Garmin - Dash Cam Mini Series

I've used Vantrue E1, Garmin Mini 2 and Vantrue N5. The Garmin mini and the Vantrue E1 are 1-channel but they are nice. The screen in the E1 makes a difference for me in terms of reviewing clips, config, etc. which you need to do via WiFi connection for the Garmin mini 2; and the E1 can be paired with a small remote control to save/lock clips and enable/disable the mic recording. From your post, I'd check these ones out and decide. The CPL filter makes a difference but not a must. The N5 is another level with 3 channels, and big bunch of features but also a looot more expensive. At this point, I would have gone for a cheaper model from Vantrue with LTE module. I did take a look at the Viofo dashcams before buying and they also give very good value for their money. The A119 Duo is a good 2-channel that will not break your bank. Do keep in mind that the dashcams don't come with microSD cards and those endurance cards tend to be from 30€ upwards (don't go for anything else, imho, or you may face issues saving videos).

I have a truck and run a full Garmin setup: Front: 67W Rear: Mini 2 Power: Garmin OBDII Constant Power Cable I've had this setup for years, and I love it. Has survived multiple Texas summers. It is very easy to install and has plenty of length to hide the cables well.

I had two Garmin Mini sensors fail after a short time. Which sucks because they're the most subtle form factor cam on the market. Everything else is bulky and ugly (see OP's photo) which ultimately is an important consideration for something that I want to keep hidden from sight. I really did love them...while they worked, at least. Went with Viofo for the replacement and am happy so far, while keeping my fingers crossed.

I use the Mini 2 with Dongar on both of my cars.

I have garmin mini 2 with dongle to plug it into mirror 

Garmin mini on sale right now. I've had no issues with it.

I use a Garmin Mini and just hide the wire along the top and side panel and connect the USB to the passenger charge port. Works fine for me!

I like the Garmin Mini or Mini 2 because it doesn't have a big ass screen to take away space from my window screen, particularly as one of my cars has a very small window.

I like the Garmin Mini or Mini 2 because it doesn't have a big ass screen to take away space from my window screen, particularly as one of my cars has a very small window.

I’ve had two of the Mini 2’s die on me, I don’t know why but they stopped recording and then wouldn’t sync unless I’d do a hard reset, then they’d crap out after a few weeks. Go with a full size one.

I use the garmin mini 2 and the dongar adapter to power it from the mirror like this is. Seems like a decent option

3rd Gen here, not sure if it's the same on other gens. But I have the Garmin Mini and the mirror plug and it's an extremely easy install and the camera is good. I have one of the older versions of the Mini so I'm assuming that in the newer versions it has an updated camera.

I love mine. Its never given me issues

after looking and pricing and every thing else I went with the Garmin mini 2 , I bought one for the front and the back , not only did it pay for itself another nice thing is you Can ajust it , and to be fare when cleaning around it you may hit it and move it , but I found it to be nice when I got hit I just took the SIM card out rite there and when and down loaded all the info also whats a nice thing is you can take from one car to the next , I did have my hard wired but I can also unplug and use the other plug if need be to power it

I went down this same rabbit hole , I end up with the garmin mini dash cam2 , I bought one for the front and one for the rear , im not tech savvy and so each camera has its own SIM card , I got hit and I just took out the SIM card and had every recorded on it , they just simple works great , also got the install kit and it was like 50.00 to have it hard wired in , but if you want you could upland and take with you and use in other cars

I have a garmin mini 3. It takes great video but its slow to connect to from your phone via wifi. I have a viofo a119 mini in another car but I don't think the angle would be right for a rear dash cam. The garmin mini 3 fits really well and isn’t too intrusive. https://preview.redd.it/pczycgw1xaue1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1f49e58449e8e04300a899d96dc382dd4a632b11

I just ordered a mini 2 (which I’ve read is VERY similar to the 3) Reason I picked the Garmin Mini is because 4 of my friends have it and all said it is amazing. None of them have had any complaints and they’ve had it for a while now.

https://preview.redd.it/ffu40m6eg39e1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=218c46f90014349b35dd77d00ae29f1bb2fdd32a If you wanna do it without splicing anything and don’t mind spending the extra cash go with the garmin mini + constant power cable. Just tuck the cable in the head liner and behind the weather stripping in the door all the way to the obd port. Edit: The constant power cable has two ports if you ever wanted to add a rear camera as well!

About to say, I’ve had two for a long time and haven’t have a problem

I have the garmin mini 2 I have the adapter that siphons power from the rear view mirror so no visible wires.

Garmin Mini 2 (mini 3 is out now) simple to use, decent quality and the size of the key fob.

I have had very bad luck buying dashcams from brands I never heard of. For the last couple of years I have been using Garmin minis. I have one on the windshield and one in the back window. No GPS or screen but they are tiny and unobtrusive enough to leave on the windshield when parked in the city and take razor sharp video. I have never had a corrupted file or the problems accepting certain SD cards like I have had with others.

I use Garmin cams. I have a DC47 in my car and I think the one in my Silverado is a Garmin Mini 2 or 3. Both do the job.

I use Garmin cams. I have a DC47 in my car and I think the one in my Silverado is a Garmin Mini 2 or 3. Both do the job.

Garmin Mini , direct wire to fuse box

Got a 2016.5 CX5 about 2 months ago and I have done: - StartX remote starter (easy to install) - Apple Carplay/Android Auto USB hub installed (super easy to install as well) - Switched to LED interior lights - installed ambient lighting (hardwired. footlights and one strip on the dash. Kept it simple to not be too annoying) - Dashcam with dongcar adapter (Garmin mini 3) What I plan to do in the near future: - change brakes and rotors (need recs) - add OEM roof rails and cross bars - add a trailer hitch (need recs) The car is super easy to work with and install stuff on. I'm a first time car owner with little to no experience with hardware stuff at all (still don't know the difference between a socket vs ratchet wrench). So if I can do it then anyone can :D

My fiancée and I both have Garmin Mini 2’s that are extremely basic but work well. I tucked the wiring in the headliner and ran it down the weather stripping on the passenger side so it’s mostly hidden and ran the cable behind the glove box to the 12v outlet in the center. I believe Garmin now has a Mini 3 but I cannot speak to the newer model. To review/download videos I just use the Garmin drive app. It self purges old videos as storage fills up if they are not saved which is nice. Hard to beat the $129.99 price tag at time of purchase.

Same. Sitting always mounted in the AZ heat, where other cameras have literally melted, I have three and they're great.

Love my mini 2. Started with it as my primary and eventually moved it to the back when I moved to a 2ch setup.

I've got two and they're working just fine after coming up on two years, I think. That said, today's quality control is crap and with mass produced items you can always get back luck.

I'm running a Garmin mini with a dongle to connect it to mirror power so I'm not running cables. It's been great & you can connect multiple cameras and sync them in the app

I second the Garmin mini.

