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The best vehicle GPS trackers for 2017

Let's see some defense: It's time to equip a GPS tracker for your car

GPS Tracker for your car
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Whether you’re concerned about your vehicle being stolen, or just want to keep tabs on a teen driver, you’ve probably considered purchasing a GPS tracker for your car. The high price for LoJack or other subscription-based tracker services may have kept you from pulling the trigger, but these days, a highly rated device is much more affordable.

Treat yourself to some peace of mind — whether your vehicle is parked right outside, or thousands of miles away — with one of these GPS trackers.

Spy Tec STI GL300 Mini Portable Real-Time GPS Tracker

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Here we’ve just finished telling you that a GPS tracker for your car is a perfectly reasonable investment, yet the name of this first product either makes you sound like a secret agent. Let’s just overlook the device title for a moment and appreciate what is does well.

The GL300 is an ultra compact tracker with a refined location field (within 15 feet of the car’s position). Feature highlights include an SOS button that immediately sends a location notification, and a set of magnets to easily fasten the device to your vehicle frame. Spy Tec also has a reputation for excellent customer service.

  • Price: $50
  • Subscription Fee: $25/month

Amazon

MOTOsafety OBD Vehicle Monitoring System

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MOTOsafety’s device is more than just a tracking device; it is a detailed analytics tool to encourage better driving. In addition to vehicle position, the device monitors vehicle speed, braking force, and acceleration. Data junkies will find these reports interesting, and parents can use the system’s “report card” to counsel teen drivers. Just installing the MOTOsafety system in your vehicle’s OBD port is a good start: customers report saving an average of 30 percent on their car insurance. Other highlights include a fuel reminder with a more precise measure of your remaining fuel, and a curfew alert that will report if the vehicle is out past a designated hour.

  • Price: $47
  • Subscription Fee: $20/month

Amazon

Vectu Portable Vehicle Tracker

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Plan on taking your car overseas (or worried someone else will)? The Vectu GPS tracker operates wherever there is 2G of cell reception and it won’t charge roaming fees. The only catch is that 2G is now a pretty ancient connectivity option, leading some phone providers to give 2G the boot. It’s definitely a trade-off, but if you live abroad or take your car around the world, the Vectu GPS tracker is your best option.Apart from its global fluency, the Vectu features a Help button that functions like an SOS signal and allows up to four user profiles (numbers or email addresses). Not only is the Vectu inexpensive, its subscription fee works out to just over $4 per month – much cheaper than rival devices.

  • Price: $80
  • Subscription Fee: $50/year

Amazon

MasTrack OBD Real Time GPS Vehicle Tracker

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If the MOTOsafety GPS tracker was a parent’s best friend, then the MasTrack is a mechanic’s ideal partner. Not only does the device monitor location, it tracks excessive idling, oil life, and other vehicle diagnostics so your car stays in perfect working order. Installation is about as easy as it gets – simply plug the tracker into your OBD-II port and download the companion iOS or Android app. In a way, the MasTrack is like a driving behavior monitor, vehicle code reader, and tracking device all rolled into one. With a low monthly subscription fee, an upgrade model for premium services, and an affordable device fee, the MasTrack is one of the most highly rated GPS trackers for your car.

  • Price: $78
  • Subscription Fee: $11/month

Amazon

Automatic AUT-350C Pro Gold 3G Connected Car Adapter

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Know what’s better than a cheap subscription model? Free! Though the Automatic 350C Pro costs a bit more than some of these other devices, its “free for five years” subscription more than makes up for it. In addition to being affordable, the Pro Gold is one of the most connected devices on the market thanks to IFTTT integration. For those unfamiliar with this funky acronym, IFTTT works with a wide variety of apps like Nest and Amazon Echo to match vehicle behavior with connected device actions. Isn’t technology great? Other highlights of the Pro Gold include a vehicle code scanner to diagnose what that check engine light means and an automatic alert to emergency services in the event of an accident. Yes, the 350C will have you saying, “I love gold!”

  • Price: $130
  • Subscription Fee: $X/month

Amazon

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Miles Branman
Former Digital Trends Contributor
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