How GPS Tracking Tools Benefit Used Car Owners
Purchasing a pre-owned vehicle is a great way to save money. When compared to new cars, used cars depreciate less rapidly and allow buyers to experience what it is like to own a car without having to spend a fortune. What if someone steals your car? How can you ensure that your teenage child drives safely? Is it possible to check on the mechanical condition of your car without having to take it in to the mechanic all the time?
This is where technological tools provide consumers with great options to monitor their vehicles. GPS tracking systems, which have traditionally been associated with commercial trucks and fleets, are now widely available at reasonable prices, and can help consumers improve the overall safety, security, and peace of mind of their used vehicles.
Using a GPS tracker is much more than just knowing where your car is at any given time. A GPS tracker provides you with many tools and resources that will help you to secure your investment, as well as the safety of your friends and family who are using the vehicle.
This article will provide an overview of the benefits of installing a GPS tracking tool in your used car, and tips on how to choose the best GPS tracking system for your needs. Additionally, we will address several frequently asked questions regarding GPS trackers.
Unpacking the Core Benefits of GPS Tracking
Installing a GPS tracker in your used car unlocks a range of advantages that go far beyond simple location monitoring. These devices provide critical data that translates into tangible benefits for security, safety, and savings.
Protecting Against and Recovering from Vehicle Theft
Vehicle theft creates both an inconvenience and financial hardship for the owner of a vehicle. The financial ramifications are particularly severe for those who own used vehicles and do not have comprehensive coverage. The installation of a GPS Tracking System is among the top anti-theft devices available today.
Tracking Vehicles in Real-Time: If someone steals your car, you'll have access to real-time tracking capabilities through an app or web portal from your smartphone. The tracking capability provides the police with more information than they'd typically have, allowing them to find and recover your vehicle more quickly. Instead of relying on luck or guesswork, you can provide the police with the exact location of your car.
Geofencing Alerts: A geofence is a virtual boundary that can be created around a specific location. For example, a geofence can be set up around a person's home, work, or other areas they frequent. When your vehicle is taken or moved from a geofence area without authorization, you will receive an immediate alert to your phone. This allows you to respond to the potential theft much sooner than if you had to wait several hours to discover that your vehicle was not at your geofence location.
Motion Detection Alerts: GPS Tracking systems usually have the capability to detect movement in a vehicle without the ignition being turned on. For instance, if your car is being towed while it is parked, the GPS Tracking System will alert you to this. This information can help you detect theft before it even happens.
With the ability to respond quickly, GPS Tracking can deter thieves. Vehicle thieves are typically opportunistic, and owning a vehicle with a GPS Tracking System installed increases the danger to them as opposed to those without a tracking device.
Encouragement of Better Driving Practices
Using a GPS device will help improve Car Safety. This is especially beneficial for family members with newly licensed or teenage drivers. The information a GPS device provides will allow for better coaching of good driving habits and peace of mind when it comes to the safety of your family members on the road.
Speed Alerts – You can set a speed limit for your vehicle and receive an alert each time your vehicle exceeds the specified speed limit. This feature is ideal for reminding teenagers to stay within their posted speed limit and practice responsible driving.
Harsh Braking and Acceleration – The GPS device is equipped with an accelerometer that can track rapid accelerations and sudden stops as a result of aggressive driving. This data provides an opportunity for constructive conversation regarding safer driving techniques.
Trip History and Reports – Review in-depth reports for every trip, which provides information about the route traveled, mileage and time of day for each trip. This record will make it easy to identify driving trends and any potential hazardous behavior, such as driving late at night in hazardous locations.
For example, if your teenager consistently exhibits harsh braking during his or her commute to school, you could have a conversation about maintaining a safe following distance. Instead of creating an atmosphere of confrontation, having measurable data on hand will create a productive coaching atmosphere.
Simplify Your Maintenance Using A GPS Tracker And Vehicle Health Monitor
Many of today's GPS track devices connect to your vehicle's OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) port, which has been standard in vehicles manufactured after 1996, and can provide the same or more than a mechanic can when diagnosing an issue with the engine by utilizing the OBD II ports on your vehicle. When connected, the OBD II device will provide important health condition data about your vehicle.
Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC): OBD II Trackers will inform you (via app) of the exact nature of what's causing the "Check Engine" light. Knowing the code and its definition will help you determine how serious the issue is prior to visiting the mechanical shop. Is the cause of the light simply a loose gas cap or a much larger problem such as an engine misfire? Having this knowledge eliminates guessing, saves you unnecessary worry & diagnostic expense.
Maintenance Reminder functions allow you to set-up reminders for preventive maintenance (such as oil changes, tire rotations, or inspections) based on either the mileage or the time elapsed since your last maintenance performed. This is a proactive approach to extending the life of your used car and reducing the chance of costly breakdowns.
Battery Voltage Monitoring - A tracker can send an alert when the voltage level of your battery has reached a critical status prior to you becoming stranded with a dead battery.
This table represents how an OBD-II tracker helps make car maintenance easier to understand.
Insurance Discounts with GPS Tracking Devices
Several auto insurers understand that tracked auto vehicles present lower risk scenarios. An auto that has a theft recovery feature is less likely to experience total loss claims. Many other auto insurers also provide reduced premiums to safe drivers who participate in usage-based insurance (UBI), based on the information gathered from their telematics devices and the safe driving behaviours exhibited, such as following the speed limit, avoiding hard-brakes, etc.
