Recommendations for a Vehicle tracking/recovery system

[ultrarunner]

Looking for a low cost option to locate a car should it be stolen...

I'm not talking about a high end... just for regular cars like Mom's newer Corolla.

Any suggestions?

 

[Parkanzky]

I have followed your other thread and I know what I'm saying here won't be popular, but when a "regular car" like a Corolla is stolen I don't think that you want it back.

I have a mid-engined sportscar with a fiberglass body. Mid-engined cars are notorious for fires. So when the first few happened, most of the folks on the forums started rushing out to buy fire extinguishers. A friend asked me about it and I told him that I have insurance and don't want a half-burnt car. I feel the same way about theft recovery. I don't want it back after somebody else has abused it.

 

[ultrarunner]

Normally I would be in full agreement...

My collector cars are insured with stated value coverage and thankfully... I have never had any vehicle insurance claim.

With Mom's car... it seems that it was just driven around the area and parked behind an apartment building... if we could have located it the same day... it sure would have been easier all around.

On the other hand... something like lo-jack is kind of pricey for a 4 year old Corolla that typically is never more than 10 miles from home.

 

[3930dave]

There are likely a few low cost consumer options around. Dated article, but something like this....

How To Track Your Vehicle on the Cheap

If you feel like using the grand-daddy of them all, there is APRS in the ham radio world.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_Packet_Reporting_System

Google Maps APRS In playing around with this second link, I found that a ham I know has driven to Manitoba recently.

Needs a ham radio license (not expensive to obtain, and relatively easy today), and equipment can be relatively low cost to obtain/build. Once the equipment is in place, you usually have no monthly subscriptions to pay - strictly voluntary, but it is considered good form to help your local repeaters and clubs any way you can though, as in all of ham radio.

OTOH, with what some hams choose to spend on radio gear...... it might be cheaper to post a 24hr/day security guard at the vehicle !

Rgds, D.

Edit - rainy day here.... that 2'nd link above has a link under Information, Stations Currently Moving. If you try some of the names listed (opposed to call signs) you can find boats - saw two off Baltimore, one off the coast of Poland, and one near France. A few examples of what APRS can do......... D.

 

[newbury]

There are likely a few low cost consumer options around. Dated article, but something like this....

How To Track Your Vehicle on the Cheap
<snip>

Got to love that -

Since you wired the thing into your glovebox, you might want to stash the phone in there.

What's one of the FIRST places a thief will go through?

 

[3930dave]

Got to love that -


What's one of the FIRST places a thief will go through?

Didn't say it was a good article , just an example of track-by-numbers....

UR is sharp enough to get more creative/non-obvious than that. A lot of construction equipment gets stolen. Even on something as small as a bobcat, a common practice today is to wire in a realistic looking dummy gps box installation in a slighty hidden spot, then bury the real tracker really deep into the machine.

On a car, once I was confident that the hardware was working, I'd probably bury it under the back seat.

Rgds, D.

 

[aczlan]

Bury a phone that has your carrier's "family locator" service under the back seat with an extended battery and a connection to the battery for the charger.

Aaron Z

 

[ultrarunner]

Thinking this might be the best option... I knew one day I would have to buy one of those cell phones.

Actually bought one back in 1996 and then found I live in an area with no service and still do today... plus I have to carry one for work... it will signal a missed call as I'm walking out the car.

 

[Garandman]

Stop by a car alarm/stereo shop. You can buy $250 GPS beacons and find them with a phone app. Might even be cheaper. Or Best Buy or Amazon.

Example.
Amazon.com: PocketFinder Outdoor Personal GPS Locator: GPS & Navigation

 

[mark02tj]

I bought one of these with the intention of installing it in my parents' car so I could keep an eye on my dad's motoring activities. It's not hidden as it requires the cell and the GPS antenna to be "exposed", but it's inexpensive and seems to have good reviews on Amazon.

You can rig this thing up to do all sorts of stuff. It can text you when the car is started if you like. Based on your stories, I think your mom is still pretty sharp, but this could come in handy in case she ever gets "lost" one day. A little over a year ago would I would have paid anything to have had one of these in my dad's car. It would have saved a now-totaled almost new car, several weeks in the hospital, etc. I've since put my foot down (and FINALLY got the support of my siblings) and they're not driving any more. But, I digress...