Tracker

Author
Discussion

qualityscrew

Original Poster:

503 posts

264 months

Thursday 17th April 2003
quotequote all
Just about to pick-up my new Tuscan S, getting all excited when I get a call from the insurance company who say I've got 28 days to fit a Tracker or they won't insure (didn't have this with the Tuscan
Now I know what a Tracker is.... but does anyone know how much it costs (apparently the insurers will repay some of the fee if I go to one of their 'approved' fitters ) and does it involve MAJOR HASSLE?

neilus

902 posts

283 months

Thursday 17th April 2003
quotequote all
Gerry,

It depends on what level of tracker you go for. Check out www.tracker-network.co.uk/priv_svrs_set.htm

The annual subscrption for all levels is £99, (£299 lifetime). But the system and installation costs vary.

Neil.

Alf Essex

1,467 posts

262 months

Thursday 17th April 2003
quotequote all
Hi,

When I purchased my new Tuscan S 1st March I transferred by RAC TrackStar tracker from my Alfa to the Tusc. RAC is a little more expensive...around £600 + £50 per quarter.

Whatever you do you need to ensure its GPS based and not radio signals etc.

As it as an expensive Tusc RAC sent their chief engineer to install it while supervised by the Castle TVR guys.

Alan.

andyvdg

1,536 posts

284 months

Thursday 17th April 2003
quotequote all
Err....whatever you do make it sure it IS radio based transmission. The GPS will get masked by almost anything covering it but the radio will transmit OK out of a shipping container. The police locate the car by tracking the radio signal.

Also - I think some of the "GPS" systems transmit the location using basic radio versus GSM (the mobile phone standard) - you can make your own mind up by seeing how mobile phone coverage varies as you move about the country whether a GSM based system it what you want.

Cheers,

Andy.

PetrolTed

34,428 posts

304 months

Thursday 17th April 2003
quotequote all

Alf Essex said:[/i
Whatever you do you need to ensure its GPS based and not radio signals etc.



A dangerously ill-informed statement in my opinion.

andyvdg

1,536 posts

284 months

Thursday 17th April 2003
quotequote all
I realised I should be answering the original post not arguing technicalities (bloody engineers, eh ?)

Buy the cheapest one to install and maintain that your insurance company will allow. Who on earth is going to steal a Tuscan ?

Just ask yourself how they are going to get it serviced without being caught ?

Alf Essex

1,467 posts

262 months

Thursday 17th April 2003
quotequote all
Guys,

Basically depends what unit you purchase and most insurance companies insist on it matey (thats what they told me!!) So only telling the guy how it is in the real world :-)

I wouldn't want a radio as in my opinion it takes longer to locate it...I use GPS for other things and its much more accurate than used to be...as I said depends what you willing to pay for security of the car.

Alan.

ehasler

8,566 posts

284 months

Friday 18th April 2003
quotequote all
I've been looking into this too, and it seems as though some insurance companies insist on GPS based trackers for the more expensive cars. If you go for a Tracker Horizon, this actually uses both normal radio based signals and GPS, so you get the best of both worlds.

julianhj

8,746 posts

263 months

Saturday 19th April 2003
quotequote all
As I understood it the original (and now basic) tracker package offers radio location - certain police traffic cars (and helicopters) are fitted with a detector which homes in on a car that's been activated.

The newer GPS based systems additionally broadcast the units location direct to the company's HQ, enabling a quicker response time. This is done either via GSM or radio. Both Tracker and Trackstar use radio to broadcast the vehicles location.

www.tracker-network.co.uk/
www.ractrackstar.com/main/

andyvdg

1,536 posts

284 months

Saturday 19th April 2003
quotequote all

Just about to pick-up my new Tuscan S, getting all excited when I get a call from the insurance company who say I've got 28 days to fit a Tracker or they won't insure (didn't have this with the Tuscan
Now I know what a Tracker is.... but does anyone know how much it costs (apparently the insurers will repay some of the fee if I go to one of their 'approved' fitters ) and does it involve MAJOR HASSLE?


I think you've got all the info you need from the links and comments here. With all things shop around for different insurance and different fitters to get the best price. Major hassle - no hassle at all in my opinion.

Cheers,

Andy.

girlracer

442 posts

256 months

Saturday 19th April 2003
quotequote all
The good thing about the Trackstar (the '24 Hr. Guardian' version) is that the tracker tells Trackstar and the police and YOU when the car is nicked, whereas a lot of other systems are dependent on you noticing the car is gone and informing the tracker people to 'start tracking'. Not so great if you're on holiday or hell, even asleep at night.

I would call RAC Trackstar and speak to a chap called Ian. He has helped me relocate my Trackstar unit through two MGB's and eventually into my Tuscan. He was really really helpful, BUT make sure you ask him to send one of their Trackstar guys to do the installation. Otherwise they will just farm it out to a local car audio place. Trackstar come to you to do the install (you need a garage). Takes about 2 hours.

Sally

ninja_eli

1,525 posts

268 months

Saturday 19th April 2003
quotequote all
Apparently the Trackstar is more effective (was told this by an audio install place, but you never know the accuracy of that, although he does supply most types).

Apparently the trackstar uses both radio and gps?

Sally, is it worth relocating the unit? What did it cost to do so?

Just keep your insurance company happy, mine wasn't with securicor even though they are supplied with new Ferrari's as standard

If it gets nicked and it takes longer than 20 mins to get the car back, I don't want it. Some of these cars we are talking about here will get permanently damaged if not heated properly before being floored. Unless of course they trailer the car away