"Elegant" solution for EZ Pass??
 

hello all....this may be a silly question, but we're taking delivery of our new X3 today (yippie!!)....and I have to re-place our EZ Pass (it's the toll pass for NY/NJ/CT/MA) and wondered if anybody had an elegant solution....Both in terms of attachment, and where you placed it.

We were using velcro...that may be the best solution, though it would be nice to avoid having to stick anything permanently on the car (and no, i don't want to just leave the pass in the glove box and hold it every time I drive through a toll)

I know they sell toll pass holders on some aftermarket sites, but those basically also require one to stick something to the window.

Also...the rear view mirror, as i recall, is too big to place the pass between it and the ceiling panel, so it seems like the pass has to not be centered.

This post may be a bit nitpicky on my part, but i'd love to be able to keep the new X as clean and streamlined as possble.

I personally don't like to have mine visible and definitely don't want to tape it to the windshield. I just keep mine in the storage bin, take it out when at a toll, and put it back in the bin.

I just used the tape provided to place it behind the mirror on the right side.

The tape comes off so I do not see it as a problem.

I think you can also get a plate mounted pass but it costs more.

I have one of those EZPass transponder holders with suction cups and I just stick it to the windshield when I need it.

Or another way is to paint the transponder with a flat black paint and use the included velcro. Place it as high as possible on the winshield and it would be hardly noticeable...

thanks guys...I'll figure it out.
When you say 'tape provided' Blue...is it like velcro with a sticky backing?

Put it inside the front bumper... that would be cool. But then you have to worry about the elements.

Yes the velcro tape.

They make a special bumber unit, that can take the weather.

thanks blue....but that velcro tape leaves a residue...ever try to peel it off the window?

as for inside the bumper....really? Is that a viable option? Is there a way to make it completely hidden?

i find them unsightly and then there is the tape issue...even suction cups leave a mark, though not permanent.

Maybe just holding it up is the easiest thing...I guess I don't cross THAT MANY tolls....

thats what i do

i know in MD, u can have a license plate transponder.

I would think they would get stolen!

Please follow the link for details:

http://www.nysthruway.gov/commercial...der-guide.html

It appears that only commerical users can get them.

good point. i wonder what one would do if that happened.
i guess u could just call and disable it.:dunno:

Behind the mirror? Do you mean the inside rear view mirror, or outside door-mounted mirrors?

I mean the inside miror, you can't see it unless you look real hard.

That is actually quite a smart, useful and inexpensive "mod"! :thumbup:

not entirely true. some cars require and external transponder.
http://www.e-zpassny.com/static/info/exteriortags.shtml

Wonder if can one, if just have a BMW ?

honestly, i don't see y not. if they offer them for those
other makes, they should fit our BMW's. although, michelle
brought up a good point; theft.:dunno:

Someone had one on their X at the DC Meet...but I forget who it was.

I have my 10+ yr old EZPass plastic square thing: still works like a
charm. One of my knucklehead bro'n'laws has his version mounted
on his front NJ car license plate, sorta like those cheapazz Dlr
ad plate holders. His works ok, though it's bent to crap
from running his ghettocaddy through the car washes, lol!

He has had that lisc. plate mount one for 4-5 yrs.

EZPass...what an invention.
BR,mD

When the passes first came out I use to take mine off of the window so it would not be seen or stolen. However I don’t think it’s a issue, that take photo’s of your car every time you use one and can match the stolen unit to the thief’s plate. In addition if the unit is reported stolen you can’t go through most toll gates and the cops will come over and deal with you.

In the bay area, we have FastPass. I keep mine in the center console and pull it out when we go over the bridges. Sure it's a pain (not really), but I only use it a few times per month.

I used to do that, then they sent me a letter saying that can't do it and will ticket me if I don't stop, remember big brother is watching.

yep I do the same thing becauses it's needed in two different cars and I don't want the tape on the windows. Not a pain though.

I do the same: jes' flip it out and hold it up, as I roll through.

I have all 3 cars and 3 of my 4 scoots' license plates listed on
our one EZPass.

You can get in trouble for that in most states! :rofl:

L, thanks for the headsup,
but few if any, notice. :rofl:

I didn't mean your easy pass, did you?

Really? Hmmm. Never heard that in my neck of the woods. But there's a First time for everything.

Are you talkin to me? Mine's stuck on the inside of my windshield behind the rearview mirror. I only stick on the transponder when we're going to be using EZ Pass that day; otherwise I put it in my glovebox and all you see are two semi-transparent stick-ons. People who ride in the car sometimes ask what the two sticky things are, and I just say its for the EZ Pass transponder.

The exterior transponders are UGLY, as if front plates weren't ugly enough. I took my front plates off. Hush, I know its illegal but so many cars do it here anyway.

I found it!

Mich,
Damn...JV makes that X look "regular" sized!

HAHA! He does!

A little late to the party here, but..
One solution would be to spraypaint it black, like someone else said, and just put it on the passenger's side of the mirror.. The rain sensor would kind of put it out of your view.
My dad had the same problem.. He hates the look of the white transponders.. So he went to the EZPass center and they gave him an exterior tag and mounted it inside the grille of his A8. It works.

we've decided to keep it in the glove box and just flash it when we need it...We don't drive it daily for commuting purposes, so we can live with this solution.

All the others, while good, still, to me, don't work perfectly.

You'd think that by now they could have it postage stamp sized, and a little thinner, and of colors that would blend in....

But we'll just do the old fashioned snatch and grab

I almost painted mine but worried how it would turn out..I was going to get one of the new grey ones we have here but found out the back side is white so that is not worth it.

I put mine in the little spot on the dash in front of the instruments up near the windshield it fits just right and doesnt slide around

makes no difference, every EZPass transaction is photographed, if someone steals it, they can't use it and if they do and it doesn't match your plate, you're not liable.

