn't for the 35 or so years I drove before they existed, but I wouldn't own a car without one now.
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      11-01-2017, 01:22 PM   #12
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Completely agreed. MB cams have much better resolution and viewing angle. F30 cam is crap.
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      11-01-2017, 01:58 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Billfitz View Post
+1. Seems like a good idea until it doesn't work, leaving you blind. Might be interesting to go to the MB forums and see if there are complaints about that happening.
Tiny electric motors on modern cars are extremely reliable.

I no longer drive a BMW and have a 2017 GTI which hides its rear camera behind the VW emblem on the rear of the car which also functions as the hatch release. When you put the car in reverse the emblem opens a bit allowing the camera to do it's job. I've had the car a year and it's worked flawlessly. i also frequent 2 GTI forums and can't recall any posts about any failures of the motor.
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      11-01-2017, 03:07 PM   #14
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I guarantee if you guys drive a Mercedes for a week, you will understand my point. Not only is the camera crystal clear, high resolution, but the view never change, regardless if its snow, dust or whatever. We are talking about modern cars here, and if we worry about reliability, there are a lot of innovations on cars over the last 10 years or so, that we would avoid. My wife drives a Ford, and she constantly have to be cleaning the camera lens. Sure, it's not difficult to clean, just take a few seconds each time, even though most times she doesn't realize it needs cleaning until she put her car in reverse. We are talking about a luxury brand here though, and a C class camera system should not be superior to a 7 series. This is not a big enough reason not to buy BMW, I think the straight 6 engine is easily the best motor in the segment, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't point it out. I absolutely love the car, but was also surprised by a couple more small but annoying things. No place to put my sunglasses, even my son's Mazda 3 have the flip down sunglasses holder above the rear view mirror, and no centre console storage, I'm guessing because the car comes with wireless phone charging.
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      11-01-2017, 03:12 PM   #15
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If you go on Lexus forum, or any other brand forum for that matter, there are tons of post about how unreliable BMWs turbo motors are, and why Lexus and their outdated natural aspirated engines are so reliable. I, just like most of us on this forum, would never buy a weak engine Lexus over a BMW, so we can always find something to justify any point we want to make
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      11-01-2017, 03:28 PM   #16
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Every manufacture is going to focus on some areas more than others. I suppose BMW doesn't care much about the back up cams. : I would care more about the motor then small stuff. Although it is a bit weird there isn't any glasses holder, I just put it in the center console not a big deal to me.
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      11-01-2017, 03:39 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by autopal View Post
If you go on Lexus forum, or any other brand forum for that matter, there are tons of post about how unreliable BMWs turbo motors are, and why Lexus and their outdated natural aspirated engines are so reliable. I, just like most of us on this forum, would never buy a weak engine Lexus over a BMW, so we can always find something to justify any point we want to make
As for the examples, I completely agree. (just more or less wanted to see it for myself, figured I'd share my findings) To sum it up, I'm completely satisfied with the current backup camera system and prefer to keep it that way
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Originally Posted by jmg

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      11-01-2017, 03:54 PM   #18
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Quote:
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it is a bit weird there isn't any glasses holder,
I use my nose and ears.
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      11-01-2017, 03:57 PM   #19
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Quote:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Calvin36 View Post
it is a bit weird there isn't any glasses holder,
I use my nose and ears.
When were those invented? : I'll have to give them a try next time!!
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      11-02-2017, 08:22 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Schott View Post
Tiny electric motors on modern cars are extremely reliable.

I no longer drive a BMW and have a 2017 GTI which hides its rear camera behind the VW emblem on the rear of the car which also functions as the hatch release. When you put the car in reverse the emblem opens a bit allowing the camera to do it's job. I've had the car a year and it's worked flawlessly. i also frequent 2 GTI forums and can't recall any posts about any failures of the motor.
I was going to say the same thing. Not to mention that the parts are very cheap and install is easy. Just remove the trunk trim, unbolt the camera and install a new one. Used ones were around $100.

I had my first situation like OP described this week now that temps are getting cold. The camera lens was fogged up. In that case you're not outside the car cleaning up anything because it's above freezing, but the rain + temps meant the car was covered in water droplets. It was annoying but not enough for me to get out of the car. I just used my mirrors like the good old days.
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      11-02-2017, 09:37 AM   #21
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Wasn't this a feature in the 6 series for almost a decade now? Pretty certain I have seen the rear camera pop out under the back roundel in photos.
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      11-02-2017, 09:50 AM   #22
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It's a great idea to have the camera hidden to keep it clean. Not sure I would trust BMW to implement it in a reliable and easy to maintain manner though. Those Munich engineers would come up with some ridiculously complicated Rube Goldberg implementation relying on a hidden iDrive setting and a dashboard scroll wheel you'd have to adjust depending on the weather. And then marketing would make the whole feature an extra cost which you could bypass via coding which would get wiped every software update. And then to replace the camera you'd have to remove an underbody panel and drop a subframe to access the mounting point.
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