Sun Pass vs Sun Pass Mini...or ashtray full of change instead (lease, cost)

[tewas]

Is it actually worth getting sun pass? Or it's just a lot of hasle with broken equipment and such?

[Gatornation]

Originally Posted by tewas

Is it actually worth getting sun pass? Or it's just a lot of hasle with broken equipment and such?

I use it maybe five times a year but bought a mini for each car and it's great. I placed it at the bottom passenger side of each windshield so I never notice them while driving. No need to remember to switch the bigger one to the car we are taking on a specific trip, etc.

[Multipass]

Ok you technology doubters, where the sticker is concerned.
From US Patent #6121880:

"The antenna has a characteristic impedance defined in part by a dielectric constant of the flexible circuit substrate in combination with a dielectric constant of the glass surface. As a result, a proper impedance match between the antenna and the transponder circuit is achieved only when the sticker is affixed to the glass surface."

Basically, the antenna has a certain impedance and a glass windshield, typically .19 to .24 inches thick has a capacitance that brings the total impedance to a point where the antenna receives and transmits the signal from an overhead RFID reader antenna. The sticker HAS to be glued to glass to work. Per the patent, this is supposedly for theft prevention. Now whether you choose to use your windshield or some small transferable block of glass of the same thickness is up to you. However, using it in a manner other than required by Sunpass may render it useless.

For $4.99, it is really not that big a deal. Skip a beer at the bar, for pete's sake. They even credit the $4.99 to your account and offer discounts on use. Don't like it - fine. Get stuck in the slow lanes with the other wallet fumblers. Oh, and be careful in the Sunpass toll lanes with the 25mph speed limit - it is enforced!!

[B1LL]

To help others with SunPass sticker problems who stumble into this thread - Here's my situation -

My old battery-powered transponder always worked perfectly in all lanes, but when it broke, I replaced it with a sticker.

My sticker works in the high-speed lanes but not in the attended lanes. The gate doesn't open, so I have to pay the attendant. After I pay and the attendant opens the gate and I drive through, my sticker registers and I am billed for a TTOLL, so I have effectively have paid twice.

SunPass support agrees this is a problem told me that if I mail in my cash receipt, which shows the date and time, I will get a refund. This isn't worth the hassle to me, but I've been able to avoid attended lanes, so I'm living with this shortcoming of the sticker.

Not all windshields are the same and I suspect my 2007 Mercedes S550 windshield may be the problem. It may weaken the sticker signal causing it not to be detected until after I pay the attendant and proceed closer to the gate.

My wife's 2003 Mercedes SL500 has a sticker that works correctly in all lanes.

[Tampa Homes]

Originally Posted by honu1

I've read of some difficulty with the Sun Pass transponders (poor low battery indicator, etc) which is supposed to be less of a problem with the mini? Anyone used the mini yet? Pros/cons?
thanks.

I'm so glad the days of the ashtray full of change are gone, lol.

[Sunnydee]

We have the Sunpass Mini and it's worked every time. It's a lot better than the ashtray full of change option.

[Pragmaticus]

I recently put the mini pass too, now that I seem to use veterans more than once a week. And it workd just fine.

But veterans is rip-off in rush hour. It isn't fast at all.

Fortunately, I use it outside of rush our.

[betteronholiday]

This may be a stupid question but I'm moving down to Florida from Seattle. In Washington we have the Good to Go Pass. But I'm completely confused with the SunPass mini installation versus the Good to Go Pass.

When you install the SunPass mini, is the bar code facing inside the car or outside? It looks ridiculous with a big white/grey backing on the outside, but that's the only side that is sticky for installation. The Good to Go pass has the actual symbol facing both inside and outside, so it doesn't look as strange.

Sorry if the question seems dumb, but nothing shows how the SunPass mini looks like after installation.

[wg1234]

Originally Posted by betteronholiday

This may be a stupid question but I'm moving down to Florida from Seattle. In Washington we have the Good to Go Pass. But I'm completely confused with the SunPass mini installation versus the Good to Go Pass.

When you install the SunPass mini, is the bar code facing inside the car or outside? It looks ridiculous with a big white/grey backing on the outside, but that's the only side that is sticky for installation. The Good to Go pass has the actual symbol facing both inside and outside, so it doesn't look as strange.

Sorry if the question seems dumb, but nothing shows how the SunPass mini looks like after installation.

Your options are:

1 - Use the ONLY sticky side to attach it to the inside of the windshield.
2 - Use the ONLY sticky side to attach it to the outside of the windshield and have it damaged by weather, your wiper blades, or someone who tries to steal it.
3 - Don't remove the backing exposing the stickey side and hold it up to the windshield when you need to use it.

I hold my up against the windshield and I've never had a problem.

[sammy1972]

For Shaida:

I am an Iowan who is coming to Florida in early July. I don't want to pay the rental company $6.99 per day plus the costs of the tolls.

Can I just buy a Sunpass portable transponder for $25.00, plus put money in my account? Or would the $4.99 mini-pass be better for me? Is it hard to get it off of the rental car window when I am done?

I am flying into Orlando, driving down to Key West, then up to St. Augustine, and finally back to Orlando. About how much might I expect to pay in tolls?

Whatever I buy, how long does it take to get it mailed to you? I am leaving here July 5.

Thanks for any help you can give?