Tracking devices?

Can anybody recommend an anti-theft tracking device, and is it better to get it fitted by an OPC (pre-delivery), or have it installed by an independent? I gather that some are better than others, as some use GPS (which requires a " line of sight" and is no good if you' re car' s in a container on it' s way to Europe!). Advice please! Regards, Bruce

The GPS enhanced tracking devices have all of the features pf the earlier types, ie radio-location etc. with the added benefit of the tracker also being able to tell the control centre where it is, therefore does not rely on a police car having to be within the vicinity. Yes if in a container it could block the GPS signal, but it would also block the tracker signal anyway! The theory is that the car is identified and located before it reaches a container. However, the disadvantage I see with Tracker, is that if the car is taken using the ignition key, the vehicle is not automatically flagged as being stolen, whereas if it is hotwired, or trailered it wopuld be. An alternative system made by NavTrak Code: http://corporate.itisholdings.com/navtrak/ , requires the authorised driver to have a credit card sized transponder on his/her person, as well as the ignition key, if the car is moved without the transponer present, the car is flagged up as stolen, it also used movement/radio/GPS technologies. I think personally I would look at this option next time.

If you are buying new, then the tracker will be fitted at Reading if you ask your OPC to do it (where all imports arrive for their pre-delivery inspection). This is fitted by Porsche people, so they have some clue about how to take the car apart and put it together again without trim damage, etc. They charge you only about £10 more than getting tracker people to do it. Worth the peace of mind, IMO. If it is not new, I' m not sure what happens, ask the OPC. They only fit tracker, www.tracker-network.co.uk. Click on stolen vehicle tracking for cars, then on private cars. On the right you will see the product options and pricing. There are three options, Retrieve, Monitor, Horizon. I believe the RAC Trackstar s the same thing, resold by the RAC, so they rename the 3 options, but they do the same thing. Navtak is a similar thing. http://corporate.itisholdings.com/navtrak/ The main options are based around how the system gets activated. Basically either you notice it is missing and call them (not so good if you are away on holiday or on a business trip), or the car tells them itself when it is being moved. It can tell because either it is being moved without the key (Tracker approach) or the transponder is not in the car (Navtrak approach, covers car jacking but means you have to carry additional peice of plastic with you everywhere). Both will cover hotwiring, but this is unlikely with cat 1 3 circuit immoboliser, or it it is on the back of a trailer. The top of the range systems have a GPS system built in that transmits its location when it is starting to be moved. Therefore the police know exactly where to start looking. The tracker people beam a signal to the unit to turn on its radio transmitter. All police cars (and helicopters I think) can receive this. This is how they find it. This will (alledgedly) allow them to find it even if it is under a railway arch, in a multstorey car park or in a container or lockup. Obviously the sooner you know it has gone, the smaller the search radius, plus getting the GPS coordinates from the unit helps. The Navtrak one uses GSM to phone its location, so works on the continent as well. This would have to fitted by them, rather than Porsche. Have a look at the options. All depend on you though, since they will call you to make sure it is not a false alarm. Then you call the police. They will then liaise with the police. Car theives have now started parking the cars only a few miles away (so they are not in them for long) and then waiting to see if the police arrive. That way they know there is a tracker. There are many places to hide one in the car, so they can' t really check for them. Until activated they are passive, so you can' t detect them electronically beforehand. My car lives on the road, so I had to have one and went for the Horizon. The insurance company was quite pleased and I got a pretty reasonable quote. For Tracker, the boxes are made by Motorola and have a life expectancy of 10 years. They cannot be transferred between vehicles. Under their pricing options, it is cheaper to pay the fitment fee and annual fee is you have the car for less than 3 years, otherwise pay a one off upfront fee. Hope this helps. Rgds, Stuart.

