Tracker, is it worth it?

barge1914

Full Member
Posts
1,936
Likes
3,295
Is it worth renewing a Tracker. We have a Tracker Retrieve. After 5 years our subscription soon expires and the unit has to be replaced, and we’ll have to do it before we go away, which means deciding tomorrow. Costing £249 for 1 year subscription or £449 for 5 years. Is it really worth it on a small Bessacarr now it is 5 years old? Not sure whether many of these get nicked, especially abroad where we travel most. The saving on the insurance is only £20 per year, and is not compulsory. We have anyway an alarm and Pedalbox...and when on the drive at home a very substantial wheelclamp. I’d be interested to hear views.
 
I fitted a tracker to my 2007 motorhome but the yearly fee is about half what yours costs. Unlike some I would want my motorhome back if it gets stolen (and still fit for purpose) so for me then yes it is worth it.

Only you can decide if it’s right for you though :)
 
Had a tracker fitted to wife's car which ended up written off due to an accident. several months later we had an £80 fine for no tax apparently the vehicle was sold on as salvage,after telling DVLA I was told I should have informed them and I was still responsible.I stated that it was my belief that the car on our plates was a clone and informed them of the now defunct tracker agreement with contract details which will tell them where the car is.
Good news we were exonerated but no information as to the clone owner.
 
Just adds to the costs. If the Insurance are happy without one why bother. When we bought our Laika The cost of an Alarm and Tracker added another £1500. NFU did not ask for either so we didn’t bother. If it was a Ford Based Vehicle i would be worried.
 
I do not think trackers are much help

I appreciate what Nabsim says but
IMO
Better to invest in
An Alarm
A disklok
Maybe extra doorlocks (habitation and Cab)

All one-off payments

Also thieves know how to disable trackers !
Or simply put the vehicle in cold storage !
 
I've had one of THESE fitted for 3 yrs just needs a PAYG sim gives location to within a few mtrs. You can get the location by sending a simple text which is replied to with a google map link
 
Automatrics mtrac tracker appear to have a very good success rate and system examples on youtube also used by plant hire companies, this will be on my next van when changed.
 
We have £12 jobby which was easy to fit and small enough to hide behind the plastic panel to the rear of the passenger seat of our Bessacarr. I stuck a Giffgaff SIM in it paid £5 to activate it. You simply ring the number and a text is sent to my phone, I open the url which then shows my MH location on Google maps.
 
izwozral said:
We have £12 jobby which was easy to fit and small enough to hide behind the plastic panel to the rear of the passenger seat of our Bessacarr. I stuck a Giffgaff SIM in it paid £5 to activate it. You simply ring the number and a text is sent to my phone, I open the url which then shows my MH location on Google maps.
Click to expand...

If like most sims if not topped up every mth it is switched of or am i missing something.
 
trevskoda said:
If like most sims if not topped up every mth it is switched of or am i missing something.
Click to expand...

Lots of PAYG sims only have to be used, money spent on them, eg a text every 6 months.

I have a O2 and a EE sim that have not been topped up since 2005 and are still in service
 
skippy said:
Automatrics mtrac tracker appear to have a very good success rate and system examples on youtube also used by plant hire companies, this will be on my next van when changed.
Click to expand...

That’s the one I have Skippy and they haven’t had one disabled yet to my knowledge. Not all trackers are equal and it depends what you want it for.

I think the cost new was around the £250 mark and it was self fit the the yearly renewal is around £125 if paid yearly. I have been very happy with the service to date.

Like I say, each to their own and I want mine back if I can get it if it gets nicked :)
 
trevskoda said:
If like most sims if not topped up every mth it is switched of or am i missing something.
Click to expand...

harrow said:
Lots of PAYG sims only have to be used, money spent on them, eg a text every 6 months.
Click to expand...

I had a gifgaf sim in mine and it was turned off because of their fair usage policy mine was only used abroad as family have the number just to see where we are when away but it was never used at home
 
I have one that lasts as long as I own it. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT for me to have it, so that I can remember where I put it. Backyard most the time and sometimes a carpark in a strange town, so I can find it when I want it either that or ring the missus sitting in it reading,:juggle: and she could tell me where they are. At a motorhome show it tells me which is mine. I must get my memory fixed sometime.:confused:
 
Things may have changed,but motortrade days trackers were extremely effective at recovering stolen vehicles

Insurance companies like them because in theory their exposure is less

The police like them because always a chance it leads to crime cells operating on a bigger scale and they slip up

The cost in relation to the cost of the asset it is there to recover often with motorhomes is very little in the grand scale of things considering it isn't unusual for people to spend 60 K or so

SO in answer to the OPs original question I do believe they are worth it

Channa
 
Tracker...b***** insurers

So, before we went away the insurer said it would only save us £20 a year if we didn’t have the Tracker, which would give an annual saving of £70 against renewing it. Now we are abroad meaning it can’t be renewed. And now that the insurers have actually checked their facts with the underwriters they are demanding an extra £61 for the remaining part year (and probably a whole lot more at next renewal). Grrr! For that difference I would have kept the Tracker. You just can’t trust the b*****s!
 
No, you absolutely can't trust them. We renewed insurance forgetting to add that we have a tracker and an alarm fitted, DOH, so I rang them back and asked for a discount on the premium, there reply was that it doesn't make any difference to the cost of the premium. Hmmmm???
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who viewed this discussion (Total:0)

Back
Top