My "cheap" backup solution

[websfear]

A while ago I purchased a "WIDE ANGLE REAR WINDOW LENS " off of ebay. This is a 8 x 10 soft plastic fresnel lens. It cost me all of $13, including shipping. You apply the lens to the rear window with water, working out the air bubbles as best you can. If you don't bet them all, don't worry as they will usually go away after a day or two.

After first applying it, there were certain things I did not like. It was too high, a combination of the 8" of the lense and the rear wiper crescent. I also didn't like the fact that because of the angle of the rogue rear window, the image had inverted at the bottom and was showing the sky.

My remedy was to cut off the bottom one inch, and cut a semi-circle in the center bottom to follow the curve of the rear wiper crescent as best as possible.

Here are pictures of the result.

Following vehicle about 2 feet behind...

The lens is the rounded rectangle in the center. You can clearly see the front headlights and bump.

Following vehicle about 6 feet behind...

The following vehicle looks like it 30 or more feet away.

Following vehicle passing on the left (its' OK since this on my driveway!)

The front bumper of the passing car is about even with the rear bumper of the Rogue.

The one last small problem is the rear window wiper arm, but you really can't do much about that.

Driving with the lens is a lot clearer that what you are seeing in the pictures.

[exeunt]

I've seen this on eBay before, but wasn't sure how well it would work. Does it affect your rear vision while driving versus just backing up? I guess you had an overall positive experience of it, but you didn't come right out and say it.. Would you recommend this to others?

[websfear]

Does it affect your rear vision while driving, of course it does, but not that badly. Since you can still see above and to the right and left of the lens (I did trim some of it off so I could see above it), it is just something to get used to. Through the lens you can still see everything as well, just very distorted. Cars two or three car lengths behind you look like they are a quarter of a mile away.

Is it for every one, probably not, but then again it is so cheap and leaves zero marks. If you don't like it, you are only out a small amount of money.

The reason that I didn't say if I liked it or not is that it is under constant evaluation. I haven't decided if it will stay or go. Considering the alternatives, backup camera and and monitor (most likely a new radio head), or the ultra sonic sensors, only time will tell.

[Iridiman]

I purchased this item from eBay. I was considering a backup camera and it is still an option for short items very close to the rear bumper. But this item is SPECTACULAR. I can easily see cars on either side which have slipped into my blind spot. And it works while the car is in motion, which most backup cameras won't.

It isn't perfect. i get a U shaped reflection of the sky across the bottom portion of the lens. But for less than twenty bucks and all of a minute to install it, I can now see on either side in my blind spot on the freeway. Hooray!

websfear, you are my hero.

[jklph]

does this thing affect the performance of the rear defroster?

[websfear]

does this thing affect the performance of the rear defroster?

Not that I am aware of. I don't think the defroster actually gets that hot, just hot enough to melt ice and snow.