Car GPS (in case car is stolen)

[primuspaul]

What are the solutions for a car unit that intermittently reports the car's position? Obviously it would have to somehow connect to 2G/3G/4G to report its location, right? Are there any such units on the market for an affordable price?

 

[Bluejets]

I have an idea these came out about 10 years or more ago.
Did a quick Google and heaps cropped up. Based on a "service" much like many security arrangements, I imagine you can get access via a pc or phone app these days.
As for individual systems for a vehicle owner, maybe an extended Google search. Whether affordable or not is relative to the individual I would imagine.

 

[primuspaul]

I have an idea these came out about 10 years or more ago.
Did a quick Google and heaps cropped up. Based on a "service" much like many security arrangements, I imagine you can get access via a pc or phone app these days.
As for individual systems for a vehicle owner, maybe an extended Google search. Whether affordable or not is relative to the individual I would imagine.

Yes, loads came up, but they are very expensive. I was thinking of something that can be set up with a 3G SIM card. What I had in mind:

1. Connects to 3G using prepaid SIM card. Should last a very long time since very little data would be used (I'd only need it to send data a few times a day).
2. Data would be acquired from a GPS module that determines the car's location just like a standard GPS unit.
3. Powered with either the car battery or solar cell since energy requirements would be minimal. Maybe even a few Alkaline AA cells that would get replaced occasionally.

 

[Bluejets]

There is already an app for similar...workmates wife has the grandkids phone under surveillance.
Showed me the other day.
She can see where they are and if they are on the move or not.
This is in Aus so I assume there is similar available for you in the States.

 

[primuspaul]

There is already an app for similar...workmates wife has the grandkids phone under surveillance.
Showed me the other day.
She can see where they are and if they are on the move or not.
This is in Aus so I assume there is similar available for you in the States.

There is, but I don't want to pay $20/$30 per day for it. In the US you can get a 3G sim card for a one-time fee of less than $10 and then you get 200MB/mo free 3G. That's much less than what they're charging for services like this, which is in the neighborhood of at least $20-$30 / mo. My car is not worth it for that amount of $.

 

[Bluejets]

I don't think she pays anything for it.

 

[kellys_eye]

Isn't this what you pay insurance for? If so, why bother?

Some insurance companies will give you a discount if you fit an approved tracker and there are some that insist on a tracker else they refuse to insure you!

 

[Externet]

Maaany years ago someone developed the application "WIMP" - 'Where is my phone?' - It may be still available.
You hide a phone in the vehicle, permanently powered, and can report location on request.
Edited... found it in my bookmarks. Now called 'Trackme'

----> http://www.luisespinosa.com/freeware_sp.html

 

[primuspaul]

Isn't this what you pay insurance for? If so, why bother?

Some insurance companies will give you a discount if you fit an approved tracker and there are some that insist on a tracker else they refuse to insure you!

I don't have full coverage. Not worth the money.

 

[kellys_eye]

AFAIAA the minimum coverage you can get is Third Party where your insurance covers the other persons expenses/loss but not your own. If this is the case then you must consider your own vehicle as 'not worth fixing' in the event of an accident - or not worth worrying over if it's stolen perhaps?

There must be cheaper and easier ways to prevent your vehicle being stolen than constructing some esoteric device to track it? And to what end? So you can get shot by some disgruntled car thief if you try to take it back?

Have you tried a hidden 'disabling switch', steering wheel lock? Simple but effective items.

 

[Bluejets]

In Aus at least, the cheaper cover is also known as fire and theft.
Had this on my '78 Celica and just recently had a lead foot female reverse out of a park right up my LHS rear guard. She had no insurance as it turned out after chasing her for nearly 6 weeks.
Long and short was fire and theft( el cheapo insurance) actually does cover cost if accident not your fault.
Celica all fixed now for zero cost to me.

 

[primuspaul]

AFAIAA the minimum coverage you can get is Third Party where your insurance covers the other persons expenses/loss but not your own. If this is the case then you must consider your own vehicle as 'not worth fixing' in the event of an accident - or not worth worrying over if it's stolen perhaps?

There must be cheaper and easier ways to prevent your vehicle being stolen than constructing some esoteric device to track it? And to what end? So you can get shot by some disgruntled car thief if you try to take it back?

Have you tried a hidden 'disabling switch', steering wheel lock? Simple but effective items.

Get shot? I'd just call the police when I found where my car was. A car can just as easily be stolen during a carjacking or towed, in which case a disabling switch would make no difference. A car can even legally be towed away if you park wrong and you wouldn't know where to even look for it (how would you know if it was stolen or towed to a car impound lot?) until you got a letter the following week. With a tracker you could look in your email as to its last location, locate it, and then decide if you need to call the police or go to the impounded cars lot to buy it out the same day.

 

[Bluejets]

That's the way....ask a question and then pick holes in all the answers.
Great.

 

[primuspaul]

That's the way....ask a question and then pick holes in all the answers.
Great.

I was just explaining why I didn't want to go the insurance route or the disabling switch route. Most cars have a very sophisticated disabling switch (operated by the RFID chip in the key) anyway. If a car thief can beat the manufacturer-installed switch, then they'll easily beat anything I make DIY. But they won't necessarily be looking for a DIY GPS unit.

Apologies if you don't like my replies.

 

[FuZZ1L0G1C]

Maaany years ago someone developed the application "WIMP" - 'Where is my phone?' - It may be still available.
You hide a phone in the vehicle, permanently powered, and can report location on request.
Edited... found it in my bookmarks. Now called 'Trackme'

----> http://www.luisespinosa.com/freeware_sp.html

Many smartphones now come with their own built-in 'Locator' type app, the name depending on the phone or provider, but with the same purpose.
If the OP doesn't wish to fork out the cost of burying a high-end smart-phone in car, then any cheapo 3G/4G mobile capable of running a third-party downloaded app, can be hidden in bodywork spaces, supplied from 12V via a cell-charger, both swathed in soft cloth material to prevent rattling and vibration shock-wave damage.
Some mobile apps such as 'Find My Phone' can be set to 'Pedestrian' mode down to 10m resolution.

 

[Kiwi]

I have fitted quite a few GPS trackers to the smaller excavators that fit on a car trailer. The trackers were fitted to help find the machine if they were stolen. As far as I know, none of the machines I fitted them to have been stolen. I found the trackers great for finding the machines when servicing them in new subdivisions that aren't on maps.

They have a pre-pay SIM card installed. To find the machine you text the tracker with a code and get a Google map reverence as a reply. I found them very accurate.

Aliexpress have heaps of them, but some can be a pain to get to work.

 

[Kayl_tim]

Of course there are! Options in the Internet sea.