One for the car buffs, which car tracker?

PaulF

PaulF

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Hi all,

Having recently had a car stolen with keys I'm in the process of replacing the vehicle and will be having a Cat 5 tracker fitted to the next car.

Do any of you have any recommendations as to which are the better trackers on the market?

I have looked at:
Tracker Cat 5
Smartrack Cat 5
RAC Trackstar (that seems a little confusing as the Thatcham certificate number seems to be linked to a non Cat 5)

The above are around the same cost to fit and all have yearly subscriptions.

I've also seen the Autowatch Ghost which looks interesting but not totally sure if it is Thatcham approved.
https://autowatch.co.uk/products/security-solutions/autowatch-immobiliser-systems/68-ghost-product

There are also some interesting anti theft systems from the likes of Pandora https://www.pandoracaralarms.co.uk/

Any recommendations from those who have a tracker fitted or are in the position to advise on them would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Paul.
 
PaulF said:
There are also some interesting anti theft systems
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Sorry, can't help re trackers, but the simplest `device` I ever had was on an Mk2 Golf. Using a spare rocker switch on the dash, wired directly to the fuel pump. (getting out of the car, I flicked to the off position & getting in, flicked to on)
 
PaulF said:
Break in to steal keys, it's a common method apparently.
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so should you address the issue of braking in rather than a tracker, cut of the root cause of the theft?
sorry if I am being pedantic but that would be my focus.
 
Mr Bump said:
so should you address the issue of braking in rather than a tracker, cut of the root cause of the theft?
sorry if I am being pedantic but that would be my focus.
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The other way they steal it is to attack you on the driveway as you get out the car. Both are nasty. There's been lots of discussion on this as generally they arrive 3 or 4 up with another car and driver. General thought was hand over the car.

With a tracker, they steal the car then either park it up somewhere for a couple of days to see if it has one, or rip the thing apart in a shipping container looking for it.
 
What I can tell you is jammers can be had for around £15 on ebay. We had one of the staff try to block his company vehicle with one.
 
Steep said:
My issue with that would be the big box marked GPS Tracker. Better to have it say NOT a gps tracker, no, no, no, not at all.
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I don't disagree, but its relative size next to that relay suggests it about the size of a small box of matches and will be tucked up out the way.

Anyway it's a budget option, nothing a lick of Hammerite won't solve ;-)
 
Mr Bump said:
so should you address the issue of braking in rather than a tracker, cut of the root cause of the theft?
sorry if I am being pedantic but that would be my focus.
Click to expand...
Already focused on that aspect, and more on the way.
The tracker is required to assist my wife having a decent night's sleep, she'll rest better if there is a good chance of recovery should this car go walkabout along with the additional security measures meaning they would now have difficulty gaining access in the first place and no way do to so without alerting, we were in bed asleep when the theft occurred so not nice.
 
Byker28i said:
What I can tell you is jammers can be had for around £15 on ebay. We had one of the staff try to block his company vehicle with one.
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Yes, I know about those. That's why I'm looking at a cat 5 as they supposedly have jamming alerting so in theory as soon as a jammer is used the monitoring company are informed and a police response as crime in progress takes place.
 
@Byker28i when you said tryed to block the work tracker, did they succeed? Or did you realise there was something wrong by other means?
 
We have trackers on all the vehicles, hr like to nag about speed. Someone thought he'd be clever and try to block it and the vehicle disappeared for a couple of days so it was assumed it had failed.
Company came out and checked it next time it was in, blocker was in the glove box! Guy was sacked. Speeding fine came two weeks later!
 
Byker28i said:
We have trackers on all the vehicles, hr like to nag about speed. Someone thought he'd be clever and try to block it and the vehicle disappeared for a couple of days so it was assumed it had failed.
Company came out and checked it next time it was in, blocker was in the glove box! Guy was sacked. Speeding fine came two weeks later!
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Our company cars and test cars are tracked in a similar way. An engineer lent his car to a mate who duly took the car to Brands Hatch for a track day. It would probably have gone unnoticed if the car hadn't been returned in a bit of a sorry state. The engineer was sacked.
 
PaulF said:
Already focused on that aspect, and more on the way.
The tracker is required to assist my wife having a decent night's sleep, she'll rest better if there is a good chance of recovery should this car go walkabout along with the additional security measures meaning they would now have difficulty gaining access in the first place and no way do to so without alerting, we were in bed asleep when the theft occurred so not nice.
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Not really sure how a tracker would help your wife sleep better. The only things that are going to ensure that are increased home and car security.
Autowatch Ghost immobilisor is supposed to be very good but is not compatible with all cars. You will have to check it is compatible with yours although they are constantly adding more cars.
If Ghost is fitted and they have already gained access to your house to get your keys without waking you. Be prepared they may come back in and wake you and force you to enter the disablement code.
I'd fit as many visual deterrents as possible. Disklok, handbrake lock, security post on your drive, wheel clamp whilst the car is on your drive or if you have a garage, use it, keep the car out of site. I have even seen some people secure their cars to the garage floor with hardened chains through the wheels like you can with motorbikes.
 
nilagin said:
Not really sure how a tracker would help your wife sleep better. The only things that are going to ensure that are increased home and car security.
Autowatch Ghost immobilisor is supposed to be very good but is not compatible with all cars. You will have to check it is compatible with yours although they are constantly adding more cars.
If Ghost is fitted and they have already gained access to your house to get your keys without waking you. Be prepared they may come back in and wake you and force you to enter the disablement code.
I'd fit as many visual deterrents as possible. Disklok, handbrake lock, security post on your drive, wheel clamp whilst the car is on your drive or if you have a garage, use it, keep the car out of site. I have even seen some people secure their cars to the garage floor with hardened chains through the wheels like you can with motorbikes.
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I'm not totally sure how a tracker will help my wife sleep either but she really wants me to have one fitted and if it gives her a little peace of mind then it's well worth it.

I'd seen he Ghost immobilizer, looks clever but as you say it may just encourage a more in your face theft if it was a pro job, the theft we had was very professional.
 
I would personally just make it look really awkward to take your car and have a thief look elsewhere. Look at gates. Drive poles that drop into ground. Stop thieves being able to easily get to your door at night.
 
Mr Bump said:
I would personally just make it look really awkward to take your car and have a thief look elsewhere. Look at gates. Drive poles that drop into ground. Stop thieves being able to easily get to your door at night.
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If they want your car then they just grab you when you drive onto the driveway, when the gates/poles aren't in place, the driver surrounded by several people, with hammers etc at which point it's best to just hand over the keys. Plenty stories of of Golf R's, Sporty Audi's being taken this way :(
 
Byker28i said:
If they want your car then they just grab you when you drive onto the driveway, when the gates/poles aren't in place, the driver surrounded by several people, with hammers etc at which point it's best to just hand over the keys. Plenty stories of of Golf R's, Sporty Audi's being taken this way :(
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to be quite up front if I was that scared of that happening in my area or with a certain car a tracker would not be on my mind.
I know that to use tech to stave off risk but no way,
 
Byker28i said:
If they want your car then they just grab you when you drive onto the driveway, when the gates/poles aren't in place, the driver surrounded by several people, with hammers etc at which point it's best to just hand over the keys. Plenty stories of of Golf R's, Sporty Audi's being taken this way :(
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To do that, they would either have to be laying in wait for you to come home or have followed you home. I always keep an eye out for any cars I don't recognise when I get close to home and take alternative routes if something looks suspect.
 
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