Whatever you do don’t buy the Porsche dashcam. Hot garbage. The garmin mini is my favorite because it’s tiny. I just used a 12v to usb mirror tap and pushed it into the power and ground for the rear view mirror connector up in the overhead console. It’s easy to get in there.

I use Garmin’s dash cam mini (ver 2 & 3) & a dongar adapter to tap into the rear view mirror’s power.

I use Garmin’s dash cam mini (ver 2 & 3) & a dongar adapter to tap into the rear view mirror’s power.

I went with the Garmin mini 2, with the Dongar piggyback plug. The power taps into the power supply from the rear view camera, or the plug stashed in the overhead. The camera is compact and is linked to the garmin app so you can save videos to your phone.

garmin mini 3 with the dongar cable. Tuck it up behind the passenger side of your rear view mirror and its basically invisible and runs in the background. Honestly forget i have it until I see questions like this come up in this sub haha

Having good luck with the Garmin Mini3

I have the garmin mini 2 now for 1,5 years and it’s doing great.

been using mine for 3.5 years no issues

Yes $230 for 1080p single channel only is rather expensive. I can't even find a equivalent Viofo since the current ones are 1440p minimum. Garmin have a lithium ion battery to provide up to 30 minutes of extra recording when power is out, while most others use a super-capacitor to only close video file safely when power is out. Lithium ion battery are known to not last long in high heat, but I haven't seen Garmin having battery bulging issue. Garmin have their own software with a unique feature that let you sync multiple Garmin cams. Other brands just modify Novatek base software stack, all their apps have similar look and features. Garmin also have lots of accessory options although somewhat expensive, like you can use a suction cup mount instead of sticker mount.

garmin dash cam mini 2 is what i i got in my car

I had the first one for a year until it stopped working. Got a replacement via Garmin RMA. Replacement just stopped working after another year, this time showing a corrupted image (assumably circuit board melted). Do not ever buy a Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2.

I had an incident and the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 for some reason, in continuous mode, didn’t record the 5 seconds I needed. The video cuts perfectly before and after the incident. It absolutely screwed me once. To be fair, it worked 80% of the time, but its terribly short lifespan makes it unacceptable. This is e-waste.

I have the Mini 3, and I have its usb power cable running down the driver side window trim, under the driver dash, under the mat and to the power plug in the arm rest, but I have a large USB battery pack its plugged into that'll keep the camera running for over 24 hours before dying with the car off so I get a little peace of mind while parked.

Garmin hd mini. Got it on sale on Amazon for 50 bucks A couple years ago. Comes with a little ball and slot attachment you can just pull it off and store it if you need to, I also use window shades to block the sun.

I’ve been super happy with my [Garmin Mini 2](https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0931YZ82P?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share) <*amazon link*

I run two Garmin Minis hooked up to the OBD port with Garmin's easy install thing. Extra long cable for the rear. Wires tucked under head liner and the rear wire ran through the rubber hatch boot. Very clean install.

Bitrate matters just as much as resolution for moving instances, plates are pretty big. Unfortunately for most cameras no way to actually know this until you test the camera. My Garmin Mini 3 can read plates of oncoming cars on 60kmh two way roads despite being 1080p because the bit rate is high, so it doesn’t smudge moving plates.

if it’s just for insurance/determining whose at fault I’d go for a Garmin Mini 3. I have two one front and rear, they sync to each other, the app is basic and simple, the quality is more than sufficient (can read plates of oncoming cars on two way lane interurban 60kmh road) and field of view is good. Microphone is mutable via button which was a must for me and you can disable all the annoying beeping and shit. SD card easy to eject if you wanted to swallow it for some reason and Garmin makes a nice auto cutoff OBD port power supply, good parking mode. Good customisation for park mode, record not record, sensitivity. No over the top stuff, no geeky batman gadgets, no fugly screens just camera record and camera save and affordable plus invisible behind my rear view mirror which was a must. It’s 1080p but high bit rate so it’s good. Yes it doesn’t have GPS so no speed, but for me this is both a positive and non-issue. Firstly insurance doesn’t need to know if i was theoretically speeding, and if i want to know my speed i’ll pull up google maps and calculate it manually distance over time. I have gotten a real officer fine withdrawn this way using the Mini 3 (it also bang shotted him clearly not even aiming the lidar gun at me on the side of the road and he had his body cam turned off but that’s another story) Only complaint is setting up them was a little buggy (had to close and reopen app) and downloading footage over wifi is slow and not easy to snip a small clip but those are one off issues, not daily problem.

I’ve had the Garmin Dash Mini 3 for about a year and it’s worked great. If you buy the dongar harness, you can power it from your mirror and never have to worry about wires to plug in.

In case it helps, I was stuck between the Viofo's and the Garmin Mini 2. For ease of installation and parking mode I want to use an OBD port power cable which Garmin sell but Viofo don't (though they do sell an almost-as-easy fusebox kit). So I'm a bit unsure still, but probs will choose Garmin for compatibility.

I have a garmin dash cam mini 2 in both of my cars and it’s great. I just don’t has a in can camera yet

I have a Garmin Mini 3 - and prior to that, in my last vehicle, I had a Garmin Mini 2. The 3 comes with a polarizing filter already on the lens. I'm sure it's not the best quality camera out there, but it's small, discrete, and I've always had a positive experience with both units. I only bought the 3 because I couldn't find where I put the 2 (I thought we had thrown it away in our garage cleanup effort). Literally like two days after I got the 3 installed, we found the 2. So I put that in the wife's car.

I have a Garmin Mini 3 - and prior to that, in my last vehicle, I had a Garmin Mini 2. The 3 comes with a polarizing filter already on the lens. I'm sure it's not the best quality camera out there, but it's small, discrete, and I've always had a positive experience with both units. I only bought the 3 because I couldn't find where I put the 2 (I thought we had thrown it away in our garage cleanup effort). Literally like two days after I got the 3 installed, we found the 2. So I put that in the wife's car.

Check out the Garmin Mini dash cam. Mine is mounted behind the mirror so it’s discreet, doesn’t affect my field of view, and doesn’t interfere with Eyesight. I have one in the rear window too.

I have a Garmin mini 2 and mini 3. I like them and they do their job.

I have a Garmin mini 2 and mini 3. I like them and they do their job.

I think the Mini 3 is better

Neither of them are good cameras at all, but they do offer the best form factor. Low quality camera, but amazing shape and size.

I wish I could say the same of my DC Mini 2 😭 It kicked the can and would no longer record to the SD card, not even mentioning that the image sensor died and just made the videos full of green and purple stripes. Hopefully yours keeps on going!!

I have this too but I’m not a fan, the quality is low and unless you pay for the vault it’s a pain to export and save videos. Probably user error, but that’s my experience.

