[montsa007]

Hello,

And thanks for stopping by.

I'd like to share my review about Trak N Tell's vehicle tracker which was installed in our pre-loved Hyundai I20, 2012 variant.

Being our first 4 wheeler, I had a few initial sleepless nights, since we don't have a dedicated parking spot in the society premises, have to park the vehicle on open road. Would always visit the car atleast once or twice a day to check if its still there or if you know what I mean. Since the RC transfer was still pending & insurance transfer would take even more time, so there had to be a solution to this problem. I would everytime take out the car documents after the commute & carry it back home & take it back to the car everytime we had to go somewhere.

I had the idea of installing a killswitch in the car (Thank you fast and the furious, Mad Max movies), approached a friend of mine who owns a car workshop & asked a senior guy on getting killswitch installed. He advised against it, i.e. not to cut wires, instead recommended the Trak N Tell device, which has a GPS Tracker + immobilizer function. I was sold instantly & requested to have the device installed on our vehicle, without even asking for its price.

A technician from Trak-N-Tell visited my premises next day & opened the panel below steering wheel to unplug wires & plug the accessory. Asked me to download the app & register, and there it was I could see the live location of my car no matter where it was, could even check the battery condition (Since there was no warranty card provided by the dealer for the installed battery, probably lost in transit, all I could find is that it was purchased in Jan 22, so should hold up for some time). I get a notification everytime the car ignition is on, car is powered on, ignition is off and car is powered off alongwith live location and the ability to immobilize it.

It costed me Rs. 6,500 for a 3 year plan including fitting (About 20-30 minutes job, or even less), the device comes with a 1 year warranty, it can be transferred to another vehicle if you plan to shift cars, not sure what it will cost but you can connect with Trak-N-Tell guys. Post 3 years you can get the recharge done yourself through the app, again since its not even 6M old, I am not sure of the cost for recharge.

The cost comes to less than 200 rupees a month, I mean see it this way "Would you be willing to pay less than 200 rupees a month to know where exactly your car is, be able to immobilize it from anywhere in case of an unfortunate event?", I would, as it ensures peaceful sleep knowing your valuable asset is sharing its live location 24 x 7.

I'll share a few screenshots of the app, cannot show the alerts as it has location details, but the app is pretty good. I can immobilize the car, know the exact location, share my location with someone for a pre determined time. I haven't used geo-fencing but will do it some other day.

Yesterday our neighbors had borrowed our car for a family function, without hesitation I shared the keys, I kept getting alerts for ignition on and off, where the car was, they used about 12 or 13 kilometers, but I was extremely relaxed, not that they are our neighbours, but because I knew where the vehicle was, makes it easy if you share your vehicle amongst family members/friends.

Some FAQ's, which am sure will come up,

1. Can I install the mobile app on multiple devices at the same time?
A. I haven't tried it, since I use the vehicle alone so extremely sorry but I have no answer.

2. Did the technician cut any wires for installation?
A. Nope, he called me a day prior and asked my exact model, year of manufacture so he can bring the unit accordingly, he unplugged the sockets and added the unit in the middle, took him about 20 minutes or so.

3. Is the installation visible to any person?
A. Absolutely not, (though it may differ for others/skill of the technician), but a layman will have zero idea that a tracking device has been installed in an old vehicle. Unless one decides to unhook the panel below the steering (in my case) unplug the device & replug the connections before starting the car which is highly unlikely.

4. Have you used the immobilizer function?
A. Nope, the technician advised to use it for emergency purposes only, thankfully there hasn't been one till date.

5. Does it drain battery?
A. I really don't think so, as the battery shows anywhere from 11.2-4V (When switched off) to 12.7-9V (When running), apologies again I am a layman here but I haven't seen 1 bit drop in performance when starting the vehicle post installation of the unit.

6. Does it have to be recharged constantly/periodically via some power source?
A. No, it is powered by the car battery, no matter where you are in the world you can see the exact location of your vehicle within the app's map as long as you have internet. I am not sure what will happen if the car battery power runs low, but I am yet to experience it.

7. Does it void any warranty?
A. I am not an expert to answer this, since my car did not have any warranty & it was our first vehicle I did not give any thoughts before making the purchase. You may want to check with your authorized service center team for this if your car is still in warranty, if not by all means go for it, we can surely spend 200 bucks a month towards our first love.

