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How to Buy a Dual-Camera Dash Cam Without Overpaying

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How to Buy a Dual-Camera Dash Cam Without Overpaying

Protect your car with a hardwired dual-camera setup by timing major online shopping events and spreading out the cost.

VoAtlas editorial Updated · 3 min read
Typical cost $350 before anything else
Across the 0% window $19.44/mo 18 months, no interest

How we got that: $350 spread evenly across the 18-month introductory window on the Citi Simplicity® Credit Card. Checked · at the bank Carry a balance past the window and the standard APR applies to what is left.

A good dual-camera dash cam gives you peace of mind, recording the road ahead and behind just in case someone does something stupid in traffic. Hardwiring the kit means it runs cleanly without dangling cords and keeps recording while you are parked, but paying $350 upfront for the gear and installation bits can sting. The trick is waiting for major online shopping events when prices drop, since that is when you will get the best deal on the camera itself.

You should negotiate the price of the hardware and the installation parts separately before you even think about how to pay. Once you have the final bottom line, you can decide how to handle the cash flow without draining your emergency fund on a piece of electronics.

Remember that the 0% intro window is a strict deadline, not free money, and any remaining balance left over when the 18 months are up will suddenly start accruing standard interest.

The steps

  1. 01

    Wait for a major shopping event

    Do not buy a dash cam at full price on a random Tuesday. Major online shopping events bring genuine price cuts on popular electronics, so put the item in your cart and wait for the sale to drop.

  2. 02

    Nail down the hardware cost

    Get the exact price of the front and rear camera bundle, the hardwire kit, and any extra memory cards you need before looking at payment methods. Keep the shopping separate from the financing so you know you are getting a fair price on the gear.

  3. 03

    Use the Citi Simplicity® Credit Card

    Put the $350 total on the Citi Simplicity® Credit Card to take advantage of its 0% for 18 months on purchases and balance transfers from date of account opening. This gives you breathing room to pay for the setup over time without extra charges piling up.

  4. 04

    Set up an automatic monthly payment

    Divide your total by the intro window to keep things simple. If you spread the $350 cost across the 18-month window, you are looking at about $19.44 per month to clear the balance before time runs out.

  5. 05

    Book the professional install

    Unless you are comfortable pulling your car's interior trim apart to hide wires, take the kit to a local car audio shop. Pay for the installation separately and make sure your hardwire kit includes the low-voltage cutoff to protect your car battery.

  6. 06

    Check the card terms before you commit

    Every figure we publish for the Citi Simplicity® Credit Card carries the date a person verified it against Citi and a link to where they checked. Intro windows and APRs change without notice, so confirm the current terms before applying.

    See Citi Simplicity® Credit Card terms →

Common questions

Is a dual-camera dash cam hard to install?

Running the wires neatly behind your car's headliner and panels takes some patience. If you do not want to deal with fuses and trim removal, paying a shop an hour of labor is usually worth it.

What size memory card do I need?

Dash cams overwrite old footage automatically, but you want at least a 128GB high-endurance card. Cheaper cards burn out quickly under the constant writing and cabin heat.

Will hardwiring drain my car battery?

Good hardwire kits include a voltage cutoff that stops the camera from recording if your car battery drops below a safe level. Make sure your kit has this feature built in.

Why buy during a shopping event instead of right now?

Dash cam prices fluctuate heavily throughout the year. Waiting for a major online sale event routinely saves you forty to sixty bucks on the exact same hardware.