I have the mini, but have never had an incident that required me to pull footage or anything. But set up was easy, and it’s small so it doesn’t bother me at all. It’s been my one and only dash cam so I don’t have anything to compare it to. Sorry this isn’t much help, but I just don’t have anything to complain about.

Picture quality seems great. But I’ve never had to use it to look at someone’s license plate or anything. Pulling footage is easy, you can either do it from the app or just download it from the microSD card.

I like my Garmin Mini 2. It's small and takes good videos. The lense captures wide. Which is good for the beast that is our Challengers.

Garmin Mini 2 - Two summers under it's belt and not a single problem. Buy it and an appropriate mini sd card, plug into the power source in car... forget it's there. Takes longer walking to the car after you buy it than to install it, physically. The software takes a few minutes, but it's easy to use.

Garmin mini installed by car detailer for free during a regular detailing. Super cheap, serves all purposes.

Garmin Mini 2. It's very small, and uses a super capacitor instead of a battery, so temperature swings aren't an issue. Often available on Amazon for $99. I have these in 2 vehicles, and one has been installed for almost 3 years. No issues whatsoever. I check in on the MicroSD card sometimes to make sure it's still recording ok, but that's it. Saved me $10k when I got sideswiped by a UHaul.

I agree with all of this. Anyone considering a dash cam, this is my official recommendation. Get a Garmin Mini 2. It’s worth it.

Garmin Mini 3 (ik heb 2), kan je op parkeermodus zetten via de OBD poort en permanent laten filmen, alles is op je gsm te bekijken nadien. Binnen budget.

Garmin mini 2 with rear view mirror cable is super easy

I got a Garmin mini 3 as part of a Black Friday bundle on Dongar. It works super well and I don’t really go back to check the videos, but you do need to make sure you turn off CarPlay to be able to connect to the live feed and it will be so. Excruciatingly. Slow. But if something were to happen and I needed that footage, I’d sit in the truck and wait for as long as I needed. It’s really just to make me feel better that I’ve got it recorded, even if it takes 40 years off my life to download the video

I've had mine for 2 years now, no problems at all.

I got multiple Garmin mini 2 cheap and practical imho. The market is flooded with non-name and generic dash cams, I don't think you can go wrong with especially at the price range now, they are almost disposable.

I'll be damned if this isn't downtown Newmarket! 🙌 Not aware of Audi dashcams but I have a Garmin mini 2. It's dirt simple and really unobtrusive but works ok. They have a new lineup now with updates specs but not sure how they compare.

I have the same one, I have the parking module but I wish it was a bit clearer because I got a hit and run overnight and I couldn't read the plate (it was also raining)

I have a Garmin DashCam Mini 2 and love it.

Garmin Mini with the hardwire kit - you cant see it from the drivers seat. It has its flaws, no screen, 1080 max resolution, app is slow to respond… BUT i got it to have something to show my POV if I ever need to defend a they-said-i-said issue. Bonus it can integrate with the trackattack app and/or be used as a footage overlay when combining the telemetry and video in RaceRender. There are better cameras with dual channel out there but this one suits my need and thankfully I’ve not needed it.

I use Garmin mini

I love my Garmin Mini 3. Got them on sale for both of my cars. Straightforward and easy to get going. I only have front mounted ones but with the loser lifted trucks in this city that love to tailgate 3” from your car, I might get rear mounted ones too. However, good old Alberta and the “no license plates on the front” to keep tailgating alive!

I have the Garmin mini 2, video quality is okay. Mine only runs when the vehicle is on, as for the cable it’s tucked into the roof liner, goes into the A pillar trim and down to the power outlet behind in the glovebox.

Love mine. Like being able to tell it to turn audio on/off.

Garmin Mini 3. Very small and discreet. My the power cable is USB C to USB that hangs vertically from the camera to the USB port in the lower center dash. 

I have a Garmin Mini 2 and the Hachi Electronics harness kit, no issues, both work perfectly.

Same, works great

I have the Garmin Mini 2 and it’s great, compact lil thing and it captures events while the car isn’t running

Garmin mini is a great cam. One of the best ultra discreet cams

Nothing I’ve found is perfect. After several Viofo failures/issues, we tried the new cheap little Garmin. The LED’s on it are big and bright, which I find annoying, but my wife does not.

I’ve got Garmin mini 3’s, Pretty solid and also super small and discrete. I didn’t want anything with a screen and I’m happy with their performance thus far.

Garmin Mini 2 with Dongar-plug and play.

i’ve had mine for a couple of years, I bought a Garmin mini two and an adapter from Dongar. But I would watch Todd ‘s video on project Farm.

I use a Garmin mini 2 and bought a connector for the mirror from dongar tech. its that easy…also had one in my daughters rav4 and it saved her in an accident 2 weeks ago when the sob lied to police. just google dongar technology.

I third the Dongar Dashcam adapter. I have used them in 3 cars and they work great and I ended up using the Garmin DashCam Mini 2. small and works great

Garmin mini 2. Route the wire under your floor mat into armrest cigarette plug. Minimalistic, clean, and easy

\+2 on garmin wired into glove box 12v. Imagin a 2 channel cam would just have to route the rear along the trim.

I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, on my 2nd dash cam mini 2, can’t get it to connect via Bluetooth or anything, put in new memory card that is 32gb that is listed on their approved list.

Get Garmin

Two of my cars use Garmin Dashcam Mini2, both got two, front and back. Works great so far.

Garmin Dash Cam Mini 3. Simple and reliable. I’ve had previous models on all my trucks since before covid.

Check out Garmin Mini 2 purple video. There are tons of reports of this happening and mine started doing this about 2.5 years in. Happy I noticed because of a memory card error it threw or I would have never known. I replaced the memory card but no dice. If u press on the glass of the camera it goes away and then comes back a bit later while driving. Bought a 67w because I don’t think I can ever trust that it’s recording again without seeing the screen pop on briefly few a few seconds.

Put a Garmin mini 3 just to the right of the rear view mirror up high. That would work great with that 10 pin connector.

I have garmin mini 2, used for 2 years and no issues so far

Garmin mini 2 is what i use

Ive got dash cam mini 2 for garmin used a cable from mirror no cable work very discreet and nice https://preview.redd.it/o70sisa1se8e1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=adf4ab6c0e544c1a4c22cf793998de45082e6565

Garmin Mini for size, function, reliability, price and reputation.

Garmin Mini 2 and think I’m about to buy the 3 for the rear — but then was considering swapping and putting the 2 in the back even though I like its design more, in general and for up front. 😆

If you do find a dash cam you want and it doesn't have an obd connector you can get a generic one like [this one](https://a.co/d/1MSWjPu) and it will work. I got one for my Garmin mini and works great

I’m on my third Garmin dash cam mini replacement in a year. Not overly happy with it. They now want to replace it with a new model. That means I have to buy a new anytime cable and the old cable and other accessories I bought are a loss.

