I'm thinking of getting a Tracker unit for my new SM.

What are peoples opinions of Tracker,??

Have you had Tracker yourself?? What were your experiences??

Are you also thinking of Tracker to protect your pride and joy??

The journey start's right here :yes:

Edited 26 August, 201015 yr by Macdemon

It's a fine piece of equipment but the fitters will rip your new car apart to fit it. Will they fit the trim back properly and without damage? I doubt it. I have seen cars in the midst of a Tracker fit with half of the interior pulled out.

Besides, I am of the opinion that if someone steals my car I don't want it back after it has been thrashed by some ne'er do well.

Of course, some cars must have Tracker fitted before you can obtain insurance; in which case you have no choice. Whilst there is a choice, no thanks.

Don't think I'll bother. I live in the county with the lowest crime rate in Wales, and will only start worrying when the sheep learn to drive.

I don't think Skoda's particularily warrant one,there's far more desirable cars out there that the thieving scumbags want.

I had a tracker response on my R32, it didn't decrease my insurance premuim but was handy because i could keep tabs on the wife via tracking it/her where abouts on the net.!

Edited 26 August, 201015 yr by carisbrook

I had one fitted to my Impreza Turbo a few years back - brought the insurance down in the first year by £600 and in subsequent years I couldn't get insurance without having one fitted.

Back in 2001 it cost over £400 for the unit and fitting, then either £99 per year or £399 for life for it to be monitored.

I've never felt the need to have one fitted since.

If you are going to fit something like a Tracker, definately go for the genuine article. The VHF version on the Tracker website.

There are others selling GPS based systems and I would advise against there. I run a fleet of minibuses and we use a GPS system so we can see where the drivers are. When a vehicle was stolen the unit was removed quickly. When I phoned the GPS manufacturer technical department I was told some rather interesting things...

GPS systems are easy to find, using a regular peice of everyday technology.

They are also easy to block or remove.

From experience I would not waste my money on a GPS only based system for my personal vehicle. For a little more a month you get get a propper VHF Tracker and it's a lot better.

My understanding is exactly per CT17's post. It seems a 'gizmo' is readily available on a certain internet auction site that can instantly locate or render useless the GPS based trackers. VHF based systems are the way to go.

These days they steal your car by breaking into your house and taking the keys from there... The alarm and immobiliser technology is just too good for your average crook to break your car window and "hotwire" a car anymore.

So in my view you would be better off just spending your money (or a bit of thinking time) as to where you keep your keys in your house. Job done. Forget about a Tracker.

So in my view you would be better off just spending your money (or a bit of thinking time) as to where you keep your keys in your house. Job done. Forget about a Tracker.

Not sure I agree 100% with that one.

If they really want the car (and we are talking about a cheap car here, so it's unlikely) I'd rather they took the keys and went with the car than threatened my wife or young son to get them.

Not sure I agree 100% with that one.

If they really want the car (and we are talking about a cheap car here, so it's unlikely) I'd rather they took the keys and went with the car than threatened my wife or young son to get them.

That is true as well of course. You read about so many people that got run over by the thieves in their own cars when they tried to stop the thugs. You are probably better off to just let it go and leave the keys in plain sight. But human nature and instinct is to protect your stuff. You can't win. So in my book it is just what will be, will be and hopefully the Yeti's standard defences are enough.

I've had Tracker Retrieves on my last two cars in light of where I used to live, and couldn't fault the fitters TBH. The only indication I ever got of where either was fitted was when I had a problem put right that caused a couple of false alarms a couple of years ago. Other than that, both units were fine before and since. The thing that made me choose Tracker as opposed to any other one was the fact they DIDN'T supply any stickers, on the grounds that it advertises that the owner thinks a car's worth nicking, and as such is an invitation to a determined thief to rip apart the interior to find it - more harm than good.

I must say, I also use a steering lock, because although they can be got off in a few minutes, I reckon they ARE a reasonable deterrent to an opportunistic thief even if they won't put off a determined one...

Having said this, trackers ARE a lot of money, and I'm not sure if I'll bother again now I live in a nicer part of the world. The advantage I still have, I suppose, is that if the house is broken into and my keys are taken by force, or if I ever get carjacked, I have a chance of seeing the car again. If I'd actually want to, and whether this is a genuine risk for a Fabia vRS (or a Yeti, for that matter) is something different altogether, I suppose...

Clear as mud, then? Sorry!