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BAYBAYURSydney, NSW
Disappointing
I purchased today, and I returned it back today. Every time when you turn it off and on, It is asking you to re-setup. it is annoying, even if I updated its latest firmware nothing was changed.
Purchased in February 2021.
- Dash Cam 66W
- Verified purchase
Night quality
If you are looking for reliable dash-cam, Garmin is not your product. The worst camera ever. The camera costs 266 $ by the time i bought it however, I would not give a single cent if I knew how bad actually it is. Take a look over the video. Thanks Garmin I can't report the crap, because of your crap product.
Purchased in July 2019 at Sofia, Bulgaria, bul. "Prof. Asen Yordanov" 4-B for $266.00.
A Tired CustomerPerth, WA
- 11 reviews
- 8 likes
Nice Brick
Had it one day, did Firmware upgrade via the App. It is now a brick.
No ability to recover from brick mode, wish I had read all the negative reviews first!
Purchased in August 2020 for $250.00.
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tasyl00Greater Melbourne (Metropolitan), VIC
- 4 reviews
- 4 likes
- Dash Cam 66W
- Verified purchase
Another piece of junk from Garmin.
I am not reviewing the technical aspects of the camera. The camera itself looks OK. I am not sure about the video quality because I never got to use it.
The initial setup questions every time it is powered on make it unusable. Even after the software upgrade, which is meant to fix the issue. Who wants to spend a minute or two before every drive to set up the dash cam over and over?
Garmin Drive App which is used for the camera to connects to your phone to view the images is more often not working than working. You have to keep trying a number of times to connect. If you are lucky it connects. Most of the times it doesn't.
It is just not good enough. You expect the product to work when you pay for it.
Purchased in July 2020 at Amazon for $295.00.
Pierce RekkSouth East Queensland, QLD
- 3 reviews
- 4 likes
The worst dash cam i have ever owned
The Good- High quality footage, good mounting point easy to mount in the car.
The Bad- the camera constantly detects a crash/event and fills the event folder (this is on each of sensitivity settings, so lets say that function is useless). My camera is wired into my electrical system to record car park events- the camera stays in car park mode and does not film continuous footage. I have never successfully captured an event. Garmin offered to replace the item. Its been 2 years with constant emails, nothing received yet. DONT BUY A GARMIN DASHCAM.
Purchased in March 2018 at Johnny Appleseed GPS Online store for $199.00.
William CSouth East Queensland, QLD
- 4 reviews
- 3 likes
Do not buy Garmin dash cam
Dash camera video quality is good. All Garmin dash cameras are advertised as having Bluetooth / wireless access via an app. This app is unusable. It will not locate an Android phone by Bluetooth. When it is located on an Apple device it refuses to download footage. These problems have been long term problems for Garmin an so far they have refused to rectify these problems. Subsequently if you choose to purchase a Garmin dash camera the claim of wireless access is false.
Purchased in March 2020 for $249.00.
stji001Greater Melbourne (Metropolitan), VIC
- 11 reviews
- 4 likes
- Dash Cam 55
- Verified purchase
Average dashcam and service.
Updated 09/03/20:
After so much hassle in the beginning in claiming the warranty, RYDA reps contacted me to resolve the issues by offering full refund provided I can send the unit back. Why hasn't this been done in the first place, I have no clue. The whole process is very time consuming.
The dashcam itself is generally pretty average without the WiFi downloading capability. Considering the pricepoint and the overall experience, I would give 3/5 stars.
Original review:
It's intriguing to know the strategy they used to deny the warranty proces...
Purchased in April 2018 at Ryda.com for $250.00.
Wayne SSydney, NSW
- 9 reviews
- 8 likes
Very poor performance and not worth the money.
Physically this is a very attractive camera.
The images look very nice at a glance but when it comes down to detail in the images it is just not there.
Specifications look good on paper but performance I have found it to be very poor, let me list my experience.
I have two vehicles, these comments relate to use of the camera in both vehicles and my comments are after three months of use.
1. - Cables, why do Garmin persist with having to use their proprietary USB cables to make things work? This is a pain.
2. - Voice Commands - they work if ...
Purchased in October 2019 at eBay for $350.00.
AverageJoeMetropolitan Adelaide, SA
- 7 reviews
- 3 likes
Feature packed great value dashcam
I bought two of these dashcams, have been very impressed with the features and video quality which is as good, even better than a BlackVue 650s which I also have, this is due to the 1440p/30 or 1080p/60 modes it offers. There are a few negative things such as, it runs hot, the lack of any decent software for video review & analysis of the recorded video which the BlackVue includes, so you have to use media player or your preferred video player/editor. It also uses more memory for video files than the BlackVue (ie only 6.5 hrs on 64gb compared...
