GPS device vs remote connection

I been seeing a lot of people saying that they add a GPS device to their trucks incase it gets stolen. But isnt remote connection for 80$ a year a better option?

 

If you ask me I think it should be a standard option on all new trucks if they don't already have them without the remote connect which is a rip.

 

Remote connect wasn't an option until 20. I added the N2 remote start and pay for the yearly cell subscription with it. Had I had the remote connect option I would have just done that.

And how long do you expect Toyota to "pay" for that feature?

 

I was just skimming through another thread that touched on this. I'm not 100%, but it seemed that remote connect had some limitations. One of the folks on the thread had his truck stolen and the most the guy got was that it had been parked at a location for a while, but the truck wasn't there anymore. I have no experience with this feature so I don't know.

 

If it’s the same thread I saw, the stolen trucks’s GPS antenna had been intentionally damaged so no location data could be sent or received. After I read about that I decided to put an Apple air tag somewhere on my truck.

 

Probably the same thread.

 

Don't most of these trucks have onboard GPS anyway? It's a little more complex but it can be tracked that way. I guess adding a GPS just makes it easier for you, as the owner, to track it. You can probably do something small and inconspicuous like an Apple Air Tag.

 

Sounds like the “savvy” thugs disable the onboard GPS tracking so if you have some form of independent tracking it might help in locating the truck for recovery.

 

Tie a string to your big toe and the trailer hitch.

 

I have the N2 remote start. Didn't get the cell module at first, is 45$/year or so, didn't think it was worth it. I had one of the first 2020's with the N2 remote start (They changed some of the wiring needed for the 20's), so it was an experiment

Long of the short - I have the cell module now. And for 45$/year (might be 40?) - worth it. GPS is nice enough I guess, I don't really care about that. BUT I can remote start sitting at my desk at work, or if I know I'm leaving home in 15 minutes I'll let it run if it's -5 degrees out and there's an ice sheet covering it (has happened). Most importantly for me though is I can use it to start it for HVAC so I can stop at a store and not worry if I run over 15 minutes and I have to leave my dog inside the truck.

It's hidden so a thief wouldn't know it's there, I guess. So I guess there's that, but wasn't the reason I bought into it.

edit to add: Big thumbs up and recommendation to @N2DesignsInc

 

What if the truck is not near an iPhone? It uses Bluetooth so it is range limited unlike trackers that have cell connectivity.

 

Also AirTags alert people when they are in proximity and traveling with a tag that isn’t there’s. Prevents someone from throwing a tag in your backpack or a woman’s purse or something. But a thief with an iPhone will get a nice tip the vehicle is being tracked.

 

Given the popularity of the iPhone, the chances are very high that it will get picked up by one. I'm no expert on other types of trackers but I imagine the battery life is pretty limited and/or they are much more expensive.

 

Apple says battery life is about 1 year and replaceable.

 

Right. Which is great. I'm not sure about other types that rely on cell signal.

 

I mentioned it in another thread but I’m using a GPS Tracker called ‘Trak 4’ In my two classic VW’s. It’s small, easy to hide and has a long battery life (going on two months without charging them and the batteries are still at ~50%)

Service (depending on what options you want) is something like $80 a year. One of the things I like is the unit can easily be moved to something else if you want. Right now one of my VW’s is sitting on jack stands while I rebuild it’s front end, so it’s Tracker is in another vehicle.

https://shop.trak-4.com/collections/frontpage/products/subscription-for-paypal-users

 

Cell based GPS trackers are much cheaper then that.

$125 device, and $25 per year (not per month) They do need to be wired to constant 12v though. They do have an internal battery for a day or so of additional life.

www.rzrtracker.com is who I use. Or their other site https://www.gettracking.net/

 

Yup. Nothing is perfect. Just have to find a place to stick it so maybe the truck can be located before the thugs can find the tag. On that thought, maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea if they knew they were being tracked.