Updating grandma's car for a college student

[Anonymous]

Did the car have a backup camera as an _option_ that year? If so, the wiring harness is probably in place and it's not a difficult installation.

If it did not, then it's more complicated as they need to run wires from the back of the car to the front, install a screen, and power the camera and the screen. It's a lot of hassle -- I'd say you may be best off having him get used to not having such a camera, so he has experience when this happens again, like if he rents a car without one.

As for bluetooth, you can add that by upgrading the stereo (head unit). However, you don't need to have it built-in for hands-free. Instead, he can just put on a bluetooh earpiece for hands-free phone usage. However, I'd recommend he have a rule of not talking on the phone while driving, since he's a relatively new driver.

[Anonymous]

OP, I expect Best Buy will be able to handle this just fine. Like I said in my post above, it's a very straightforward installation, especially if you get a wireless version so you don't need to a run a cable from the camera to the monitor. A layperson could do it if they're comfortable around cars, but since the camera gets wired into the back-up lights, it's better to have someone else do the installation if you're not comfortable messing around with the car's wiring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't do the backup camera. I don't have one, never have. It's simple.

What you need is a new radio with Bluetooth. Easy easy fix, any car place can swap it out for you. You can buy the radio on Amazon or whatever and take it in with you.

I've always driven older cars with no problem. I got my first car with a backup camera and it is life-changing. SO MUCH SAFER. I don't know if it's possible to install, OP, but I recommend it.*

*Maybe it's a good idea to get used to driving without it first? Maybe that will make him a better driver in the long run? I'm not sure, but I know that I love the camera and will never have a car without it again.

There are lots of safety features that are available on new cars that I'm lukewarm on, because I do think people need to learn to be attentive drivers without things that warn you about blind spots and lane drift, etc. Even if you always buy them for your own car, you can't be sure rentals or other people's cars will have them.

But backup cameras became mandatory for a reason, which is that little kids can't be seen behind your car in any other way. The fact that they make parallel parking easier is a nice bonus, but if it were only that, I'd be telling my kid to suck it up and practice. Not being at risk, however tiny, of backing over someone, though -- that's worth a few hundred bucks.

The Bluetooth is just for fun, because this is the easiest, least-demanding, least materialistic kid you can imagine, but I know they'd like it.

[Anonymous]

I looked into doing this. If you hire it (I got an estimate from absolute Electronix in rockville) for $800-1000 they could update to have apple play and Bluetooth and back up camera but it made sense to do it all together. Our car was really really old and we didn’t want to spend this but I would have gone there and considered it.
Or you can go super cheap and do an after market from Amazon for the back up. It’s not as integrated usually though.

[Anonymous]

We did this for my 18 year old son, who inherited an older Toyota from a grandparent that gave up driving. He removed the old radio, and replaced it with a blue-tooth enabled touch screen. He ordered the audio equipment from Amazon, and used youtube videos. It took him most of an afternoon to do it, but he is very savvy with electronics and tools, and I don't know if the average teen could do this.

[Anonymous]

I would also install a heated steering wheel. That’s the BEST invention ever! It actually is good for my mental health.

[Anonymous]

My DH and his bro installed a back-up camera for their 82yo dad- has really helped him.
It took them a couple of hours after watching YouTube videos- it's doable, he rated as medium/not too hard task.
We will do the same for my teens when they get an older, used car.

[Anonymous]

For all you old-timers who think he doesn't need a backup camera and can just turn his head, aren't paying attention to the safety information.

I'm 56 (yes, I'm also one of those old-timers), have been driving since I was 17 and the first backup camera I had in a car I owned was my current 2019 vehicle (I have had them before in rentals). Yes, I am fully capable of turning my head around to look and have done so for 2/3 of my life, but when you are dealing with vehicles like the RAV4 that are higher off the ground, there is more that is below the window that you cannot see.

I actually had a situation a few months ago that could have been disastrous. In a parking lot and was backing out. I looked both ways and started to ease out of the space. The building was to my right. There was a car in the space two over to my left (one additional car between mine and theirs). A child got out of the car and before her mother could stop her, turned to run down the parking lane to the building. She ran behind my car and she was NOT visible below the window of my SUV (she was probably 9-12 inches shorter than the bottom of the window). Without the camera, I would have hit her. This is not unusual. The backup camera has helped decrease the number of driveway and parking lot accidents, especially related to children and pets that are small and have no sense of caution around cars.

Just because he can turn his head does not mean that adding a backup camera will not increase vehicle safety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't do the backup camera. I don't have one, never have. It's simple.

What you need is a new radio with Bluetooth. Easy easy fix, any car place can swap it out for you. You can buy the radio on Amazon or whatever and take it in with you.

And you can get one with a display that supports a backup camera.

Here’s just one example: https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-MVH210EX-Multimedia-Receiver-Bluetooth/dp/B07N7GFRBV/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=car+stereo+with+backup+camera&qid=1619882531&refinements=p_89%3APIONEER&rnid=2528832011&s=electronics&sr=1-5

[Anonymous]

Don’t they also have options that build into rear view mirror, though that might require more complicated wiring

[Anonymous]

You can install a back up camera and a new radio with Bluetooth in about an hour in the parking lot of the Autozone store where you just bought them.

My 72 year old mom did that exact thing, by herself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can install a back up camera and a new radio with Bluetooth in about an hour in the parking lot of the Autozone store where you just bought them.

My 72 year old mom did that exact thing, by herself.

Go mom!
We tried an after market kit in our 2005 Prius and it wasn’t easy, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would also install a heated steering wheel. That’s the BEST invention ever! It actually is good for my mental health.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We may let my son have his grandmother's 2001 Honda Accord with 65K miles on it to drive at school.

It's in great shape, but not only does it lack a back-up camera and bluetooth ... it only has a cassette player.

(And I think he would be very privileged to have a car at school at all.)

My son had a 2003 CRV as his first car. The one worry was that it was old enough to not have some of the safety features like ABS and only the basic steering wheel airbag. Just something to consider.

[Anonymous]

Best Buy's rates for installation are crazy expensive. Before backup cameras existed, I installed a navigation system at a place called Car Stereo Systems in Falls Church. They're no longer there, and I don't know where they are now but you shouldn't have trouble finding places similar to this. I'm also sure they offer better service than Best Buy at a more reasonable price...and you'd be supporting a local business.

Good luck!