TRACKER ALTERNATIVE?
Discussion
It’s probably seven years since I had a tracker fitted to previous car I owned, I have just enquired about having one fitted to a car I’ve owned for the last 5 years and the cost seems to have rocketed . You used to be able to get a tracker fitted for life ( as long as you owned the car ) but that’s not an option anymore. Have the costs risen because they have cornered the market? Is there a more cost effective option ( other than ‘Tracker’ )out there ? 
leyorkie said:
Don’t know about subscription services but there are devices that plug in to the obd socket and work with an app. They are easy to fit and remove so if a thief suspects one is fitted then it’s easy to remove
Only £50 from Amazon
doesn't that completely miss the point of a tracker? Only £50 from Amazon
grudas said:
leyorkie said:
Don’t know about subscription services but there are devices that plug in to the obd socket and work with an app. They are easy to fit and remove so if a thief suspects one is fitted then it’s easy to remove
Only £50 from Amazon
doesn't that completely miss the point of a tracker? Only £50 from Amazon
Mariosbt said:
The OBD socket is out of sight on the car in question , so for £50 might be worth looking at.
that's how most cars are nicked these days. People go out of their way to block/disable OBD sockets not put trackers in them.I would not do it.
if your car is of a value where a tracker makes sense then do it properly and put it in a hidden location.
obd is literally pointless unless you often forget where you left your own car.
grudas said:
Mariosbt said:
The OBD socket is out of sight on the car in question , so for £50 might be worth looking at.
that's how most cars are nicked these days. People go out of their way to block/disable OBD sockets not put trackers in them.I would not do it.
if your car is of a value where a tracker makes sense then do it properly and put it in a hidden location.
obd is literally pointless unless you often forget where you left your own car.
I used 'Tracker Network' as in the 'original' Tracker on my last M240i ... it drained the battery a lot with me doing a load of short journeys. I went with their Cat 5 as I had used them previously. Sadly I think the market has moved on. Tracker came out and there was nothing wrong - but the fact was it drained the car.
Have a look at Meta as their Cat 5 'tag' is smaller and it uses less power. It was recommended by 2 fitters but I went with what I had previously known. I wish I hadn't. Tracker Network stays on the car it is fitted but I think all the other companies let you move from one car to another so less cost. The Meta one is under half the size of the Tracker unit too as I have seen them. Far better to conceal !
Another option is Automatrics where you fit a battery tracker which is monitored. The battery lasts 18 months and the fact is is Thatcham Cat 7 so insurance recognised is good. As it is not reliant on power it means you can fit in anywhere on / in the car and not in the 'normal' places thieves look / rip out trim.
There was a guy with an M2 who had a normal wired tracker fitted and an Automatrics Mtrack one. The thieves found the normal one quickly but never found the Automatrics one + the car was recovered. Sadly they had stripped it but it shows a well hidden, not wired tracker is actually maybe a better idea than a normal one ? The Automatrics one is not cheap but I think a better option perhaps to actually get your car back and/or thieves caught ? I know all the comments re 'would you want it back', etc ... but certainly my last car I would have ! Current VW Up I cba over
Have a look at Meta as their Cat 5 'tag' is smaller and it uses less power. It was recommended by 2 fitters but I went with what I had previously known. I wish I hadn't. Tracker Network stays on the car it is fitted but I think all the other companies let you move from one car to another so less cost. The Meta one is under half the size of the Tracker unit too as I have seen them. Far better to conceal !
Another option is Automatrics where you fit a battery tracker which is monitored. The battery lasts 18 months and the fact is is Thatcham Cat 7 so insurance recognised is good. As it is not reliant on power it means you can fit in anywhere on / in the car and not in the 'normal' places thieves look / rip out trim.
There was a guy with an M2 who had a normal wired tracker fitted and an Automatrics Mtrack one. The thieves found the normal one quickly but never found the Automatrics one + the car was recovered. Sadly they had stripped it but it shows a well hidden, not wired tracker is actually maybe a better idea than a normal one ? The Automatrics one is not cheap but I think a better option perhaps to actually get your car back and/or thieves caught ? I know all the comments re 'would you want it back', etc ... but certainly my last car I would have ! Current VW Up I cba over
I agree, I paid £800ish years ago for a lifetime tracker, no subscription. Eye watering outlay, but i knew i was keeping the car for a long time, so all good.
Now they seem to be a huge cost and then £150ish a year subscription.
There doesn't seem to be a low - midrange non/ minimal subscription service out there. I am not bothered by a lot of the features out there, I just want to know its not where i left it and that the police can track it. I am not a fan of subscription services at the best of times, I like to know I've got and paid for something and thats that. But that doesn't seem available anymore.
Now they seem to be a huge cost and then £150ish a year subscription.
There doesn't seem to be a low - midrange non/ minimal subscription service out there. I am not bothered by a lot of the features out there, I just want to know its not where i left it and that the police can track it. I am not a fan of subscription services at the best of times, I like to know I've got and paid for something and thats that. But that doesn't seem available anymore.
I've got an original Tracker system on mine - and thought it had stopped working a long time ago (despite paying £600 for lifetime subscription over 12 years ago). But got a call from them last year when the car was coming back to the UK on a trailer after having to be recovered from Germany.
if you're going to fit any anti-theft device, keep it as well hidden as possible. faraday cages remove the ability of the tracker to function.
remember that if someone really wants it, they'll bring a hi-ab and lift it up and drive it away.
try locking it in the garage and parking pther vehicles infront of the garage door.
remember that if someone really wants it, they'll bring a hi-ab and lift it up and drive it away.
try locking it in the garage and parking pther vehicles infront of the garage door.
TEKNOPUG said:
I wouldn't want a car back that has been stolen frankly. So I've never activated the tracker on cars I have no. They are all subscription now AFAIK.
Just been quoted £305pa by Vodafone to activate an exiting tracker. Is there one that will satisfy Aviva that costs less? Mind you, I suppose the install is an additional cost if I switch.Mariosbt said:
Me Alec said:
A secret switch which incapacitates the fuel supply system?
My mate had one, years ago and despite several attempts, he never had his Porsche stole.
A switch you switch on & off manually ?My mate had one, years ago and despite several attempts, he never had his Porsche stole.
A simple toggle switch works fine and you can use a long run of wire to hide it anywhere in the car. Easy to do in older, simpler cars. Wiring maybe more complex in modern stuff. You could do similar with the starter motor too but I guess the car could still be bump started.
When aftermarket immobilisers were fitted back in the day, that's all they were doing; splicing a switch in the loom between the key ignition and the relays.
Gassing Station | In-Car Electronics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff