Should I renew my tracker subscription?

Should I renew my tracker subscription?

Author
Discussion

Schermerhorn

Original Poster:

4,342 posts

188 months

Friday 9th January 2015
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My subscription is due to expire on the 13th of January this year. I've only ever been alerted by tracker once and that was when the car was on a recovery vehicle.

£149 does seem like a lot of money for an annual subscription with them. My insurance is also due to expire in June and that's when I'm thinking of selling the car also (if not before if a decent offer comes along).

Do any of you guys have trackers fitted? What would be your suggestions?

Charlie1986

2,016 posts

134 months

Friday 9th January 2015
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Let me know when its up and when your selling ill view it then have it away within 24hrs biggrin

Tbh id re subscribe and if you sell its peace of mind for the buyer, High end cars can be targets and with out a tracker son ins companies might not insure. Plus after watching a recent program cars can be taking early evening then be away on a ship that night

CharlesElliott

1,991 posts

281 months

Friday 9th January 2015
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I had a Tracker on a Porsche Boxster in the days of lifetime subscriptions, opted to pay yearly and ended up paying well over £1000 over 9 years rather than the £350 lifetime.

When I got an E46 M3 I reluctantly starting paying on that. Car was stolen from my driveway, I didn't notice for almost 24 hours, the police found it within 90 mins of me reporting it.

I would have one again and pay the subscription.

blueg33

35,593 posts

223 months

Friday 9th January 2015
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My Evora has a tracker. It makes no difference to the insurance premium at all. I can have the tracker reactivated at will. So I thought I would leave it and just activate it if its stolen

Schermerhorn

Original Poster:

4,342 posts

188 months

Friday 9th January 2015
quotequote all
Common sense has prevailed and I've renewed my subscription. Can't see me having the car for another year but at least if it gets nicked the plod can recover it quick enough.

CSLchappie

433 posts

203 months

Friday 9th January 2015
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If its actually with Tracker then give them a ring, say you're going to sell the car soon and you want to go on a monthly policy, worked for me a couple of years ago and I was paying around £12 pcm for their Tracker Monitor system.

Shaoxter

4,048 posts

123 months

Friday 9th January 2015
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Don't see the point of a tracker, if my car is stolen I'd rather get a payout from my insurance than getting a joyridden car back. Who knows what the thieves did in it... e.g. if they didn't know how to use the SMG properly and wear out the clutch wink

A tracker actually makes my insurance more expensive, and anyway my car uses a physical key rather than one of those which can be stolen with a blank fob.

EddieSteadyGo

11,730 posts

202 months

Friday 9th January 2015
quotequote all
Schermerhorn said:
Common sense has prevailed and I've renewed my subscription. Can't see me having the car for another year but at least if it gets nicked the plod can recover it quick enough.
FYI, this info applies to many tracking devices although I can't verify it is the case for everyone : if you have a tracker fitted but don't pay the renewal premium, the car can still be tracked as the hardware is still active. If the car was stolen you could phone the tracking company and they would charge a (high) fee to reinstate the tracking.

So, the police would be able to find the car either way. However, you wouldn't get the benefit of any reduction in the insurance premium of course.

Tonsko

6,299 posts

214 months

Friday 9th January 2015
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So - if the thieves know what they're about and can get it into a metal box (i.e a faraday cage, for example a shipping container) fast enough, will that negate the tracker?

EddieSteadyGo

11,730 posts

202 months

Friday 9th January 2015
quotequote all
Tonsko said:
So - if the thieves know what they're about and can get it into a metal box (i.e a faraday cage, for example a shipping container) fast enough, will that negate the tracker?
Depends upon the type of tracker you have. I can't recall the exact technology but I think they use a combination of satellite (GPS) and mobile phone (GSM) plus some have radio transmitter (RF) which wouldn't be blocked by a metal container.