Read more the BV which can do over 13hrs of same format video) so I guess you pay for the better smarts of the BVs. Setup is like any other dashcam really, spend the time mounting it and hiding the cable and it looks great. I haven’t had any issues with powering it with a standard USB like others have mentioned. The driver assist features are good but I didn’t have high expectations since they are based on video and not radar, although they work and you can disable the alerts individually if one annoys you more than the other. Lastly, they seem to be tough and function when really needed. Within two weeks of installing it in my daughter’s car, some idiot using his mobile collided head-on with her (she survived). The camera proved she did nothing wrong and and that he drove onto the wrong side of the road which saved us having to pay the insurance excess and interviews with the police were easier too. The impact of the crash ripped the camera off of the windscreen and from it’s power cord. I found it in the back of the wreck and was able to retrieve the footage. The camera was unscathed & still powers on, although I don’t have a power cord for it anymore because that became a permanent part of the wreck. One other thing to know is the claim of a 30 minute battery seems wrong, as both cameras power down within 15 seconds after the power is removed, which was the only letdown from the crash as it would have caught conversations after the crash. I’m now looking for a replacement but looks like this model has been updated/replaced by the Dash Cam 56. Great dash cam for the money though, I recommend them and hopefully the replacement model will be as good.Purchased in June 2019 at JB Hi-Fi Online Store for $200.00.
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Disappointed, Garmin could do better
No problems with the picture quality, the red light and speed camera work as they should but the lane departure is completely useless. Have had the camera exchanged for a new and both have been the same. Own a Mazda BT50 and it matters not a jot if I program the Garmin for high or low. Very disappointing.
Purchased in March 2018 at Harvey Norman.
ShadowSydney, NSW
- 3 reviews
- 2 likes
Refunded same day
I bought from jb hi fi
Went home to set up saved settings and soon as you power off and on loses the settings and will ask to set again and wont record .i did this few times and didnt work and got refund.
I thought garmin was good brand but at least cheaper brand i had lasted 6months
I will not buy garmin dash cam again.
Purchased in May 2019 at JB Hi-Fi Retail Stores for $200.00.
Ripped OffSouth East Queensland, QLD
- 7 reviews
- 2 likes
Absolute rubbish. Ive had this camera for 12months.. Ready to trash it and get something decent.
If you want to power this camera up using a standard USB cable..forget it. Garmin have used the fourth pin in their 12volt power supply to check the cable out. The Camera will not charge if you want to run multiple devices from your cig lighter/ 12 volt power supply. You are forced to use the proprietary Garmin car charging cable which allows for only one device to be plugged into the cig socket... One word..Lemon
NormanSydney Surrounds, NSW
- 7 reviews
- 1 like
I got a lemon
Out of the box voice control didn't even feature on the menu. Also it failed to pick up the satellite signal. Garmin took an average of about 2 full days to respond to the support requests, but every time they responded they wanted more information. It took two weeks and still no solution, still no offer of replacement, so I just sent it back and got a full refund. I don't know where the 5 star ratings came from - it certainly wasn't my experience with the product, or with Garmin support.
DanielSouth East Queensland, QLD
- 27 reviews
- 21 likes
Rubbish, at best.
Owned this for about 11 months now, and in that time I've had it swapped once, and today is the second time it's going to be replaced.
Constantly freezing while trying to remove videos from it, 1 out of every 10 trips the camera is not on, I had an incident where a pedestrian walked out Infront of my car and when I went to get the footage..guess what wasn't on?
The download speed is horrendous, the app takes several minutes to recognise you've connected to the dash cam wifi, and when it does connect the video info takes a good 30 seconds aft...
JohnSouth-Eastern Region, NSW
- 10 reviews
- 2 likes
Beware software downloads using Mac
I bought this as I have 2 Garmin GPS units, both of which are great. However, this unit failed the first day. I set up as per instructions ( which by the way are very vague ), added it to Garmin Express and did a software update, thats when it all turned bad. The download froze the unit. After 2 days of searching Garmin troubleshooting and reading blogs, I came to the conclusion Mac software does not work very well. Even Garmin advise using windows on updates. Thats something not in the instructions. I did eventually get it working, but adding it again to Garmin Express really killed it. Its now winging its way back to Johnny Appleseed where I bought it, am getting a refund !
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AnthonyCanberra
- 3 reviews
- Dash Cam 55
- Verified purchase
Problems within weeks of purchase. Very disappointing
The quality of the footage is good, however, started having problems immediately after the first software update within weeks of purchase, with certain dash cam functions not working any longer. After much wasted time trying to get a software update to fix the problem and emails to Garmin I was asked to return it to them for replacement. I suggest Garmin should thoroughly test their software and updates BEFORE release - and not expect clients to do the testing for them
So disappointed
I did lots of research before buying a Garmin 55 dash cam. Initially everything worked fine, then within 2 weeks the voice command stopped working. And things got worse from there. Now whenever I turn it on I have to go through all the steps to set it up. I've tried to restore it many times but it refuses to restore. I even tried running the battery flat in the hope of causing it to re-set. All to no avail.
