Ajolious
Member Since: 01 Aug 2006
Location: Plymouth
Posts: 111
  
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I have recently placed an order for a nice shiny new Stornoway Grey TDV6 SE with a few selected optional extras, and one of my biggest concerns is security. I have done a little research into the various devices that are available as after-market options. One is RAC Trackstar which sounds perfect. Has anybody had one fitted, or can anyone give a personal recommendation based on experience of theft/recovery of a vehicle by any of the devices on sale in the UK?
Many thanks - looking forward to having to ask lots more questions about my new toy!
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 Thu Aug 24 2006 3:15pm |
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D'arkuk
Member Since: 15 Aug 2006
Location: M/C
Posts: 464
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I’m looking into trackers myself at the moment, when I asked my dealer I was told that there was only one tracker that Landrover (considerably more expensive than other options) recommend for the D3 because there was no power drain from it; also if in the unlikely event of some sort of electrical problem with the car after fitting any other tracker, it might invalidate the warranty.  Brute force and ignorance, the D3 does the rest.
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| Thu Aug 24 2006 4:07pm |
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Ajolious
Member Since: 01 Aug 2006
Location: Plymouth
Posts: 111
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This is the reply from my dealer -
Hi Mr Snell
We do not fit trackers – we contract out to a local company here in Peterborough – The one we usually have fitted is the Horizon Tracker which is detectable by the police etc by GPS. The cost is £279.00 + Vat with a yearly subscription of £119 + Vat. Should this be something you require I can arrange to have it fitted for you before you take delivery of you vehicle.
The one I was looking at is £399 + £120pa subs.
Seems a bit strange to concentrate on power drain - all alarms require a power source from somewhere! (swap alpine roof for PV cells?!!)
I had a suspicion I would unleash a monster!
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| Thu Aug 24 2006 4:42pm |
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DickyH
Member Since: 07 Aug 2006
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 81
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Why worry about power drain? It will be a very low current draw from a device like that and will be the same whatever car it is fitted too. Surely the Discovery has a bigger capacity battery than most anyway, so it will matter less.
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| Thu Aug 24 2006 5:56pm |
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paul
Member Since: 12 Feb 2006
Location: Midlands
Posts: 493
 
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Hi
Tracker Horizon is very good as it has both GPS and land based radio signals. You can pay a lifetime sub of £375 I think so if your going to keep the car over 3 years then it's worth it. The question you have to ask is do you want the car back after? For 10% discount off your insurance it's hardly worth the money if you have protected no claims. Keep your keys hidden and fit a good burglar alarm at home and use it. You could run a nice German Shepherd for less and hide the keys under the dogs basket! 
Regards Paul 2006 TDV6 S Auto, Buckingham Blue, for the wife and kids.
2006 Audi S4 Avant Quattro, Phantom black 4.2 V8 for me and the dogs.
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| Thu Aug 24 2006 6:27pm |
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Baldrick
Member Since: 15 Aug 2006
Location: Dublin
Posts: 65
 
