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Drive-Wise Diagnostic Plug In

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by CharlesMcCarty, Jan 11, 2016.

  1. CharlesMcCarty

    CharlesMcCarty New Member

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    Trying to determine if there is experience or problems with using a Drive-Wise diagnostic port plug in device from Allstate. They say it is OK but could invalidate the warranty if it creates a problem. Toyota says pretty much the same, but no one will commit to anything.
     
  2. bfd

    bfd Plug-In Perpetuator

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    I don't have any experience with the drive nanny of which you speak, but Toyota uses some of the pinouts for throughput power - which is apparently not unusual, though many car makers don't use the pinouts in that port in that way.

    I found this out when I had some problems with my ScanGauge. They sent me a new connector that did not use any of the pinouts that Toyota apparently uses for throughput power. Search the forum for others who've had this issue.

    I don't know what pinouts the Allstate device connects to, but I'd avoid it unless you're really saving a HUGE amount of premium - like 20% or more per term. While having it plugged in probably wouldn't wreck anything, if it did throw a fault, you'd find yourself at the service dept. to get the fault reset, and they'd end up telling you to to unplug the thing.
     
  3. CharlesMcCarty

    CharlesMcCarty New Member

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    Thanks. I will wait for a few more responses before deciding, but its starting to feel like not the best idea. Potential premium savings would most likely be 10-12%, though my wife is getting a 15% discount, but she is driving an older Saturn, and has very limited mileage.
     
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    how many dollars? i ould try it for $250. or more.
     
  5. CharlesMcCarty

    CharlesMcCarty New Member

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    Hard to say. Best case savings might be several hundred dollars a year, and its another thing that makes you think about your driving habits, which we are used to anyway, driving a plug-in or plain hybrid. It tracks and reports your trips, time of day, mileage, speed events over 80 mph, and hard or severe braking. It claims not to track location or impact. Big Brother Lite. It is only of value if your drive 12K or less per year. If you go off line they will send you an email saying they have lost your "heartbeat". Happened once on my wife's car when the battery ran down.
     
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i guess i would want a written guarantee from allstate, even though i agree with bfd, it's not likely to be an issue.
     
  7. CharlesMcCarty

    CharlesMcCarty New Member

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    Nobody seems willing to guarantee anything, and nobody seems to really know anything for certain, whether the insurance co. or Toyota. To give a definitive answer, which I am sure must exist, is to take responsibility, I guess. I'll try calling the service people, as they might have some knowledge. I'll post if I find anything new.
     
  8. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    If this thing was available in CA, I'd sign up right. There is only money to be made and the risk is small to none. I've been driving with an Ultragauge plugged into the OBD2 port for the better part of a decade to track my driving.

    I've also been participating in a survey for plug in research for the past 6 months to track my usage. The bulky plug includes a GPS antenna and a warning that if I don't drive the car for a long period of time, the researchers would call to let me know the battery may die if I don't start driving it. They didn't specify if it was the GPS battery or the car 12 volt and I didn't care. They paid me but I'd have done it for free. Parked it 12 days once at the airport without issue.

    The only negative is that I can't use my Ultragauge anymore.
     
  9. CharlesMcCarty

    CharlesMcCarty New Member

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    Spoke with a Wilson Toyota service rep who canvassed the other mechanics. They have only seen one transitory problem (check service light) over a number of years, and the problem was corrected by unplugging the device--no lasting damage created. I will try it out and report back in a few weeks (probably a week to 10 days before it arrives), unless I hear more about a specific hazard.
     
  10. CaliforniaBear

    CaliforniaBear Clearwater Blue Metallic

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    I have the In-drive gadget from State Farm. Since I also have a Scan Gauge they are connected through a Y adapter. I haven't seen any problems associated with either device. Based on mileage driven I saved $130 or about 25% on car insurance for the present 6 month period. I'm presently on a free 1-year trial using In-drive. The only information In-drive provides to State Farm is miles driven. I find the other information provided to me by In-drive to be inaccurate and pretty much useless, and not displayed in a useful manner. Therefore when the 1-year is over I will return the In-drive device. It turns out State Farm will provide the same miles-driven discount by just reporting your odometer reading to them once a month.
     
  11. CharlesMcCarty

    CharlesMcCarty New Member

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    Good to know. Thanks for your input!

    merged

    I plugged the Drive-Wise device in last Friday. No problems so far. I can track all my uses since then, including time started and ended, miles driven, average and top speed and braking events (none to date). In another week I'll provide an update.
     
    #11 CharlesMcCarty, Jan 12, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 25, 2016
    bisco likes this.
  12. CaliforniaBear

    CaliforniaBear Clearwater Blue Metallic

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    I guess many other drivers must have the same opinion about In-drive. State Farm is discontinuing the program as of November. So I called to cancel my account and return the device and they said "don't return it". Sounds like In-drive is going out of business.