Anyone have experience with LoJack?

 

I have no experience with lo jack but I have gone another route...Aps tracking!
With lo-jack you are at the police's mercy as I think you need a receiver(that they have) to find your car BUT with the one I bought you can check via internet !

The options are suppose to be insane!

Check on your car via internet.....
-set up geo fences so that when the car moves it text messages,email and or telephones you.
-it will also be able to(option) about service reminders,miles traveled and soon IF your car is stolen you will be able to hit it with a speed limiter.
-the basic install is two wires(if no options are installed) or via the OBD II port

Do a search and you will find it as they are NOT a sponsor here!


Stacy

 

we had a member with Lo-Jack experience but I think he is doing 5 to 10

 

Good-one,LOL!!!!


Stacy

 

It sounds fantastic. I went online and checked out their web site, http://apstracking.com/index.html.

I was able to find a picture of a black box module but I was left with no idea of its size or the size of the antenna.

• Can you fill in this information and provide an idea of what is involved in installing the system?
• Does the system drain the battery when the car is off or does the system only turn on with the engine?
• Where did you locate the module and install the antenna?
• Did your insurance company give you a discount for installing the system (as mine does for LoJack)?

Of course, if you have photos of your installation, that would be very helpful too.

I have a C4S on order which I will have to park in a garage (giving my key to the attendants.) I would love to be sure that they are not taking it out and abusing it.

 

I still have not installed it as my car is in pieces right now!
The module is about the size of a cigarette package and will use power(very very minute amount but I cannot remember the exact draw) from the car,but if your car is parked for a long time chances are you have it plugged into a battery tender anyway.
I am going to mount the module way up high under the dash and run the antenna underneath the plastic windshield pillar cover
My insurance does get discounted with the installation of one of these but not sure of the amount yet!
I will try and phone the company I bought it from and GET the exact answers to your questions tomorrow.I had all the info BUT for the life of me I cannot remember it right now!
Install won't be for a bit.....many projects on the go right now and TRUST me when I tell you my car will not be stolen right now,LOL!!!
But just to wire it for the standard no frills approach it is a two wire set-up or OBD II port...20 mins tops for this install.
This is a pic showing how small it is.

Stacy

 

a cheaper solution is a zoombak module with a car kit.

i got a unit for $40 from ebay and bought a $40 car kit which hard wires it in 9 which you really could do yourself for $10 in parts from pep boys
monthly fee runs $10 for tracking and you can set up geofencing, speed alaerts nad real time tracking. it works really well.

 

Thanks for your answer and the pictures.

My problem -- and the reason for my interest -- is that I have to leave my car in a public garage and give the attendants my key. (This is very common in Manhattan and there is no real alternative except to buy a building and turn it into a private garage as Jerry Seinfeld did. This excellent solution is, alas, beyond my means.)

This also means that there is no way to use a battery tender. But I wonder whether it would be possible to have the device work only when the ignition is on since I all really want to know when the car is being driven outside the garage. Based on the documentation, is this possible or does the device have to be on constantly?

Your picture showed a lot more than the two wires that you say are required for the installation. If only two wires (presumably to get power) are required, what are the other ones for and how are they connected?

Finally, how large is the antenna and how difficult is it to install -- and hide?

 

OK I have some info.......but waiting on how much power it draws while the ignition is off!
I do think I remember the power draw would be the same as a digital clock in the car BUT I will confirm.

The antenna IS built in.
Yes it is an easy install.....

You unclip the factory OBDII port you have under your dash and plug it into one end of the tracking unit,bury the unit within the dash and then the other end of the wiring goes where your original OBDII port was.This way the techs/mechanics can still have access to your cars ECU.The unit powers up through the OBDII port.I am pretty sure that for a small price you could wire it up so that it has a 'key' on trigger.
That easy!

All the wires are connected through the OBDII port....the only extra wires are for starter kill and future add-ons!
You phone the number suppled to have them start monitoring your car.
The monthly cost is up to you.......what happens IS you buy actions.
An action IS considered this(according to their website):

Locate Now
When you select this action, the dashboard map view will update with an icon showing the current location of your vehicle. When you pass your cursor over the icon an information box will display with date/time, action performed, speed/direction, address, and lat/long for your vehicle.

Set GeoFence
This command allows you to set a radius perimeter “fence” around your vehicle or asset. Each time your vehicle enters or exits the “fenced” area, a notification will be sent to you by email or text message. A geofence is set for the current location of the vehicle at the time the command is sent. Your geofence will stay active until you disable it.

Set Speed Alert
When set, you will receive a notification if the vehicle is driven faster than the speed limit you have entered for more than 45 seconds.

Fastest Daily Speed
When selected, the system will pop up a window reporting the fasted speed of the vehicle on a given day. Resets every night at midnight.
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System
The IVR system will allow you to control your module by a telephone dial
in number to an automated operator. You can locate your vehicle now, see
the last known location, set or clear a Geo-Fence and hear the information
from the Voice Response System all from the convenience of your phone.

This is a critical feature when you are not nearby an internet enabled
computer but require real-time vehicle information.


Hope that helps,

Stacy

 

I'm personally against LoJack. If someone steals my car, joyrides in it, etc., I don't want it back. I wouldn't want something like LoJack that would increase the likelihood of getting it back (which I guess is a testament to its effectiveness). I've had a few friends get stolen cars back that were not wrecked enough to be totaled but destroyed enough to give them an undesirable stigma. Just my two cents...

 

MAYBE but what IF you could stop them BEFORE the 'joy ride'?
IF you are driving a stock car...you MAY get a decent settlement from the insurance company and going through the BS the insurance co. puts you through(basically looking at you like you stole it yourself)...No thanks!
My attitude is there is NO WAY the insurance co. are going to pay me for ALL of the mods and time I have spent to building my car.So the quicker I get notified of it moving without my permission the sooner I can do something about stopping it/them and protecting something that I have a ton of money invested in without going through the BS!
Just my $.02....


Stacy

 

I have a GuidePointSystems.com system in my car. It tracks where it is and you can even access the info on your iPhone. It also has additional features but I just have the basic tracking system for $100 / year.

 

I like the idea of iphone location, it would be nice to have a system that lets you check on valets.

 

Zoombak has a pretty cool iPhone app.

FYI. I'm not associated with them but very hapy. Ended up getting another unit. Gave it to my mom so she can call me when she's lost!

 

Thanks for the replys.
LoJack may be fastest way to get your car back and get the jerk in jail so he don't steal someone else's car.