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Spoke to my mate who works with LR/Jag/Volvo. He had put me in touch with Track & Trace in Ireland 3 years ago when I put a tracker in my Defender prior to driving to Cape Town. (I had had a Def stolen from girlfriends back garden in Yorkshire in 2001 the night we returned from a trip to Morocco. All our gear was in it - tools, clothes, spares, phones, cameras, passports - you name it. All we had taken out that night was her make up bag.....  so I was taking no chances on the CT trip)
Any way - I had always figured that it was too simple to overide one as you just have to snip the GPS antenna cable and its as much use as an ash tray on a motorbike. So when I asked my mate about putting it on the D 3 he said that they can be disabled too easily if the thief looks for it as the black box is normally in the vicinity of the battery.
So in short - if you get one try get it hidden as best as possible and don't tell anyone or stick a sticker on your window indicating that ther is one fitted.
In saying that though, it is pretty cool to be able to text your landy and it tell you where it is. I'm in Seattle at the moment and as of Tuesday I know that the defender is still in my drive. And as of just now I know that its still in my drive! 
Modern cars are not much use to a thief without the keys. Most of the cars stolen in Ireland at the moment are driven away with the keys. Thieves break into the house and steal them. Best way to prevent it being stolen is to NOT leave the keys on the kitchen table on in the "key" box on the hallway wall. The neighbour of a Friend of mine had their BMW stolen when the thieves put a fishing rod in the letter box and grabbed keys of hall table...............10 out of 10 for resourcefullness  Def 110 200 tdi CSW - been to Cape Town & back
2007 MY Irish spec S+ TDV6
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| Thu Aug 24 2006 8:14pm |
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10forcash
Site Sponsor
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
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ADT have recently launched a GSM based product, this has the advantage of not needing a 'sky view' and can be remotely accessed. It has a sleep mode also and does not need any connections to the vehicle.... will find out more tomorrow  TorqTune
Vehicle maintenance, modifications, training and equipment
Driving adventures
Please use the email button to contact me as I no longer read this forum - Thanks!
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| Thu Aug 24 2006 8:21pm |
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retired
Member Since: 18 Feb 2006
Location: Surrey
Posts: 158
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I thought about a tracker. The advantage being that you get your car back after its been stolen, abused, thrashed and probabaly crashed.
Not sure I'd want it back, might prefer the money and get a new one......
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| Thu Aug 24 2006 8:48pm |
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simon
Member Since: 11 Jan 2005
Location: Sitting pensively in front of the mouse trap looking at the cheese
Posts: 18155
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 does trackers TFC. Maybe we should ask him ?
Kind of agree with our retired friend... if its been soiled by a scrott... let em keep it and I'll have a new one (GAP ins is very nice)
-s
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| Thu Aug 24 2006 8:54pm |
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swan63
Member Since: 21 Aug 2006
Location: South Yorkshire
Posts: 20
 
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Just cancelled my subscription for Navtrak they wanted £350 for a year. It was fitted with vehicle when I bought it from dealer so it was the first time I'd had to renew. It certainly wasn't worth it, I only got £30 off my insurance.
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| Fri Aug 25 2006 1:30am |
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Gareth
Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 15752
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I speak with some experience on the subject having been broken into and having the previous Mini stolen and the D3 very nearly stolen. I have trackers because the insurance insisted I fit them.
As previously said, get a good house alarm and use it. Hide the keys and take them with you when you go out without the car.
For peace of mind I have a cctv system linked to an off-site server which records all activities in the perimeter of the property, and I can view live stream on my pda from anywhere in the world via gprs. I am looking at our Mini and my S2a right now! (from our caravan in Scotland) Club 18 - 30 (I wish !!)
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| Fri Aug 25 2006 8:45am |
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IanD
Member Since: 11 Mar 2006
Location: (Too) close to Paris
Posts: 500
 
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Don't suppose Gurvan or any other French member has any recommendations for trackers in France? Our proposed new insurance may insist on one being fitted.
Baldrick wrote:its as much use as an ash tray on a motorbike
Never driven in Paris, then? It's almost obligatory to smoke while riding a scooter, if not a real bike! Mind you ash trays are not used that much here even when they're available
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| Fri Aug 25 2006 8:58am |
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D'arkuk
Member Since: 15 Aug 2006
Location: M/C
Posts: 464
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D'arkuk wrote:I’m looking into trackers myself at the moment, when I asked my dealer I was told that there was only one tracker that Landrover (considerably more expensive than other options) recommend for the D3 because there was no power drain from it; also if in the unlikely event of some sort of electrical problem with the car after fitting any other tracker, it might invalidate the warranty.
I'm getting the impression that I should stop asking my dealer questions.  Brute force and ignorance, the D3 does the rest.
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| Fri Aug 25 2006 10:16am |
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Ajolious
Member Since: 01 Aug 2006
Location: Plymouth
Posts: 111
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Many thanks for your input. I did not realise that the potential insurance savings were so low, the companies are very good at letting you believe you will get a much better deal. With protected no claims as mentioned it does kind of make sense to just get a new car rather than recover a trashed one - my sister had her car stolen and used in an armed robbery, they cracked the sump and ran it til the engine seized. Very amusing when the police came to the bank she worked in to arrest her!
I think I may well save the £600 and spend it on a nice weekend's driving holiday instead, although the German Shepherd sounds a good option too!
Thank you for the informed, educated and bulls**t free adivce.
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| Fri Aug 25 2006 1:29pm |
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