Which Tracker to install????

[michelin]

My, hopefully, prospective new car has the VTS system installed but has never been activated. 

I've read a fair about it and have come to the conclusion I'd rather have another system given it's annoyances and also value for money over other systems. 

I would like to have live tracking. 

Any help appreciated. 

Thanks you. 

[michelin]

Does anybody know which actual system is fitted to the car?

Trying to research specs and prices. 

Cheers

[r1flyguy]

What annoyances are those then?????

 

ive had the porsche trackers system on both my cars for 5 years now with no issues other setting the bells ringing when the battery expire in the fob!

[Patt]

I remember having to advise the company every time the car went in for a service as it should detect being raised on the ramps.

Only other issue I can recall is where they install the unit.  I recall a friends S3 had it installed in the rear 1/4 panel and was nto secure enough so regularly "clunked" as it it the bodywork whilst enjoying corners and roundabouts.

Personally I don't think the insurance savings justify the annual fees, let a lone the installation cost.

[Araf]

1 minute ago, Patt said:

Personally I don't think the insurance savings justify the annual fees, let a lone the installation cost.

I generally agree, though the Macan owner that had a £5k excess on their policy until such time as they had a working system in their name would probably disagree.  

[Patt]

Exactly - I've only fitted them where I couldn't insure the car without. 

Mostly jap imports, but not solely.

[JohnSyn]

2 hours ago, michelin said:

Does anybody know which actual system is fitted to the car?

Trying to research specs and prices. 

Cheers

The Porsche system is run by Vodaphone

[Jason986S]

My Porsche has one, but not had to use/test it as it may or may not be active  I have all the paperwork from when it was installed a couple of months after delivery from the OPC. I've never had one in any of my previous cars which were mostly Jap/imports and heavily modified. Insurance only once insisted on a Thatcham approved alarm & immobiliser and nothing more.

[Patt]

if you don't pay a yearly subscription - then it is NOT active.

[JohnSyn]

26 minutes ago, Araf said:

I generally agree, though the Macan owner that had a £5k excess on their policy until such time as they had a working system in their name would probably disagree.  

Agreed Ian

And for my current car whilst the maths were against having a tracker, I had one installed in the hope, if it was stolen, that I might get it back! 

[solwisesteve]

Interesting... I'm looking into this exact same topic at the moment but as a DiY fitment. You can get very good tracker/loggers for about fifty quid (not from China on ebay!). These have a slot for a GPRS SIM and you can configure them over bluetooth or connection to a PC depending upon the model. So they have built in GPS/GPRS and also a data SD for secure data storage; they even have a backup battery option for security even if the battery is disconnected. As far as the ongoing costs are concerned you can go for a system based around a proper browser front end or with a phone app (I think actually there's an app+browser software option as well). The browser solution is about three or four quid a month and the app is a one off of about fifteen quid. Of course on top of that there's the monthly data sim BUT it's all done via SMS so it can be a REAL cheap SIM PAYG deal... I was looking at a giffgaff sim that's unlimited texts for a tenner and it lasts FOR EVER!!

[Patt]

I have a mate who has converted a large screen smart phone as his head unit.  Nice install all fibre glassed in etc. and a small separate amplifier behind the dash.

He uses the "find my phone" app on the phone as a tracker.

The only down side I can see is it relies you to know the car has been moved first.  ie it is reactive not proactive.  Still a very cheap solution that gives him tunes (updated each time he parks at home) and sat nav, google etc

The only plus point to Traker that I can recall is that the Police can also track from their vehicles.

For a "normal" car I see it as a nice to have, for a more exotic or rare car, eg John's limited run and highly desirable spider I'd deem it for a necessity

[Araf]

And the beauty of having a tracker is that thieves don't know whether a car has one fitted or not.....  

 

.....except for John's car.  

[Patt]

unless you leave you service book in the car - no-one should know....let alone where it is fitted.

I'm sure John is not the only one ;-)

[Araf]

3 minutes ago, Patt said:

unless you leave you service book in the car - no-one should know....let alone where it is fitted.

I'm sure John is not the only one ;-)

Just a leg-pull.   For the past 10 years, all cars have been fitted with the wiring for PTS, so it would be difficult to know which cars are and which cars aren't.

[JohnSyn]

7 hours ago, Araf said:

And the beauty of having a tracker is that thieves don't know whether a car has one fitted or not.....  

 

.....except for John's car.  

You are aweful.......but I like you!

[motosparkz]

11 hours ago, Araf said:

Just a leg-pull.   For the past 10 years, all cars have been fitted with the wiring for PTS, so it would be difficult to know which cars are and which cars aren't.

& one of the reasons I would recommend an aftermarket one,  factory wiring means only one install position for said scumbag to look for ?

[JohnSyn]

5 hours ago, motosparkz said:

& one of the reasons I would recommend an aftermarket one,  factory wiring means only one install position for said scumbag to look for ?

Interesting you say that.

a good friend had his 991 stolen and subsequently recovered via the tracker. The thieves had wrecked the car trying to find where the tracker was, which they didn't find. In fact so badly, for example they removed part of the wiring loom, the car was nearly written off!

I'm sure some will know but clearly others don't.

The problem, if the car has a Porsche warranty, is that an aftermarket installed tracker could invalidate the warranty. 

[motosparkz]

Yep, that will be the case with new stuff, always will, I was talking anything more than a couple/few years old

Bit of an old wifes tale the warranty malarkey, No car manufacturer could ever invalidate warranty if anything aftermarket was fitted, unless it directly affected said item. This is just a scaremongering tactic started by dealers

[michelin]

Thanks for the input guys. What sort of cost is The Porsche VTS yearly? Is there a deal to be hand with Vodafone if you pay 3 years up front for instance?

[Boxob]

13 hours ago, JohnSyn said:

a good friend had his 991 stolen and subsequently recovered via the tracker. The thieves had wrecked the car trying to find where the tracker was, which they didn't find. In fact so badly, for example they removed part of the wiring loom, the car was nearly written off!

It gets to a point when you'd probably prefer not to have the car back! (Although I'd exclude yours from that statement).

[JohnSyn]

47 minutes ago, Boxob said:

It gets to a point when you'd probably prefer not to have the car back! (Although I'd exclude yours from that statement).

That's exactly how he was! The car had a lot of work done to it and was off the road for some time as they had to build the part of the wiring loom that was destroyed 

And you are right about my car 

[Greenman]

19 hours ago, michelin said:

Thanks for the input guys. What sort of cost is The Porsche VTS yearly? Is there a deal to be hand with Vodafone if you pay 3 years up front for instance?

Is was told by the dealer it's of the order of £200-£250 per year.  I checked my insurance with and without and difference was < £50 so I have never activated mine.