Schermerhorn

Original Poster:

4,342 posts

188 months

Friday 9th January 2015
quotequote all
EddieSteadyGo said:
Schermerhorn said:
Common sense has prevailed and I've renewed my subscription. Can't see me having the car for another year but at least if it gets nicked the plod can recover it quick enough.
FYI, this info applies to many tracking devices although I can't verify it is the case for everyone : if you have a tracker fitted but don't pay the renewal premium, the car can still be tracked as the hardware is still active. If the car was stolen you could phone the tracking company and they would charge a (high) fee to reinstate the tracking.

So, the police would be able to find the car either way. However, you wouldn't get the benefit of any reduction in the insurance premium of course.
I read somewhere that someone was charged in excess of £500 when said situation happened. I bet he wished he renewed it on time!

spunko2010

286 posts

155 months

Monday 12th January 2015
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EddieSteadyGo said:
Depends upon the type of tracker you have. I can't recall the exact technology but I think they use a combination of satellite (GPS) and mobile phone (GSM) plus some have radio transmitter (RF) which wouldn't be blocked by a metal container.
If you're targeted by professional car thieves that export high-end performance cars to the continent then they will block the signal. You can buy such a jammer on ebay for about £40.

Car trackers are the biggest con going. You pay £3-400 for installation and £150 a year for so-called 'peace of mind' that doesn't actually exist. You are getting shafted.

JMBMWM5

2,283 posts

197 months

Monday 12th January 2015
quotequote all
Schermerhorn said:
Common sense has prevailed and I've renewed my subscription. Can't see me having the car for another year but at least if it gets nicked the plod can recover it quick enough.
Wise decision, LV want Trackers fitted , I fitted one to both M5 and M6 GC CP, your insurance will find out if it gets nicked and you have dropped your subs. If of course you needed one to insure it.

bimmer_87

205 posts

186 months

Monday 12th January 2015
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Go on confused.com and get two insurance quotes:

One with the tracker

One without

and compare

BuzyG

787 posts

210 months

Tuesday 13th January 2015
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Happy to say I have a life time subscription on my tracker. 4 years into ownership it's more than paid for it's self. Only time it calls me, is when the battery is running low. So I get the car out a take it for a drive. Fine device. It's also a requirement on my insurance.

Tonsko

6,299 posts

214 months

Tuesday 13th January 2015
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BuzyG said:
Happy to say I have a life time subscription on my tracker. 4 years into ownership it's more than paid for it's self. Only time it calls me, is when the battery is running low. So I get the car out a take it for a drive. Fine device. It's also a requirement on my insurance.
Worst 'I have a Clio 1.2' post ever.

PetrolTed

34,424 posts

302 months

Wednesday 14th January 2015
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The original 'TRACKER' can't be blocked by a shipping container. My wife helped with the trials/PR when they were launched and spent some time at the docks demonstrating this smile

TRACKER's policy certainly used to be that they wouldn't enable a tracker without a subscription unless a senior police officer requestd them to do so. Not sure if that's still the case.

We had two cars stolen back in 2006. We got both back and were happy to have them back. Typically scrotes will drive them two or three miles and then park them up to see if they get located within 24 hours. I was particularly pleased to get my Alpina back as it would have been a pain to replace. Both were autos too, so I wasn't too worried about overrevving etc. I might feel different about a manual Porsche for example which would likely suffer unseen engine damage.

spunko2010

286 posts

155 months

Friday 16th January 2015
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2006 is 9 years ago. Sadly the criminals have moved on too. http://www.jammer4uk.com/car-gps-jammer-c-1.html

Dolf Stoppard

1,318 posts

121 months

Friday 16th January 2015
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spunko2010 said:
2006 is 9 years ago. Sadly the criminals have moved on too. http://www.jammer4uk.com/car-gps-jammer-c-1.html
Tempted to treat myself to one of those to deal with a certain type of individual in certain situations.

BuzyG

787 posts

210 months

Friday 16th January 2015
quotequote all
Tonsko said:
BuzyG said:
Happy to say I have a life time subscription on my tracker. 4 years into ownership it's more than paid for it's self. Only time it calls me, is when the battery is running low. So I get the car out a take it for a drive. Fine device. It's also a requirement on my insurance.
Worst 'I have a Clio 1.2' post ever.
WTF confused