Hi bruce, yes i think thay are worth it. i' ve got a tracker on my boxster and will be having one fitted to the GT3 when i get it. but if you have any work done on the car (involving the electrics)it' s worth telling whoever does the work about the tracker eles you can end up finding your paying for a dead tracker. it cost me £80 service/call out fee to find this out. by the way mine seems to inform them when ever the wheels leave the ground for more than a few seconds eg,on a transporter,a ferry,and even once when it was jacked up.

Thanks for the advice. I think I' ll probably opt for the OPC-fitted Tracker, as anyone who gets as far as getting the keys for the car means that the car going missing will probably be the least of my worries - I' ll have either been burgled or carjacked/mugged! That, and the fact that I don' t have to cart around another piece of plastic swings it for me. Stuart - I had heard that crooks were " simmering" cars near the place of theft and waiting for police intervention (crafty b*****ds!). Helen - how do they inform you if your car moves? By mobile phone? And what happens if you' re unobtainable, or away? Regds, Bruce

Bruce, yes thay inform me by phone either my or my husbands mobile or home number ( my mobile works just about anywhere in the world ) or thay have our work numbers.so far this has not been a problem. not sure what would happen if they can' t get hold of anyone i guess they would inform the police. whats " simmering"

Just one thing - My tracker horizon will spontaneously trigger a theft alert when the outside air temp. is below 0 deg C. Several times last winter I was informed my car was stolen when I could see it in the work car park!!! A man is eventually coming to replace it next week. He says it is a known problem with 996' s - Can' t see why 996' s particularly though

You can give them up to 4 contact numbers, e.g. home, work, mobile spouse/relative/next door neighbour. You can also call them if you are going on holiday to give them an alternative while you are away. If you are just on a business trip then your mobile will do, as long as you go somewhere with coverage. It is best to give one number that is not you, in case you are out of coverage or travelling. I don' t know what they do if they get no answer on any of the 4 numbers. I guess they are more likely to treat it as a false alarm than to call the police anyway. Rgds, Stuart.

Should also have included: As mentioned in Porsche Post, be careful not to leave your keys in the hallway or visible through the letterbox. They can use a bamboo cane with a hook on the end to go fishing. Rgds, Stuart.

Helen, " Simmering" is the term I' ve heard used for the practice of waiting for the police to arrive after stealing a car which is possibly fitted with a tracker. I think it derives from letting a " hot" car cool down a bit, if you know what I mean? Rgds, Bruce

Re helicopters fitted with tracker dectection: the Strathclyde EC135 in Glasgow has this and I would be surprised if all other police helis don' t too.

My insurance company insisted on a GPS tracking device, wouldn' t look at the standard tracker system. maybe this is the way they will all go eventually. I found RAC trackstar offered a good price, came out to fit the device & you can also move the unit to the next vehicle,when you sell your car.

Very interesting to read comments about tracking devices. I am trying to decide what to fit to my 993 C4S and it would seem that GPS is the way to go, even if it cannot track a car in an underground car park or container, for example. " Tracker" or perhaps " Dantrack" offer the best solutions and Dantrack allows you to transfer the system to another car. Also I believe with Dantrack that it is possible to hook up a pocket PC and thus get the benefit of a navigation system as well. Regarding fitting, if you a cautious and presumably spending a relatively large sum on a security system, you are, you should have it fitted by someone who will not see the car again. I have only had one car stolen, dare I mention the name here, a Ford Escort RS Turbo Mk1 and this was two days after I had had it serviced. I could prove nothing but, the thought has always crossed my mind of a dishonest mechanic making a copy of my key. You don' t want to think that your tracker has been disconnected during service or repair.I am quite sure all OPC' s and specialists are honest people, but best to work on the need to know principle. Some people have reported erroneous alerts, but has anyone been at the sharp end and had a car stolen with a tracker device fitted. If so are they able to comment on the provider' s service, the police action and the final outcome. At the end of the day you want a system that will give a good result everytime i.e. recovery of the vehicle.

I' m trying to sort out some of these companies attending my concours on 13th july nr lincoln.so we can all have a good look at them and compare. so far two of them have shown an interest. so come along to region 8 concours and ask some questions direct to the suppliers