Car Data SIM Recommendation Pls

My current data SIM has expired so I’m looking for a data only, 12 month SIM for the car. Not tonnes of data, mebbies 25gb.

What do people use/recommend for much cheapness but decent connectivity please?

Does it not use your phone ?

as above, a lot of cars can just use the bluetooth connection to your phone to leech data. I’m surprised its using anything like 25gb though – wouldn’t it just be getting maps and things? I suspect 1gb is enough for that

Otherwise, giffgaff uses the o2 network and is generally cheap – £10 per month will get you what you need.

It can use the phone but I wanted a separate SIM.

What car? I’d check around on forums for that car for recommendations and to make sure there aren’t any gotcha’s (fortunately Polestar extended the free SIM period to 6 years so I haven’t had to do it – I did read somewhere, for a PS2 at least, it’s implemented in a way it can hop across provider networks, not sure if true but would also mean switching to a normal SIM might cause issues).

It can use the phone but I wanted a separate SIM.

Why?

Why?

Indeed.  I’m struggling to think of any reason nowadays.

Indeed.  I’m struggling to think of any reason nowadays.

I mean,

I’m not being a nob, but how much data does a car use?  If you’re mad enough to use the almost certainly inferior inbuilt satnav over Android Auto or whatever the Apple equivalent is, that’s not going to trouble 25GB annually let alone monthly.  You could stream Spotify for 2 hours a day, every day and still be under 25GB per year.  Taking out a separate 12-month contract seems a madness to me unless there’s a specific use case I’m missing?

if you are happy with your mobile network provider or want a rival, go on moneysupermartker/ topcashback / quidco et al and get a cashback deal and the cheapest sim on the network you wish ie lebara on vodafone , tesco mobile or giffgaff on o2 etc.

i pay £5.35 for a SIMonly 5GB boosted to 10GB on virginmedia o2 Volt (ie also got broadband)

for a 4g security camera

for a 4g security camera

Can it not be connected to your Wi-Fi?

Can’t speak for the OP’s car, but my Discovery has it’s own data connection and this can be used to monitor the vehicle (and even start it), lock the doors etc when the phone is nowhere near it. It also does it’s software updates through it’s data connection and has to be turned off and locked – so not when you are sat in it with your phone

I dont get what OP is asking for.

Car Sat Nav is never as good as your mobile Sat Nav via Car Play etc.

Yes most modern cars have functions that require you to purchase the function after 2-3 yrs but thats nothing to do with buying a SIM.

Can it not be connected to your Wi-Fi?

Not ideal for a security camera as it’s not much use in a power cut. Or if someone cuts your power…

Used one of the 3 prepaid SIM cards from Amazon. in my wife’s car. 24GB valid for 2 years for £35.

Used one of the 3 prepaid SIM cards from Amazon. in my wife’s car. 24GB valid for 2 years for £35.

What do you use it for?

Indeed.  I’m struggling to think of any reason nowadays.

Allows you to run a different network to your phone, can be handy if you spend time in remote areas.

Stops your phone going flat on long journeys as it’s not using the GPS and Bluetooth on your handset. Better gps signal too.

Depending on number of drivers you don’t need to link multiple phones to the head unit, which is a pain in the arse when some are serial phone swappers.

Not all phones play as well with android auto as they should.

Not ideal for a security camera as it’s not much use in a power cut. Or if someone cuts your power…

Ummm…. but then the camera stops working anyway sooooo….

Allows you to run a different network to your phone, can be handy if you spend time in remote areas.

IME this is less of an issue these days, and your in a car so you can move a few miles if needed.

Stops your phone going flat on long journeys

I just plug my phone into the USB charger, which any car that has a SIM and data connection surely has.

Depending on number of drivers you don’t need to link multiple phones to the head unit, which is a pain in the arse when some are serial phone swappers.

Again, as I plug in and am only used to VAG cars this is just a non issue. Plug in = works.