And now the latest version of Garmin Express v6.9.1.0 will not open on my Mac nor on my PC laptop. I'm in the process of looking for a different dash cam. This one is for the garbage bin.
One of the worst products I have ever owned.
billySydney Surrounds, NSW
- 10 reviews
- 11 likes
very satisfied
easy to use and set up,have had a few cam's put them in front and rear of car,very indiscriminate,although I do make sure the rear cam' can be seen by tailgaters,which I don't get now,also have aged but still working perfectly a garmin gps never lets me down and if and when needed updates are quick and easy,hope I don't hex myself ,,,garmin is good
DavidSouth East Queensland, QLD
- 3 reviews
- 2 likes
Disappointment with a star
Found this product difficult to operate and it only works with the supplied cable? So do not loose it. Operation is not that easy and Garmin support failing. Windscreen mount was good but expensive for a magnet if you want to install in two vehicles. Would suggest looking elsewhere. Selling my unit as a major disappointment
ReggSydney
- 2 reviews
- Dash Cam 55
- Verified purchase
This is the right dash cam...
So after days of research, going through all the other reviews, checking the price and actually testing the item, I think that the Garmin 55 is just the right dash cam for me! First of all, it works just as advertised, second, it actually exceeded my expectations as how easy it was to set up and running. Lastly, for the price, it has the features that actually should have been some premium added to it but they didn't so I got more value for my money.
Questions & Answers
Phil R.asked
No problems with the picture quality, the red light and speed camera work as they should but the lane departure is completely useless. Have had the camera exchanged for a new and both have been the same. Own a Mazda BT50 and it matters not a jot if I program the Garmin for high or low. Very disappointing.
No answers
Davidasked
Why, why will it only work with the supplied cable? Had it for two months now and still can not get it to do anything? It keeps turning itself off? What a waste of money, for a supposedly good unit. Do you need to go to night school for six months to use it? Is there an online course?
Details
The Garmin Dash Cam’s most signature feature is its bitty size. With its 2-inch wide screen, it’s certainly inconspicuous when mounted on your dashboard. However, the small screen size might also make it difficult to clearly view footage in the present moment, without the unit being synced to your smart device first.
The general consensus among reviewers was that the Garmin Dash Cam’s footage quality was average to good. However, reviewers often discovered points of frustration with their new car cam’s features. For example, some found the lane departure feature useless, while others disliked the ineffectual voice command functionality. Other drivers found that the Bluetooth/wireless connectivity via the app wasn’t reliable.
While the Garmin Dash Cams are affordable ($199 for the 45 model and $349 for the 55), these issues perhaps contributed to some of the product’s lowest scores being divvied out for its poor value for money (2.1 stars).
Garmin Dash Cam 454.0(3) | Garmin Dash Cam 552.5(22) | Garmin Dash Cam 65WNo reviews yet | Garmin Dash Cam 66W1.0(4) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Category | Dash Cams | Dash Cams | Dash Cams | Dash Cams |
Price (RRP) | $199.00 | $249.00 | $349.00 | $349.00 |
Screen Size | 2" | 2" | 2" | 2" |
Viewing Angle | 122° | 122° | 180° | 180° |
Camera Resolution | 1080p (Full HD) | 1440p (Wide QHD) | 1080p (Full HD) | 1440p (Wide QHD) |
Megapixels | 2.1 MP | 3.7 MP | 2.1 MP | |
Channels | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Features | Forward Collision Warning, GPS, Lane Departure Warning, Microphone/Audio Recording, Motion Detection, Smartphone App and Wi-Fi | Forward Collision Warning, GPS, Lane Departure Warning, Microphone/Audio Recording, Motion Detection, Smartphone App, Voice Control and Wi-Fi | Automatic Incident Detection (G-sensor), Forward Collision Warning, GPS, Lane Departure Warning, Microphone/Audio Recording, Motion Detection, Smartphone App, Voice Control and Wi-Fi | Bluetooth, Forward Collision Warning, GPS, Lane Departure Warning, Microphone/Audio Recording, Motion Detection, Smartphone App, Voice Control and Wi-Fi |
Memory Type | MicroSD card | MicroSD card | MicroSD card | MicroSD card |
Battery life | 30 minutes | 30 minutes | 30 minutes | 30 minutes |
Weight | 59.5 g | 59.5 g | 59.5 g | 61.3 g |
Dimensions | 41 x 56 x 21 mm | 41 x 56 x 21 mm | 41 x 56 x 21 mm | 41 x 56 x 21 mm |
Manufacturer Warranty | 1 year(s) | 1 year(s) | 1 year(s) | 1 year(s) |
Replaced by | Garmin Dash Cam 46 | Garmin Dash Cam 56 | Garmin Dash Cam 66W |
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