AirTag Location Accuracy

[eand28]

Does anyone have an AirTag or two in their vehicle? Do you find that the location shown in the find my app is way off from where you know it’s actually located? I got one to keep tabs on a vehicle I have in storage. I’ve found the location it shows on the map seems to move daily which I’m
sure is due to it pinging off other peoples iPhones.

 

[traquer]

Does anyone have an AirTag or two in their vehicle? Do you find that the location shown in the find my app is way off from where you know it’s actually located? I got one to keep tabs on a vehicle I have in storage. I’ve found the location it shows on the map seems to move daily which I’m
sure is due to it pinging off other peoples iPhones.

Sounds about right, I think that's how the technology works.

Actually this leads to a good question: is there a better alternative? I think any device that is small and doesn't use a lot of electricity will have to work like this. If it had it's own cell phone service and GPS antenna it would probably need to be hardwired or be bulky.

 

[C_J_J_C]

For a reasonable purchase price and no monthly cost there is nothing better.
I have them hidden in multiple vehicles and the accuracy does suck but if it stolen I bet I find it.

 

[RiverDave]

For a reasonable purchase price and no monthly cost there is nothing better.
I have them hidden in multiple vehicles and the accuracy does suck but if it stolen I bet I find it.

Honestly I’d say there’s nothing worse.. if the thief has an I phone (which is likely) it alerts the person that an AirTag is following them.

 

[TimeBandit]

Get a "Tile" instead of an airtag. It has a special anti-theft mode to track stolen vehicles with nobody but you knowing.

Tile

Tile eCommerce

www.tile.com

 

[Fun Times]

Maybe consider using an old iPhone hidden somewhere inside secretly plugged in for charging 'Plus using a battery trickle charger, then use the find my phone feature when the vehicle goes missing.

 

[rivermobster]

When I was hanging out with my BIL on his boat, I was constantly getting alerted that an air tag was following me!

He has one on his keychain.

And yeah, I got the alerts on my Samsung. It did take a couple days to alert me.

 

[BUDMAN]

We have one on the granddaughters iPad so we would be able to keep tabs on her when she’s with her mother. (That’s a story for another day) the mom texts me asking me if this was us. (See pic) Told her it was that I had forgot to remove it and that we keep it on her iPad as not to loose it when we go somewhere.

 

[Blackmagic94]

Plus or minus 50-75 yards at worse. Sometimes 5 yards.

 

[BabyRay]

I have AirTags on several items, and see that happen occasionally. Sometimes it’s off by miles when the item is sitting in my home.

Get a "Tile" instead of an airtag. It has a special anti-theft mode to track stolen vehicles with nobody but you knowing.

Tile

Tile eCommerce

www.tile.com

Tile only works if there are other Tile apps in the vicinity of the device. That seems rather limiting to me.

 

[C_J_J_C]

Honestly I’d say there’s nothing worse.. if the thief has an I phone (which is likely) it alerts the person that an AirTag is following them.

I respectfully disagree.

I disabled the speaker on all of them and they are hidden very well so even if the thief gets notified the chances of them finding it is extreamly low and if they abandon the vehicle before damaging it too bad or striping it I see that as a bonus. I want my stuff back not insurance money.

 

[JDKRXW]

I use Samsung SmartTag ... wife uses AirTag.
They're about the same when tracking out of Bluetooth range (relying on the respective findmy apps).
In Bluetooth range- it's not even close. Samsung is more accurate, has way better Bluetooth coverage (like 3x the distance) and the Samsung tag has a button that can ring your phone (airtag doesnt).

In addition, the Samsung tag's button can be tied to a Smarthings function (lights, garage door, sprinklers etc) if you're into this ecosystem.

 

[traquer]

Get a "Tile" instead of an airtag. It has a special anti-theft mode to track stolen vehicles with nobody but you knowing.

Tile

Tile eCommerce

www.tile.com

Doesn't seem as good, in fact it seems a lot worse (see screenshot below). How accurate is it for you? I guess it would be easy to test, just hide one in a semi-public area and see how many pings you get over the course of the day/week?

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

I use Samsung SmartTag ... wife uses AirTag.
They're about the same when tracking out of Bluetooth range (relying on the respective findmy apps).
In Bluetooth range- it's not even close. Samsung is more accurate, has way better Bluetooth coverage (like 3x the distance) and the Samsung tag has a button that can ring your phone (airtag doesnt).

Just saying Samsung around here is satire..lol

 

[2Driver]

Weird. We both have them. If I take the car with hers in it, it chimes but Ive never gotten the message about it.

