Review on Vantrue E2 Dual 2.5K Dash Cam: 1944P+1944P, 5G WiFi & GPS, Voice Control, 24Hrs Parking Mode + More! by Justin Garrett

Update 9/17/2002: After weeks of tests, everything points that the problem is the hardwire kit being extremely picky with my 2002 accord hybrid. I will be testing the new hardwire kit and updating the review with the new results. Upgraded the rating from 1 to 3 stars pending the results of the new tests. Kudos to the company for sticking with me and try to find a solution.Update 8/31/2022: Vantrue has been very proactive, trying to fix the problem. They sent an evaluation unit, and I've been interacting with them to try to pinpoint the problem. I need to give them credit for not abandon me, and continuing support. It is rare when a company tries really hard to improve their products. I will update again once the problem its identified.Original post: Lets first start with the TL/DR version:-If you live in a hot area (Texas, Arizona. you get the idea), hardwire this camera (using the OEM venture hardwire accessory) and turn on the low bitrate recording for parking mode. it will FAIL because the camera overheats under the sun, then shutdowns, forcing you to manually turn back the camera on.Now, the long version:My journey started like anybody else. 'hey, I bought a new car, since I love my new car, I'll buy a camera to protect my investment and my hard-earned money'. Then I saw the vantrue cameras, and they had a good deal, because Prime day, there was a nice offer. For $178, the Vantrue X4S duo seemed a good buy. Another $25 for the GPS mount, plus $25 for the hardwire kit, plus an obscene $55 for a vantrue sd (sandisk cost around $35 for the same endurance card). Installed everything, then my nightmare started. Every morning I drove to work, parked on the parking lot, when I returned the camera was kaput. Turned back the camera on, hoping the next day it was fixed. Nothing. I contacted support. Because they are based in China, they respond your emails usually the next day. After 20+ emails and several firmware versions/patches installed in the camera, the same outcome. I decided to return everything.Now, because I'm masochist, I decided to give it an opportunity to the E2 (element 2) camera. basically the same price of the X4S duo, but the main camera plus the rear one are 2K resolution (compared with the 4k front + 1k back on the X4s). As soon as I turned on the camera, a message comes to the screen "FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE PLACES, ITS RECOMMENDED THE COLLISION DETECT FOR THE PARKING MODE". So they know their cameras shuts down when the heat ramps up, but they wont automatically resume when temperatures drop down. UPDATE: sure enough, today was 101 F over Houston, the camera shuts down. When the temperature dropped, the camera stayed off. Required manually to be turned back on.There is some little improvements over the X4s-now GPS mount is included-the mount is magnetic, easier to remove the camera-the firmware is less confusing than the one in the X4s, with big icons-a little heavier than the X4s, feels a little more solidSo, buy this camera if:-you wont use the hardwire kit to keep the camera constantly recording when you turn off your car-you park your car on a covered garage, or you live underground in a cave (think Batman) or on the north/south pole. Siberia could work.-you are Ubering, and the temperature inside the cabin its not high because your poor car is working day and night moving people from one place to another.If you live in an area where a typical day is over 100F, look somewhere else. You are warned.