It's illegal in NY/NJ to not mount your EZpass to the windshield. If you pull up to the gate and flash it and a LEO sees you flashing it by hand, they can pull you over and fine you....

Just get the front license plate mounted pass, you can request one from EZPass, who cares if it gets stolen, it can't be used in a way that you're liable, they photograph every EZPass transaction and if the pass doesn't match your plate you're off the hook! No one steals ezpass transponders, they're useless to every/anyone but the proper owner.

Good to know! Thanks, Gresch!

G, that's gotta be like spitting on a deserted sidewalk law.

When I lived there, from '76 to 2K, I would use my EZPass
all the time on one of my scoots, "flashing it". I've gone through
the gates with cops behind me and none ever blinked.

I do the same for my trips back to NJ/NY...never a prob.
It is not a deal to be concerned with, imo.
BR,mD

Edit, I jsut read the pdf "rules&regs" on EZPass; yes, buried in a late paragraph is the unit must be properly attached/located.
Still no biggie...it's Metro NY/NJ. One has to be a putz doing something
really stupid to get pinched on that one, imo. I will not give it another
thought, nor have I, in 11+ yrs of using it.

where on the front plate does it mount?

It uses the top 2 screws of your front plate mount and mounts "in front of" your plate. It's also black and not very noticeable. They had to come up with them to accomodate vehicles with "metallic tinted" windshields.

http://www.e-zpassny.com/static/info/exteriortags.shtml

I'm with you, just letting people know... last summer there was a big campaign by the MTA/EZpass/LEO's to get people to mount them because too many people were fishing for them in their glove compartments when they got up to the gate and causing delays. It was infuriating to be behind someone who you could tell was looking for their damn pass when if they just had it mounted they would have breezed through. It's also like a "no seatbelt" offense, rarely will you get pulled over for it, but local LEO can if they wish, especially if you're tieing up traffic at the toll.

You can see it mounted on the front plate in this picture:
http://www.xoutpost.com/155516-post32.html

Getting pulled over for this is like getting a citation for jaywalking. :rofl:

I put mine on the passenger's side directly behind the RV mirror next to the blacked out section. Don't really notice it when I'm in the car.

Also...the rear view mirror, as i recall, is too big to place the pass between it and the ceiling panel, so it seems like the pass has to not be centered.

maybe we should open one of these EZ pass, and put the guts on a smaller black enclosure

I had to switch to a license plate mounted ezpass transponder this week and ditch the windshield mount tag. The interior tag was only working intermittently, I even swapped it out for a new one twice in the last 3 months, and tried different mounting positions on the glass, and still it was intermittent. It was driving me nuts, I must have about 5 violations in the system right now.

I don't know the cause, but this summer I started having problems, I don't know if ezpass did something with the readers at the toll booths, or the tags wear out sooner than they used to, or the windshield tint is a problem with new tags, but I never had a problem with my '01 or '04. The license plate mount works great.

Mine is on my plate also :thumbup:. The only problem is if you are driving while it's snowing. The snow accumulates while driving and won't allow the reader to see it.

Tolls. What a PITA. :rofl:

mine is in the glovebox, but usually comes with the "oh shit, there's a toll coming up" where someone has to go dig through it to find it. Used maybe 3 times per year in transit from SC to ME.

I use mine daily and hit maximum frustration level with "toll not paid, call ez-pass" messages.

That only happened to me when I got a new debit card and didn't update the info, resulting in denied transactions... Could that be it or was it your unit?

It's a problem with the tag being read. My account is current :).

Very True....I used to have them on my cars, and when traveling on the GSP during a ice/sleet/snow storm, the toll readers never read the tag, thereby increasing the Post Office's job by sending me hundreds of violations. It took months by the way to remove the $25.00 surcharge on each toll of $.35.

The amount of times that I drive during snow/ice storms is maybe 3-4 times a year, I'll enjoy the convenience the other 361 days of the year :)

I really don't care if it ices over. It's a pleasure having it on the license plate. Depending where you travel, they accommodate you. I was traveling the Hutch maybe during a snow storm. When I approached the toll plaza, they had cops at the gates rubbing the snow off the transponders so they could be read. Same thing happened at the VZ Bridge and the jerk cop gave me a bunch of sh*t. Like he thought I was going to get out and clean it off. He was pissing and moaning that they were going to have to do something about this problem.... SHUT UP and wipe the snow off my plate. :rofl:

I put mine on the inside cover/lid of center dash storage compartment. Then flip open the lid when going through toll. Of course if you have Nav, it won't work.

What about attaching it to the glass side of the sun visor and making sure the visor is down when going through the toll gate?

:wow:....

Out of curiosity, why do you have an EZ Pass? It's not like there are many tolls in Central VA :confused: (one in Richmond, a couple in the Hampton Roads area) and the Powhite Pkwy in Richmond can easily be navigated around.

If the glass tint/coating is the issue, that won't help. So far the plate mounted tag is working great for me.

The OP was looking for an alternative to mounting on the glass to avoid adhesive residue and improve aesthetics, not because of signal interference.

The OP was from 2006, the thread had moved on to interference in reading the tags mounted on the glass and using plate mounted tags. No biggy, didn't realize who you were responding to.

You are curious! I commute to Philly.

Ah okay, I see. We used to have EZ Pass when we lived in Maryland, but once they started charging $1,50/month "Maintenance Fee", we ditched it since we just don't drive to the Northeast anymore.

Hmm I didn't know they charge a maintenance fee. I guess I need to look at my account. All I know is my Amex is automatically charged to keep a minimum balance.

I have mine mounted on the roof of the car with velcro. So far no problems and I get a nice whistle at 75 out of it.