Tracker. Yes or no?

[KJD]

I’m mulling over wether to spec the Scorpion tracker.

Thankfully Lotus’ don’t seem to suffer from excessive theft rates but I’m thinking might as well have it as it will be factory installed (I assume).

But, I don’t think I could be bothered having to carry around the driver tag that seems to come with it.

I suppose I could leave it in the car somewhere but would that bring insurance issues if the car were to be nicked?

Any thoughts from the TLF massive?

[Beady]

When i bought my Evora LE in 2009 (one of the first 50 or so in UK), i struggled with insurance as it was so new, most companies didnt have it on their system.

All quotes I got NEEDED a tracker.

My last Evora 400 (2 years old when i got it) did NOT need a tracker for insurance.

If its not needed for insurance purposes then the question you have to ask is - if it gets stolen, do i really want it back anyway or would i rather have the money?

 

 

 

 

[Barrykearley]

Utterly pointless - any half decent thief would have no problem killing any tracker in seconds.

[jep]

I have a Metatrak on the NA. It works well and is value compared to others I looked at in the premium tracker market (Vodafone for example). Metatrak have been around for years and are primarily for commercial operators to monitor usage of a vehicle and track employees as required. It has tags but I find that no bother at all.....you just get used to it. Hiding the tag in the vehicle is pointless, as you will not know it has been taken if you are not there to see it happen.

I fitted it voluntarily, it was not an insurance requirement. I just wanted the best chance of getting the car back, though I accept an expert thief may know how to disable it. Having new brakes, clutch, gears, I don't think I would replace the car easily for the money I would likely get back from the insurer.

Justin

 

[KJD]

I suppose my issue is really about the tag thing.

I wouldn’t mind the tracker if there’s an insurance benefit and I would have a recovered car back.

(it’s not like you’d be able to replace an Emira quickly)

How can they claim 90-odd % recovery rate if it’s so easy for thieves to disable them, especially one buried in the car during build.

Can I be bothered to have a tag attached to the key is probably my question.

Also, when I had a car nicked a few years ago, they broke into the house and took the keys, to which the tag would be attached….

[jep]

Only a goon attaches the tag to the key. I have two cars with tags and they remain separate from the key. You really do get used to it.

If thieves really do disable trackers so easily and often, why do insurers insist on them on all high-end cars (McLaren, Ferrari levels)? I cannot answer that but I was comfortable doing it off my own bat for that tiny extra peace of mind. I could well be a fool.

My car keys live in a safe at home, all the time, day or night. It ain't gonna stop a planned raid but it makes it that much more tricky for the opportunist. They will seek easier prey. 

Justin

 

[MJON]

@KJD Do you have it with your Evora and did you take up the Porsche tracker option with your Macan?

[TomE]

I'm going to check with my insurer.  When I bought my Evora they insisted it had a tracker but once the value got below £50k it was no longer required.

The factory option on the Emira looks as good as any from my brief look.  I gather from Lotus folks at the roadshow the price includes first year subscription, so it's about £60-80 less than getting the same tracker yourself.

[C8RKH]

No need for a tracker when I bought my Evora 410 Sport brand new, no issues re insurance, maybe as I keep it garaged the tracker is less of an issue. Who knows with Insurance Co's...

[KJD]

1 hour ago, jep said:

Only a goon attaches the tag to the key.

Well, calling me a goon has kinda illustrated my point.

I’d have to “get used” to having to pick up two separate “keys” from separate locations every time I get in the car.

That’s the thing I don’t know if I can be bothered with.

[Kevin Wheeler]

I had a car stolen in Johannesburg once.

The tracker was found by the side of the road in Soweto. 

The car was never seen again!

[KJD]

1 hour ago, MJON said:

@KJD Do you have it with your Evora and did you take up the Porsche tracker option with your Macan?

Yes and no, kinda.

I’ve got a cheap, self-installed, thing in the Evora that I’m prepared to accept could be useless.

For the Macan I’ve got the “Find my car” option that Porsche unofficially said could be quickly upgraded if the car ever went missing.

