cameras or sensors

we own a coachbuilt autosleeper broadway. I have always found reversing slightly nerve wracking in small spaces. So looking for thoughts and opinions from members, which would be best option, to renew factory fitted reversing camera to a more complete surround view or have sensors fitted at the rear to provide audible warni ng.

I've got a camera on the motorhome, my wife's car also has one, and I've got both on my car (they were fitted by the previous owner).

Being a naturally clumsy and not very observant person I have twice hit vehicles ( my wife's car and a van) while reversing on and off my own property.

If you are like me then perhaps you should have both, the buzzer reminds me to look at the screen and side windows.

If you already have a camera I would go for sensors. Good ones have a visual display unit to show distance to an object in addition to the sounder. 
Rich..

I have always believed that your eyes should be on your two wing mirrors when reversing, not on a screen.   The reversing sensors signal the rearward space. Haven't hit anything yet....at least not going backwards !!!
Keith

KMRTOPAZ wrote:I have always believed that your eyes should be on your two wing mirrors when reversing, not on a screen.

I agree - the reversing sensor system on mine (and a lot of other T5-based conversions) has a display on the headunit showing what's being detected where, but I never look at it - I always look in the mirrors and listen to the beeps.

The system on the VW Crafter is the best (sensor-based) one I've come across - the sensor beeps as in most other systems and the speed of the beeps represents the distance, but there are also LEDs at the bottom of each door mirror showing the distance as well. Sadly I don't think A/S have any plans to make any conversions based on the Crafter...

Hi all members who have replied. at moment it looks like sensors are in pole position so will browse around to se what is on the market. Thanks again to all members  AGAIN THE FORUM COMES UP FIRST

Hi,i have a camera on the back of the van (twin lens) and wouldn't be without it, when my wife bought her Kia it had both camera and sensors as standard and I thought how pointless.
However after using it I think it's great to have both and are considering having sensors fitted to the van.
Pete

thanks breakaleg am trying to narrow search for sensors, hoping to get names of suppliers worth looking at. terryandjudy

Ring these guys, not sure if they will be any good for your needs but they are very helpful and knowledgeable.
I fitted their kit in 2 previous vehicles and will doing the same in my Symbol very soon.
https://www.parkingsensors.co.uk/

The sensors allow you to use the mirrors (as you should).  Nothing wrong with having both but start with the mirrors 1st. Only when the sensors start telling you more than is clear in the mirrors go to the camera.

Better still, teach the O/H (if available and either gender) of the crew to be a good Banksman. One of them can put you inch perfect in the right place and worth their weight in gold (still can't get mine to stay in my mirrors).

HairyFool wrote:The sensors allow you to use the mirrors (as you should).  Nothing wrong with having both but start with the mirrors 1st. Only when the sensors start telling you more than is clear in the mirrors go to the camera.

Better still, teach the O/H (if available and either gender) of the crew to be a good Banksman. One of them can put you inch perfect in the right place and worth their weight in gold (still can't get mine to stay in my mirrors).

I'm with you on this but I had to train my first officer how to indicate using her forearm, not just a finger and to avoid slapping the van when I needed to stop. 
It's now easy peasy.
Rich..

In my opinion you want both.   I recently fitted 4 sensors to the rear of my Cotswold to complement the existing rear view camera.
Reversing sensors are readily available on Ebay and the installation took me around two hours to complete.
I agree with some of the replies stating the importance of using the two wing mirrors above anything else, the camera and the sensors just make things easier.

The cameras handy if you've anything on the tow bar rendering the sensors useless.

I agree with HairyFool, a good banksman is worth their weight in gold.... but only if they are actually good.

Several years ago I’d taken a long drive down to the Ardeche region of France in our 8.6m Bessie, arriving on site quite tired and was met by a British warden. She led us to our pitch in her ‘golf buggy’ and as there was a tree in the centre of the pitch, which I needed to reverse past, she said she would help guide me back.
My twin reversing camera picked up its usual view of the ground and I had both door mirrors, none of which picked up the tree branches hanging below roof level and which she guided me straight in to.

The screeching noises were horrible as the bedroom Heki and both bedroom side windows ended up scratched, not helped by the warden telling me the site owner wouldn’t be happy if I’d damaged his tree. 

She made a sharp exit as I jumped out of the cab yelling ‘never mind his bloody tree’ 

Again another thank you to all forum members who have responded, Ithink my mind is now made up we will have sensors fitted shortly. I have decided to let the dealer where we purchased motorhome to install, as agility is a thing of the past i am afraid.
Terry

Years ago I reversed in to a barbed wire fence, no banksman available, I didn't see it and neither did the sensors!! They are not perfect. I really like reversing cameras, the Toyota Sienna I drive in Canada (not available in UK) has 360 degree cameras and blind spot mirrors, big car but so easy to park, you can see everything.

Baggiecamper wrote:

Kingham wrote: I agree with HairyFool, a good banksman is worth their weight in gold.... 

Thought you might have underlined banksman 
Sounds like she did a treemendous job !

groundhog wrote:Years ago I reversed in to a barbed wire fence, no banksman available, I didn't see it and neither did the sensors!! They are not perfect. I really like reversing cameras, the Toyota Sienna I drive in Canada (not available in UK) has 360 degree cameras and blind spot mirrors, big car but so easy to park, you can see everything.

This is why a camera is always the best option, sensors secondary.

Sensors can miss low objects like bollards too and also it's easy to know if you're camera has failed, not so if a sensor has and simply isn't responding.

People also miss the point that the camera isn't to replace mirrors, it's to complement them.

Greyhound wrote:not so if a sensor has and simply isn't responding.

Possibly true on cheaper systems, but the "proper" ones (e.g. VW OEM) self-check the sensors and sound an alarm when you engage reverse gear if a sensor is out of spec.

My ( minor) calamity was reversing into a pitch and also into a high branch on a tree, neither the camera or mirrors were any help. Sensors wouldn't have worked either. All pitch reversing is now done after I've done a visual inspection and with the help (?) of my wife to guide me.

The camera is a helpful assistant but the sensors would come into their own on those occasions when having to reverse on the highway. A couple of times I've had to reverse on country roads to give way to larger vehicles and it ain't no fun