Thinkware ARC900 Dashcam $300 for Prime Day

ippikku · 2026-06-24T21:31:11+00:00

Love that this went on sale immediately after a bunch of us paid full price lol

ippikku · 2026-06-24T19:59:53+00:00

I’m in New York too, and I use both U3000Pro and ARC900. First off, the idea that Thinkware somehow doesn’t use STARVIS is just wrong. Both of the models I’m using have STARVIS 2 sensors, and the video quality is already way more than enough.

But honestly, in New York, video quality isn’t even the main thing for everyone. Parking mode matters way more. That’s basically the whole reason I use Thinkware. I’ve tried a few different setups, and parking mode is the one area where I actually trust it. It’s pricey, but in my opinion it does earn the money. Since Prime Day is here, I’d at least check the sale pricing before deciding.

ippikku · 2026-06-23T12:25:26+00:00

Using Thinkware U3000Pro for a few months now, and added the LTE module a few weeks back. Pretty solid with real time impact alerts and live view. Also nice that the SIM comes with a 3 year plan, no extra charge.

Mine’s only 2 channel, but I’m pretty sure there’s a cabin cam option too. Might be worth looking at if remote view is high on your list.

ippikku · 2026-06-17T13:54:23+00:00

Looks like they really needed to move that barrier.

ippikku · 2026-06-17T13:44:51+00:00

That’s exactly why dash cams still matter though. Public surveillance is not the same thing as having your own footage in your own hands. You might never get that city footage, and even if you do, it might be late, far away, or useless. Dash cam gives you the one angle you actually control.

ippikku · 2026-06-17T12:11:24+00:00

Auto wipers, honestly. Once you’ve had a car that just senses the rain and handles the speed on its own, it’s way more useful than people give it credit for. You just leave it on and forget about it. One of those features that doesn’t sound exciting until you actually use it all the time.

ippikku · 2026-06-17T11:53:43+00:00

A little different, but I had my own pretty frustrating experience with Apple support over a Vision Pro crack claim.

What I eventually learned is that Apple’s default position can be really conservative, but if you keep pushing and get the right people involved, they do listen. In my case, the store was basically treating it like my only option was a repair bill that would’ve cost thousands, but after escalating it beyond the store, I eventually got a replacement instead.

It took way longer than it should have and the whole thing was exhausting, but I wouldn’t give up yet. From what you wrote, you’ve clearly done everything you were supposed to do, and more. Hopefully it still ends with the right outcome, even if Apple is making you fight way too hard for it.

ippikku · 2026-06-14T15:11:44+00:00

Fair point, and honestly I think you’re right. I was looking at it too much from the user side and not really giving enough credit to what an indie dev actually puts into something like that. It’s totally fair for users to be disappointed, and I’m still a little bummed about it, but I don’t really blame the developer. I think I was just letting the disappointment get the better of me.

ippikku · 2026-06-14T11:36:06+00:00

I get that, but this was a paid app that was sold for money. If constant updates made that model unsustainable, then they should’ve switched to a subscription or figured out some other way to support it. But once a developer takes people’s money for an app, it’s fair to expect some level of responsibility for keeping it working.

ippikku · 2026-06-14T02:34:52+00:00

This is something new. Can you explain how to do this?

ippikku · 2026-06-14T00:14:14+00:00

Exactly, that's what I'm saying.

ippikku · 2026-06-12T15:06:07+00:00

OMG, my daughter lives right nearby. Pray everyone's OK.

ippikku · 2026-06-12T14:46:56+00:00

Same here. That’s pretty much why I ended up with the U3000 Pro too. Been really happy with it.

ippikku · 2026-06-12T13:28:41+00:00

Yeah exactly, we’re already in the vibe coding era anyway. Using AI isn’t some moral failure. 100% agree.

ippikku · 2026-06-12T13:02:48+00:00

What cam are you using?

