A Tracker Dilemma!

jimso · Oct 18, 2006

Guys, I could do with some help here. I've had my Box for a couple of weeks now. Thought I should get around to registering the Tracker. Had also planned to have it activated - a "˜no-brainer'. Or is it? Talking it through with the guy I bought the car off has made me doubt the point of doing so.

A tracker is no deterrent to a thief. Indeed, that is most definitely not its purpose. Tracker themselves state that anything on the vehicle that suggests there is one fitted is to be avoided. A thief may do considerable damage digging around trying to find it! So why have one? To ensure that the car is recovered if stolen. Usually within two hours they say.
Here's the point"¦ the guy I bought the car from took the view that if ever it were taken, he wouldn't want it back! He figured that all sorts of nasty things could happen to it in the time between theft and recovery. I must say, it's got me thinking. One day I'm going to do it, the next I'm not.

Help!

gdavison · Oct 18, 2006

you do a (any) tracking service .... to get the best deal you can on insurance ....

Mark Elder · Oct 18, 2006

I went through the same thinking but I'd prefer the get back the car I spent months searching for and get the insurance to pay for fixing the damage than to never see it again (and in that case probably take a loss on what the insurance company dreams up as a valuation).

But my logic only works for older cars that are tougher to find in good condition.

Chris_911 · Oct 18, 2006

Wouldn't bother. Insurance comanies won't, in my experience, give a decent discount for having one fitted.

My wife's Bxster has the Porsche VTS which seems to really like false alarms. Don't think we will bother renewing the membership next year.

Black80XSA · Oct 18, 2006

my ex demo has tracker fitted, but not activated - if it stolen i'd rather spend a few weeks without a car than have back a stolen and recovered car, possibly with accident damage repair, that will not be worth as much money.

Also i've never found an insurance company that gave me more than £40 discount for having it fitted - given that these devices could save the insurance companies thousands of pounds on a single claim you think they'd be offering a bigger discount.

nigelt · Oct 18, 2006

Hello I've had a tracker fitted. For better or for worse - don't actually get my car 'till this weekend, so can't yet tell you what I think of it - but my theory is this - if my car is stolen, I like the idea of the police being able to locate it, immobilise the car remotely (a feature of the new Porsche tracking system) and pick the b@stards up! I guess a lot of cars of this type are stolen to order by organised gangs and if I can do my little bit to help sort them out, all the better! They are expensive though - annual subscription now £200 for the Porsche system. For an expensive car though, worth the extra peace of mind - think about what you spend on your insurance - and if you think that's value for money!

Rodney Naghar · Oct 18, 2006

If you have a Tracker Horizon (as I have) or VTS don't they call you if they think the car is being stolen in the first place (ie before the car is moved?) Although I'm not sure that includes being towed away on a flat-bed.[:-]

Another issue is that although the Tracker device is supposed to be placed in a 'secret' location in the car, they are invariably put in the same place by installers, so a smart thief will know where to look.

Given the choice I wouldn't have one (but my insurers insisted on it), I don't want the car trashed and returned to me, who knows what's been done to it, and the stigma of an accident repaired car is not something I'd want.

engineerjim · Oct 18, 2006

ORIGINAL: Rodney Naghar

If you have a Tracker Horizon (as I have) or VTS don't they call you if they think the car is being stolen in the first place (ie before the car is moved?) Although I'm not sure that includes being towed away on a flat-bed.[:-]

Yes they do and yes it does. Recently racker phoned to say that my car was on the move. A quick phone call to the garage, where it was being repaired following a Volvo having a closer look at the rear, confirmed that it had just been loaded onto a flat bed for return to me.

garyw · Oct 18, 2006

I was of the opinion that I wouldn't want my car back if smashed up or raced, however as said earlier our cars would usually be stolen to order so unless chased they would have no interest in damaging the cars themselves.
So the better chance of finding it parked up waiting for the thief to check out if it has a Tracker fitted..

On my last car they refused to insure unless it was fitted with a tracker..

garyw

gdavison · Oct 19, 2006

ORIGINAL: Chris_911

Wouldn't bother. Insurance comanies won't, in my experience, give a decent discount for having one fitted.

My wife's Bxster has the Porsche VTS which seems to really like false alarms. Don't think we will bother renewing the membership next year.

My Cayenne has VTS and after a false Non trigger (ie wife drives off with out card and no alarm) the service was / has been excellent .. checks and such on demand etc .. IMO good service

Chris_911 · Oct 19, 2006

The VTS on my wife's car continually flags up false alarms - yes the car has moved, but with the 'fob' in attendance. Getting a bit fed up with it - had it checked & 'reset'.

Guest · Oct 19, 2006

As much as I would be gutted to have my car stolen and not returned (its happened once before) I'm afraid I agree with posters who wouldn't want the car returned.