8. Does it impact mileage?
A. I don't think so, I am yet to measure the mileage of our car (Barely did 250 kilometers in about 2 months)

9. What happens post 3 years?
A. You can recharge the unit via app (That's what I was told)

10. I sold my car & purchased a new one, can I remove the device & re-install it myself?
A. Can I remove it - Yes, can I remove & reinstall it myself - I will not recommend it as its better to contact Trak-N-Tell guys to have it do for you, I am not sure of the charges but am sure it will be nominal.

11. Are there any hidden costs/upsells?
A. There hasn't been any hidden cost, the 6500 I paid is for complete peace of mind for 3 years, there was nothing to upsell (atleast to me)

13. Can I install the app in car's android unit?
A. I don't see the reason why you have to, since its supposed to be used on a mobile, but if you can find it in the app store I don't see a reason why you cannot, but again I am not sure if you can install it on multiple places with 1 login.

14. Does it lower the insurance cost?
A. Please check up with your insurance provider, I checked Acko and they offer a 2-2.5% discount if you have Anti Theft Device installed approved by ARAI, since my premium is due in Feb 24 & the discount will come to 120-140 rupees, I did not bother getting into the fuss.

15. Any other questions?
A. Please ask I'll try my best to answer them.

P.S. - Altough the workshop partner is my friend, I gain nothing if you plan to buy the device from them. This is not a sponsored post by any means, I have paid for the device out of my own pocket & felt I should share the review. In fact they (Workshop) have a tie up with Trak N Tell, so they don't sell it directly, they only help you secure your car.

In case you need to get it installed, feel free to contact them.

Name : Mr. Pratik (Autospace)
Contact : 9167773343
Workshop is located in Malad West, Link Road next to Hyundai Showroom. Bear in mind, its not any local corner garage, they have a proper workshop, with trained team & the owner (Mr. Lalit) has extensive experience in automobile industry, they have always helped me in making the first pre-loved car buying decision by inspecting it and pointing out the issues (Most memorable one was an Automatic i20 which had water accumulated under the lamination (Felt like I was sitting on a water balloon), replaced bonnet, fully repainted etc, even the dealer was totally unaware about the water under lamination lol, hats off to Lalit Sir for quick observation & saving me from the pitfall). I have seen cars like Thar, Honda City, Skoda's, BMW's in their workshop so am sure they cater to all segments.

Once again, this is not a sponsored post, nor an ad for these guys, if you plan to get your vehicle serviced from them give them a shot as they have always saved me from buying a wrong car. The post was more to share about the device which is super economical & provided me with complete peace of mind contributing towards my experience of owning a first car.

Below are few app screenshots, (I dont use the app for anything else than tracking cars location. Also cannot show some screens since they have proper locations)

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Jagann13]

Right time, right place!

After reading about service centre folks taking our cars for a joyride in a different thread, I was looking at something like this, having a car without any connected features.

I'm curious to know if we can keep an eye on the car's battery voltage with this device? One of the screenshots show main voltage and I assume, it is the voltage of the car's battery.

And, do they ship this product?

Many thanks,
Jagan

[Jeroen]

Thanks for an interesting write up.

5. Does it drain battery?
A. I really don't think so, as the battery shows anywhere from 11.2-4V (When switched off) to 12.7-9V (When running)

I think your battery voltage, when switched off, is way too low! A new battery should provide 12,6-12,7Volts at rest.

At 11,2V a battery is considered done for! Your volts when running are also way too low. Should be around 13,6V.

All of these volts should be measured directly on the (clean) battery poles/connectors. If you measure them anywhere else, somewhere at the end of a circuit the values become meaningless.

This little device does use a bit of power, so yes it will drain your battery a little faster than normal. You can check it Amps, by putting your multimeter in series with it and setting it to a DC amp reading. It would be interesting to understand how much current such a device draws. Not much I would think, but you don’t know until you measure it. Such a measure would also ensure the unit is installed correctly. Looks yours was done by somebody who knows what he was doing. Still, we have endless posts on the forum from members who had a aftermarket device installed and it messed up their battery and electrical circuits due to poor wiring.

Did the technician put in a separate fuse? If not do you know from which circuit he drew the power? You really don’t want infused or incorrect fused device deep within your dash.

I am a little concerned about the immobiliser function. Can that be activated whilst the car is driving? That would be very dangerous. I am not sure I would let anybody or anything near my car electronics with something like an immobiliser.

Jeroen

[montsa007]

Originally Posted by Jagann13

I'm curious to know if we can keep an eye on the car's battery voltage with this device? One of the screenshots show main voltage and I assume, it is the voltage of the car's battery.

And, do they ship this product?