Not all phones play as well with android auto as they should

I’m intrigued. We’ve Apple and Android phones, all have worked flawlessly with Google Maps / VAG head units over three different cars.

Allows you to run a different network to your phone, can be handy if you spend time in remote areas.

Most phones can handle two sims now…… having a different one in your car is all fine and dandy until you get out of the car.

Stops your phone going flat on long journeys as it’s not using the GPS and Bluetooth on your handset

USB cable seems to fix that IME.

Not all phones play as well with android auto as they should.

Can’t answer that one as the two phones I’ve had have been fine, but YMMV.  You’ve still got the built in sat nav though (and if you don’t have that then why need the data connection).

It just seems unnecessary.

(Edit: beaten to it by MOA)

Using the car satnav for traffic updates etc and some of the other connectivity. It doesn’t always play well with the phone depending on if its connected via Bluetooth or using Android auto.

If you’re mad enough to use the almost certainly inferior inbuilt satnav over Android Auto or whatever the Apple equivalent is, that’s not going to trouble 25GB annually let alone monthly.

Depends what the car is, mine has native Android Auto – it’s “built-in sat nav” is Google Maps, for me this uses the car’s eSIM not my phone (although it could pair and use my phone so I do kind of agree it’s a bit of a waste of money buying a dedicated one for the car). Assuming all the car’s Internet-connected functions work when paired to a phone (I’m not sure if Polestar Connect does for example, at least just through pressing the button for it – it’s their service for calling remote assistance).

Assuming all the car’s Internet-connected functions work when paired to a phone (I’m not sure if Polestar Connect does for example, at least just through pressing the button for it – it’s their service for calling remote assistance).

In addition to whether they work connected to a phone – as I highlighted in my post (that most subsequent posters chose to ignore 😉 ), some cars have features that require a data connection when you aren’t with the car

Depends what the car is, mine has native Android Auto – it’s “built-in sat nav” is Google Maps, for me this uses the car’s eSIM not my phone

But using the car’s sim means you don’t get SMS or WhatsApp integration on AA/Carplay – which you would if you used your phone via BT.

Assuming all the car’s Internet-connected functions work when paired to a phone (I’m not sure if Polestar Connect does for example, at least just through pressing the button for it – it’s their service for calling remote assistance)

How does Polestar connect to internet?
The vehicle can be connected to the Internet via a Bluetooth-connected phone or a Wi-Fi network. In some markets, connection is also possible via the vehicle’s integrated modem1.

Ploestar.com

some cars have features that require a data connection when you aren’t with the car

Not ignoring it,, it’s just a niche case.  How many of these ‘features’ do you need when you aren’t in the car?

But using the car’s sim means you don’t get SMS or WhatsApp integration on AA/Carplay – which you would if you used your phone via BT.

Not really sure I want everyone accessing texts/WhatsApp whilst they’re supposed to be driving.

Not really sure I want everyone accessing texts/WhatsApp whilst they’re supposed to be driving.

Do you know how it works (i.e. what you can and can’t do)?  I’m guessing not given your statement.

(Just FYI, on AA, you only get read messages that arrive while you are driving and can use voice to text to send new messages – you cannot see the messages, your contacts or type anything.  It’s probably safer than selecting a playlist on Spotify or a track on a CD)

It’s probably safer than selecting a playlist on Spotify or a track on a CD

“OK Google. Play me the U2 album The Joshua Tree on Spotify”

I cannot remember last time I prodded at a screen to get music in my car….

I cannot remember last time I prodded at a screen to get music in my car….

I also cant remember the last time I prodded a screen to send a text or Whats App message, its all completely hands free.

We always use our phones on Merc and VW. In fact I was surprised to see that my wifes VW takes the integration further by showing the speed limit, plus the car current speed on the google maps display. This is all through her iphone, no crappy car systems involved.

