druddle

There are arguments for and against putting a sticker in your car when you have a tracker fitted to warn about it.

For - may make people think twice about stealing the car
Against - a criminal in the know whill know which one you have and know where to go to disable it

If i was buying a desirable or expensive car, then I think you are more likely to attract a professional theif, so telling him you have a tracker will make it easier for him to find it and remove/disable it quickly and nick the car without trace. But, if you are spending less money on a more middle-of-the-road car (say a 10k family hatchback), I think you are more likely to attract the "opportunist" thief, who, if they see that it has a tracker, is less likely to take the car.

I would prefer to make the thief think twice about nicking my family hatchback, more than catch them driving it after they have busted the windows/locks/steering lock.

What are peoples opinions on this ?

Dave

Neil Smalley

Swap your tracker stickers with that of a mate with a different type? That way you get the detterent value, and a professional looks in all the wrong places?

chuckster

I think the against arguement is actually that the criminal will destroy your car looking for the tracker if he knows it is equipped with one
Chuck

Avi

What about a
"Tracking device Fitted"
Sticker?..

That's what I was thinking about getting.

Andy

www.mscva.com

TRACKER STICKERS ??
what are you saying?
dont be silly !
the idea of having a tracking device fitted is to catch out the crims! not help them along there way !
i could overide a tracker in about 5mins ,so im sure a good car thief could too". so forget about the stickers..

druddle

Yeah but my point is on a less-prestigious car then is it better to deter the opportunist/less professional thief who will more than likely think twice if he sees the sticker ?

Of course if i had a performance or expensive car i would not put a sticker in it.

Dave

Jen

Couldn't you deter them with a good alarm (lots of red flashing lights! ) and catch 'em with a tracker?

That's what we do! We were warned not to put tracker stickers in the windows due to the tendancy of the thief to rip out the insides of your car...I do see your point though, but I think that's the best way to do it...

Jen

boomer

Tracker will stop a "Pro"

Disklok will stop the "Opportunist"

Get both...

..Job done!!!

mb

CallumW

Got a Cozzy that had a Scorpion alarm in it.
I removed all the stickers and had the alarm ripped out and a top of the rage "other" alarm put in and top of the range Tracker too (be still my beating wallet)

I hate stickers on a car (I even put the Tax disc under the rear view to hide it) and It's obvious it has an alarm 'cos you cant get them insured without one, but I'm not gonna advertise what it has to the public.

The flashing light should be advertising enough

Callum

[Edited by CallumW - 3/23/2002 8:12:21 AM]

MATTeL

I have to agree that putting any sticker about the security of you car is a bad idea. It gives the professionals far too much help.

It is almost as bad as the stickers advertising which stereo they have in the car...

Mark

CallumW

Not as bad as some people putting stickers in the windows in case they forget what car they are driving (usually Novas or Fiestas)

Callum

g0d

You should just get the car fully smoothed and delocked then get smash proof glass not the security film the proper hammer proof bullet proof gypsy proof glass. Add and alarm with SMS alert and your car is officially safe. Unless it gets put on a trailer and towed away so you would need a tracker as well. Might be simpler to buy a pit bull and tie it to the car whenever you leave it somewhere. You could take it to the north to give the dog snacks and save on dog food ; after all your car stays safe ; the dog gets to eat; the countrys population of northeners traffic wardens and thieves (I assume one or two northen people are honest) will be dramatically reduced.

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

OMG, you are going to get so flamed with that little paragraph, cOd!
Have to say though in your defense, your comment about 'Gypsy Proof Glass' did have me chuckling.
On my old girl, I just had a sticker on each side stating that she was protected by the Professional Fitter, no other details on the make/type of alarm/tracker etc.

Cheers,

Nick.

[Edited by Mr Footlong - 3/23/2002 6:37:07 PM]

Goldfinger

I don't want stickers advertising I've got a tracker for obvious reasons ... even if a thief knew where a tracker could be they can be placed in different places, would need a full tool-box and c. 30 minutes to get to mine

No stickers IMHO!

Phil

Bexlee

I agree, it is the unknown tracker that works- so no stickers.

However, there is a problem currently manifesting itself in that some vehicles are coming fitted with one as standard as a selling point. May as well have a flashing light in the window saying 'this car has a tracker fitted'.

In agreement with Boomer, trackers are to stop the Pro, and any Pro (by definition) would at least know their cars well enough to know which cars have trackers as standard.

It therefore seems to me that a 'standard' fitment might help sell, but is ultimately self- defeating.

Bex

www.mscva.com

Years ago a friend of mine had the best solution ever!
he had a classic MG and some local scum bags tried to steal it on "several occasions!"
everytime they tried they must have got disturbed or something , cause they only got as far as opening a door or pulling out a lock.

one day , he decided to cut out a section of his driveway and concrete a pole and light in it.

Being a welder / mechanic, he cut out a circle in his car floor that matched the 3foot sleeved hole in his driveway.
everynight he came home from work he would lift up a trapdoor he made in the car's floor and drop in and lock in a large pole that he made to fit.
never had it touched again after that!
i wonder why?? lol
must have been a fuc%er to align it everynight lol