Car theft. Is "tracker" worth it ?

[philharve]

service records list Tracker installed

I was going through the paperwork for my car last night, and in amongst it was a receipt from a Dealer when the car was sold in 2003 saying that a tracker retrieve was fitted, but no other paperwork regarding the tracker is included, would the dealer be able to supply details, bearing in mind the car has had a couple of owners previous to me since then?

Hi Lisa

Yes, the car's service records 'ought' to list if a Tracker was fitted.

REGARDS

Phil

 

[HERBIEMERCMAN]

my outlook is just the same as jberks with reference to the ethics and asonance of looking after and caring for my cars. insurance wise, unless you have established an "agreed value" ( at a cost ), with your insurer, you will only recover the book value, i have spent more recently than what my car is worth. after 12 years it is part of the family, runs beautifully and no rust, will carry 7 people in comfort, 6 ir bags.etc. i am happy to be at the other end of the scale from people, who, with respect treat their car like a higher car or company car, just transport at a cost, if it gets stolen, so what, i'll get another one. not green and not for me. herbiemercman.

 

[HERBIEMERCMAN]

hi phill, you can only establish if a tracker is fitted if you know what the small transponder dish is adjacent to the ignition key. the 4 or 5 radio transmitters are hidden in the car's structure even the owner does not know where they are. with reference to advertising that a tracker is fitted with a sticker on the car's window, this may deter joy riders but not the pro's, apparantly they leave the car for 48 hrs to see if a tracker is fitted after they have stolen it. if your movement sensor is working then you would have your car back by then, this is good providing you are the fastidious owner type who wants the car back. also if you have a thatcham cat one alarm fitted interphased with the tracker, then the car is very difficult to steal, this is why the current car theft statistics are high on car highjacking or keys being stolen, as without the keys unless you are a grade one electronics wiz you will not be able to start the car. the "stoplockpro" fitted to your steering wheel is the only thatcham approved physical device which takes too long to remove without the key and makes too much noise. i have all three as i suffered when my car was stolen some years ago.herbiemercman.

 

[jberks]

you can only establish if a tracker is fitted if you know what the small transponder dish is adjacent to the ignition key..

I don't think that is a part of the tracker but actually a separate immobiliser. I don't have one and neither does the old man but we both have trackers fitted.
There is really nothing to see to tell it apart from a non tracker car. I think that's the point. The idea is for the thief not to know whether its there or not. I'd imagine it wouldn't be hard for a pro to know where the tracker is (after all the fitters do or else they wouldn't be able to service them) so the idea is that a thief isn't going to want to mess around looking for it and stripping down the car to check, if there's a possibility that a police car is homing in on them as they're doing it.
Hence they park the car up for a few days and if the police haven't found it, they're safe to assume there is no tracker.

 

[a71jay]

Hi all, This is interesting reading to hear what people understand about TRACKER.

I am a TRACKER employee and have been with the company for 11 years.

Firstly let me make a few things clear.

TRACKER Retrieve is the basic tracking device, where the owner of the vehicle has to inform TRACKER that the vehicle has been stolen. TRACKER will then activate the unit and the Police will home in onto the signal from the unit. This product is no longer available for passenger cars.

TRACKER Monitor is the same as above but is fitted with a movement sensor which will send TRACKER a signal in the event of the vehicle moving without the keys present.

TRACKER Horizon is the same as above but has a GPS unit and TRACKER can interrogate the unit and obtain its location.

TRACKER Response is a VHF/GPS/GSM based device which gives TRACKER a lot more information about the vehicle and also has a customer website that can be used to obtain information about the vehicle starts, stops, speed, journey times. This unit uses driver ID tags to determine if the vehicle has been stolen.

The core technology used by TRACKER is its unique VHF signal which cannot be blocked or jammed unlike other GPS/GSM based tracking devices.

The Dallas key receptacle was used on vehicles which did not come with OE immobilisers.


The other thing to bear in mind when you decide not to have a tracking device is that if your car is stolen and not recovered, you will probably get less money than you paid for your car. (especially true if you purchase a brand new car) and all the hassle of sorting a replacement vehicle.

Cheers
Jay

 

[Alex M Grieve]

Hi all, This is interesting reading to hear what people understand about TRACKER. I am a TRACKER employee and have been with the company for 11 years.

What an excellent post Jay - not only over-writes all the heresay and mythology we have had so far, but will stand forever as an easy find using "search".

I never cease to be amazed by the amount of cash people have parted with without understanding the product.

 

[HERBIEMERCMAN]

hi everyone, just thought i would complete my tracker renaisaunce. the engineer came yesterday and carried out a full service, this included an all electrics check on the vehicle as well as a check on the car alarm and immobiliser link. i now know i have the full signal and the movement moniter working and a life time subsciption for £280 inc. vat. when the anual sub. fee comes through my door for £125 i can ignore it from now on. the engineer was totally professional, nice to see this nowadays. one thing i did find suprising mainly based on my naievety is the current cost of the system, circa £230. inc. vat. i paid circa £500, nine yrs back. at the time lap tops were £1,000 and are currently half that or less, thankyou to mass production and competition. i also learned that there isn't a "mr tracker" inventor, the system was developed 16 yrs ago by motorola in the usa and used across all countries in the west. finally my current insurer adrian flux do not give any discount for the tracker device, i don't know why and i will be asking them ? cat 1 thatcham is all they insist on.herbiemercman.

 

[True romance]

finally my current insurer adrian flux do not give any discount for the tracker device, i don't know why and i will be asking them ? cat 1 thatcham is all they insist on.herbiemercman.

yes i'm with direct line and they do not offer any discount, seems tracker is required just for more expensive/performance cars to get your car insured with them.

TR.

 

[alanuk400]

I was going through the paperwork for my car last night, and in amongst it was a receipt from a Dealer when the car was sold in 2003 saying that a tracker retrieve was fitted, but no other paperwork regarding the tracker is included, would the dealer be able to supply details, bearing in mind the car has had a couple of owners previous to me since then?

Just found out from Tracker mine is fitted,
Supplied proof of ownership to Tracker

£29 Transfer fee to put the vehicle into your name then either-
1. £122 for one year- TOTAL £151
2. £342 one off payment to cover you for as long as you keep the car- TOTAL £371
http://www.tracker.co.uk/SVR/Works.html
Four different levels, I have Horizon (had the car for a year and didn't know)

Alan

 

[GRAHAME2001]

Now this seems a silly question BUT
I have just got a clk with Tracker fitted
No discount at insurer
So why not wait and IF it gets stolen then register the tracker and activate it???
With everything done on line it would only take an hour or so??

 

[teddycatkin]

Lisa Jayne---just to anwer your question and anyone else not sure if its fitted the DVLC are usually aware of vehicles with Tracker fitted and registered.

 

[True romance]

Now this seems a silly question BUT
I have just got a clk with Tracker fitted
No discount at insurer
So why not wait and IF it gets stolen then register the tracker and activate it???
With everything done on line it would only take an hour or so??

I would have thought tracker would be switched onto that scam. Also depending on what type of tracker fitted some of them will tell tracker HQ if the car is being moved without the keys, so you really need it activated.