I’m on my 4th failed mini 2 in 10 months.  I just asked for a refund that included my polarized lens cover, all time power cord and mounts.  Not getting it, but I will never buy garmin again. 

In my WRX I use a Garmin DashCam Mini 2.  In my Outback I use a Thinkware U3000 dual camera setup with Thinkware iVolt Mini battery for parking mode.  Thinkware setup is excellent and has advanced parking mode features. Garmin is good enough for when you just need a camera while you are driving.   I typically use the Outback for road trips. WRX is driven much less and I did not find the bulkier/more expensive Thinkware setup to be necessary for how I use it. 

I have a Garmin Mini with a USB C to A convert I had sticking around. Works great.

I use the Garmin Mini 2 have had no problems, and you can pull up live or saved footage anytime as long as the camera has power. I don’t have mine hardwired so my wires just kinda routed around but that would always be an option.

Garmin dashcam mini 2. There is a dongar plug that can take power from your rearview mirror for no mess power. Lots of YouTube videos on installation. If you look in my comments I’ve linked the video previously.

Get the Garmin mini dashcam and a very nice (don’t cheap out, this thing will potentially hold legal evidence for you) 64gb or more SD card. This thing could save your ass in court, so don’t cheap out on the camera either. $99 gets you a reliable Garmin dashcam that is always recording and will save the last 30 seconds of footage (plus anything after activation) if you press the button, activate it with your voice, or its impact sensors get triggered. I drive in the city and can’t believe I drove so long without one. Plus it is super small and mounts perfectly behind the mirror.

Garmin mini 2 It's fine. I wish it could work while parked. Seems like there's better options out there though

I just got the Garmin Mini 3 for the front. It’s been great so far. Nice and small to hide behind the mirror. Also ordered a Dongar adapter for the clean look. Thinking about getting a Mini 2 for the rear

I have the Garmin mini 3 for both front and back. Place it behind the mirror. Shouldn’t be a problem with the eyesight. A dongar adapter will help with a clean looking install so you don’t have wires everywhere. I have a 24 Forester Sport

I use the Garmin Mini 3. It’s simple and small. Also get a Dongar adapter to run power from the rear view mirror.

I really hope they finally fix the connectivity and out-of-box issues. I have three of the Mini 2 cameras and they've been reliable as all hell after three years, but good golly the setup process is the nightmare. When I setup my first camera I figured out early on that I had to format my micro SD to FAT32, but couldn't get the darn thing to pair with my phone for more than a day. I was trying to setup everything in my house before plugging into the car (to make sure it worked correctly), and it turns out that plugging the camera USB into a computer USB port disables the Bluetooth, thus you can never pair it to anything or install updates. Once I plugged the camera into a wall charger (or the vehicle port) then it would pair no problem. Even after years of app updates it's still not possible for me to manage three cameras on one phone. After adding two cameras the app simply refuses to connect to another camera unless I delete one. As a result, my wife has to manage one camera with her phone and then I do the other two on my phone. I gave up on any hope of having dual cameras in each vehicle because of this.

My Garmin mini is unobtrusive and gets the job done. Less frills than some, but it works well

I have the Garmin mini and it’s good

I use a Garmin Dashcam mini 2. Plugs into the OBDII port!

I just installed a Garmin Mini 3 using a Dongar adapter. Pretty straightforward install.

That's the one I have, bloody hell the price has gone up since I got it! I paid €120 just over a year ago.

I know 2 guys with them that have been really happy. They are still selling units. There are a lot of action cameras but I went down the rabbit hole and two issues hit most, battery life (I wanted at min 4 hours) and dashcam mode that was useful. I ended up getting the Garmin front (recently) and rear (over 2 years ago) and have been really happy. For me integration to make it easy and on every ride is key. I move them between bikes in 30 seconds too this way.

I installed mine. It wasn’t confusing or hard. I’m using a garmin mini which is pretty small which I like. Just take the long cable and feed it around your door paneling, and around so no one can see the cable at all. Took around 5 min to put up.

I bought two. One crapped out after a year or so and the other is still going strong after 2 years

We have two Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2s in my household and they both work great and have held up over well over the past +/- 5 Years. I use ScanDisk High Endurance microSD cards with them. They are powered via USB cord. My partner has a Tacoma and was able to use the port near his rearview mirror so there was no need to run a cord. In my old car and new car I ran the cord along the top of the windshield going towards the passenger side, tucking it into the liner, down the side of the windshield and down past the glovebox and then ran it back to tuck behind where the glovebox panel meets the floorboard and then around to where my center console and USB port is. I can take a video if that doesn't make sense. It wasn't hard but it was tedious in a few spots trying to tuck it in, even though I have small fingers I ended up using a cloth cover flathead to tuck it in a few spots. [https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/731428/pn/010-02504-00](https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/731428/pn/010-02504-00) [https://shop.sandisk.com/products/memory-cards/microsd-cards/sandisk-high-endurance-uhs-i-microsd?sku=SDSQQNR-128G-GN6IA](https://shop.sandisk.com/products/memory-cards/microsd-cards/sandisk-high-endurance-uhs-i-microsd?sku=SDSQQNR-128G-GN6IA)

About a mini 3 years ago. It didn't even last 6 months. Same issue.

It wasn't the mini 3. It was a 1 or 2. I don't know.

I'm a big fan of the Mobius dash cam though I think this is not newbie friendly. Garmin mini dash cam 2 ain't bad for a simple set up

I use the FITCAMX in the front and use the garmin mini 2 for the rear plugged into the back dc plug.

garmin mini 3 love mine!!!! with the obd2 adapter like someone said

I have been using the Garmin mini camera for a long time now. Video quality is excellent, the connection to the cell phone works really well, it's a little too far from my house when I'm parked to connect to the house Wi-Fi. The lens is really good. I would buy it again except for one thing, the Wi-Fi in the camera interferes with the Wi-Fi in the car and there's no way to turn it off, or to change the band.

I have the Mini 2 and it is great, but keep in mind that it's only a front facing one (but if you like it, you can buy two and mount one on the back window). In my case, it came with everything needed to install it: the mount, a charger and long and short USB cables. You can buy adapters to hard wire it to the OBD port or to the rearview mirror if you have a fancy mirror, but I just ran the cable along the edge of the headliner, behind the trim on the passenger windshield, down the door jamb, then behind the glove compartment to the cig lighter socket. For memory cards, get a "durable" one that's designed for constant read/writes, like this [https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Endurance-microSDXC-Adapter-Monitoring/dp/B07NY23WBG](https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Endurance-microSDXC-Adapter-Monitoring/dp/B07NY23WBG)

The best-ish ones go in the $1000+ range for the front and back cameras installed. I've been using Garnin Mini 2 &3 for a while now. They are in your price range, are from a good brand, the performance is decent, and are not too bulky. You can save some cash if you spend some time doing a DIY hard-wired setup.

