rjlinney

Hi,

I'm in the process of 'upgrading' my MY02 GX to an MY05 WRX Gulp!

Obviously my WRX is going to need some sort of tracker to keep my insurance company happy and to enable me to sleep at night - the question is which one do I go for?

My dealer recommends and fits the Tracker Monitor system and will supply and fit this for £450. I understand that the monitor is not GPS based and relies on a suitably equipped Police vehicle tracking down the car.

On the other hand, RAC Tracstar+ is the same price (according to their website) and is GPS based - but I've heard mixed reports about Tracstar's reliability.

I need to confirm the deal with my dealer on Monday and let him know which tracker system I want in order to get the car registered by the end of the month and qualify for the 3yrs free servicing. (I'm hoping that Oaken can also fit Tracstars if this is what I decide to go for!...)

Any info (before Monday morning!) would be gratefully received!
Thanks...

TDT

Tracker is fitted to most traffic & area response police vehicles. It's also fitted to the helicopters. Once the unit it activated it relies on a vehicle being in the area or a monitoring station picking the stolen vehicle up. That said, once it has been picked up, the system leads you right to the signal.

Trackstar is a bit different in the way it operates. Once you report it stolen and the unit is activated, someone from the RAC has to sit on the phone telling the police controller where the vehicle is as the police have no access to the system.

I can't speak for Tracker but I know Trackstar does not work in underground car parks or my garage. Their customer service absolutely sucks - you know there's something wrong when you're on first name terms with the Customer Service Manager.

Enjoy the new car!

scoob_babe

Trackstar offer two types of service. One is you have to contact them if/when you find the car stolen, the other is they contact you first to check and then call the police. We have the second service. Both times our scoob was on a low loader, they called us within 5 minutes of it moving to check that we knew about it.

S600OBV

RJ - I'm in the same opsition as you 04GX - 05WRX on 30th April

I'm going for the trackstar plus - the problem i am having is getting it fitted in time (i.e. between wednesday when the car reaches the dealer and friday)

Roll on saturday

rjlinney

Very similar situation, S600OBV!
Can't quite believe it! Don't get me wrong, the GX is a superb car and is under rated in my opinion (including on here). The handling is superb and it's still got some umph, even if it's 100BHP less than the WRX.
At the dealers it was a choice of 'sensible GX' versus spending an extra £5k on a WRX. Hmm!

My dealer is confident that he can have Tracker Monitor fitted by Saturday - obviously Tracstar could be different.

Sounds like people are more in favour of the Tracker than the Tracstar, which quite surprises me! As this is going to be the easiest option to take with my dealer, this looks like the best choice.

I'm just wondering if in the real word the Police would bother trying to trackdown my car if it was stolen . How close do they need to be to detect the tracker signal. How would they even know which area it was in by the time they started looking for it?

At least with Tracstar the customer services people can monitor it in real time until the Police get on to it.

More thoughts and opinions PLEASE.

Warthog

Got Trackstar+ on mine. Think TDT's right about it not working in underground carparks etc. the GPS signal is blocked. I phone Trackstar once a month (paranoia?) to check it's working - it's free - and they've always found the car straight away. I've had no problems with them. Don't think you can check Tracker's like that?

rjlinney

Can anyone confirm this?
How easy is it to check tracker?
Do Tracker charge for this as Tracstar seems to do this for free?

Catherine

I can speak with some experience of both products. I had Trackstar Plus on the Impreza Wagon and Tracker Monitor on the Boxster. I vowed never again to have a Trackstar product on a future car and if I order a T25 I will ask Iain to fit me Tracker Monitor.

The Trackstar unit never inspired confidence because the Speed Safe Option never worked. I had an engineer visit once and on the occasion when I asked for a unit check, they could not locate the car. They had to get an engineer to find it.

The Tracker unit on the other hand did work. When the Porsche had to go to the dealer at short notice I forgot to tell Tracker. In the space of a number of minutes they had called the house, my mobile and my partners mobile. Unfortunately as were outside at the time, we didn't pick up the calls and we understand that the police went after the car on the transporter. Tracker do charge you for a check £80 I believe is the fee.

Hope that answers any questions.

Dave Cox

It is now £359 Fitted check there website.

S600OBV

RJ - totally agree about all u said on the GX - it whetted my appetite for scoobies, handling is superb, but px value sucks.

As for the tracker - i really dont care which i fit. I reckon theyre all pretty poor anyways. I was told that a plod car had to be within 0.5 - 1 mile to get a signal with the tracker monitor (although i have seen one on tv get caught approx 2 miles from where i live) and the GPS ones need line of sight to the satellite - so containers, garages, multistoreys etc mean no signal.

All i am looking for is cheaper insurance. If it gets nicked then they give me a new one! I have full NCD protected - so unless i get two nicked in three years then so what!

I know this sounds pretty relaxed - but life is for living - and driving scoobies - so get on with it.

As for insurance - with the ractrackstar+ I got £553 from privilege compared to £800+ without a tracker - pays for itself in 2 years

Ian

rjlinney

80 quid for a Tracker check - that seems to be rediculous to me when it costs £120 per year for the subscription plus nearly £500 for the equipment and fitting!

Can anyone confirm this?
Surely Tracker will let you check that it's working free of charge?

hedgehog

It must be said that the RAC don't inspire confidence. Last year the totally messed up my renewal and this year, as yet, I haven't got it renewed though I have tried. I hope they don't mess up again and that there is just a delay in getting confirmation to me.

I only renew it to please the insurance company really and any time I have contacted the RAC people to ask if it is working they just tell me it is, but certainly don't tell me where the car is or anything else that convinces me that they have actually tested it.

I can't comment on the other options and, clearly, my lack of confidence may be unfounded but it is based upon my experience of the dealings I have had with them and I certainly wouldn't fit one of their devices through choice.

Diesel

Ridiculous company - wanted me to pay hundreds to take over an already lifetime sub, have visible GPS giveaway bits, and wanted £80 to check that it was working and so worth me paying a sub. Makes me confused as to who the crooks really are!

gso

I was in the same situation a few weeks back and went for the tracker monitor!

Still...I only did it to please my insurance...if my car goes...i certainly dont want it back!

bluenosewrx

iTrader: (2)

Got Tracstar + with lifetime subs,No probs so far and every check has been spot on, suppose it helps that i live on a Army Base with armed Guards etc and everyone Knows my car.
Reckon i should get a bigger insurance discount.
Mac

Julz1983

We had a Trackstar Plus fitted in March when we got our new WRX, haven't had a prob yet with anything, it was the best option for us at the time when changing cars as it was going to cost more to get our other tracker off our old WRX and re-registered on to a new car etc. By the way where in North Yorks are you in the amry, we are also based in North Yorks.

scoobydooooo

how can you tell which is best untill some oik nicks ones car ??