How To Use The Same Car Tracker On A New Vehicle
Everybody likes change, it’s just human nature. That television in the corner of the room works perfectly well but after a while we fancy something different, perhaps with a bigger screen and OLED technology. It’s the same with cars, buying a glossy new car is a special moment but, in time, that new car just becomes ‘the car’ and the urge is to replace it with a better, newer model. Naturally, that existing car will be protected by a car tracking device because that just makes sense, but can that car tracker be transferred to the new car?
Is It Worth Fitting A Car Tracker?
Absolutely. Car thieves target high-end, prestige motors as a matter of course and they are often stolen to order. It’s not just premium vehicles though, all cars are expensive, especially when on a household budget, and in the same way you would insure the television in the corner of the room against theft, so it pays to protect that automotive investment in the best way possible: With a car tracker and one that is approved by the industry-standard Thatcham Research Centre, the leading experts on vehicle security.
Using GPS and mobile technologies and depending upon the model selected, vehicle tracking devices offer a host of ways to protect a car. Car crime is rife and the criminals are up to date when it comes to knowledge of car security. Keyless entry and basic alarms are no problem for them. A small, discreet tracking device though, fitted by an approved professional technician in a secret location on the vehicle, is. If the vehicle moves or is tampered with without the key or fob being present (some car trackers also come with ID technology too) then, using GPS the car can be tracked by a central monitoring station and the police informed.
It pays to make sure that the tracking device chosen is suitable for alternative technology vehicles like hybrids and fully-electric cars. EV owners should check this when contacting a trusted and established car tracker supplier. For example, units like the Smartrack S5+ iMOB cover all the bases. This great tracker, very popular with car insurance companies, comes with ID cards as standard. If no card is present then the vehicle is immobilised and also benefits from 24/7 monitoring by the Global Telemetrics control room. If that car moves (even on a trailer) the owner will be notified instantly. It’s worth noting too that this model tracking device is entirely suitable for alternative technology cars.
Also, getting back to the point, it is fully transferable when the time comes to change the car.
How To Use The Same Car Tracker On A New Vehicle
Most car trackers on sale come with a subscription, paid monthly or annually to the tracker company. This provides the vital 24/7 monitoring of the car and its tracking device. There are a few trackers that come without a subscription but owners cannot monitor their cars when asleep. Car monitoring stations never sleep.
Of course, the tracker can be sold with the car provided the subscription plan allows for it and the new owner may be allowed to transfer the tracker to their name and continue paying the subscription or start a new one. If you do sell a car with a tracker on board make sure that the buyer and your tracker service are informed in advance or the new driver might appear to be happily motoring in an apparently stolen car and the first they will know about it is the blue lights in the rear-view mirror.
If the tracker is removed to be transferred to a new vehicle (and most trackers can be) then this job needs to be done by a Thatcham-approved technician and will, understandably, involve some additional cost. Prior to buying a unit, check that the subscription supplier will allow it, although mostly this shouldn’t be a problem.
Ultimately, it comes down to owner choice. The fitting of a vehicle tracking device might suggest to a potential buyer that the car has been properly cared for. The legendary Porsche brand for example actively recommend that a tracker be fitted. Owners will find too that by having a tracker their car insurance premiums may well be more affordable, thus mitigating the initial cost of the car tracking device.
The Car Tracker Choice
So the ability to transfer a unit is one thing to check when choosing the best GPS car tracker for your car. There’s plenty of choice, like the good value ScorpionTrack S7. This unit is Thatcham certified and is fully featured with GPS technology accurate to within ten metres, comes with a handy smartphone app and, importantly, is transferable from one vehicle to another.
Fitting a car tracker is quite simply the logical and sensible choice. Cars like Range Rovers, Jaguars and high-end Audi vehicles are targeted all the time. They can be stolen from a private driveway in a couple of minutes and the first owners will know about it, is when they spot the empty space where a car used to be.
We all like upgrading and changing a car is as commonplace as changing household goods. Three years is often the benchmark so it’s good to know that most car trackers come with a warranty, often for three years. It’s not the be-all and end-all though. Many drivers like to keep their cars. Once a vehicle has been serviced and maintained and sundry faults repaired there comes a point when the vehicle has more value being retained than it has on the used car market. Meanwhile that tracker stays in situ, protecting the freedom of the road that a personal car brings.
When it is time to buy a prestige used car though, ask the garage or owner if a tracker is fitted. It may well be possible to transfer ownership at the time of purchase and drive away knowing that your new wheels are protected from the outset.
