GPS vehicle trackers

[LouisEly]

Car jackings are up in Chicago. I think it might not be a bad idea to invest in a vehicle GPS tracker. Problem is that I can only find two types - ones that charge $20+/month (for monitoring commercial vehicles or how your kids drive, don't need that), or ones that you can ping and it will send you a link with location on Google Maps (perfect) but need a prepaid 2G SIM card (which are hard to find).

 

Anyone have any recommendations for a vehicle GPS tracker, or know where I can get a 2G SIM card? I'm looking for one that I can hide in the vehicle and look up the location in case it gets stolen. I've heard that T-Mobile has prepaid 2G SIM cards for $3/month, but internet searches have come up empty.

[Godspeed]

This has piqued my curiosity in the past, but I never dug too deep into it. Looks like Ting might be of suitable service, but not sure if there's a better value.

 

Gleaned from: https://www.adafruit.com/product/2505

Ting's rates: https://ting.com/rates

 

 

EDIT: maybe this is better https://www.amazon.com/Prepaid-Tracking-Devices-Locators-Wireless/dp/B01HE3V7UW

[nate82]

Could always go with:

 

http://www.lojack.com

 

I know dealerships here in Arizona sell a different one but I can't remember what it's called. It is similar to lojack.

[BrewersSuperCollector]

If my vehicle gets stolen I probably won't want it back.

[LouisEly]

Could always go with:

 

http://www.lojack.com

 

I know dealerships here in Arizona sell a different one but I can't remember what it's called. It is similar to lojack.

At a one-time cost of $695. Given that I'll probably only have my vehicle for three more years at most, maybe less, I think $50/year for a pre-paid GSM SIM card is the better deal.

[nate82]

At a one-time cost of $695. Given that I'll probably only have my vehicle for three more years at most, maybe less, I think $50/year for a pre-paid GSM SIM card is the better deal.

 

Yeah that is the one bad thing about lojack as you can't transfer a lojack system to a new vehicle as the lojack system is registered to that VIN.

 

Not sure if this would be possible but couldn't you just get a sim card from a cheap phone and add that to your current plan and just put the SIM card in the device?

[LouisEly]

Counts as a second line, and a $25/line charge.