In fact I was surprised to see that my wifes VW takes the integration further by showing the speed limit, plus the car current speed on the google maps display.

tbf google maps does that by itself on a completely standalone phone, you just have to press the speed limit to see your current speed as well. Its using gps to figure out your speed

I cannot remember last time I prodded at a screen to get music in my car….

Yep, I meant on a ‘dumb’ [old skool] head unit.

Car Sat Nav is never as good as your mobile Sat Nav via Car Play etc.  In four cars (Audi, VW, BMW and VW) where I have had Apple Car Play, yes the sat nav is more flexible with Google Maps – but in my experience, has two drawbacks:

• If  you use it abroad – use of it consumes data from your plan.
• The sat nav guidance appears on the main infotainment screen, but does not appear in the driver binnacle or head up display.

Do you know how it works (i.e. what you can and can’t do)?  I’m guessing not given your statement.

(Just FYI, on AA, you only get read messages that arrive while you are driving and can use voice to text to send new messages – you cannot see the messages, your contacts or type anything.  It’s probably safer than selecting a playlist on Spotify or a track on a CD)

Forget it…

To actually answer the question…

I’m using Lebara (in my campervan) which runs on Vodafone. It works well and was a cheap deal through USwitch.

Edit: Just realised you might have meant 25GB total, in which case Vodafone & Three both used to do 12 or 24 month prepaid sims but I couldn’t find one last time I looked.

Think I used to use a Vodafone one that was 24GB valid for 24 months.

If  you use it abroad – use of it consumes data from your plan.

Yeah, but it’s nominal at best.  If you pre-plan the route in your hotel it will download the map data over Wi-Fi.  After that the only thing it needs data for is traffic updates.  The idea that Google Maps is sitting there drinking up data is incorrect, I navigated round the US over a period of a few weeks and my data usage was in the order of tens of kB.  You could turn off the data connection completely and, assuming cached maps, it would still work just fine.

https://amzn.eu/d/bGgHne1

Found one

Car Sat Nav is never as good as your mobile Sat Nav via Car Play etc

It is in some.

Jesus I still get a bit excited when a car doesn’t have a tape deck.

The heads up in our Octavia shows the direction arrows from Google maps which I was quite impressed by…

As for the original question, no idea what’s the best deal but I like Vodafone in Scotland. Seems to have the best coverage, patchy in places, but they’re generally places most vehicles aren’t going (I’m on foot).

Blimey, dint expect this kerfuffle. You go out for the morning and look what happens…?

Yeah I meant 25gb total over at least 12 months, 24 is even betterer.

Why a separate SIM? Main one is to access remote features and updates as called out up there ^ Secondary one is I sometimes use both phone based Android Auto and (gasp) the car based nav AT THE SAME TIME 🙂 for rerouting, delay estimating, accident avoidance etc. I know I can leech data from my phone to do this but I like to have the two on different networks mainly to try and ensure some sort of connection when out and about. The UK is still not blessed with 100% decent 4g coverage. I know I can plan ahead, download offline maps etc and I do that as well – sometimes. Call, me Mr Prepared if you like but I get really cheesed off when you get a mammoth delay, didn’t notice the reroute messages and drop connection just as you pass the last junction of doom before getting stuck for ever…

I’m on EE on the phones and Voda (shudders) on the car. Mainly cos Vlovo was giving Voda away ‘FOC’ a year ago with a service which is now getting to the end of its 12 month term. FOC in ‘ ‘ as you obviously had to buy their service to get their ‘free’ SIM – so not free then…

I’ve found it useful so wanted to extend though at minimal cost, hence the question. There now, happy? 🙂

I’ve found it useful so wanted to extend though at minimal cost, hence the question. There now, happy? 🙂

Ecstatic!

It would have save some keystrokes if you’d originally explained that you were paying for a ‘remote’ service already and wanted to continue with it 😉

[obvs we’d have then had a pile on about how car remote services are crap/a rip off/etc. 🙂 ]

Jesus, it’s almost like the dark ages in here.