no monthly GPS vehicle tracker

[pacho]

I'm looking for a GPS vehicle tracker that I can surveill on my phone with no monthly fees. This is what i found so far:
Amazon.com: Falcon NO FEE GPS Tracker Personal Vehicle Car Tracking Device (Free Case & SIM Card): GPS & Navigation

Anyone know a better "no monthly fee" GPS vehicle tracking device ?? ideas ??

This will be for an SR5 2014
thanks

 

[Yotta]

What do you mean by "no monthly fee"?

If you want the GPS device in your car to communicate over the cellular network with your phone, it has to be accepted by the cellular network. The telecom companies are reluctant to accept devices on their network unless you pay them :-/

I think the least expensive way would be to find an old phone, put it on the cheapest no-contract plan that you can find, and get an app which will text you the GPS location on demand (or every hour, etc.)

 

[hearno]

What's your goal? Figure out where wife/kid etc are going?

 

[pacho]

thanks Hearno,

goal is to make sure my vehicle is in the same spot, i.e. not stolen. i would like to be able to check on it either in real time or at intervals.

What's your goal? Figure out where wife/kid etc are going?

 

[limamike]

What are your requirements as far as size and power? Is it okay if it is something you have to change the batteries on every once in a while?

 

[pacho]

Thank you limamike,

changing the batteries is fine, its nothing compared to losing the 4runner.
I suppose for size, something that i can hide under the seat ,etc

What are your requirements as far as size and power? Is it okay if it is something you have to change the batteries on every once in a while?

 

[jrhaze]

I'm pretty sure my monthly fee is something like $3/month.

That's for GPS tracking, security monitoring, txt messages if the alarm sounds, voltage drops below x, vehicle tow is identified. All kinds of things.

I think it's worth it for a robust solution that is designed for use in a car.

Titan GPS tracking if you're interested in googling.

 

[limamike]

Here's what I would suggest: GPS Tracker for Children and Pets

It's a new product, so I can't vouch for it just yet. However, I used to deal a lot with very high-end GPS tracking devices when I worked for the government - everything from straight RF/LOS to GSM/CDMA to satellite tags. The Trax matches the specifications in terms of board-level hardware that the US Government pays thousands of dollars for because they're in a black box.

Also, they offer a very attractive deal of paying for two years of service with the purchase of the hardware, and after that it's $5.00/month.

 

[AllenSmith]

We are providing free Gps tracking services that you can use without monthly charges. For purchasing these devices and for more information just contact with me.

 

[Auntie Soshul]

What about LoJack? No monthly fees with them, but I don't know how much the initial cost is.

 

[SigSense]

Lojack is not GPS based, it transmits on a radio (RF) carrier frequency of 173.075 MHz. LoJack costs around $500, and that includes registration of the vehicle and information about the owner in both the LoJack database and those of the police, as well as installation, warranty, and all hardware.

 

[fourwd1]

This has a lot of good info, I'm going to move it from the 5th Gen to General section where more people can see it.

 

[drewm]

I'm surprised people are that worried. Since the late 90s early 2000s when they started putting the rfid chip into keys tied into the ecu, cars have become very very difficult to hot wire. The only way a thief can steal a newer car is by tow truck, unless you have one with badly designed security features like the GM trucks with no steering column lock.

 

[cyclist]

Google APRS

 

[BrazilianT4R]

I'm surprised people are that worried. Since the late 90s early 2000s when they started putting the rfid chip into keys tied into the ecu, cars have become very very difficult to hot wire. The only way a thief can steal a newer car is by tow truck, unless you have one with badly designed security features like the GM trucks with no steering column lock.

In Brazil they approach you with a gun when you are about to enter or leave your car...

 

[phxpi]

I currently use GPS units from coverttrack.com. I have been using them for several years now for surveillance. There is a start up fee and then it is approximately $25.00 a month for month to month service. Im not sure you will find a free service out there!

 

[tub18]

Nelso Technology Pvt. Ltd. is best Indian manufacturer of GPS Vehicle Tracker.

 

[A/V1]

Thank you limamike,

changing the batteries is fine, its nothing compared to losing the 4runner.
I suppose for size, something that i can hide under the seat ,etc

Whatever you get, I definitely wouldn't place it under a seat. That would be too easy to disable / remove (the same thing goes with alarm brains. Too many people simply mount the brain under the dash. That's the first place a thief looks. Under the seat is probably second).

I would mount it behind an interior panel, such as in the cargo area. If it requires battery power, there's ALWAYS a way to hardwire power to it. You can even have a battery back-up for when the car battery is disconnected (DEI 520T battery back-up).

My $.02

 

[KidVermicious]

Lojack is not GPS based, it transmits on a radio (RF) carrier frequency of 173.075 MHz. LoJack costs around $500, and that includes registration of the vehicle and information about the owner in both the LoJack database and those of the police, as well as installation, warranty, and all hardware.

And even then, success rate depends on how many squad cars in your local PD have the equipment installed and if they happen to be patrolling the right area.

 

[Ranker133]

any other alternative?