Before You Purchase your Vehicle Tracking System
ASK the RIGHT QUESTIONS
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There are a lot of GPS systems available, what are
the differences and how do you know which GPS solution
is the most affordable and yet, reliable.
Before you buy your GPS system, don’t be sold on
cheap prices alone! Most companies offering cheap
hardware have hidden costs…don’t be fooled! GPS Trackers
have two costs, the hardware price and the cost to
locate your car on the Internet. In addition, Service
fees may be incurred after the 1st or 2nd year. |
Purchase a GPS system that does NOT incur
Monthly Fees. Monthly fees are similar to Doc
Stamp Fees, avoid these. Also, consider you may begin
with 10 trackers and initial monthly fees may be low
cost, $1 or $2 per unit...but in 5-10 yrs...you may have
500 or 1000+ trackers. You would be responsible for
$500-$2000 Monthly Fees!
Vehicle Tracking systems that offer Pay-Per-Use Service are the best option and most cost-effective for
Auto Lenders and Car Rentals. |
| Do not be the victim of the many
GPS Newcomers. Ensure that your system is
capable of handling your growth and that it is a solid
and proven system. Ask for customer references that are
GPS-experienced and that have 100-1000+ trackers in
their acct. |
| Purchase Digital-Based (Cellular)
GPS Trackers. Before 2006, many GPS trackers
were built on Analog cellular technology. These systems will no
longer be supported and will become obsolete in 2008
due to the 2008 Sunset Law. All analog cellular towers
are currently being upgraded to digital technology;
digital network coverage will only get better. |
Another important question to ask
…how many years of Cellular Service is included
with the initial purchase? This is similar to
your 1, 2, or 3-yr Cellular Phone Yearly Service Plan.
GPS trackers don’t require a signed contract, but fees
are required after the initial Service Plan has expired.
A low-cost vehicle tracking system typically supports a
1-Year Service Plan. Ensure that Service Plan costs for
additional years are minimal, $2.00 or less, or that a
GPS hardware upgrade is available. You should always
purchase a GPS system that includes a minimum 2 or
3-Year Service Plan to avoid extra
costs. |
ASK the RIGHT
QUESTIONS about GPS Hardware Details & Differences |
| What are the main differences in GPS hardware? All GPS systems are not the same. There are many factors involved in determining the best GPS vehicle tracking hardware, such as, cellular type & service, internal or external gps antennas, starter interrupt components, etc., see below for more details. |
| GPS Device & Installation |
Nearly every vehicle tracking system includes a GPS device, 12-volt wiring harness, a GPS antenna, a Cellula antenna, and in some cases, starter interrupt components. The overall GPS system should be compact-sized for a discreet installation.
The GPS device and 12-volt wiring harness should be black in color to maintain confidentiality. To avoid tampering, the GPS system should blend in with the automobile's existing electrical system and the GPS installation should NOT appear to be from a 3rd party automobile supplier/installer.
If installing GPS with the vehicle starter interrupt feature, NO RELAYS should be used. Installations that involve Relays are more time consuming and more difficult to install properly and troubleshoot.
GPS systems that have self-contained starter-interrupt systems are the best and are easier to install; plus the installation does not appear to be 3rd party.
Soldering or permanent electrical connectors are the best method to install GPS Devices. |
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| GPS Antenna |
The GPS Antenna for a vehicle tracking device should be an external item and not contained within the GPS hardware.
In nearly every case, the GPS antenna should be mounted flat and under the dash or in the trunk and near the windshield. When GPS antennas are internally located, it is more difficult to accomplish this.
GPS systems that have internal GPS antennas are harder and more time is required to install; plus, dependent on the under-the-dash location, the GPS antenna signal can be deterred if not properly and permanently installed.
All of our tests have concurred that there is not much difference between varying GPS antennas; however, their location and proper installation is critical to the performance of every GPS system. |
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| Cellular Antenna |
The installation location of the Cellular antenna is not as critical or sensitive as the GPS antenna. This technology works simlar to your cell phone, it works anywhere and in nearly any location.
It doesn't matter if the Cellular antenna is an internal or external item. The key concern is that the cellular service is Digital-based and not Analog.
Another critical component of gps tracking system is the Cellular SIM card, located inside the GPS device.
Cellular performance is mostly dependent upon the type of SIM card service. Our test results indicates that Pay-per-Use vehicle tracking systems that support both, GPRS and SMS, results in the better performance and coverage.
Cellular Modems that support multi-bands, i.e.,850/900/1800/1900 MHz offer better service, while modems that 'auto-switch' between bands offers the best cellular peformance. |
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Is GPS Finance enForcer a Cost Effective solution for You and Your Business?
If properly implemented as a Collection Tool, GPS vehicle tracking solutions are cost effective. They offer Car Payment Protection & added security for automotive accounts receivables; plus advanced Vehicle Protection & Recovery against car theft. Is a GPS system right for you?
If you answer yes to the questions below, you should consider implementing a GPS vehicle tracking solution.
Is your average Deilnquency rate above 30-35%?
Do you have a Collections Dept and are the costs incurred to collect your payments getting out of control?
Are you spending more time collecting money as opposed to selling cars?
See the table below for a typical GPS costs for 100, 500 and 1,000 Cars based on the GPS Finance enForcer: $235/GPS Hardware with 3-YR Service Plan & 10 Free Pool-able Locates.
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Total GPS Hardware Cost |
Free Locates Included |
Tracking Plan *Cost |
1, 2, 3-YR Service |
TOTAL COST |
100 Cars |
$23,500 |
1,000 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$23,500 |
500 Cars |
$117,500 |
5,000 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$117,500 |
1000 Cars |
$235,000 |
10,000 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$235,000 |
*Total Cost of Tracking Plan is calculated at $0.00 based on 10 Free Locates per Device. Typically, only 40-60% of gps-quipped accts will require the excessive use of Free Locates, and it will not be necessary to purchase additional Locates. However, if you ever run out of Free Locates, you pay-as-you-go at $1.00/Locate.
Typical Actual Car Value (ACV) |
$4,500 |
Total Cost for 500 Cars |
$2,250,000 |
Total Cost for 500 GPS Devices |
$117,500 |
Total Cost 500 Tracking Plans |
$0.00 |
Total Cost of GPS Implementation for 500 Cars for 3 Years |
$117,500 |
Is it worth spending $117,500 towards a Collection tool to protect 500 accounts valued at $2,250,000 ?
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Contact us for a LIVE DEMO; get pricing details at DirectTRAX Pricing. |
