I have rear parking sensors on my Golf and really like having them, I specified my car without the parking sensors as they where 360 notes which I thought was a tad expensive I just wondered if you guys that have it think its neccasary or not?

Parking sensors are part of a pack at that price.

Could try to get the dealer to chuck them in for free, or dealer fit might be cheaper.

Mine have them fitted or will have when its built. But personally I don't need them but it will be used by other family members.

My wifes has them but don't think they are needed as you can see the back fine!

They are handy, but on such a small car with good visibility I certainly don't think they are needed.

But I wanted the cruise control and you get those bundled in on the same pack, so we went for it.

I look at them a bit like an insurance policy.

Not needed until until you miss a low post and then have to spend more than the sensors cost on a repair.

They are handy, but on such a small car with good visibility I certainly don't think they are needed.

But I wanted the cruise control and you get those bundled in on the same pack, so we went for it.

I look at them a bit like an insurance policy.

Not needed until until you miss a low post and then have to spend more than the sensors cost on a repair.

Agreed. Sounds a bit unnecessary to have them on a small car, however, as BF noted, you only have to miss a low post / bollard in the dark / rain....and you've paid for them. I always have them fitted if they're not on the car. I pay a bloke £200 to supply and fit the Cobra ones.

Others can mock and ridicule and say the car's so small you don't need them - but the length of the car is irrelevant - it's what you can and can't see. Also, as you get older the neck doesn't swivel as well as it did. I've always reversed on my mirrors (having had a quick scan behind) and I use them to tell me, within an inch or so, how close I am to whatever's behind.

They can ridicule me if they want but that's how it is for me.

As an aside....only two days ago I was sitting in my car in a car park waiting for the Mrs watching shoppers come and go and saw a lady in a big VW Sharan back straight in to tall post. It dented and distorted the rear bumper...that will cost more than a set of sensors to fix.

Agreed. Sounds a bit unnecessary to have them on a small car, however, as BF noted, you only have to miss a low post / bollard in the dark / rain....and you've paid for them. I always have them fitted if they're not on the car. I pay a bloke £200 to supply and fit the Cobra ones.

Others can mock and ridicule and say the car's so small you don't need them - but the length of the car is irrelevant - it's what you can and can't see. Also, as you get older the neck doesn't swivel as well as it did. I've always reversed on my mirrors (having had a quick scan behind) and I use them to tell me, within an inch or so, how close I am to whatever's behind.

They can ridicule me if they want but that's how it is for me.

As an aside....only two days ago I was sitting in my car in a car park waiting for the Mrs watching shoppers come and go and saw a lady in a big VW Sharan back straight in to tall post. It dented and distorted the rear bumper...that will cost more than a set of sensors to fix.

Parking sensors are not perfect. On my last car I reversed into a solid block base from Heras fencing which my sensors failed to detect. Depends totally on the sensing range of the sensors. That incident damaged my lower bumper.

Parking sensors are not perfect. On my last car I reversed into a solid block base from Heras fencing which my sensors failed to detect. Depends totally on the sensing range of the sensors. That incident damaged my lower bumper.

OK. Let me change my recommendation to...Parking sensors that are correctly fitted and of a good design capable of sensing the appropriate area required and capable of detecting Heras fencing blocks. I happened to reverse in to a slightly odd/awkward little gap, today, and did notice a tricky little area of raised kerb about 5" high.... (around the height of a Heras block, I'd have said)... in my nearside mirror (which I'd electrically adjusted right down so I could see that sort of thing) which jutted out beyond the remainder of the space available...and my detectors noticed it too and warned me accordingly. So maybe not all sensors are as competent as each other?

But, point taken, they're not perfect.....what is?

Edited 23 January, 201313 yr by oldstan

From my take on parking sensors they are an aid not a substitute for looking (as best you can) around the area you are trying to park in. I have them on my Ocky as well and they can detect low walls (around 6 - 10") but as you get close they can miss it and opps. So as i said they are an aid?

OK. Let me change my recommendation to...Parking sensors that are correctly fitted and of a good design capable of sensing the appropriate area required and capable of detecting Heras fencing blocks. I happened to reverse in to a slightly odd/awkward little gap, today, and did notice a tricky little area of raised kerb about 5" high.... (around the height of a Heras block, I'd have said)... in my nearside mirror (which I'd electrically adjusted right down so I could see that sort of thing) which jutted out beyond the remainder of the space available...and my detectors noticed it too and warned me accordingly. So maybe not all sensors are as competent as each other?

But, point taken, they're not perfect.....what is?

Mine were factory fitted by Honda so you would expect them to be "correctly fitted and of a good design capable of sensing the appropriate area required and capable of detecting (insert obstacle type HERE)"

Wifey had retrofit sensors fitted on hers (dealer).

Upside - cheaper.

Downside - only have the bleep, not a visual display.

Still seem to do the job.