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How technology has redefined the job of the repo man

mercurynews.com

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Re: How technology has redefined the job of the repo man

#11

Post by gruez »

saagarjha wrote: post #4

Wow, everything in this article is horrifying: > the rising deployment of remote engine cutoffs and GPS locators in cars Wait, so people can remotely track my car or turn it off? This doesn't sound like a hack away from disaster at all. > The companyʼs goal is to capture every plate in Ohio and use that information to reveal patterns…“Itʼs kind of scary, but itʼs amazing,” said Alana Ferrante, chief executive of Rele…

>Wait, so people can remotely track my car or turn it off? This doesn't sound like a hack away from disaster at all.

you think that's bad? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17094213

Re: How technology has redefined the job of the repo man

#12

Post by gruez »

PhantomGremlin wrote: post #6
saagarjha wrote: post #4

Wow, everything in this article is horrifying: > the rising deployment of remote engine cutoffs and GPS locators in cars Wait, so people can remotely track my car or turn it off? This doesn't sound like a hack away from disaster at all. > The companyʼs goal is to capture every plate in Ohio and use that information to reveal patterns…“Itʼs kind of scary, but itʼs amazing,” said Alana Ferrante, chief executive of Rele…

Wait, so people can remotely track my car or turn it off? Under those circumstances it's not really "your" car. Yes, you might have put down 5% of the total purchase price. So you have a title, and legally you own the car. But 95% of the "skin in the game" is the lender's. The car belongs mostly to the lender. Don't like that? Easy solution, don't be a deadbeat. Or save up and pay cash. I agree with the rest of your…

why is this post getting downvoted? clearly these devices work, otherwise lenders won't be using them. if the devices are banned/never existed, lenders will either not lend in risky cases they would have otherwise lent or charge higher interest rates.

Re: How technology has redefined the job of the repo man

#13

Post by ceejayoz »

codeCatalyst wrote: post #9
saagarjha wrote: post #4

Wow, everything in this article is horrifying: > the rising deployment of remote engine cutoffs and GPS locators in cars Wait, so people can remotely track my car or turn it off? This doesn't sound like a hack away from disaster at all. > The companyʼs goal is to capture every plate in Ohio and use that information to reveal patterns…“Itʼs kind of scary, but itʼs amazing,” said Alana Ferrante, chief executive of Rele…

> the rising deployment of remote engine cutoffs and GPS locators in cars How is this legal? Cutting off the engine at a bad time could cause horrific accidents, putting the car owner and occupants of surrounding cars in lethal harm. Where is the class action law suit for this?

I'd expect they prevent starting the car, rather than shutting off in the middle of the highway.

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/09/car_lenders_u...

> "We can disable the ignition but not while you're driving," Melanie Boudreau, a spokesperson at IMETRIK, a Canadian maker of starter interrupt devices that run around $100 each, told Fortune. "We don't want to kill you."

Re: How technology has redefined the job of the repo man

#14

Post by forapurpose »

PhantomGremlin wrote: post #6
saagarjha wrote: post #4

Wow, everything in this article is horrifying: > the rising deployment of remote engine cutoffs and GPS locators in cars Wait, so people can remotely track my car or turn it off? This doesn't sound like a hack away from disaster at all. > The companyʼs goal is to capture every plate in Ohio and use that information to reveal patterns…“Itʼs kind of scary, but itʼs amazing,” said Alana Ferrante, chief executive of Rele…

Wait, so people can remotely track my car or turn it off? Under those circumstances it's not really "your" car. Yes, you might have put down 5% of the total purchase price. So you have a title, and legally you own the car. But 95% of the "skin in the game" is the lender's. The car belongs mostly to the lender. Don't like that? Easy solution, don't be a deadbeat. Or save up and pay cash. I agree with the rest of your…

Even lessees should and do have rights. For example, landlords can't just do whatever they want if a renter misses a payment.