The best-ish ones go in the $1000+ range for the front and back cameras installed. I've been using Garnin Mini 2 &3 for a while now. They are in your price range, are from a good brand, the performance is decent, and are not too bulky. You can save some cash if you spend some time doing a DIY hard-wired setup.

I have a Garmin mini 2 that I like. It’s teeny tiny out of sight. Don’t see it at all from the driver’s seat. I just hear it beep every time I turn the car on. Wireless transfer is slow, but you can always pull the SD card and use your computer to get things faster. It’s good enough for me.

Owner of 3: * 3 years in wife's car. * 2 years in son's car. * 1.5 years in my car. In the Texas heat, no less.

Love all 3 of mine.

I've been rolling with the Garmin Mini on my 2021 Taco for a couple of years now; I often forget it's there, which is the way it should be.

The Garmin mini is extremely small. It doesn’t have a screen and you need to pull things off manually but for emergencies it’s perfect.

I got the Garmin Mini 2 and have it wired up to the power in the rear view mirror with an adapter from Dongar. It’s very small and was easy to install.

Garmin mini 2, great little camera, the app isn’t the best tho

I bought two Garmin dash cam mini 2, the OBD-II adaptor cable (for options of constant power) and had Best Buy do the install. It’s probably not the best dash cam on the market. But it’s small/discreet, has decent quality for what it is, and gives me a solid peace of mind whenever I drive. I have one in the front and the back.

I bought two Garmin Mini 2 from Beat Buy, the OBD-II adaptor (for “always on” and to avoid using cigarette outlet) and had them install it (ala route the wires). I’ve not regretted it once. They are so small and subtle and it looks so clean in the car.

Garmin mini 2. Take 5 minutes and tuck the cable Away. Works great. Voice controlled. And can get when on sale for $99.

Garmin mini 2 - Small, great quality sound and video, no annoying screens or startup jingles

Garmin mini 2 or 3 Tiny and has No annoying screens or startup jingles 

Garmin mini 2 or 3 Tiny and has No annoying screens or startup jingles 

I got a Garmin mini 3 cause it doesn't have a screen, the brightness from the screens keep interfering with the eyesight

Type s 401, the a229 viofi, and one other that gets recommended a lot on the dash cam sub. Sometimes just randomly my eyesight would bug out or just not work all together such as lane departure and "obstacle detection" which I just decided to go with the Garmin mini because a lot of Subaru owners (at least people who own newer models) recommend the Garmin because of the no screen which I so far have not had issues with. Oh and my car is a 2024 Subaru Crosstrek. I was worried the anti collision would randomly activate on me and slam on the brakes

Buy a Garmin mini 3, I switched my viofo for a Garmin mini 3 and I'd say it's much better

Haven't had an issue with the 3 and they have warranties, it also the only thing that doesn't throw my eyesight off at night. Also what sensors?

Yeah... That's generally due to bad/aftermarket power cable or plug, bad/cheap SD card, and sometimes a bad software update wich factory resetting it fixes it.

Garmin Dashcam mini 2. Fantastic quality and easy installation

Garmin Dashcam yes it’s only front facing. You plug it into the power outlet in the car (no need to recharge)

if you want a tiny hidden dash cam to record if an accident happens i’d get a garmin mini

I have the garmin mini 2 in my 13 and 19.

I got the garmin drive dashcam. I actually have two- one in the front windshield and a mini one in the rear, because a majority of car accidents are getting rear ended which a front windshield cam will miss. I like the garmin ones because the app integrates the two cameras to show a single video with both front and rear views. Plus it has a parking mode so if someone hits your car when it’s in a parking lot, you can see who it was.

The only thing you’d be missing is if someone hits you in the front while you’re parked. The rear cam won’t see it. Yes both are hardwired, but I haven’t had an issue with battery drain. Yes both do have to be hardwired so there is a one time expense there. I had to take it to an alarm/radio shop to get it wired up. Honestly a good idea regardless because if you try to do it yourself, unless you remove the A pillar, the wire will be in front of the airbag which could cause issues if you’re in an accident.

I have the same one, it's so small it it fits behind my mirror. I ran the wiring around the windshield frame. It has decent bitrate compared to other 1080p cameras and night time usually has no trouble seeing details (you're probably not going to read any distant license plates though). I replace the high endurance memory card every year on a schedule since it's being hammered by constant writes + they're cheap for something so vital.

I will second that. [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDM7PFLW?ref\_=ppx\_hzsearch\_conn\_dt\_b\_fed\_asin\_title\_1&th=1](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDM7PFLW?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1) [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DMW3DML?ref=ppx\_yo2ov\_dt\_b\_fed\_asin\_title](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DMW3DML?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title)

Garmin mini 2. Small and can easily be connected to run all the time.

Garmin Mini 3, front and back. I work nights and put a MiFi in my car that provides a WiFi connection to the Mini 3's. I can remote in to both of them at any time and if something triggers them, I get notified and the video goes to the vault where I can view, on the spot. It's pretty incredible.

I bought 2 and they lasted maybe a year before the video just started looking like I was in a blizzard

I called Volvo about installing a dash cam and they said not to put it near the radar system as it can interfere with it ! I installed a Garmin mini on the driver’s side. The manual shows a risk area around the radar system - indicated by a red line.

I never installed it by the radar, avoided it due to Volvo advice and other folk reporting issues!

There is almost zero downside to having a dashcam. It is one of those things that if you didn't have one and didn't need it, it's no big deal. But if you didn't have one and end up needing it, you're going to be kicking yourself. There's lots of affordable options out there, you don't need to get a real fancy one. I have a Garmin Mini 2 and just last year it saved me from having to argue with insurance. Someone hit me while they were making a left turn (I had right of way). I couldn't get ahold of any witnesses but I sent the dashcam footage to their insurance and they immediately admitted their driver was 100% at fault and I had a pretty painless insurance claim and I got paid out. Totally worth the $130 I spent on it.

I put a Garmin mini dash cam in the wife’s Highlander using the mirror tap for power and a rearview mirror mount. In my pickup I run a 2 channel VIOFO. Thought I needed one with a screen but finding out it’s not that important. I like that the Garmin connects to home WiFi and automatically dumps saved videos.

Garmin mini 2, you’ll never notice it

The Garmin mini 2 has worked great for me for a few years now

Stay away from the Garmin Mini 2. It has issues. Mine will randomly reset itself while driving. You have to use your phone. You need the app for it to work. It doesn’t record all the time. Not paying for that ability. Wish I got one with a screen.

