I can't see backwards!

Post date: 2021-12-02 07:41:12

I need help finding the best aftermarket backup camera for our car.

Last fall, we bought a car, the first car we've owned in several years. It's a 2017 Mini Cooper S, and as such it did not come with a standard backup camera (I believe those became standard in 2018 or so). It did, however, come with fairly significant blind spots when looking back, due to its large C-pillars.

I can't really replace the infotainment system itself, which doesn't have camera-picture-transmission capabilities (our car is the lowest trim model available), but is the screen that controls everything in the vehicle. So, we need something aftermarket, but my goodness there are a bewildering number of options.

Details:

- I think I would prefer a mirror replacement one over one with its own screen that has to mount somewhere, but I'm also open to that, if it's a better option
- We don't need forward-facing camera capability or any other bells and whistles; we don't drive much (less than 10 miles/week most of the time) so we aren't looking for additional features as much as solid capabilities in the one thing we need
- I am a 52 year old who can barely tie my shoes without using a manual, so needless to say I will not be doing the install myself. Thus, difficulty of installation is less of an issue for me, as I'll be paying someone to be smart where I can't.
- Related: I am agnostic about where the camera itself mounts, whether that's a license plate frame-type thing or an actual camera. I just want one that works well. I'm being vague about "works well", because I don't really know what that looks like as such, and was hoping I could learn what "works well" looks like through these recommendations.
- I'm not looking to go super cheap, but I also don't want to spend a fortune - as I say, we don't drive that much, so I'm not looking to put more than like $3-400 into this if I don't have to. The cheaper the better, but quality is important.

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