Tracker options for new California

[GollyOlly]

I use these for a couple of vehicles I have, easy to install and configure and really good value given the features!

iTrack Micro GPS Tracker (GPS311) | iTrack GPS Trackers

The Micro tracker can be fully hard wired allowing you to remotely isolate your vehicle engine. The tiny device can discretely fitted very easily.

itrackgpstrackers.com

Are they recognised and approved by insurance companies?

 

[Hawthorn37]

You will find insurance companies look for Thatcham categories S5 or S5 PLUS. For instance, S7 is a higher number but a lesser category and not usually accepted. A quick Google will describe the differences.

Typically any tracking device that is Thatcham approved will lead with this information in the product description.

 

[Him&HerTravels]

Could anyone suggest a tracker option for a new California Ocean on order. It looks like all insurers now seem to insist on an approved one being fitted.
Also be glad to hear if insurers that don’t require one.

Thanks - Andrew.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi Andrew. We're in the same boat as you, Ocean due imminently and need to organise a tracker. We have decided on a Scorpion S5 VTS and Ghost immobiliser. The reason for both is because the S5 rated trackers (which was a minimum insurance requirement) means you need a tag on you to start the vehicle. But if someone steals your keys and tag ( and lets face it most people will end up keeping them together), they can still take your van albeit you can report it and it can be tracked by the monitoring company. The Ghost immobiliser works by user defined key presses (button presses from your dash and steering wheel) to disarm it which we felt was an additional level of security ( but it alone wasn't enough for the insurers). Mike.

 

[Hawthorn37]

Hi Andrew. We're in the same boat as you, Ocean due imminently and need to organise a tracker. We have decided on a Scorpion S5 VTS and Ghost immobiliser. The reason for both is because the S5 rated trackers (which was a minimum insurance requirement) means you need a tag on you to start the vehicle. But if someone steals your keys and tag ( and lets face it most people will end up keeping them together), they can still take your van albeit you can report it and it can be tracked by the monitoring company. The Ghost immobiliser works by user defined key presses (button presses from your dash and steering wheel) to disarm it which we felt was an additional level of security ( but it alone wasn't enough for the insurers). Mike.

If you feel that your immobiliser tag is a risk (if kept with your keys), you can set your smartphone as a tag instead. If the phone tag has been inactive for a time, then you will need to log in to the app, which might occasionally be a pain, but does add to the security.

In case people are concerned about being left stranded, if, for whatever reason, your tag fails (or you lose it) when out and about, you can call Scorpions monitoring service, and subject to answering security questions, they can disable the immobiliser for a agreed period of time. Likewise, if your vehicle is stolen, they can activate the immobiliser.

 

[Trevorthecamper]

I’ve been with Comfort for 2 years and they don’t require one. After some deliberation, i’ve reinsured with them for another year.

We have just collected our new ocean and gone with comfort but they required one with us sadly.

 

[Mowbotman]

Ghost is great option and piece of mind, we have just had one fitted , as out cali is not in view of our property, also have a cheap tracker ( not insurance approved as did not need one ) so had Ghost

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

We have just collected our new ocean and gone with comfort but they required one with us sadly.

I guess it’s all down to risk profiling @Trevorthecamper but does seem a little inconsistent.

 

[Mr T]

I guess it’s all down to risk profiling @Trevorthecamper but does seem a little inconsistent.

Comfort told me they require a tracker on any vehicle with a value of £75k+

 

[WelshGas]

Very clever of Insurance companies that insist on a Tracker. That way they minimise their risk and maximise the Owners risk . If for some reason the Tracker fails then in the event of a theft the Insurance is void.

Turn on your anti-theft car tracker or risk losing insurance payout, vehicle owners warned

It comes after a customer lost £65,000 because their insurer said they were not eligible for a claim having failed to activate the device

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Comfort told me they require a tracker on any vehicle with a value of £75k+

Interesting issue when we’ve seen values appreciating in the last couple of years. A new van might be <£75k at the point of insurance purchase, so no tracker needed, but >£75k after a short period of ownership.

 

[Hawthorn37]

Very clever of Insurance companies that insist on a Tracker. That way they minimise their risk and maximise the Owners risk . If for some reason the Tracker fails then in the event of a theft the Insurance is void.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/05/20/turn-anti-theft-car-tracker-risk-losing-insurance-

http://

Interesting issue when we’ve seen values appreciating in the last couple of years. A new van might be <£75k at the point of insurance purchase, so no tracker needed, but >£75k after a short period of ownership.

Agree. Our van had a ‘List Value’ of £73k, but we could sell it for £80k ish. Comfort didn’t demand we fitted a tracker, although at renewal they might add clauses (doubt it though). We actually did fit a tracker from new anyway, for our own comfort, and they did provide a small cost reduction.

 

[dspuk]

Bringing this back on because as of Thu night our housing estate had three cars stolen in a co-ordinated attack with scanners to grab the signals from keys too close to the front of the house and jammers to stop the ring cameras capturing them.

All within 30 minutes with a gang of 5 and laptops. Virtually no usable Ring footage.

So while their main issue was the age old keys hanging by the door one, and for some time we have put all our keys every night in a Faraday box that is not on show, this has got me musing again around Ghost, which I had previously relegated as a hankering of the over sensitive.

Now, the reality is without breaking in and finding my faraday box (and for the Cali reading the manual for 15 minutes to try and turn the seats back around) they would be unlikely to steal any of our cars.

But....

 

[Hawthorn37]

The benefit of the older vehicle starting system VW use on Transporters (needing to insert the key to the ignition) avoids this relay theft, unless of course the ignition switch is defeated, but this takes longer. It doesn’t defeat theft from your van though, so the Faraday box is still good. Unfortunately, it does mean that the thief needs to employ more direct means of stealing the keys, which can challenge personal safety.

 

[GollyOlly]

Bringing this back on because as of Thu night our housing estate had three cars stolen in a co-ordinated attack with scanners to grab the signals from keys too close to the front of the house and jammers to stop the ring cameras capturing them.

All within 30 minutes with a gang of 5 and laptops. Virtually no usable Ring footage.

So while their main issue was the age old keys hanging by the door one, and for some time we have put all our keys every night in a Faraday box that is not on show, this has got me musing again around Ghost, which I had previously relegated as a hankering of the over sensitive.

Now, the reality is without breaking in and finding my faraday box (and for the Cali reading the manual for 15 minutes to try and turn the seats back around) they would be unlikely to steal any of our cars.

But....

Good points. Seems to me that nothing is fool-proof but just a deterrent to cause any thief to take more time. I'd like to see someone invent a seat lock where once the driver's seat is rotated facing aft, it is locked into place. Again, not fool-proof but causes an added obstacle for any thief.

 

[vmaxkiddy]

Good points. Seems to me that nothing is fool-proof but just a deterrent to cause any thief to take more time. I'd like to see someone invent a seat lock where once the driver's seat is rotated facing aft, it is locked into place. Again, not fool-proof but causes an added obstacle for any thief.

A padlock will suffice

2 easy and cheap ways to prevent Cali theft, even if the thief has the keys!

Reading about another house break in and key theft story on the forum, I thought, "that's enough", lets sort this out. So I've got 2 ways here for you to prevent your pride and joy being taken, even if you hand the keys over yourself ! Here's all you need; Method 1 This is based on an idea...

vwcaliforniaclub.com