Tracker/Alarm Advice for UK

[MeC]

New member here, I couldn't find any recent topics so I created one, I hope it is ok. 

A lot of cars were nicked in me city lately(especially LRs and RRs) and planning to fit an insurance/thatcham tracker on my LR. With a bit of research I've decided on: https://www.rewiresecurity.co.uk/ins...d-gps-trackers. (Prices are on the bottom)

My question is: a) Anyone else use insurance/thatcham trackers and have any advice?

b) Is it worth it? Do they really work? - Articles say a lot about these things but it'd be nice to hear from people who actually use them.

c) Are there any alternative devices, alarms, gadgets I can use to have similar or better protection? 

Any help or advice is appreciated.

[jeremy996]

There are essentially two issues to think about - Cell phone signal or VHF, managed or unmanaged. 

Most cheap GPS units mounted in vehicles use the mobile phone network for connectivity and can be easily blocked or jammed. Not every car thief knows or cares; the usual MO for any of them with a small amount of brain is to park them up not too far from the theft for a few days and see if anyone comes to recover the vehicle. No recovery= no tracker, so happy days and they will clone/strip/export the vehicle. 

From a recovery point of view, the non-mobile phone signal units should be better, the well known brand is Tracker. Cost is the usual issue - it 'ain't cheap (thatcham s5 or s7). This is a managed service, with call centres and police liason.

The next cheapest is Cellular/SMS with a management service, like Defender Defender or Skytag. I have a Skytag; my contacts in the police do not see a major difference from their side, so I went with "much better than nothing", not as expensive as a Tracker unit. Heritage insurance have a deal that is worth a second look.

The absolute cheapest is buy your own cheap unit and monitor it yourself. This will be a SMS/Cellular unit and can be as little as £13 and a sim card. Ebay is your source, eg. This is not a recommendation! I have no idea how good or bad it is.

 

[MeC]

I have a Land Rover Defender 90 Extreme 2.5L 2005 - While it doesn't require/need relay protection, it basically has 0 protection against theft itself. 

I also made a lot of upgrades/personal improvements and don't want to go looking for my LR amidst a pandemic. 

The ones I linked has about 2 min theft resistance, ID tags, alarm centre etc. Wouldn't they be enough? Do I really need VHF or other ways to send alarms?

Tracker is way too expensive for me car but I also want Thatcham. I am indecisive about what to do with this security business and constant theft risk. 

Thanks for the advice though, much appreciated. I will check the trackers you linked.

[jeremy996]

Any tracker unit is not going to do much more than make it more likely you will get your truck back. As an anti-theft device it is pants; as a recovery device there is nothing better.

Anti theft requires layers; different things to make your truck less attractive, time consuming or more difficult to steal. I have a 1989 LR110CSW - in original form you could start it and drive away by breaking the steering lock and direct wiring the stop solenoid. I have installed various things to tiddle off a thief, of which the most obvious and possibly the most successful has been a X-Eng X Defend Pedal Lock. It has saved my truck twice in eight years; it is not Thatcham approved, but I would not bother with an alarm as no one takes any notice of them.

It also has a distinctive paint job, 4x4 response stickers, reg - marked windows, electrical cut-off with removable key, steering lock reinforcement, a secret switch for the stop solenoid, the pedal locker, Sky-Tag tracker and is parked on my drive under CCTV. It is also insured by NFU Mutual, who are usually good about claims.

If some criminal really wants your truck, it is gone, it has to be too much hassle for them to be bothered. 

[MeC]

X-Eng X Defend Pedal Lock looks decent, I will definitely consider it. About making it distinctive, I thought about it but I was afraid that it might backfire. It felt like putting a bullseye on my LR instead of scaring people off. 

Thanks for all the advice mate, I will weigh my options and buy some security equipment asap.