If given a choice, would you get parking sensors on your car?

Clarkey · 31 May 2011 at 23:35

A nice toy to have in a saloon/coupe, when the rear window is right at the back though then there's really no need.

J1nxy · 31 May 2011 at 23:36

On a car like the Yaris, probably not...on my Jag it was a must have option for the front and camera to go with the rear sensors as its so damn long and wide and you can't see the boot or the nose...the reversing camera is a nice to have as well.

Phemo · 31 May 2011 at 23:56

Got rear sensors on my MK7 Fiesta. I don't really need them as the car is small enough to not have to worry about poor visibility anyway. If I was parking a long car like a Jag, a van or something hefty then sure, but on a hatchback it doesn't really add much that my eyes don't.

Front sensors I really don't see the point in, however. Again I'm sure they may have their place on some vehicles, but I'd say they're definitely far less useful than rears ever would be.

Django x2 · 1 Jun 2011 at 09:53

GF had parking sensors put on her Swift. Purely because of the massive rear pillars and the straight drop boot. Has made my life much more enjoybale knowing she's less likely to wreck her car.

richolmes72 · 1 Jun 2011 at 10:04

I have parking sensors on my Jag and they are absolutely necessary - quite hard to judge the boot.

Having said that, they stopped working about a month or 2 and I've still managed to park without too much issue!

You can clearly tell where the back of a Yaris finishes, it's a nice to have but £400? No thanks!

Maz · 1 Jun 2011 at 10:10

£400 is REALLY expensive for retro fit sensors!

mrk · 1 Jun 2011 at 10:33

I’m good at parking anyway but my car came with rear sensors so I use them (can’t turn them off anyway) and they’re immensely useful in tight reverse parking situations especially for knowing how much gap you’re leaving the car behind (e46 isn't exactly short...) (or bollard!) so you or he can get around without hitting you or you can get to the boot…

mundstick · 1 Jun 2011 at 10:45

Like I said before I personally wouldnt have them fitted as I dont feel I need them but I am sure they are useful.

I just think people are too reliant on these things.

antijoke · 1 Jun 2011 at 11:04

The dealer is lying to you, they are not 'always' retro fitted at the dealership.

If the car is specced with them at time of order Toyota send it out with them on, if you order the protection pack (this is what it used to be called) from the dealer then they will be retro fitted.

The retro fit from what I saw by the technicians at the dealer I worked at was a very high standard, and they use the same parts (not surprsingly) that would have been on the car if fitted by Toyota.

Raymond Lin · 1 Jun 2011 at 11:07

anticonscience said:
The dealer is lying to you, they are not 'always' retro fitted at the dealership.

If the car is specced with them at time of order Toyota send it out with them on, if you order the protection pack (this is what it used to be called) from the dealer then they will be retro fitted.

The retro fit from what I saw by the technicians at the dealer I worked at was a very high standard, and they use the same parts (not surprsingly) that would have been on the car if fitted by Toyota.

I never said the dealer, I said someone on a Toyota forum.

Are you the same person who worked at a Toyota Dealership and told me the Yaris doesn't have keyless entry like the way I thought I had, which turns out to be exactly the way I expected it to be?

So if the retro-fitting at the dealership is of a very high standard then surely that is all that matters.

NathWraith · 1 Jun 2011 at 11:14

ng93 said:
No offense but if your finding it difficult to park a yaris then you need practice, not some gadget bolted to the bumper. Otherwise when you get a bigger car (e.g. a Z4) you'll find it even more difficult.

ah but parking a convertible is rather easy, providing the roof is down!

Shimmy · 1 Jun 2011 at 11:32

I've got rear oem parking sensors on the Omega and they're very useful, definitely worth it. I've had hatchbacks including a Mondeo and you don't need them as visibility is good, but on big saloons they're almost essential.

Front parking sensors aren't as important, can see the front of my car easily.

Wouldn't bother on a yaris, you're a new driver. Just need some experience.

cokecan · 1 Jun 2011 at 11:42

Have front and rear sensors on my current car. I find them useful as an additional set of aid's as well as using my eyes to help me park. As has allready been said, parking a saloon can be interesting at times if the rear visibility is poor.

When it rains they are just a waste of time though (at least on my car), when the sensors get water on them they don't really work until you're pretty much in the grill of the item your parking next to (this isn't made any easier by not having a rear windscreen wiper!).

[TW]Fox · 1 Jun 2011 at 12:11

Lucero said:
GF had parking sensors put on her Swift. Purely because of the massive rear pillars and the straight drop boot. Has made my life much more enjoybale knowing she's less likely to wreck her car.

Surely the straight drop boot is the easiest possible car to park - you know the car stops where the window is?

If your girlfriend could 'wreck' her car parking then perhaps a bus ticket is on order, does she often reverse at 50mph?

Or more Lucero exageration?

Le_Petit_Lapin · 1 Jun 2011 at 12:12

If you suck at parking, get then, cheaper in the long run.

That or just practice more.

ZG002 · 1 Jun 2011 at 12:18

Clarkey said:
A nice toy to have in a saloon/coupe, when the rear window is right at the back though then there's really no need.

[TW]Fox;19270310 said:
Surely the straight drop boot is the easiest possible car to park - you know the car stops where the window is?

If your girlfriend could 'wreck' her car parking then perhaps a bus ticket is on order, does she often reverse at 50mph?

Or more Lucero exageration?

I was thinking that lol, The swift is stupidly easy to park imo even the gf can park it.

cuke2u · 1 Jun 2011 at 12:52

H, I remember my, very, ex-wife bringing back a Ford Sapphire that stopped at the rear window, only she forgot it had a boot on it before she reversed it into a stationary house, of course it was all my fault. However I'm not sure if reverse sensors were even invented back then...
Chris

antijoke · 1 Jun 2011 at 13:02

Raymond Lin said:
I never said the dealer, I said someone on a Toyota forum.

Are you the same person who worked at a Toyota Dealership and told me the Yaris doesn't have keyless entry like the way I thought I had, which turns out to be exactly the way I expected it to be?

So if the retro-fitting at the dealership is of a very high standard then surely that is all that matters.

Can I ask you a simple question regarding the 'key' your Yaris has.

Is it a little black square fob with two buttons (lock & unlock) on it?

Like this image:

Ok fair enough, yes the quality of the aftermarket parts is top notch, so no it doesn't really matter.

Django x2 · 1 Jun 2011 at 13:08

It's not so much the rear, but the front. Because the front drops away massively, she likes to make sure she can clear the car in front by reversing as far as is safely possible. For this, she uses her parking sensors to know how far back she can go before hitting the car behind. To be fair, parking is her ultimate weak spot, even after driving for 3 years.

Raymond Lin · 1 Jun 2011 at 13:45

anticonscience said:
Can I ask you a simple question regarding the 'key' your Yaris has.

Is it a little black square fob with two buttons (lock & unlock) on it?

Like this image:

Ok fair enough, yes the quality of the aftermarket parts is top notch, so no it doesn't really matter.

It's that one in your photo.

I can get in and start the car without it ever leaving my pocket or bag.

Locking it however, I so far have just press the lock button. I haven't stood back and wait to find out if it locks itself yet.