Many thanks,
Jagan

Hi,
I can keep a track on my battery 24 x 7, as long as phone is connected to the internet, since the sim inside the trak-n-tell device relays the information to the app. Have a word with Pratik, he'll be the best person to resolve your queries , (I personally don't think they i.e. Trak-N-Tell ship it standlone since it will require a proper installation by Trak-N-Tell's team, activation of the mobile app.), If you are in Mumbai they do a home installation free of charge, outside Mumbai I don't have ideas, but am sure Pratik will guide you.

Originally Posted by Jeroen

Thanks for an interesting write up.

I think your battery voltage, when switched off, is way too low! A new battery should provide 12,6-12,7Volts at rest.

At 11,2V a battery is considered done for! Your volts when running are also way too low. Should be around 13,6V.

Hi,

Even I had a concern about the battery dropping to 11.4-7V on standby/parked mode, had googled about this, spoke to Pratik as well, he said it is fine and not to worry. I also checked the battery physically, it has an indicator which is currently green (meaning fine), and others are red/yellow, will try to snap pics of the same, apologies I do not remember the battery manufacturer, I had chased the dealer and their supplier for a warranty card but the exercise turned out futile, but that is for some other day. The car does start up smoothly with 1 rotation of the key, i also checked the serial number and it was from Jan-2022, so only about 2 years old, should serve for another 2-3 years.

All of these volts should be measured directly on the (clean) battery poles/connectors. If you measure them anywhere else, somewhere at the end of a circuit the values become meaningless.

This little device does use a bit of power, so yes it will drain your battery a little faster than normal. You can check it Amps, by putting your multimeter in series with it and setting it to a DC amp reading. It would be interesting to understand how much current such a device draws. Not much I would think, but you don’t know until you measure it. Such a measure would also ensure the unit is installed correctly. Looks yours was done by somebody who knows what he was doing. Still, we have endless posts on the forum from members who had a aftermarket device installed and it messed up their battery and electrical circuits due to poor wiring.

The technician from Trak-n-Tell did not open the bonnet as far as I remember, he did connect the device below the steering, pushed it back & a black wire was bolted to the body (some earthing/ground?), while the device was being attached, 2 society aunties were cribbing about the area where I had parked the car (close to the society gate), I couldn't pay full attention to the installation process as they wanted me to move the car from that spot and wouldn't leave until it was done. As for checking the battery health, I do plan to get the first proper service done once I clock about 1000 kilometers, a basic service was done 2 days after purchasing the car (Coolant change, spark plug change, 1 coil change, radiator cleaning with water, alignment & balancing), however I am yet to do a proper oil change, the dealer was a good chap, he only advised to do 1k kilometers and then go for engine oil change, will have the battery's health measured then.

Did the technician put in a separate fuse? If not do you know from which circuit he drew the power? You really don’t want infused or incorrect fused device deep within your dash.

I am a little concerned about the immobiliser function. Can that be activated whilst the car is driving? That would be very dangerous. I am not sure I would let anybody or anything near my car electronics with something like an immobiliser.

Jeroen

I am not sure if he used any other fuse, he did not open the bonnet, if it helps I am happy to share a photo of the fuse box under the bonnet? (Apologies, its a new ownership experience for me, still trying to learn lots of things). As for immobilizer, he (technician) advised only to use it in case of emergency (that is someone stealing your vehicle), I haven't faced that scenario yet, so I am not able to answer your query, but I feel you'll be able to immobilize a moving vehicle, since the app will send a signal to the device's sim card which'll kill the power, however I haven't tested it & I hope to never use that feature so cannot answer you for sure.

The immobilizer can only be activated from the app by toggling the switch to "On" mode, you can freely share your car keys with the people you're comfortable with without having to worry about "Will the car stall midway due to Trak-n-Tell device", unless you engage the immobilizer function. Also I missed adding the fact that I did change my handset (Courtesy 1+ Green Line), the login process in the new handset was seamless.

Hope this helps,
-m007

[PearlJam]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing!

I assume this plugs into the ECU, since you mention "immobilizer"? Or is it simply a standalone GPS device just powered from the car, and with an Android app?

If it's the former, then start of Personal skepticism:

I'm a little skeptical about plugging in non-OEM third party devices, especially if they plug into the ECU, and also require an Android app installation. This essentially creates a two-way connection and control between the Third-party <--> Your phone <--> Your car. I don't know which direction I would be more uncomfortable.

In addition, I would guess they will need all kinds of permissions to be granted on your Android device, for this to work optimally?