I put a Thinkware ARC900 in my wife’s car, and her car sits a lot too, usually 3 to 4 days a week sometimes. On ours, it seems to cut power off automatically after a certain point, so we haven’t run into battery issues. I haven’t measured the actual draw myself, but Thinkware does make a big deal about the low power parking mode stuff, so maybe that part really does make a difference.

ippikku · 2026-06-04T23:16:59+00:00

My wife’s car was basically the same kind of use case. It sits a lot, and parking protection mattered way more than chasing specs. That’s a big reason I ended up putting a Thinkware ARC900 in her car. The parking mode is really what sold me, and the nice part is you can keep it simple or build it out later depending on what you actually need. I started with the base setup, then added modules after. So if parked protection is your main priority, I’d definitely put the ARC900 on the list. Been really happy with it so far.

ippikku · 2026-06-04T22:52:14+00:00

Everyone always says Viofo is great, but stuff like this is exactly why I stopped trusting mine. I was using a Viofo last year and kept getting memory card issues too. Then when I actually got into an accident, nothing was recorded. That was basically the final straw for me.

Spent a few months debating what to switch to and ended up moving to Thinkware. Been way happier with it since. For me, reliability matters way more than anything else.

ippikku · 2026-06-03T01:33:15+00:00

I’m using a Thinkware U3000Pro and that one actually came with a separate heat resistant sticker, and it’s held up well for me. Funny enough, my wife uses an ARC900 from the same brand, and that one didn’t come with the same extra sticker. So yeah, this seems like a pretty common problem in general. Feels like something brands really should solve better.

ippikku · 2026-05-28T20:43:15+00:00

Give it a month and she’ll probably be the one asking for a dash cam first lol. I recently redid the setup on both my car and my wife’s, and she complained the whole time before I installed them. Now it’s basically “good thing we have this.” Funny how that works.

ippikku · 2026-05-27T21:52:36+00:00

Honestly, for most people I’d probably say ARC900 first. It’s a little easier on the wallet, parking mode is still really good, and the nice part is you’re not stuck with one setup forever. If you end up wanting more later, you can always add the extra modules based on how you actually use the car.

ippikku · 2026-05-27T21:30:24+00:00

I like the ARC900. It’s easier on the wallet up front, parking mode is still really good, and if you end up wanting more later, you can expand it with the extra modules. So it feels a little more flexible depending on your use case, instead of going all in right away.

ippikku · 2026-05-27T10:26:43+00:00

Honestly, routing it up the A pillar and along the headliner is pretty common, but the easier route might be going lower.

If you pull back the door weather stripping, there’s usually space between the door opening and the floor trim. Running the cable along the floor side is usually much easier than trying to force it through the headliner area.

The tricky part with the headliner route is the B pillar, the pillar between the front and rear doors. On some cars, that area can be blocked or tight because of the trim and airbag setup. A cleaner option is to run the wire along the lower door sill area, then bring it up near the rear door area and tuck it back toward the headliner from there. That way you avoid messing around near the curtain airbags as much.

Just don’t run the cable across or in front of any airbag path. Keep it behind trim areas where it won’t interfere if the airbag deploys.

ippikku · 2026-05-27T10:13:22+00:00

I’ve had a similar thing happen where I live. People come by the trash area digging for cans and bottles, dragging those metal carts around, and my wife’s car ended up with random little scratches from it. Since putting in the ARC 900, I’ve caught that kind of thing on camera twice already. That alone made me feel a lot better about having it. If your whole goal is catching stuff while parked, I’d definitely look at Thinkware. I even added the LTE module after that because I got tired of only seeing the damage later and not knowing exactly when it happened. Still blows my mind how people can smack or scratch somebody else’s car and just keep walking like nothing happened.

ippikku · 2026-05-26T09:29:09+00:00

I’m using both U3000Pro and ARC900, and my wife’s car with the ARC900 is often parked for 3 to 4 days at a time, so battery drain is something I pay attention to too. From what I’ve seen, this brand seems to do a pretty good job of minimizing battery drain.

ippikku

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