Anybody using a vehicle GPS tracker other than LoJack?

[flskala]

I've searched this forum and online.... ugh! Looking for a device with no monthly service charges that can accurately track your vehicle if stolen. I've read so many reviews, I have a headache. Garmin has a cheap one but the reviews are terrible. There is one that plugs into the OBII sensor with good reviews but I don't want anything visible. Has anyone used any of these with experience? Or, is LoJack really the only good game in town??? Any help would be appreciated.

[genrex]

I think Lojack is the only service like that.... but you can use a cell phone to accomplish the same thing.

Many parents buy a cell phone for their children that has GPS technology built into the phone. That way the parents can go online and see where their children are, as a safety thing and also as a way of confirming the children are "where they say they are." There are even some no-contract phones that have this feature. It is my understanding that this technology will give you the exact location of the phone... the exact street address.

Now replace the word "children" with "car"...

The important factors are.... (1) the phone has to have GPS technology that allows you to track the phone's location on the internet, (2) the phone should have a big reception area with as few "dead spots" as possible (like the phone you use yourself), and (3) the phone has to be turned on all the time (so you'll have to re-charge the battery fairly often, depending on how cold it is outside). You could even have two phones to do this, and simply switch the phones every time you need to re-charge the battery.

Obviously you would hide the phone where thieves won't look for it, and yet where reception is good. You can find such a spot by testing different places in the car, to see how well you can track the signal on the internet. Maybe a secret pocket under a seat, or behind a panel...?


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[flskala]

thanks - good advice! When I described this to my wife she said the same thing.... use a phone. FWIW, this was the Garmin I was looking at:

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=67686

[Rick V]

You can always use the OBD2 ported one and just relocate the port out of sight.