Tracker

[Humbug]

Just had my renewal email for the tracker on my bike. They tell me the internal battery is low and they will change it for me for £129 on top of the £190 annual subscription Or, they could renew the whole thing for £199 + subscription
After 7 years of regular subscription, I am looking for a cheaper alternative.
The after sales service is terrible, don't respond to emails and the helpline is like a sales team.
Any suggestions?

[Britisherspy]

You've spent over £1000 on it in that time, is it at risk of theft? If not just pack it in.

[Humbug]

Good point well made. It was just peace of mind really. The thought of someone getting their hands on my bike Grrrrr. Had three stolen before although that was in Essex and London before I moved to the East Mids. 80,000 miles its probably not worth a great deal to anyone but means quite a bit to me.
Maybe a big chain and lock thento save a bit of cash.

[fontana]

I used to work for a vehicle tracking company as an operator.
One thing I learned through that experience is that it's not worth it.
Most believe that it's as simple as the Police getting notified, getting the location and getting your vehicle back.
Believe me when I say that there is so much red tape involved, that by the time all the T's are crossed and all the i's dotted, your vehicle is in a lined container on it's way across the channel.
I have seen how it works, and I really wouldn't bother.
The Police really aren't very interested.

[stivesvelo]

Not sure I agree, recently had a classic car stolen, the tracker co. called a soon as movement was detected, it was located in a lockup and recovered in the morning after police had installed discreet surveilance in the area (so they said), they also asked to keep the car for forensic tests.

After calling them next day they hadn't done anything, then said they wouldn't get around to it for about a month! The car was dry stored & racking up fees by the day, so was taken back after paying them £150 in ransome fees, it would have been thousands in the end had they held on to it! Shame they don't let you know in the first place, also another reason insurance costs are rising if they are storing vehicles for so long & charging insurance companies at inflated rates, mind you a nice earner for someone!

Without the tracker it would have disappeared into a container which they said is usual, so not wasted money.

[fontana]

Not sure I agree, recently had a classic car stolen, the tracker co. called a soon as movement was detected, it was located in a lockup and recovered in the morning after police had installed discreet surveilance in the area (so they said), they also asked to keep the car for forensic tests.
.

Correct.
As soon as movement is detected, provided the system recognises the fob that you're supposed to carry about your person, you would not get called.
If you forget your fob, or there is a technical hitch that has prevented the in car unit recognising it, or indeed the vehicle is being nicked, the receiving centre get a movement without fob alert, which could be a theft, so that's when the operator will make a call to the customer.
If it is established that the vehicle likely has been stolen, a whole long winded process involving lot's of mind boggling red tape and bureaucracy begins, and that's where it can get very time consuming and frustrating.
After what I saw, working at an alarm receiving centre, I would never bother with it.
In any case, the thieves are quite high tech these days, and the pro's will most likely use a GPS jamming device, rendering your tracker about as useful as a chocolate fireguard.

[John Coles]

Never used one but there have been ads for some years now for a tracker the size of one of those large flat batteries used in some remotes etc. Stick it somewhere safe on the bike and link it to your phone no company involved. If the police are not interested just take a couple of big mates round to retrieve said stolen bike.

[ianbcr]

[quote="John Coles"]Never used one but there have been ads for some years now for a tracker the size of one of those large flat batteries used in some remotes etc. Stick it somewhere safe on the bike and link it to your phone no company involved. If the police are not interested just take a couple of big mates round to retrieve said stolen bike.[/quote]
I don't do face ache or twatter, but a chap showed me a thread started up by a biker who found one of these under the swing arm on his bike, (not his tracker) seems someone has put it there to track his bike so it makes it easier to follow and nick.