I've been using the Garmin Mini 3 dash cam in my new 2025 Rogue and really like it. It's about as small as dash cam as you'll find, and works very well. All in, with a 256GB SD card and Garmin Constant Power Adapter (ODB2) was less than $200. My son in law has 3 vehicles, 2 with the Garmin Mini 2 and 1 with the Garmin Mini 3, and is a big fan.

It's been replaced by the Garmin Mini 3. Same size. I've got one in my new 2025 Rogue.

I'd suggest the Garmin Mini 3 dash cam. Combined with the Garmin Constant Power Adapter (plugs into the ODB2 port for power) and an SD card should be right at your budget. I've got them in our 2025 Rogue and 2025 Forester and they're solid (and tiny) dash cams.

Garmin mini because I don't want to see it, I don't want others to see it and it's only purpose is to show I was driving correctly if something goes wrong.

Before buying mine a did a quick YouTube search and found some sample videos. These days most are pretty good. I like the garmin mini’s because they are very unobtrusive.

I like the garmin mini dash cam 3, I got the ODB power adapter and set it to 10 mins so it doesn’t drain the battery. If you want 4k then I’d go red tiger f7n touch and up to you if you want the rear camera. I would recommend.

I've had the Garmin mini...small, but not the easiest to connect to unless you just take out the SD card to view clips...my preference is Vantrue...much more user friendly for viewing in my experience..great picture quality, easy to set up, but more expensive than the Garmin

I have a boring Garmin Mini 2 and use It 100% offline. I keep an OTG MicroSD card reader onboard, should I have the immediate need to review some footage on my phone, and that's all.

I personally just got the Garmin 47 for the front and Garmin mini 2 for the rear for my Forester. Been great so far

I use a garmin mini 2 (i think 3 just came out) and a dongar adapter to use power from the rear view mirror on my 21 cx5. The installation is super clean, and I don't even see the camera because it's hidden behind the mirror. You just have to remove the plastic housing, unclip the wire, and clip in the adapter, then put the housing back up.

Most of the market has the exact same Sony sensors - the difference is the software they use for the image data. Ones that claim 4k use a software updcaler which doesn't capture more light or definition - just artificially introduces it. Any dash cam that advertises 4k or even 8k for under $1000 is full of shit. For reference, a mirrorless DSLR that can record in true 4k/50 or 60fps goes for about $3000 Personally, I bought the Garmin Dashcam mini 2 on special for like $180. it's 1080p, has good low-light performance plus impact sensor etc etc. anything above $500 isn't worth the money.

it's great, really reliable, can connect to the phone at any time and transfer data without taking the SD card out. the only annoying thing is that every so often the app will ask you to create a vault (their pay by the month cloud storage which you don't need)

https://preview.redd.it/55mpyfx1k2re1.jpeg?width=1320&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=32af7ef6e0e25ce5a683a29b22d6966bb70af40a I can’t see mine when I’m in the drivers seat. Garmin Mini.

I love my Garmin Mini 2 camera. It’s super small and tucks right behind the rear view mirror. It was affordable. It’s easy to use. And it’s made by a major brand. Most subs will recommend some A119 clone, but they’re not worth the money.

Garmin Mini 3. I love my Mini 2. It’s small, has one button to save recordings, stores a ton on its internal miniSD, and the app works well.

Garmin Mini 3. I love my Mini 2. It’s small, has one button to save recordings, stores a ton on its internal miniSD, and the app works well.

I used VIOFO dash cams for years, never had a problem. Wanted to try Garmin, got the x110 with parking guard. A few times it would freeze up, I sold it after a few months and put my A119 back in and not looking back. I put a garmin mini 3 in my daughters car and one in my parents car. No issues that I know of

Both of my garmin minis were bought before covid. One car only gets driven once or twice a week, the other does most of my 12 mile commute. No problems with either.

I bought two minis years ago. Both are still going strong.

I also have the Garmin mini 2/dongar setup. No complaints.

I had Garmin Mini on my previous car. It was okay but not 4k.

I've got a couple FitcamX models and a Garmin Mini 2. The only thing WiFi is used for on them is to configure them and pull clips, it's not needed for regular operation. I bought a couple SD card readers for my phone so I don't have to use the WiFi for pulling clips anymore. All of them shutoff with the car. I think there are options involving installing a different method of powering them to get them to stay on all the time.

Halfords were selling the Garmin mini 3 for EUR 130 last week and it comes with a 16gb SD card. It's a great little camera, if space is tight, and the app is actually good.  I also bought a nextbase piqo 2k before that but I couldn't get it to fit without being in the way of something. It was only eur 120 but you have to buy a card. The next base app looks good but it's a bit slow. I had a Garmin mini 2 for five years before that and it was a great little device but I think I pulled it out of too many cars and the cable was mangled so I thought I'd treat myself to a new camera on my new car. The nextbase is going in the wife's car and my daughter is going to buy a new cable for the mini 2 for her own car. It all worked out in the end, all 3 devices are quite good. 

Halfords were selling the Garmin mini 3 for EUR 130 last week and it comes with a 16gb SD card. It's a great little camera, if space is tight, and the app is actually good.  I also bought a nextbase piqo 2k before that but I couldn't get it to fit without being in the way of something. It was only eur 120 but you have to buy a card. The next base app looks good but it's a bit slow. I had a Garmin mini 2 for five years before that and it was a great little device but I think I pulled it out of too many cars and the cable was mangled so I thought I'd treat myself to a new camera on my new car. The nextbase is going in the wife's car and my daughter is going to buy a new cable for the mini 2 for her own car. It all worked out in the end, all 3 devices are quite good. 

Garmin Dashcam Mini2..... small, well built and unobstrusive. We have them in all cars and they stay out of the way untill needed.

Garmin Dashcam Mini 2 - great build quality and performance, excellent support (phone app, software updates) and small form factor. We have them in every car the footage really helped us 2 years ago in avoiding a potential dispute

I have the same. Minimal footprint, and does the job very well.

I would suggest anything from Garmin mine saved my ass when a guy ran a red light in front of me

It lives in the truck, street parked and is quite small, connects to wifi, and can be viewed through a smartphone app i believe it was around $160 on sale when I purchased it (garmin mini 2)

You have to have a power mirror. Unfortunately I do not, but was able to hide the cord easily on my Garmin mini.

Have the exact same setup. Saved my Tacoma from an accident as well. Recommend this!

My company has lytx in the trucks, but in my 4 wheel, I use the Garmin mini. I've tried a lot of dashcams so far, and the Garmin has been the best, although it has no screen, so you have to Bluetooth, or USB to your computer to see the vids/change the settings. Video quality is good. The three other cams I tried just couldn't survive an arizona summer, the Garmin has done three so far. 

The mini has voice control as well, that works decently well

Idk even remember how old my 1 is, but it’s going strong. Got the 2 as a rear for my truck, zero issues and my wife’s car has a 3 in the front and 2 for the rear, both within a year but never had an issue with Garmin yet.

