A GPS tracker for car dealers has one job — keep your collateral findable from the day it leaves the lot until the last payment clears. PayToStart is that tracker: hardwired, hidden and dealer-grade, not a consumer plug-in a buyer can pull out at the first missed payment.
Consumer trackers vs a dealer-grade GPS tracker
Plug-in and stick-on battery trackers are made for people tracking their own car. On a financed vehicle that is the wrong tool: the moment a buyer stops paying, they can unplug it, let it die, or toss it. PayToStart wires in-line on the CAN bus, tucks out of sight in the cabin, and carries its own 72-hour battery — so tampering fires an alert instead of going silent.
What you see on the map
Every financed car reports in real time — 30-second pings while it is moving and an hourly heartbeat when parked. Vehicles are color-coded by payment status, so one glance tells you which notes are current, past due, or disabled. Two years of trip history sit behind every unit for disputes and patterns.
Everything you get
- Real-time GPS with 24 months of trip history on every unit
- Hidden CAN-bus install with a 72-hour backup battery
- Tamper, geofence, state-line and impound-lot alerts
- Cellular service and SIM included in the monthly fee
- Unlimited dashboard users across your staff
- Reusable hardware you re-pair to the next loan
Install and hardware
Your own lot tech installs a unit in about 12 minutes with the included harness — no dealership downtime and no specialist required. When a loan pays off, uninstall the unit and pair it to the next sale; most dealers cycle each device through four to six loans.
Built for the loan lifecycle
Scan the unit, attach the VIN and payment schedule, and print the buyer’s state disclosure at signing. From there the dashboard watches the lot for you. If a note goes bad, add a starter interrupt and hand your agent a live recovery pin — every action logged and state-compliant.
Simple, transparent pricing
One device, one monthly line item, no contracts — see pricing. Billing ends the day the loan is paid off.
Frequently asked questions
Does the GPS tracker work on older vehicles?
Any vehicle with a CAN bus — roughly 2008 and newer — works out of the box. For older cars we offer a relay-based harness.
Can the buyer remove or disable the tracker?
The unit is hidden and hardwired. Cutting its wiring triggers an instant tamper alert while the internal battery keeps reporting location for up to 72 hours.
Is cellular service included?
Yes — service and the SIM are part of the monthly per-vehicle fee, so there is no separate carrier account to manage.
How long is location history kept?
Every unit stores 24 months of trip history, exportable for disputes.
Who installs the device?
Your lot tech, in about 12 minutes with the included harness — or a certified installer in most metro areas.