I've never heard of "Trak N Tell" before, so I have no idea about their credentials. But I may just be ignorant.

End of Personal skepticism

[rajivr1612]

I use a tracker called OneLap Go, it stays in my son's school bag so that I can track him as he goes and returns from school alone.
It has a 2G SIM given by the company, subscription is ₹1700/year.
It is very accurate, battery lasts 2-3 weeks.
There is an option in app to set the safe zone and if the device goes out of it, you get notifications.
When I go on road trips, I attach it inside the boot as it has a strong magnet.
This is my 2nd year running and am very happy with this purchase.

[montsa007]

Originally Posted by PearlJam

Very interesting, thanks for sharing!

I assume this plugs into the ECU, since you mention "immobilizer"? Or is it simply a standalone GPS device just powered from the car, and with an Android app?

If it's the former, then start of Personal skepticism:

I'm a little skeptical about plugging in non-OEM third party devices, especially if they plug into the ECU, and also require an Android app installation. This essentially creates a two-way connection and control between the Third-party <--> Your phone <--> Your car. I don't know which direction I would be more uncomfortable.

In addition, I would guess they will need all kinds of permissions to be granted on your Android device, for this to work optimally?

I've never heard of "Trak N Tell" before, so I have no idea about their credentials. But I may just be ignorant.

End of Personal skepticism

In laymans terms (which I am), the device has been plugged as a circuit breaker? (if that is the right word), the moment I put key in the car & turn on the electricals I get an app notification stating car ignition on alongwith the location address, if I start the vehicle & start moving the car icon on the app starts moving as well. Icon is red when vehicle is completely off & green when on.

The permissions I've given are simply notifications, ofcourse to get alerts. No locations/camera/contacts/phone permission is given. I did have to give permissions for camera/media reading when I had to upload insurance, RC copy post installation (KYC Purpose, since its a sim/e-sim card which you are purchasing), post that I've removed those permissions & the app runs fine. I've also switched off the option which says "Pause app activity if unused", this feature may be exclusive to 1+ Mobiles which revokes app permissions if unused for some time.

It does not ask for location permissions when opened, works flawlessly without any hiccups.

Originally Posted by rajivr1612

I use a tracker called OneLap Go, it stays in my son's school bag so that I can track him as he goes and returns from school alone.
It has a 2G SIM given by the company, subscription is ₹1700/year.
It is very accurate, battery lasts 2-3 weeks.
There is an option in app to set the safe zone and if the device goes out of it, you get notifications.
When I go on road trips, I attach it inside the boot as it has a strong magnet.
This is my 2nd year running and am very happy with this purchase.

I did had such device on shortlist alongwith installing a killswitch (not from that brand, but a device in general), but the hassle of charging it every now and then, what if you've taken out the device for a charge and something happens?, besides all we can do is track the vehicle, not immobilize it, what if the person on the other side finds this device and discards it? (Thieves are always 1 step ahead of gadgets), Maybe I've lent my vehicle to someone who isn't aware about this gadget and the battery runs out, or if you're out of station while the battery runs out? I'm not saying the device you use is futile it has its own merits, can be hidden anywhere discreetly, even record voice inside the vehicle, but the hassle of charging it every now and then put me off, After weighing the pros of Trak-N-Tell device decided to go for that instead of a standalone GPS tracker.
Cheers,
-m007

[travelling owl]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

Thanks for an interesting write up.



I think your battery voltage, when switched off, is way too low! A new battery should provide 12,6-12,7Volts at rest.

At 11,2V a battery is considered done for! Your volts when running are also way too low. Should be around 13,6V.

I am a little concerned about the immobiliser function. Can that be activated whilst the car is driving? That would be very dangerous. I am not sure I would let anybody or anything near my car electronics with something like an immobiliser.

Jeroen

True, the battery is dead. I was also wondering how is the battery voltage so low and still the device was functioning.

What happens if there is a bug with the device and it all of a sudden immobilises the engine? electronic components can never be 100% trusted, especially when connected to your car engine

[montsa007]

Hi,

Just managed to click a pic of the battery, its an Exide Mileage and the indicator is currently green.
Altough the camera is not able to fully capture it, I am able to see the ring thing inside which is green.

Also shared is an app notification I get when the key is rotated to turn on the electricals.

[Ravi Parwan]

this green indicator in the battery is actually just a measure of the specific gravity of the battery cell under that indicator. it is an approximate indicator of the health of just that particular cell and the other 5 cells could be doing much worse or better than this one.