My tags are usually spot on but sometimes will jump around just like “find my” app does with iPhones. I followed my Gladiator being towed late at night to the wrong dealer. I called the tow truck guy to tell him, which he corrected to the right dealership but the Gladiator showed at the first location all night when it was really 10 miles north at the right dealership. I know because I went out at midnight to verify it was moved to the correct location.

 

[boatpi]

Use an AirTag to find a car that might be stolen. Is just worthless, but using that device to put into your luggage when you’re traveling or into a computer case, so in the inside is an outstanding use. There may be cheaper systems but I pay about $220 for hardwire installation on a car install with Cell GPS tracking Google Maps all kinds of software that’s with two years of service and after that it’s $65 a year.

 

[JayBreww]

Use an AirTag to find a car that might be stolen. Is just worthless, but using that device to put into your luggage when you’re traveling or into a computer case, so in the inside is an outstanding use. There may be cheaper systems but I pay about $220 for hardwire installation on a car install with Cell GPS tracking Google Maps all kinds of software that’s with two years of service and after that it’s $65 a year.

What about that Lambo that you posted about a few months ago? Bet an AirTag would have been nice at that time.

 

[boatpi]

Air tag in a door panel for exotics is a great back up, but my system lets e know in 30 seconds if the battery is disconnected, often the case by a pro, and gives me location, and is has a 5 hour battery backup. Add in good insurance. And we got that Lambo back, long story, more to follow at a later date.

 

[RiverDave]

We have one on the granddaughters iPad so we would be able to keep tabs on her when she’s with her mother. (That’s a story for another day) the mom texts me asking me if this was us. (See pic) Told her it was that I had forgot to remove it and that we keep it on her iPad as not to loose it when we go somewhere.

You could just track the iPad couldn’t ya?

 

[LuauLounge]

Saw these, housing with a screw on cap. Held on with 3m tape. Remove the speaker, place it somewhere under the car and you should be good..

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZVPWKK3/ref=sspa_dk_detail_4?pd_rd_i=B09ZVPWKK3&pd_rd_w=20Im5&content-id=amzn1.sym.f734d1a2-0bf9-4a26-ad34-2e1b969a5a75&pf_rd_p=f734d1a2-0bf9-4a26-ad34-2e1b969a5a75&pf_rd_r=1DRNYC077FE4ART2ZG6G&pd_rd_wg=wUTz1&pd_rd_r=000a91cf-ba14-47d6-95ce-1a74b1d4152b&s=wireless&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWw&th=1

 

[stephenkatsea]

Whatever was used by the RDP inmates, a while back, to track that SXS thief to Parker seemed to work pretty well. What was that?

 

[boat527]

Have a buddy who got his his truck stolen when he was in a store..Had AIR tags. Chased it all over town , all night. His truck kept moving and each location he got was about 30 min behind.

Finally found it in a hidden area off a main drag , but most of his work tools were gone when he got there.

 

[Bajastu]

I have air tags on both boats, my flatbed trailer, briefcase, and my son’s truck. I disabled all of the speakers. And they are very accurate. I share the location with my son and he knows I track his truck. In the other items they are hidden well enough that it is difficult to tear them out. At the end of the day, insurance is the only real benefit.

 

[DLC]

Does anyone have an AirTag or two in their vehicle? Do you find that the location shown in the find my app is way off from where you know it’s actually located? I got one to keep tabs on a vehicle I have in storage. I’ve found the location it shows on the map seems to move daily which I’m
sure is due to it pinging off other peoples iPhones.

The question is….

What kind of vehicle do you have in storage……

RDP family needs to know …

 

[BUDMAN]

You could just track the iPad couldn’t ya?

Did that before. The mom turns off the locate me.

 

[Fun Times]

Whatever was used by the RDP inmates, a while back, to track that SXS thief to Parker seemed to work pretty well. What was that?

@jeepdog , https://www.riverdavesplace.com/forums/threads/two-stolen-kawi-side-by-side.262634/

 

[eand28]

The question is….

What kind of vehicle do you have in storage……

RDP family needs to know …

Lifted gmc. Just wanted to keep it out of the elements all winter

 

[RitcheyRch]

Whatever was used by the RDP inmates, a while back, to track that SXS thief to Parker seemed to work pretty well. What was that?

Think he had a land air sea tracker.

LandAirSea 54 with ShareSpot (TM) location sharing and tracking system

LandAirSea 54 with ShareSpot (TM) location sharing and tracking system - 4G LTE Real-Time GPS TRACKER for Fleets, Vehicles, Boats, ATV's Assets and Family Tracking. Visit our site now or call 847-462-8100.

shop.landairsea.com

 

[Dan Lorenze]

Honestly I’d say there’s nothing worse.. if the thief has an I phone (which is likely) it alerts the person that an AirTag is following them.