Idk even remember how old my 1 is, but it’s going strong. Got the 2 as a rear for my truck, zero issues and my wife’s car has a 3 in the front and 2 for the rear, both within a year but never had an issue with Garmin yet.

Idk even remember how old my 1 is, but it’s going strong. Got the 2 as a rear for my truck, zero issues and my wife’s car has a 3 in the front and 2 for the rear, both within a year but never had an issue with Garmin yet.

I use a Garmin Mini 2 in my 2010. The app's a little clunky but otherwise I've been happy with it.

I have this one as well, spent over $200. It usually records while I’m driving but whenever I wanna view videos, I have to plug it in a computer and it never connects to my app for some reason

Mine has been in and out of 4 different vehicles and have had it for a long time. No major issues with mine and it is still working great. I will say that the VIOFO A229 is a great alternative that I currently have in my wife's car. I will probably grab that one once the Garmin quits working, but for now I'll keep running the Garmin. I'm sure everyone's experiences may vary. Good luck!

I have this one only the Mini 2 model. It's great. Actually, we have two of them. One in a Mazda CX-5 the other in a GMC Acadia. Both were installed to tap power from the rear view mirror. You can find adapters on Amazon for most vehicles.

I went with the Garmin Mini 2... just installed it yesterday, using a little trim tool pulled back the liner and push the wire in along the headboard, A pillar and into the glove box and plugged it in into the 12v located inside there already. I did have to drop the overhead trim which is held in by two screws and 4 clips to run the wire around the eyesight. No need to splice any wires or anything. It's also so small you can barley tell it's there from the inside or outside. https://preview.redd.it/xyu8614llkfe1.jpeg?width=3472&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=214c4d055e818c157449c63d0f68a6db52bf33e2

No issues, it's so small it's out of the way of the eyesight.

I went with the Garmin Mini2. It’s small, voice activated and has an okayish mobile app. I use a wiring harness that hooks up to the rearview mirror.

Been using my Dash mini 1 for three years now in Australian weather, no issues.

I like my garmin mini cam

I have a Garmin Mini 3 in my civic. Video quality is ok, I like the small form factor.

Garmin mini 2 - you can get it for $100 off amazon and takes 5 min for you to install :)

I have front and back btw + if you wanna be extra like me lol you can also get polarized lenses for about $20 each which reduce glare and increase clarity. I recommend an 128GB micro SD for them. The whole setup should take less than an hour for both cams. Indeed, the app can be a bit cumbersome but once you get the hang of it it’s not that bad.

I got Garmin mini dash 2 - very inconspicuous and if you add the polarized lens the quality is great.

I use Garmin mini 2 front and back - very discrete, price is right, app kinda sucks :)). I also have the polarized lenses on them

I use a Garmin mini 2 with a behind the mirror adapter. I am strongly considering upgrading to a constant power cable though.

I got mine on the trailgridpro website. I have never had any issues with it.

I highly recommend the garmin mini I have the 2 but they dropped a 3 it’s so discrete no screen in your face works great…. It is only 1080p some find that a deal breaker but I went for the discreteness of the camera

I got the dongar package, comes with a Garmin mini 2 and an adapter that lets it plug straight into your mirror. Super easy install

+1 on the Garmin mini, I have the original mini on my '20 with the wire routed the same as described. Works great and small enough to mount without interfering with EyeSight.

I've been using a Garmin mini. It works well enough for my budget, and I got the garmin OBDII port adapter for constant monitoring. Videos are decent enough to protect yourself in the even of a collision. https://preview.redd.it/771vvn49zn0e1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cc8d98f1ec670a4f4a51bffbcdf8fd8115684286

I’ve had mine for 4 years now, it’s even been through a major head on collision and is still working strong. Maybe I got lucky but I’ve bought two more in the past two years for a few other vehicles and haven’t had an issue with any of them. They even all run 24/7 in park mode. I will say they do get really hot on certain days but I haven’t really had any issues.

Huh interesting, all of mine have been working fine, even the one in the head on collision captured everything before and briefly after

Garmin Dashcam Mini. Very good, does not obstruct the field of vision and US made.

Garmin mini with the adapter

I have a Garmin X310 and Mini 3. The newer Garmin dashcams with 4K recording are great but they are indeed pricey. Their app UI is some of the best I’ve found, it just works, compared to most of the other Chinese brands that can be clunky, annoying, and not as polished. That said, I would definitely agree with u/as_1409 and find some of the better well known and more affordable Chinese brands such as Viofo, Vantrue, Thinkware, BlackVue, etc. Perhaps later in the future once you have some disposable funds you can check out Garmin :) You can also save on installation costs by doing it yourself. It is not difficult. Just plan accordingly and have the tools you need. I’ve installed dashcams in all my cars. If you want a fun weekend project I can certainly help answer any questions you may have.

I have a garmin mini 3 in my 981 cayman. Wired into the passenger footwell cigarette lighter and is super discrete. The dash cam itself is tiny so it tucks in nicely behind the rear view mirror. It’s great if you want a camera in case of an incident, like I do, but is a pretty basic unit with average camera quality. I recommend it because it’s hard to notice and gives you that peace of mind in case

I got two Garmin Mini 3s. One for the front, one for the back. Small enough to be nearly completely invisible and running the wires to power was unbelievably easy.

My garmin mini (dc45) lasted me upwards of 7-8 years. I’m on my replacement now (dc46) working on year 3 I think…. 45 was always on, recording 24/7. 46 was in storage for about 2.5 months and then another month later. (Car in shop, car totaled & being replaced). It only records when the car engine is on or if it detects something in parking mode. Edit: it stays in the car always. Temps in my area range from -5* to 110*F.

Combo came with dash cam, specific model adapter, and memory card. Easy plug and play clean install. Can’t see wiring or camera from either front seat. Powered mirror turns it on and off when truck turns on and off. Not crazy video quality but good, cheap insurance living in a metroplex.

Not sure what you mean. This camera does have a screen for viewing.

Rear view mirror completely blocks it however that’s how I intended it to be. You can likely adjust to see a rear screen if you have one that has that.

I have a garmin mini 3 in my outback, and it's super easy to install with a hardwire kit. A rear camera would be nice to have, as they can settle edge cases ( like if someone rear ends you when on their phone and tells the cops you break checked them).

To start out I purchased a €80 refurbed Garmin Mini 2 (with polarised filter + sd card = €120) and have been very happy with it. I plan to upgrade when I buy a new car. It records 1080p 30fps and you have a date stamp, that's it. But I must say, you won't really be able to read the plates on other cars unless you have perfect weather conditions.