How this works is as follows. the green ring is floating in the electrolyte of the cell and its float height is as per the specific gravity of the electrolyte. IIRC the weight of the electrolyte in the cell is heavier than water and it allows the green ring to float higher. As the electrolyte becomes weaker i.e. acid becomes less and water becomes more, the specific gravity / heaviness of the electrolyte becomes lower and hence the ring floats lower in the cell, exposing the background channel which is red in color.

you can read up on this at this link. https://carput.my/the-truth-about-ca...rys-magic-eye/

Bottomline is - you should check the idle battery voltage with a multimeter or get it tested from a battery vendor using their battery health meter. Another indicator of a failing battery is a slightly longer self.

[montsa007]

Originally Posted by Ravi Parwan

this green indicator in the battery is actually just a measure of the specific gravity of the battery cell under that indicator. it is an approximate indicator of the health of just that particular cell and the other 5 cells could be doing much worse or better than this one.

How this works is as follows. the green ring is floating in the electrolyte of the cell and its float height is as per the specific gravity of the electrolyte. IIRC the weight of the electrolyte in the cell is heavier than water and it allows the green ring to float higher. As the electrolyte becomes weaker i.e. acid becomes less and water becomes more, the specific gravity / heaviness of the electrolyte becomes lower and hence the ring floats lower in the cell, exposing the background channel which is red in color.

you can read up on this at this link. https://carput.my/the-truth-about-ca...rys-magic-eye/

Bottomline is - you should check the idle battery voltage with a multimeter or get it tested from a battery vendor using their battery health meter. Another indicator of a failing battery is a slightly longer self.

Thanks for the information mate, sure I'll get the battery tested next week or so for its health, the article you shared is helpful, possibly I was in the dark seeing the green ring. The situation currently is such that most of the road around my residence is dug up, I don't feel like taking the car out unless absolutely necessary. I haven't faced longer self issues so far, it starts under a second with 1 attempt , nevertheless as multiple members have pointed out, will get the battery tested.

Thanks,
-m007

[indie_honda]

Recently I was looking for a tracker and came across the Jio Motive, have heard that it gets the job done. Planning on purchasing it. Here’s the details - JioMotive(2023) 4G GPS Plug n Play OBD Car Tracker, eSIM , Real-Time Location, Geo &Time Fencing, Vehicle Health, Anti-Tow & Anti-Theft Features, Wi-Fi Hotspot, ARAI Certified , Locked for JioNetwork

Link - https://www.reliancedigital.in/jiomo...rk/p/493071683

[bravo82in]

Originally Posted by montsa007

Being our first 4 wheeler, I had a few initial sleepless nights, since we don't have a dedicated parking spot in the society premises, have to park the vehicle on open road. Would always visit the car atleast once or twice a day to check if its still there or if you know what I mean

When parking in an unknown and unsafe location for an extended period, a practical approach is to open the engine bay and remove a crucial relay or fuse from the fuse box (typically a diagram is there on back of cover). This ensures the car won't start, offering a reliable safeguard. No thief carries a set of spare relays with them .

Originally Posted by indie_honda

Recently I was looking for a tracker and came across the Jio Motive, have heard that it gets the job done. Planning on purchasing it

Opting for products from a reputable company, like Jio, is advantageous. However, I believe the car tracker should be discreetly placed to deter potential theft. The OBD port is the first place a thief may check. In this regard, Trak N Tell seems superior. Another option is One Lap Go, which is magnetic and can be hidden any where.

[SpikeSpiegel26]

Hi all,

I have been using Trak n Tell on my 10 year old Wagon R for quite a few years and it does the job perfectly. The device is connected to the OBD port and does not hamper the functioning of the vehicle in any way, rather it's a sigh of relief when I give my vehicle for service or to other relatives. As it has been discussed earlier in this thread, the battery voltage drop is not in acceptable range.

• At ignition OFF the battery should ideally sit just over 12V but my battery sits around at 11.96 and gradually drops to around 11.5 at 5th day if I do not start my vehicle at all. Beyond a week of being idle runs the risk of battery draining suddenly to very low levels and requiring JUMPSTART.

• I assume it's not normal considering the battery is 1.5 years old only of AMARON. In the course of 1.5 years the battery had completely drained on two different occassions due to accidentally leaving the headlights ON.

• Does it affect the overall battery health? The car comes to life in one go with a delay of 1 second on SELF START. I had even got the new sparks plugs installed during service. The battery voltage shown while running the car is in range of 13-14V.

• Kindly suggest if I should get the battery replaced in warranty?

Regards