Help! TRACKER

Hi guys

I bumped into my neighbours (they just brought a new RRS) in our communal underground car park this evening. They mentioned my neighbours opposite X5 white 13 plate BMW was stolen yesterday evening...they've only had their car for less than a week...

He said the car had prob less than 10 miles left in the tank when it was stolen so it prob couldn't have gone far but the police don't seem bothered when it was reported.

They are getting a tracker put on their RRS and it got me thinking about mine.

Can someone explain more about how they work, costs, where to go (dealers / local garages specialising in security), costs and anything else I need to know... Iam pretty clueless.

We are based in the south east around 1.5 hours outside London so suggestions on places to go would also help.

How secure is the evoque compared to the latest version of the X5 ?!?!

iam hoping mine being a manual wont be as desirable pick...

Thanks
Mandy

You need to ask yourself one pertinent question. If it WAS stolen, do I want it back?

As a new car, and assuming you have GAP and haven't been stupid with the keys or left it unlocked, albeit a real PITA, the insurance(s) should pay out for you to replace your car. If you did have a tracker, and lets be fair, the crims are quite adept at nicking them so you could be fairly sure that a) they know exactly what the module looks like (I found the one in my X3 without much trouble) and b) they probably know the fairly limited hiding places anyway, and say the Police did motivate themselves to start looking for it and eventually found it, possibly chased it and boxed it on the motorway, would you be happy to get it back seeing all the damage and knowing that the Police want to fingerprint it (ever tried getting the aluminium print powder off things?) and the fact that the crims have had their grubby persons inside your pride and joy?

I don't have a tracker.

I have GAP and a good insurance policy. I also keep mine locked away out of sight. If they do get it, I expect the insurance to replace it.

Food for thought.......

(09-09-2013 07:52pm)Trapdoor Wrote:  You need to ask yourself one pertinent question. If it WAS stolen, do I want it back?

This.

Whilst on one hand I'd want the f kers caught, What could they have done to the car in the mean while?, what sort of damage caused, and any effect on the insurance recorded (stolen-recovered).... invariably the car will have a police 'marker' against it, and you're likely to find yourself being increasingly pulled over too

Get a discloc or one of the steering wheel locking bars that clamps onto the steering wheel out of Halfords, they are so lowtech that the modern crim cannot cope with them........ Trackers also only work AFTER you report the car as stolen, they do not prevent the theft

(09-09-2013 10:36pm)XFullFatTim Wrote:  Get a discloc or one of the steering wheel locking bars that clamps onto the steering wheel out of Halfords, they are so lowtech that the modern crim cannot cope with them........ Trackers also only work AFTER report the car as stolen, they do not prevent the theft

Thanks for all your input guys.

I think the halfords lock is prob the way forward...looks ugly but does the job.

Do people still use them these days?!

Connect the car to a 240 Volt plug socket!

(09-09-2013 10:45pm)Tulabb Wrote:  Do people still use them these days?!

Very much so!
As Tim says the average "high-tec" thief isn't going to turn up with the tools needed to remove these devices. (normally a very big angle grinder!)
There is also the visual deterrent that might make them go elsewhere and leave yours alone.
He doesn't want to spend 10 minutes (if he gets it off at all) making a lot of noise and aggravation that might draw attention to himself.
Obviously you will need to keep the keys separate from the car keys as if they get stolen to remove the car then it defeats the object.
Tracker can locate your car after being stolen but the professionals will have finding the unit as a first priority once they get the vehicle away.
Trackstar (real time tracking) can be better as you can set time parameters and it can also alert you if the vehicle is moved without the engine being started (good for the tow-truck thieves).
Do you want the car back afterwards?
A personal choice really.
I'd like to think prevention is better in the first place but if the worst happens then I'd want to give the police the best chance of recovering the vehicle AND catching the people responsible.
If they crash the car then its insured. If they get injured in the crash then that's a bonus!

This thread is great. My new car had a tracker, but I'm thinking the money would be better spent on gap insurance! Thanks for your experience

Many Insurers insist on a Tracker for London residents