snapshot by progressive.

[craveman85]

Anyone on here use snapshot from progressive? I'm assuming I'll need an obd2 splitter. Anyone really see any savings. Anyone think p&g will negatively affect the results? Could it potentially mess up readings with a scangauge?

[redpoint5]

I have used it on all of my vehicles. I'm saving 30% on my truck since I never drive it. The Acura is getting a 13% discount, and I currently have the snapshot connected to my Camry.

I did buy a splitter so that the Ultragauge could be used in tandem with the Snapshot. However, it seems the Ultragauge can interfere with the initialization of the Snapshot device, rendering it unable to log the trip in some vehicles. Perhaps turning down the sampling rate on the Ultragauge would free up enough bandwidth on the CAN bus for both to work correctly.

You will know if the Snapshot initializes correctly by hearing 3 beeps just after starting the car.

From Progressive:

If you avoid hard braking or stop-and-go driving, drive fewer than 30 miles per day, or avoid driving between midnight and 4 a.m., then you're likely to save with Snapshot.

The threshold for a hard brake is 7mph/second (1/3 of a g-force), which I believe is unreasonably sensitive. You will get many hard brakes at first until the annoying beep retrains how you decelerate. Even then, you will get an occasional hard brake when you just miss a traffic light, or someone cuts you off in traffic.

My sister received zero discount and was told to send the device back a few weeks after installing it. She never responded to the feedback she was getting by modifying her driving habits. She's a terrible driver, and has been responsible for 3 accidents.

[craveman85]

I feel like I almost never Brake hard at all. My top speed of usually 52 due to the discovery of this website. Hopefully I'll get quite a discount. Do you have access to the data it records at all?

[redpoint5]

The device periodically updates your trips to the Progressive website and you can access the various trip details such as time of day, duration, and number of "hard brakes".

When Progressive first started the program, they required the user to connect the device via USB and upload the data from their computer. A minor hassle, but all of the data was accessible using a free program. I don't believe there is a program offered that allows direct access to the data for the device now being used. The current device uploads the data via cellular communication, so nothing is required of the user to upload the data.

You will likely do much better than most with avoiding hard brakes, but the threshold really is very low. I read somewhere that a stop from 55mph requires a minimum of 8 seconds, and you will cover a distance of 580ft. Try to decelerate any quicker, and the hard stop threshold will be triggered.

[Xist]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

You will likely do much better than most with avoiding hard brakes, but the threshold really is very low. I read somewhere that a stop from 55mph requires a minimum of 8 seconds, and you will cover a distance of 550ft. Try to decelerate any quicker, and the hard stop threshold will be triggered.

It took me a moment to relate to that, but when I drive to my parents' house, there are some stop lights as you leave the Phoenix area. I only drive fifty-five (on level ground) and I plan lights the best that I can, but until the light turns yellow, you really never know whether or not you can make the light. At that point, you only have three seconds to stop, which is far harder than I like. In outlying areas, there are just farms and open space, but they still have stoplights and stop signs, so if you drive ten miles and hit five stop lights, you might trip that alarm a couple of times, just during one drive!

[craveman85]

My 40 mile one way commute has 3 stop lights. Well actually 4 but the one is more like a stop sign. And at night most of the stop signs magically turn into yeilds lol.

[Frank Lee]

I had Slipshod... was told I was getting the maximum discount... noticed "rate creep" anyway. Shopped around, found a better deal elsewhere without any car spy. **** you, Flo.

[Cobb]

I too suffer from rate creep. First it was my credit, then accident history. Like the connercial says, I said 15% by calling another company.

[Frank Lee]

Yeah, but the weird thing was, my driving record is clean and so is my credit. There were no claims or even any incidents. I was getting a fistful of "discounts" even before Slipshod and I'd been a customer for many years. Slipshod said my driving was worth the max- 30% discount. So much for loyalty and good customer retention. Guess they need to raise funds for their billion dollar/year ad campaigns. :/

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by craveman85

My 40 mile one way commute has 3 stop lights.

FYI- Going over 30mi per day results in a lower discount.

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

I had Slipshod... was told I was getting the maximum discount... noticed "rate creep" anyway. Shopped around, found a better deal elsewhere without any car spy.

I had noticed rate creep as well. The "loyalty" discount appears to mean your rates go up. However, I once allowed my insurance to lapse, causing me to no longer be a Progressive customer with "diamond" status (achieved by being a customer for something like 3 years). When I signed on as a new customer, my rates were magically lower than I had been previously paying.

So much for loyalty.

Threaten to take your business elsewhere (and be prepared to make good on the threat) and you will be surprised what discounts you can get. If you're paying more than $30/mo for internet, you're paying too much. Call to cancel and tell the rep you are moving service to someone else, and all of a sudden you can keep the promotional rate.