Speak with your auto insurance company to determine whether they offer extra policy savings to those who have an anti-theft device in their auto or are participating in a UBI program.
The Pros and Cons of GPS Tracking Devices in Used Vehicles
While some of the advantages to using these devices are attractive, it is important to carefully weigh the two sides. Below is a list of the most important factors to consider when deciding whether to purchase or install a device on your used vehicle.
Find the Right GPS Tracker for Your Needs
There are numerous options to choose from and it is often hard to choose which tracker is the best for your used car. The types of trackers are typically broken down into 3 main types of trackers, and each will fit into the area you need to track.
1. Plug-in / Play Trackers through the OBD-II Port: These trackers are typically used most often for private vehicles as the name suggests, they are very simple to install. The OBD-II port is most commonly found underneath the dashboard on the driver’s side, and simply plugging the device into the OBD-II port powers the device and allows for tracking information to be tracked including location, speed of travel and additional diagnostics of the vehicle.
2. Hardwired Trackers: Hardwired trackers are typically installed into your vehicle’s electrical system. By being hardwired, they are more discreet, secure and tamper-resistant when compared to OBD-II trackers. A hardwired installation requires professional installation, but a hardwired tracker provides one of the most reliable tracking solutions available.
3. Battery-Powered Trackers: Also called Independent Trackers, battery-powered devices are self-contained with their own long-lasting batteries. Battery-powered trackers are the most versatile of all of the devices. These types of trackers can be placed anywhere in your vehicle such as the glove box, under the front seat or can be attached to the vehicle frame by way of magnets, etc.
A battery-powered tracker does not have the vehicle diagnostic capability but, as stated above, they are the most effective and user-friendly for a straightforward tracking of your vehicle’s location.
Below is a table to assist you in determining which of the above types of GPS trackers would work best for your needs.
When deciding on a device, consider what features are most important to you. Would you like a warning if your engine starts to fail? Do you want your device to be discreet? Or do you just need to easily locate your vehicle when you are in trouble? Answering these questions will help direct you towards the right device for you.
Understanding The Cost of GPS Trackers
Two things to consider when determining the costs of owning a GPS tracker are: (1) The hardware purchase and (2) The ongoing monthly fee for the tracking service (cellular data).
Hardware Purchase Price: The actual tracker is priced anywhere from $20 (basic models) to more than $100 (for advanced units, such as OBD-II or hardwired).
Monthly Service Fees: The monthly subscription fees support the cellular transmission of the location/data of the GPS tracker. Monthly subscriptions generally cost somewhere between $10-25 per month; a lot of companies will offer a discount (off the monthly price) if you purchase your subscription for an entire year.
Considering the ongoing cost of a GPS tracker, it's definitely worth weighing against the potential savings.
In Conclusion: Upgrading an Existing Vehicle
If you own a preowned vehicle, having access to a GPS tracking device should be seen as a necessity not just a luxury. With the ability to locate your car in real-time if stolen, as well as encouraging drivers to drive more safely, and being prepared for a potential breakdown via a maintenance reminder, a GPS tracker can change the way you manage your vehicle altogether.
A small amount of money spent on one will quickly be recovered through savings on insurance premiums, less repair expenses due to proper maintenance, and knowing for certain where your vehicle and its occupants are located. The right vehicle tracking device for your individual needs will offer modern technological features that will also provide you with greater safety, greater longevity, and ultimately greater value for your preowned vehicle.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is it against the law to place a GPS device on one's own vehicle?
Placing a GPS device on one’s own vehicle is not illegal. The legal issues arise when the GPS device is placed on a vehicle that is not owned by the individual placing the device, without the consent of the owner.
2. Do GPS devices use a lot of battery power?
The OBD-II and hardwired GPS devices use only a small amount of power from the car's battery. Many of these devices are built with a "sleep" feature, which helps to reduce the amount of power consumed by the device when the vehicle is not in use. If you use your vehicle frequently, battery drain will not be significant. If you are going to store your vehicle for an extended period of time, consider using a battery powered GPS device or disconnecting the unit.
3. Do GPS trackers work everywhere?
Using two signals: GPS satellites to establish your location and cellular networks to transfer the data, GPS trackers can function in virtually any location on the planet. While nearly every area will have GPS satellite coverage, reporting your location will depend on whether the GPS unit is within the service area of a cellular network provider.
If your vehicle is parked somewhere that lacks cellular service, such as in a basement garage or in a mountain range, the GPS unit may not be able to transmit the data until you come back to an area where there is service.
4. Can I install a GPS tracker myself?
Yes! Most OBD-II plug-and-play type units are designed for simple do-it-yourself installation and set up in less than 60 seconds. Battery-operated units are even easier to install. Simply put the unit where you want it. While hardwired units are feasible for the skilled DIYer, they require some specialized skills and knowledge that typically are better left to professionals to avoid damaging the vehicle's electrical components.
5. What should I do to protect myself from privacy violations regarding my spouse or teenage drivers?
The most effective way to deal with privacy issues between drivers is through open communication. Ideally, anyone who will be using the vehicle should know that a GPS tracker is installed and the reasons for you selecting it. Most of the time, this will lead to less concern about privacy than viewing it as, say, a way for you to monitor them. You should highlight how the GPS will benefit all of you, including things like emergency services recovery if the vehicle gets stolen, as well as helping newer drivers learn how to drive more safely.