6 minutes ago, C8RKH said:

No need for a tracker when I bought my Evora 410 Sport brand new, no issues re insurance, maybe as I keep it garaged the tracker is less of an issue. Who knows with Insurance Co's...

Exactly. 
Guessing we wouldn’t get a straight answer if it would be required as the car doesn’t exist yet.

[C8RKH]

11 minutes ago, KJD said:

Exactly. 
Guessing we wouldn’t get a straight answer if it would be required as the car doesn’t exist yet.

Don't see that as being the issue to be honest - it's just an Evora in a different dress isn't it (hahahahahahahahahahahaha!)

I guess a good broker will know, or, someone on the Industry.

[KJD]

Well, maybe.

Until you find out your insurance company insist on it and you haven’t factory specced it.

Then some oik comes round to take apart your brand new, high end, Emira interior to Scotch-block one in!

[TomE]

Some insurers like my previous one have a general principle based on value, nothing to do with what car it is or if it’s garaged.  Anything worth over £50k required a tracker. 

[Mysterae]

42 minutes ago, KJD said:

Well, maybe.

Until you find out your insurance company insist on it and you haven’t factory specced it.

Then some oik comes round to take apart your brand new, high end, Emira interior to Scotch-block one in!

That's a very good point, and if the tracker company can fit it without wrecking your car then the thieves can find it too.

The Automatrics MTrack have a youtube channel that shows you the kinda thing that happens when tracking/recovering a vehicle. As said before, do you really want it back after it's been ragged or stripped?

 

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

A tracker is required by my insurer. However even the fitter said it was a waste of money. A guy he knew ran a car security company. He left a valuable car in an airport car-park for a couple of weeks. When he got back he found the car broken into and the tracker lobbed over the fence. However the car hadn’t moved. The owner had simply fitted a hidden battery switch, which cost peanuts and was infinitely more effective at preventing the theft.

By the way, the tracker “hidden” in my Evora fell off within a week. Oh and the only time it triggers is when Lotus Silverstone put it on a ramp for its annual service, but at least that shows it’s working!

[Evotion]

ok, so the moral of the story here is to actually contact your current, or prospective, insurer and see if one is required or not to be covered.

 

[MJON]

I’m assuming the Emira will have a thatcham approved alarm/immobiliser fitted as standard? Although no mention in spec detail that I can find. Never been asked for a tracker by any insurance company I have used so far. I guess it may be dependent on location and planned usage, where parked etc. Only took it up once with a new 991s but did find carrying the fob a faff (always kept separate in pocket) and did get a couple of calls from Vodafone to tell me my car was stolen! When I was driving it 😳. All the same do plan for this car to be away from home overnight frequently so may just go for it to be added.

[KJD]

Just spoken to my current insurers (LV) and while they didn’t want a tracker for the Evora 400, they would on an Evora GT410 for example. 
The Emira isn’t on their list yet, unsurprisingly, so the 410 seemed a good substitute.

Guess that makes my decision for me.

Wonder how long it’ll take before I forget the fob…

[C8RKH]

Agreed - I think that we should take that as the defacto answer to be honest!  👍

[Beady]

17 hours ago, MJON said:

did you take up the Porsche tracker option with your Macan?

we also have a macan mummy wagon... with the official porker tracker option, I find the 'find my car' great on the odd occasion at large event car parks.

One of us routinely forgets the fob, probably once a month in year one, now once every 3 months in year 3 - they phone us to check that all is ok and put the alert system on hold for a short time. no hassle. 

[exeterjeep]

1 hour ago, KJD said:

would on an Evora GT410 for example

I'm with LV for my GT430 and no tracker has been required.  Perhaps there are differences for which parts of the country one lives in?

[KJD]

T’was ever thus with insurance.

But if there’s a chance I’ll be required to have a tracker I’d rather it was factory fitted than afterwards.

So I’ll be ticking the box, even though I’m not fussed either way.

[KJD]

As an aside to this insurance chat,

Got the renewal quote for the Macan - £1536 !

Up from £1220 last year, which I thought was already steep. (Mrs KJD doesn’t have much ncb).

So, consulted the Meerkats, double-checked all the details, and…

 

£506.

 

Is that a record?

Should Admiral be using me in their ads?

Ridiculous.