Tracking a stolen vehicle?

[Bearmw]

I am interested in learning more about vehicle tracking systems. I have had 2 cars stolen but luckily none of my E30's. I am considering a hidden tracking system but see that there are many products to choose from at various costs. What experience does anyone have with this and what recommendations can you give?

Thanks

[TimeMachinE30]

Lojack. I have seen many cars quickly recovered as a result.

If you live in less densely populated area, perhaps where the LEOs do not have the equipment then that is moot.

[KIRIEIW]

Wow 2 cars! Its definitely time for a tracker, hopefully someone on here can recommend you something. I do know there are some trackers that you leave in the car, and once the car is back in your position, you plug the tracker into your computer and it tells you where it traveled threw out the day, week, ect. Just make sure you don't buy that type!

[xAZxE30x]

Would you even want the cars back after they are stolen?

I mean, I would love to have my E30 back if it was stolen, but anytime I have had family or friends recover stolen cars, they are so far gone from being stripped it was almost better to not find the cars. WHich makes me think it would be better to just get a check cut and move to another E30. I guess it depends on the condition of the car in question though. I have a gold mine sitting under my car but the rest looks like shit, so the good stuff would most likely be gone and i would be stuck with a gross shell

[Vtec?lol]

I've seen tons of different awesome DIY ways to track cars.

The best method I've seen was to get a smart phone, wire the vibrator motor to an external relay that interrupts the 12v signal to the ecu. So you can track your car with whatever app you choose and when you call the phone it'll disable the car.

[Poorboyz]

So basically it would be a useless phone since it would be hard wired into car used only for tracking purposes?

Sent from my 831C using Tapatalk

[BLACKCHARM88]

This...

[Bearmw]

Actually the Sentra was recovered a week later and with $1000 into it I was able to keep driving it. The Corolla was found 3 streets away from where I used to live totally stripped. My hope is that a decent tracker would alert me in time to avoid it being stripped, chopped or whatever.

Keep the ideas coming. A cougar would be cool.

[Navarone]

Get an old junk iPhone, put it on your family plan for like $10, a super cheap data or data only etc, and use find my phone to track it. There should be apps available that will text or email you when it moves.

[hippiester]

So basically it would be a useless phone since it would be hard wired into car used only for tracking purposes?

Sent from my 831C using Tapatalk

Any details on this? I have an old iphone for music only as is so this sounds perfect

[Vtec?lol]

Not all iPhones have actual gps on them. But they will work.

[frolf]

I read this as stealing a car for a HPDE.

[george graves]

Any details on this? I have an old iphone for music only as is so this sounds perfect

Problem with using a cell phone, you'll have to pay for the monthly service for the phone. You can buy something from china for about $20-$50 that purpose built, but again, you still have to pay for a cell plan.

[Van Westervelt]

Details George

[Van Westervelt]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Mini-GPS-GPRS-GSM-Tracker-car-Vehicle-SMS-Real-Time-Network-Monitor-tracking-/111323103024?pt=US_Tracking_Devices&hash=item19eb5fbf30