Get a real dashcam, seriously. I have the Red Tiger F7NP and it's freakin sweet. Only cost me $80 on amazon, unfortunately it's not on sale anymore. 4k forward camera, 1080 rear camera. Quality is excellent. My wife has a Garmin Mini, it does its job but costs twice as much as mine and has half the features. GoPros already have heat problems, that thing is going to die on your dash. Also they dont all suck, I dont know where you're getting that. If you're going off youtube videos, remember that youtube compresses the hell out of videos. It's all going to look bad.

I've been using a Garmin Mini dashcam for a few years and it's fine. No huge complaints. But I didn't want to pull the panels apart on the Bronco and route the cable properly, so I just shoved it up int the cracks along the windshield and panels and it's mostly out of sight and out of mind. What I don't like about it is that the app sucks and the cable is still visible, even if it's not really in the way. FitCamX makes dash cams that are integrated in to the housing behind the rear view mirror and pull power from the auto-dimming mirror's power supply. It's slightly bigger than the housing that's already there, but when it's installed you really can't see it behind the mirror. Installation was very simple (took like, 5 minutes), they included a pry tool to remove the original housing, and the instructions came with a QR code for a video on how to install it if you needed, which I always think it nice, especially with Chinese made products because written instructions aren't always easy to follow. The app is really easy to use and works great. You connect to its wifi signal and view the footage. It's great. That's how the Garmin worked too but it always gave me problems. I did have ONE issue with the app. I tried resetting the original password to connect to the wifi signal, and it it wouldn't let me access it. The new password wouldn't work, and neither would the old one. I contacted the customer service through Whatsapp and they gave me instructions pretty quickly on how to reset the password. Again, for a Chinese company I was very impressed with the customer service. Usually they just have an email and you're kinda SOL until they MAYBE respond to you after a few weeks. So I was happy that they responded quickly and answered with a fix without having to explain the issue a million times. It was like 3 messages exchanged and it was resolved. The quality is supposedly 4K, but when I view clips and download a clip from the app it's very clearly compressed. I can't read license plates. I want to pull the microSD and see what the footage looks like straight from the card. Maybe it compresses it through the app, and not when it stores it. If it's better that way, I'll update this post tonight. That's my main nitpick. 4K doesn't really mean anything if it's so compressed that you can't see the details. It's still reasonably clear, but if you got hit and run and you need a plate number, you might be in trouble. Hope the data from the card is better. Pros: * perfectly integrated in to the car. It looks OEM. * Camera quality is good enough to see brand logos and models * It has crash detection and parking mode, but I haven't been able to test to see how those work * Able to work with a rear facing camera (soft top owner so I didn't get that) * super easy to install * app works like it's supposed to * excellent customer support Cons: * It's pricey for a dashcam. Almost $200 and that's just for the front camera. * footage from the app is pretty compressed All in all I definitely recommend it. ANY dashcam is better than no dashcam. But considering that you won't be accessing the footage very often, it's best for it to be out of sight and out of mind. I like that this looks clean and OEM.

I have the Garmin mini 2, its nice and small and does have a parking mode and you can get a kit for longer monitoring.

I’ve got a Garmin Mini you can have for $249

I have the Garmin mini 2 in my 2020 BUT I have issues with mine. For whatever reason, and no help from customer service, my iPhone will not connect to it. I installed a Viofo A329S in my dad’s 2024 a couple of weeks ago and it seems pretty good. The app sucks for it I guess. I’m open to suggestions for better ones as well.

garmin mini 2 , thankfully haven't had to pull footage from it yet but i love how small and discrete it is, i have it mounted behind my mirror, kind of between the eyesight cameras, can't even tell it's there, much less distracting than other cams i've had in the past.

Garmin mini dash cam Pequena, ninguém repara nela, e quando acontecer alguma coisa, vais agradecer que ela existiu Já tive a primeira geração, queimou o sensor de luz. O suporte da Garmin enviou a 2 geração sem custos Já uso a uns 7 anos

Yes, ran the original Mini for years until the 2 came out....been running that since release and not one single issue. OP sounds like he has an issue with power supply.

Yes, ran the original Mini for years until the 2 came out....been running that since release and not one single issue. OP sounds like he has an issue with power supply.

I went with the Garmin mini 2 and have no issues.

For quality and best bang for your buck. Garmin mini 2

Many will say the Fitcam, cause it fits like it belongs, but the quality is pretty bad. I did a ton of research on cams. The best bang for your buck is the Garmin mini 2. Just as good as $800 cams, way cheaper and very reliable.

The Garmin mini 2 is the best bang for your buck. Not crazy expensive, easy to install, great quality, and very reliable.

I am happy with mine as well. I made the same progression you did and ran a Garmin Mini 2 for about 1.5 years. videos I have downloaded from the card show up as 2560x1440 resolution. In daylight, reading signs and even license plates is very easy on the recordings I have checked. low-light situations at dusk and into the evening can present some challenges. I figure it's better to have something than nothing at all if you are ever involved in an incident or happen to catch someone else's misfortune. nice write up and thank you for sharing!

I've got them in 2 vehicles for a few years with no issues.

Just ordered the mini 3 as my first dash cam. Connecting it to a pass through charging power bank so I can get up to a couple of days recording while parked. Power bank connected to cigarette lighter. Top tip I saw on YouTube, you can simply plug a usb cable from your phone to the Dashcam and transfer files significantly faster using a MyFiles or similar file manager app on your phone. Apparently the WiFi transfer is a bit slow. Many times faster by just plugging a cable in.

Got this. Hardware is great. App is appalling. Doesn't connect. Vault subscription doesn't work. See the downward App review trend on Google Play. Cancelling subscription and returning to Amazon. Think I'll try Nextbase. Could have been great.

Garmin Dashcam Mini 3. Pricey but very compact and only consumes 1.2 to 1.8W. I've connected mine to a pass through charging powerbank rather than the 12V battery always on. Cigar lighter adapter charges the Powerbank when ignition is on and it passes power through to the Dashcam. 1 week of park mode. 3 to 4 days of continuous recording. I didn't want to risk flattening the 12V battery with an always on connection not did I want just 12 or 24hrs of operation. Built the system for about 250 bucks. Though may add an LTE capable camera so I can remotely check a live feed. Note, a Dashcam makes negligible difference to your range. They are powered from the 12V battery. And although this is charged from the traction battery via DCDC conversion (or the ICE generator to the traction battery) even if you had 10 Dashcams you wouldn't notice more than a fraction of a mile difference on EV range. It's in the noise.

I went with 2 Garmin Dashcam minis and they have been great along with the constant power adapter. Not sure about installation shops bc it’s fairly straightforward to install yourself.

I run a garmin mini with a dongar setup to power both my rear mirror and the dash. All in 100$.

i have one, its been working 3+ years, 0 problems...

My 2 has been running fine since late 2022. Parked outside for most of it. I don't drive a ton or use parking mode though, which might wear it out faster. NE US so hot summers and freezing winters.