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Tracking my Car

Former Member
Former Member
Hello all,

I am new here, a fan of Garmin systems and I have a question.
A lot of thefts happen around my area and I am worried to loose my car without being able to get it back.

My question is simple, is there any way I can link a garmin system from my car to my laptop or phone so that just in case my car gets stolen, I can track its location through any of those two? Does such technology exist in Garmin?

Please let me know folks..
Thank you in advance.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 15 years ago
    Bump for help?
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 15 years ago
    I don't know but you can get lojack. Insurance companies usually give you a discount if you have this installed.

    http://www.lojack.com/
  • I am unaware of any Garmin products that provide this functionality. Most GPS devices are receive only, so they do not have the ability to transmit position.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 15 years ago
    I wish I lived in the US, I would gladly install the lojack.

    Well I thought if you have a Garmin unit installed in the car, then you are linked via satellite.

    So now maybe you can link the serial number of this Garmin to a Garmin software on your laptop and pinpoint where "the robbers" are escaping with your car...
  • You can certainly Google "gps tracking devices for automobiles" and see all your options there.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 15 years ago
    Steve already done that and contacted and researched all companies. They use devices based on Cellular technology, meaning you will have to insert a sim card in a concealed device inside the car.

    This sim card either used GPRS and you can track it live on google maps or by sms, where you sms the line inserted in the device and it replies back with the coordinates. You take them and locate your car on google map or similar.

    The clever question here is to find a software which can track your car for free (those above cost $70 per month in subscriptions and more). Ideally I was thinking of a way to link the display of the Garmin in your car, to your laptop at home. No more and no less... that would be a true blast and would render all alarms obsolete in my opinion. ;)
  • This type of tracking is not possible without a cellular modem (or other communication network). GPS devices receive data from satellites and triangulate your position. They do not ever send data back to the GPS satellites, nor are they capable of doing so. To track a GPS device remotely you must have a communication device (e.g. cellular modem) to transmit the position of the device.

    Edit: A cellular network is not the only way to communicate with a remote device. I have clarified above.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 15 years ago
    Thank you! this is the "black or white" answer I was looking for.

    Have a great day all.
  • Well, not completely black or white. There is two-way satellite communication already available to you. Check out SPOT devices at

    http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=102

    The real question is how feasible this is to you and what you're willing to pay in subscription fees.