hi,have just bought a `95 import scoob and have insured it with scofields they quoted me £880, but they say i need to get a tracker fitted so that it`s covered for theft! Tom Butler at scofields recommended the rac trackstar guardian,which seems like a more easy on the wallet option! can anyone recommend this tracker or know of any other good ones? It already has a scorpion 1018t2 fitted, so will i need the guardian or will the protector version be enough? also Do you know how long it takes for them to come out and fit it, who fits them? do they have mobile fitters?
would be most gratefull if anyone could help!
cheers
jon.

I've been spending ages looking into this. Depends whether you just want it for insurance or to really protect the car. If you really want to protect the car then in my opinion one that is pro-active (ie can tell when its been moved without you noticing) is essential. Key players are RAC Trackstar http://www.ractrackstar.com/home2.htm, Navtrak http://www.navtrak.com/ and Tracker http://www.trackernetwork.co.uk/. The first 2 use GPS only. Tracker used radio and, if you really splash out, GPS as well.
RAC system has one big downside in my opinion. It is based on you pressing a key on the fob. Bearing in mind more and more thefts involve taking keys from houses or by force...this won't help you (assuming fob is on key ring). navtrak's system uses a small card which has to be swiped over a sensor. They also have a new system where you don't even need to take the card out of your wallet. Problem is the system is v.expensive as they now ask you to buy the hardware (used to rent).
Tracker is favoured by the Police as, once they have signal detected by their patrol cars, they are not dependent on any operator and can work better. However, I have been told that their service to customers absolutely stinks which really puts me off.
All of these are serviced, ie a central control monitors your car all the time. There are some other systems, which are Thatcham approved and notify you directly via SMS, sending you coordinates of your car. Check out http://www.trakm8.com/. You control it all via SMS and it can do other stuff for you (Speed camera detection, realtime mapping etc). A few downsides to this. Firstly all control is through SMS. So if you want to activate the device....send an SMS message. guess you'd get used to it. Second, you have to work with Police to tell them where the car is. Having spoken to 2 police authorities they admit that this would prove 'more problematic' than if it were a organisation like the RAC or Tracker. Third, you (or a friend) has to be at your mobile when the car is stolen to receive the SMS message.
So, Lots of choices and, in my opinion, no perfect answer. NavTrak looks like the best system but is v.expensive. Maybe RAC is best if you keep the fob seperate from keys. Police like Tracker but, after what ive heard, i wouldn't go that way. By the way, I was at a fitting centre a few days ago. They fit all the systems for the local Ferrari dealer and were busy fitting systems to 2 new 550s. They always fit RAC and reckon they are great.
Hope this helps.

By the way, I still haven't decided myself :-)

Nick

Not all Trackstar's have the key fob ;) they can be incorporated into the alarm system and will still activate if the car is stolen.

Tony:D

but....once again you are relying on your car alarm's fob not to be stolen. Nice and integrated though.

Depends if you have anti hijacking on your alarm ;) makes the keyfob useless ;):D

Tony:D

Good point. I don't :-( Maybe I should ? Car stops 1 mile down the road and tracking device tells you where it is. Lovely.

PS How do you get the smilies to work in the body of the message ?

Info on smilies can be found at http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/smilies.html, and how to do what i just did can be found at http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/ubbcode.html

mb

Have a look at NavTraks new ADR system on navtrak.com, it looks great, I'm thinking of upgrading to it....

Have to say Tracker were brilliant, their service was impeccable and they worked around me not the other way round.

PP