Looking for a Car GPS Tracker

[DrDave]

I'm looking for recommendations for a car GPS tracker.

This is for a new car (so there's an OBD2 port), but I'm concerned about the battery being drained since the car will probably not be used for several months at a time. What I'm hoping to get from a tracker is a notification (or some way to easily determine on my cellphone or PC) that the car has been moved, and where it went.

I know that there are scores of inexpensive trackers (both OBD2 connected and hardwired) on Lazada, but I have no idea how they affect the battery on an inactive car.

Has anyone had a similar requirement that can recommend a device?

[Zaphod]

See if you can find this. The link is for Amazon,  but might be avalanche on lazada or shopee

 

Spytec GPS GL300 Real-Time GPS Tracker for Vehicles Cars Trucks Loved Ones Asset Tracker with App and Weatherproof Magnetic Case https://a.co/iuc6bwi

 

[DrDave]

1 hour ago, Zaphod said:

See if you can find this. The link is for Amazon,  but might be avalanche on lazada or shopee

 

Spytec GPS GL300 Real-Time GPS Tracker for Vehicles Cars Trucks Loved Ones Asset Tracker with App and Weatherproof Magnetic Case https://a.co/iuc6bwi

 

Thanks. This one has a stated battery life of 14 days, whereas I'll need several months, or a unit that has a very low drain on the car's battery. This one also has a proprietary SIM card and subscription service. I'm hoping to find something that can use a local SIM without an add-on tracking subscription.

[Gweiloman]

Is the reason for a tracker the fear of the car being stolen or just moved? There are plenty of other ways to prevent either of the above.

[KhunLA]

Does the car not have 'immobilizer', as I think most new ones I peeked at 2 yrs ago did.

[KannikaP]

33 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Does the car not have 'immobilizer', as I think most new ones I peeked at 2 yrs ago did.

In the good old days, we would take the rotor arm out of the distributer.

I think all cars have immobilisers these days, but to be on the safe side, drain all the fuel out of the tank and get a steering wheel lock.

If you did fit a GPS thingy and saw, from your distant home, that the car had moved, what would you do.

A bit like the folks who go on holiday and have their front door camera viewable on their phone.

[Gweiloman]

22 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

In the good old days, we would take the rotor arm out of the distributer.

I think all cars have immobilisers these days, but to be on the safe side, drain all the fuel out of the tank and get a steering wheel lock.

If you did fit a GPS thingy and saw, from your distant home, that the car had moved, what would you do.

A bit like the folks who go on holiday and have their front door camera viewable on their phone.

With a front door camera, I can see who’s coming into my porch. I can then call my neighbour who has a gun to shoot that person.

 

Ps; my neighbour has keys to my house so I’m not concerned about him breaking in.

[KannikaP]

2 minutes ago, Gweiloman said:

With a front door camera, I can see who’s coming into my porch. I can then call my neighbour who has a gun to shoot that person.

 

Ps; my neighbour has keys to my house so I’m not concerned about him breaking in.

Well ask that same neighbour to keep an eye on your car. Tie a few tin cans to the bumpers (fender)

[DrDave]

8 hours ago, Gweiloman said:

Is the reason for a tracker the fear of the car being stolen or just moved? There are plenty of other ways to prevent either of the above.

I'm not worried about the car being stolen, and I don't want it immobilized. I just want to be notified whenever someone uses the car, and know where it was driven. There's a trust issue with a family member who has permission to use the car only in an emergency. I want to know if the car is being used on a regular basis or for other purposes.

[stubuzz]

11 minutes ago, DrDave said:

I want to know if the car is being used on a regular basis or for other purposes.

1. Monitor it with an IP camera. You will get an alert from the motion detector.

2. Check the mileage.

[Gweiloman]

2 hours ago, DrDave said:

I'm not worried about the car being stolen, and I don't want it immobilized. I just want to be notified whenever someone uses the car, and know where it was driven. There's a trust issue with a family member who has permission to use the car only in an emergency. I want to know if the car is being used on a regular basis or for other purposes.

I thought about fitting a tracker in my car as I had a trust issue with my ex. In the end, I decided it was easier to just make her my ex.

 

[DrDave]

4 hours ago, stubuzz said:

1. Monitor it with an IP camera. You will get an alert from the motion detector.

2. Check the mileage.

An IP camera is do-able, but trying to avoid running power (or PoE in the case of a wired camera) to it.

Checking the mileage is impossible when I'm 8,000 miles away for months at a time.

[DrDave]

2 hours ago, Gweiloman said:

I thought about fitting a tracker in my car as I had a trust issue with my ex. In the end, I decided it was easier to just make her my ex.

 

Unfortunately, can't make my son-in-law an "ex".

[London Lowf]

If you're leaving it for months at a time then why not hook up a battery tender - even if is temporarily unplugged for joy-rides it will keep the battery topped up for the tracker device and an easy start-up when you get back.

 

Alternatively, put the car into a commercial storage facility (at the airport?) - they will not allow unauthorised access.

 

[DrDave]

On 9/4/2022 at 2:24 PM, London Lowf said:

If you're leaving it for months at a time then why not hook up a battery tender - even if is temporarily unplugged for joy-rides it will keep the battery topped up for the tracker device and an easy start-up when you get back.

 

Alternatively, put the car into a commercial storage facility (at the airport?) - they will not allow unauthorised access.

 

That's a great suggestion - thanks!  I'll probably go with a battery maintainer and plug a GPS tracker in the OBD2 port.

[Gweiloman]

4 hours ago, DrDave said:

That's a great suggestion - thanks!  I'll probably go with a battery maintainer and plug a GPS tracker in the OBD2 port.

That will only work if your untrusted son in law remembers to hook up the battery tender after he had to use the car for an emergency. 

[London Lowf]

6 hours ago, Gweiloman said:

That will only work if your untrusted son in law remembers to hook up the battery tender after he had to use the car for an emergency. 

By then the OP will have the evidence that he requires.

 

[Gweiloman]

16 minutes ago, London Lowf said:

By then the OP will have the evidence that he requires.

 

Not really. OP has said that the son in law is allowed to use the vehicle in case of emergency