Does anyone have a recommendation for a dash cam?
What features are a must?
GPS, high resolution, memory card size, audio recording, mount, power required, physical size, ...
I like the Garmin 56 but it is $$. I've used Garmin in the past and been happy with my purchase.
I've been using "DDPAI" brand dash cams since before they were available in the US. They are well-built, full-featured, and best of all can be mounted behind the rear-view mirror so I can't even see it while driving. They are slightly larger than a large lipstick container and are completely hidden by the mirror if placed properly.
I belong to a car club and after seeing mine, several people asked me to buy them overseas for them. Our family currently has three "Mini3" models and they've worked flawlessly. I see that model is now on Amazon for $90.
I'd recommend eMMC storage rather than an SD card. eMMC won't fail in the heat, but prior to switching to DDPAI all of my previous dash cams with SD cards eventually had SD issues. I was rear-ended once and didn't realized the SD card had failed until I needed the footage for insurance. After that experience, I'd never buy an SD-card based model again.
Regardless of which brand you choose, ANY dash cam is better than none. I was rear-ended in a drive through once and because of the footage my insurance immediately assigned 100% fault to the other driver, even though his insurance was dragging their feet. My insurance company said that footage greatly expedited payment and also saved me from being assigned partial blame. Get a dash cam! It will pay for itself!