Re: How technology has redefined the job of the repo man

#15

Post by Bluestrike2 »

ceejayoz wrote: post #13
codeCatalyst wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the rising deployment of remote engine cutoffs and GPS locators in cars How is this legal? Cutting off the engine at a bad time could cause horrific accidents, putting the car owner and occupants of surrounding cars in lethal harm. Where is the class action law suit for this?

I'd expect they prevent starting the car, rather than shutting off in the middle of the highway. http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/09/car_lenders_u... > "We can disable the ignition but not while you're driving," Melanie Boudreau, a spokesperson at IMETRIK, a Canadian maker of starter interrupt devices that run around $100 each, told Fortune. "We don't want to kill you."

That's slightly better I guess (though at driver in the article claimed otherwise), but the driver is still under the expectation that their vehicle will start when they turn the key. What happens when the car won't turn on in an emergency?

Re: How technology has redefined the job of the repo man

#17

Post by joering2 »

saagarjha wrote: post #8
PhantomGremlin wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait, so people can remotely track my car or turn it off? Under those circumstances it's not really "your" car. Yes, you might have put down 5% of the total purchase price. So you have a title, and legally you own the car. But 95% of the "skin in the game" is the lender's. The car belongs mostly to the lender. Don't like that? Easy solution, don't be a deadbeat. Or save up and pay cash. I agree with the rest of your…

When I pay off the car, does the device get removed, or do I just come to an agreement with the dealer that they won't remotely disable my car or track me? Actually, when I buy a new car with cash, do they remove the device, or are they just lazy and install one in every car?

For the very expensive cars they will send agent to remove ot at their expense.

Its funny but most contracts wont tell you you have this kind of device on you. Its mostly for expensive cars that havent been paid in month. My brother worked as mechanic and people constantly came to remove it off the car. He used to do that for a fee because its not his responsibility to check who owns the car. He assumes whomever shows up at the shop with keys and money to pay for his work, hes ready to go.

I always wondered how much it pissed them off. One time out of curiosity they left device hooked to batter for some time. It took agent three weeks to show up (i bet you once you stop driving that where they send someone to try to pick it up). The agent was rude and angry to give out the car cause he seen device pinging from said location. Altho he didnt have warrant they let him in the lot out of shits and giggles just to waste his time in Georgia 103 degrees summer daylight to walk around the lot size of a football stadium in search for a grey Audi lol ;)

Re: How technology has redefined the job of the repo man

#18

Post by jpatokal »

Bluestrike2 wrote: post #15
ceejayoz wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd expect they prevent starting the car, rather than shutting off in the middle of the highway. http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/09/car_lenders_u... > "We can disable the ignition but not while you're driving," Melanie Boudreau, a spokesperson at IMETRIK, a Canadian maker of starter interrupt devices that run around $100 each, told Fortune. "We don't want to kill you."

That's slightly better I guess (though at driver in the article claimed otherwise), but the driver is still under the expectation that their vehicle will start when they turn the key. What happens when the car won't turn on in an emergency?

Is that any different from the car not being there because it's been repossessed?

Re: How technology has redefined the job of the repo man

#19

Post by qop »

PhantomGremlin wrote: post #6
saagarjha wrote: post #4

Wow, everything in this article is horrifying: > the rising deployment of remote engine cutoffs and GPS locators in cars Wait, so people can remotely track my car or turn it off? This doesn't sound like a hack away from disaster at all. > The companyʼs goal is to capture every plate in Ohio and use that information to reveal patterns…“Itʼs kind of scary, but itʼs amazing,” said Alana Ferrante, chief executive of Rele…

Wait, so people can remotely track my car or turn it off? Under those circumstances it's not really "your" car. Yes, you might have put down 5% of the total purchase price. So you have a title, and legally you own the car. But 95% of the "skin in the game" is the lender's. The car belongs mostly to the lender. Don't like that? Easy solution, don't be a deadbeat. Or save up and pay cash. I agree with the rest of your…

Following your logic there, I would be able to pay 5,001 on a 10,000 car and be able to lay claim to it.

Lending finance is a bit more ethereal than that, in practice.

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