Am I right in thinking that any car with a tracker that is retrieved will have a flag on its insurance history saying that it has been stolen and returned? I reckon that would knock 10k off the resale value of a car; I certainly wouldn't touch one.

There are a finite amount of places a tracker can be hidden, a chap I once knew who was a policeman told me that an experienced thief will have a team of half a dozen guys who will check every hiding place on a car within minutes - the original tracker units were the size of a fist although I suspect they are smaller now. Couple that with the fact that police in urban areas often don't have the resources to pursue the car and I think the case for getting a tracker is quite weak.

Indeed the only real value to having an up to date tracker is the thought of some thieving toe rag getting the shock of his life as the car engine is disabled remotely which admittedly sounds quite satisfying. Now if they could just lock the car and seat belts remotely to stop them escaping that would really be worth paying for....

jimso · Oct 19, 2006

ORIGINAL: cgreen69

Am I right in thinking that any car with a tracker that is retrieved will have a flag on its insurance history saying that it has been stolen and returned? I reckon that would knock 10k off the resale value of a car; I certainly wouldn't touch one.

If this is correct, I would most likely not get it activated. I'm interested to hear of the benefits of the Tracker Horizon. My car is fitted with a Tracker Monitor. Does it have the same functionality in respect of getting the almost instant phone call that some posters have mentioned in the event of unauthorised movement of the car?

Monty2 · Oct 19, 2006

I have Tracker monitor fitted to both the P cars I'm sure the subscription has run out on one (unless having it fitted at OPC includes first year subscription, I did fill in a DD at the time) and on the second its coming up to renewal as its a year since I transferred subscription from previous car. Does anyone know if Tracker contacts owners at renewal time or does it just lapse unless owners chase Tracker.

thanks

paul

bmurphy · Oct 19, 2006

ORIGINAL: jimso

Guys, I could do with some help here. I've had my Box for a couple of weeks now. Thought I should get around to registering the Tracker. Had also planned to have it activated - a "˜no-brainer'. Or is it? Talking it through with the guy I bought the car off has made me doubt the point of doing so.

A tracker is no deterrent to a thief. Indeed, that is most definitely not its purpose. Tracker themselves state that anything on the vehicle that suggests there is one fitted is to be avoided. A thief may do considerable damage digging around trying to find it! So why have one? To ensure that the car is recovered if stolen. Usually within two hours they say.
Here's the point"¦ the guy I bought the car from took the view that if ever it were taken, he wouldn't want it back! He figured that all sorts of nasty things could happen to it in the time between theft and recovery. I must say, it's got me thinking. One day I'm going to do it, the next I'm not.

Help!

this is the reason i cancelled mine after one year, also the saving on insurance does not warrent the annual charges from my experience

Rodney Naghar · Oct 19, 2006

Does anyone know if Tracker contacts owners at renewal time or does it just lapse unless owners chase Tracker.

Tracker sent me a reminder a month before the subscription ran out, and every successive month for the next six months ('We have tried to debit your account but the request has been rejected......') after I sold my car, and told them about it!

bmurphy · Oct 20, 2006

ORIGINAL: Rodney Naghar

Does anyone know if Tracker contacts owners at renewal time or does it just lapse unless owners chase Tracker.

Click to expand...

Tracker sent me a reminder a month before the subscription ran out, and every successive month for the next six months ('We have tried to debit your account but the request has been rejected......') after I sold my car, and told them about it!

I didn't even get that - they just took the money from my account......put it back when i cancelled though

David JAMES · Oct 22, 2006

In my experience Tracker admin is hopeless. I have been waiting for two months since my renewal to deal with a simple change of details (which I first advised last year!). Writing by e-mail to their subscriptions department and to so called 'customer service' via their web-site has brought no response at all. So in frustration I followed that up with a fax to their Leeds office marked for their 'MD' - that was two weeks ago and I'm still waiting. If they can't sort the admin what chance the 'product' when you need it?

I now tend to share some of the views above - if the car gets nicked do you really want it back? ...and is the annual cost really worth it if the insurers don't effectively credit a fair proportion in the premiums?

DJ - 2003 Midnight blue 2.7

RICH.P · Oct 22, 2006

Best bet - forget Tracker (company)

I spent hours trying to get a response: they don't get back to you, they don't answer calls, they couldn't answer simple questions about my account and they let me down on the morning of the installation (2 hours before the fitting was due on a new car and they couldn't reschedule for at least one week - no good to me as I would not have been insured! Saved by OPC Bristol who fitted same day).... And as you say, if they are this efficient with admin, what hope if the car goes missing?!

Subscription now cancelled and insured with a company who do not require a tracking device. If I did go back to using tracking devices, I would stay away from Tracker (company)

jimso · Oct 22, 2006

I have to say, I've decided against activation of the device. I think the majority here seem to take this view. My insurance company (SAGA) made no stipulation in respect of Tracker. I think i'll save the cash...! [

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