Friday, May 12, 2017

Using GPS to track your car...What I found out

Sometimes I feel the need to keep track of things,  namely my car.. You really need to because cars get stolen or you just want to keep track of your teen driver. But how to do it cheaply, with tracking that is in real time. (really). I researched different GPS tracking devices for things and vehicles, but mostly read the reviews because these things are not cheap and if they are, they often don't work all that accurately on the tracking website. Anyway long story short, I have found a way to track my car on the cheap and most of all , it works. 
First you want to have a smart phone you're not using, maybe you upgraded to a new phone but still have the old one lying in a drawer somewhere. I just happened to still have my last cell phone so I called my cell company.  Since I hadn't used it in about 4 years they had to send me new SIM card. Once I got the SIM card, I replaced the old one then had the phone activated with a new number. And best of all the added phone number is only costing me 20.00 per month. Super good! Since my old phone is an android I then used it to download an app called life 360 from the play store. You will have to make a user name and password once you download the app, and after that's done you are set!
 Life 360 is an app that is used for family members to keep track of each other using what is called circles but since you will be keeping track of your car  you will be the only member in your circle. Look around the app to get familiar with it. Next I then went into the settings of my phone and uninstalled any apps I didn't need. This will reduce the battery use saving it for the tracking. Also and this is important, go in and turn off the sound to anything that might make the phone ring or beep. You want the phone to be quiet because you will be hiding it somewhere in your car. Honestly this is a great way to keep track of your car and I will just say it, ladies if you think your man might be lying to you about his comings and goings or he is having an affair, this is the best way to find out.  This will only keep track of the vehicle it's in and not the person once they leave the vehicle but hey...at least you can know for sure where they are when he or she says they will be at one place and tracking shows a different place. Just make sure your phone is always fully charged and place it somewhere in the car where it won't bounce or slide around while the car is in motion.  Most phones when devoid of all apps sucking battery life will stay on for more than 24 hours.  Now you will need to go to your laptop or pc, sign into the Life 360 website and viola! You can now track the car in real time!!! 

Please read disclaimer below

Do this only if your name is also on the vehicle registration of the car. Also violation of stalking laws may fall into place here if you place the tracker in a car other than your own. 


Disclaimer

I am  in no way advocating placing a tracker into a car you do not own. Please read the laws in your state regarding tracking devices for automobiles.

It is generally illegal to use a GPS tracking device if:

you are not the owner of the car and do not have the legal right to track it
you are attempting to track a boyfriend or girlfriend in their own car