The alert happens between 8-24 hours. That means you’ve got some time to find your AirTag. It’s better than having nothing. I like knowing where my stuff is at all times. And for $25 it’s a no-brainer. All my AirTags are very accurate.

 

[rivermobster]

The alert happens between 8-24 hours. That means you’ve got some time to find your AirTag. It’s better than having nothing. I like knowing where my stuff is at all times. And for $25 it’s a no-brainer. All my AirTags are very accurate.


View attachment 1302141

I'm gonna say 48 hours...

We were on my BIL's ocean boat, at least 2 days, before I got the alert on My phone that an air tag was following me.

 

[pwerwagn]

They seem to work fine for me for the price. I have them in my kids backpacks and stuff, just in case. Mainly for when we travel, if they leave them somewhere. Ive also used them on their bikes, etc. They arent 100% accurate, but work decently well.

I have an iphone and Ive never been alerted to an air tag following me. I bought some for my mother in law one time when we traveled with her, for her to put in all her luggage. She had one with her at all times, and went everywhere with us. I never got an alert an airtag was with me. And we do not share an apple acct or anything like that...I couldnt track her, I couldnt use my phone to find hers, etc. I spent 5-6 days with her in florida, and she was with us everywhere. Never an alert.

 

[SPYLIFE]

Its rough out there for you west coast guys having to worry about everything being stolen lol. I had a beach raft stolen back in 1989, so I actually do feel your pain, it was rough. Man I loved that raft.

We put GPS on peoples cars in the states I do business that allow such. As the OP suggested they bounce around too. I had a military guy working for me some years ago in Maryland who suggested GPS units and such that get temporally placed have to bounce around by law so that someone can not conceivably put a tracker on a car and fire a missile at it from 20 miles away. Assuming he was referencing a gov. official vehicle. No idea the validity of that statement, but seems reasonable. Other issue we have sometimes with these things is they go into a sleep mode until they sense movement then wakeup, Occasionally they do not wake up right away, so to put that into perspective, it might show a car in Havasu at say 4:15pm, then shows it in Parker at 425pm. Of course its not possible to do that trip in 10 minutes.

 

[Bajastu]

Keep in mind that the Air Tags have a locating app built into each iPhone. It triangulates on the Bluetooth signal. It allows the perp or whoever wants to find it locate it within a 1ft radius of the tracker.

 

[pwerwagn]

Keep in mind that the Air Tags have a locating app built into each iPhone. It triangulates on the Bluetooth signal. It allows the perp or whoever wants to find it locate it within a 1ft radius of the tracker.

View attachment 1302205

I still havent figured out how to do that with my phone? I can do it with the airtags associated with my apple ID...but I havent figured out how to do that with other peoples air tags???

 

[Bajastu]

I still havent figured out how to do that with my phone? I can do it with the airtags associated with my apple ID...but I havent figured out how to do that with other peoples air tags???

My 17 yearold showed me. I belive you need to have one not registered to you, have the bluetooth turned on, and it should pop up.

 

[pwerwagn]

My 17 yearold showed me. I belive you need to have one not registered to you, have the bluetooth turned on, and it should pop up.

Ill have to try that next time I buy some.

So if thats true, how does someone find one that IS registered to me??? Meaning, if I have an airtag in my boat, registered to me, on my apple account...how would a thieve find it?

 

[Bajastu]

Ill have to try that next time I buy some.

So if thats true, how does someone find one that IS registered to me??? Meaning, if I have an airtag in my boat, registered to me, on my apple account...how would a thieve find it?

same way

 

[pwerwagn]

same way

Interesting. I tried last night to "find" an airtag that wasnt mine, but was sitting there on the table attached to my friends keys. I couldnt find it, locate it, make it make noise, couldnt even tell it existed there on the table with my phone.

I could find mine tho. But he couldnt find mine with his phone..

 

[Jonas Grumby]

Honestly I’d say there’s nothing worse.. if the thief has an I phone (which is likely) it alerts the person that an AirTag is following them.

I have one in wife’s car, her iPhone doesn’t tell her shit. And I remove the speakers from them.

 

[Bajastu]

Interesting. I tried last night to "find" an airtag that wasnt mine, but was sitting there on the table attached to my friends keys. I couldnt find it, locate it, make it make noise, couldnt even tell it existed there on the table with my phone.

I could find mine tho. But he couldnt find mine with his phone..

Weird

 

[Markus]

I respectfully disagree.

I disabled the speaker on all of them and they are hidden very well so even if the thief gets notified the chances of them finding it is extreamly low and if they abandon the vehicle before damaging it too bad or striping it I see that as a bonus. I want my stuff back not insurance money.

Like the man said.

In addition, the kind of people who steal cars typically have Android phones.

 

[pwerwagn]

people who steal cars typically have Android phones.

Correct.