Anyone know if it's legal for a used car dealer to install lojack without the buyer's knowledge?

[jobycom]

Obviously, this is for the purpose of repoing the car if the buyer defaults.

I'm neither the buyer nor seller.

[flvegan]

1. I don't see why it wouldn't be.

Onstar could be used for the same purpose, I think.

[jobycom]

2. But you know Onstar is on the vehicle. nt

[flvegan]

4. But technically, the car still belongs to the dealer/lender.

It's not yours until it's paid off. At which time I would think you'd have to be told.

When I lived in MA, LoJack was police only. I didn't know dealers had access to it now.

[jobycom]

5. I'm not sure if that's right. With a house, the owner owns the house, and the bank

only owns the mortgage, which is a right of reversion in case of default. I think it's the same for cars.

And I don't know that it's the name brand "LoJack," but it's some form of GPS tracking device. I remember at some point long ago hearing that it was illegal to put a tracking device on someone else's car, so that's what I was wondering. I'm not sure about that claim, either.

[flvegan]

6. Nope. Lender holds the title to a car.

You do get the deed to a house (title) but you only get the car title when the loan is paid off. At least in every auto loan scenario I've ever seen. That's why they can repo it, but a home is a foreclosure (legal action).

On edit: at least in Florida. It might be different in other states.

[Lost in CT]

3. Not really that bad an idea... if it is legal after all.