Gps tracking in cars

[44014]

With my z about to be mobile again and the recent spout of thefts that seem to be happening,

I have been considering getting a gps tracking device and installing it into my car.

With sim cards being so cheap these days there must be some products that you guys have had some dealings with?

I was thinking about just putting my old iPhone 4 in the dashboard and using it as a hard drive for the stereo and using it for the find my iphone function.

Does anyone have a gps tracking defice in there car and if so what sort ?

Cheers Doug

[sydney mike]

Back in the late 90's/early 00's two of my friends got car jacked. One was a crx broad daylight and the other was a 200sx in market city car park.

 

So we all bought these trackers when they were new technology, they ran on rechargeable AA's and needed a sim card. From memory the company offered packages depending on how you wanted to be updated eg either "pings" (on demand-you sms the unit) or real time with internet access. You just hide the unit inside the car, completely portable.

 

I think I used to pay $20 a month + sim card. I reckon they would be more hi-tech and cheaper now.

 

 

cheers,

 

Mike

 

[gav240z]

I'm on http://www.vaya.net.au for my mobile and they recently had a second sim free deal. I think just put it in an old mobile phone that runs Android and Google used to have a service called latitude which might be merged in to Google + these days.

 

You could wire up your CIG lighter from behind to charge a USB device and have it run in the background.

 

Otherwise Viper and others do a remote start alarm with phone tracking control etc..depends on your budget I guess.

[V8Datto]

You can't use a mobile phone, the signal isn't good enough once you hide the phone under the dash or in the boot etc

 

E-bay is your friend, something like this

 

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/OZ-TK104-AU-GPS-GSM-Tracker-System-Car-Vehicle-Spy-Hidden-Device-60-Days-Standby-/321333664946?pt=AU_Electronics_GPS&hash=item4ad0fa9cb2

 

They have inbuilt aerial's for GPS, GPRS & GSM (GPRS being mobile phone reception or GSM can't remember which) and come with external extensions for both for better reception.

 

Sim cards are another problem as most GPS trackers use the old G2 system and you will need a backwards compatible sim

I have an ALDI simcard. They cost 5$ yes you heard me, only FIVE DOLLARS!!! and last a full 365 days (no monthly cost or charges, and you can recharge online to extend the time)

The system works on sending sms messages to a mobile phone you chose with updates of position etc, SO..... every update cost you a sms charge. (ALDI's sim only cost 12c per sms)

 

Now the down side,

 

1 Only works out doors, (If the car is parked in a shed say, it might give an update and if it does it will be wildly inaccurate. this does depend on location)

2 if you lose either GPS or Mobile signal it no longer works (underground car park, or out in the country where mobile reception is patchey)

3 Theifs carry jammers to block the mobile signal (while illegal, so is stealing your car)

 

 

[andoi]

try quiktrack -http://www.quiktrak.com.au/profile.asp

i use them for one of my cars, the tech will come to you and install, upfront cost is a bit but i think monthly is $30 - they call you if alarm goes of and can remotely shut down your car.

good for peace of mind

[lightmaster240z]

I have access to a product from techbrands.com that is a GPS/GSM tracking device that may be of interest to some of you guys  :)sell for about $110.00 plus freight.

Bruce