my wife picked me up a new sunpass mini.  the package and the web say they this:

INSTALLING SUNPASS MINI.
SunPass Mini cannot be hand-held or moved
from car to car. It must be permanently mounted
to the windshield or it won’t work, because the
windshield acts as an antenna. Once removed,
the Mini will no longer function and cannot be
reattached to the windshield.

I would rather not stick it to my windshield.  is the windshield acting as an antenna for this thing a bogus statement?  what if you had a motorcycle(not that i do)?  i have tried to google for it, but cant find any answer.  I wanted to just stick it to a piece glass cut to size and pull it out when needed.
do i just need to suck it up and deface my windshield with stickers.

It's just an RFID chip.  All the older Sunpasses are battery-powered - when you go through the toll lane, the battery is triggered, causing the unit to send out a little pulse ID'ing you.  These act like the anti-theft devices in merchandise.  When you pass under the scanner, the radio frequency it sends out reflects off the RFID chip in the Sunpass card, and that reflected energy acts like the signal put out by the battery-powered unit.   I know that it's against the rules to move a Sunpass (even the battery one) from car to car.  There are probably a plethora of reasons why they want the Sunpasses tied to individual cars - from marketing, to record-keeping, to law enforcement.  My guess is that the whole "needs the windshield to act like an antenna" line is just a gimmick to keep you from moving the unit from car to car.  Once the sticker is stuck, removing it would probably damage the RFID chip anyway.

Because they don't want you moving them so they can track your vehicle and also make more money. One Sunpass for a family is cheaper then a sunpass per car. At my place we have five cars and two sunpasses. This was when the little bastards cost $25 a pop and you had to put $25 down on it. They don't want that. They want a sunpass per car. So at my house that would have amounted to $250 right off the bat plus accounts with cash in them for because you don't ever keep them empty.

Also since they're registered to vehicles it makes it much easier for Big Brother to track you.

Quoted: It's just an RFID chip.  All the older Sunpasses are battery-powered - when you go through the toll lane, the battery is triggered, causing the unit to send out a little pulse ID'ing you.  These act like the anti-theft devices in merchandise.  When you pass under the scanner, the radio frequency it sends out reflects off the RFID chip in the Sunpass card, and that reflected energy acts like the signal put out by the battery-powered unit.   I know that it's against the rules to move a Sunpass (even the battery one) from car to car.  There are probably a plethora of reasons why they want the Sunpasses tied to individual cars - from marketing, to record-keeping, to law enforcement.  My guess is that the whole "needs the windshield to act like an antenna" line is just a gimmick to keep you from moving the unit from car to car.  Once the sticker is stuck, removing it would probably damage the RFID chip anyway.

i figured it was a bunch of crap.  its not that i want to move it from car to car, i just dont want crap stuck to my windshield.

Quoted: de027.k12.sd.us/Pictures/1984-Big-Brother-Poster.jpg

i dont like big brother either

Y'all must really be in hurry.

From the Sunpass Website:

Q: Can I use the transponder with more than one vehicle?

   A: You may use your SunPass Portable personal transponder on another vehicle that has the same number of axles, as long as the vehicle and license plate are listed on your account information. Transponders issued to commercial accounts are interchangeable between vehicles, regardless of vehicle type or axle count. For your convenience, the SunPass Portable transponders may be easily moved from car to car. However, all vehicles and license plates must be listed on your account information.

   The SunPass Mini Sticker transponder needs to be permanently affixed to the windshield of just one vehicle. Once attached, the SunPass Mini Sticker transponder must not be removed from the windshield as it will be destroyed in the process. Removal of or attempt to remove a SunPass Mini Sticker Transponder from the vehicle windshield will render the unit useless.

I swap transponders from vehicles all the time. as long as the other vehicle's tag is registered, you have no problems. you can even drive through the sunpass with NO transponder at all and when it gets the snapshot of your tag, they will automatically deduct it from your account. no tickets, fines etc...

Quoted: I swap transponders from vehicles all the time. as long as the other vehicle's tag is registered, you have no problems. you can even drive through the sunpass with NO transponder at all and when it gets the snapshot of your tag, they will automatically deduct it from your account. no tickets, fines etc...

I do the same thing with e-Pass, but if you crash a gate with a dead transponder, you may get a nastygram from the expressway authority. Ask me how I know...

The new mini pass is $4.99, not $25.
Can't move it from vehicle to vehicle because it's glued to the windshield - would destroy it to remove it.
I'll stick with my older SunPass and keep on moving it between my car and truck - perfctly OK if you have them both registered in your account.   I even added a friends car becasue I sometimes ride with him to the Orlando Gun SHow and I pay tolls.

Another thing to think about:  With the older style transponders, you can take them off and pay manually, if you choose.  With the new stickers you don't have that option.  If you're okay with giving FHP (and who knows who else) the ability to track you as you move about, then do get the sticker.  If you want the ability to drive without being tracked, don't...

FWIW, it's not that I'm so much in a hurry, but that Mrs Ceetee drives 60 miles each way on the turnpike every day, and they give you a discount on all your tolls...

Quoted: Quoted: I swap transponders from vehicles all the time. as long as the other vehicle's tag is registered, you have no problems. you can even drive through the sunpass with NO transponder at all and when it gets the snapshot of your tag, they will automatically deduct it from your account. no tickets, fines etc... I do the same thing with e-Pass, but if you crash a gate with a dead transponder, you may get a nastygram from the expressway authority. Ask me how I know...

yep, i got one of those when my battery died. They said something to the effect of "we cannot find your account" but send us $1 and your good to go.

i took a piece of plastic from a picture frame and stuck the sunpass to that.

just hold it to the window and it works fine

since i rarely drive on any tolled highways, it doesnt bother me

I sure don't want one of those.  When I lived in Miami, a SunPass was really needed.  
Now that I am back in North Fla, its a sometime thing.
The last time I used mine, it malfunctioned, and though it showed green light, it was not registering with SunPass.

I got  nasty letter, that referenced my tag number as not paying.  I was in my Son's car, since it gets better gas mileage, and not my car.
I had to go through a lot of hoops, but thank goodness I stopped at a rest area, and visited the SunPass Kiosk there, and had a record that I reported it as mal functioning.