Trackers

[CondorX5]

My 4.8 strangely doesn't seem to have had one fitted ever......BMW wanted one for their insurance, so I went with my own brokers (Premier, in Consett) who didn't need or want one. I've had them in other cars and don't have strong feelings about them, but the less I pay out the better really .....

[StumpyPete]

I looked at the cost of having one fitted versus the cost of being insured without a tracker, and simple fact was for me living in Rural Scotland (low chance of theft) that it was not worth the investment. I'm saving about £100 per year (net) by not having a tracker fitted.

[NewX5]

[quote=""StumpyPete""]I looked at the cost of having one fitted versus the cost of being insured without a tracker, and simple fact was for me living in Rural Scotland (low chance of theft) that it was not worth the investment. I'm saving about £100 per year (net) by not having a tracker fitted.[/quote]


Most people I know who have looked into Tracker have had exactly the same experience as you and also myself, in fact the only people that I know are X5Sport & G60renshaw. I suppose it is more required for supercars although that is just a guest.

[X5Sport]

The various insurers we have talked to said that they required tracking devices to be fitted to any car valued at over £50k. My E53 cracked that limit when it was new, but her E46 didn't, and the E71 smashed it into powder!! I guess there may also be a requirement after SWMBO had the entire front bumper nicked off her E46 - not that a tracker would have made the slightest difference to that of course!!

[jango-fett]

Hi, i just had a tracker retrieve fitted to my car for £185. £7.50 / month subscription. It was cheaper for me to do this than taking out a new 1 year policy elsewhere. (i am 6 months into a tesco policy and changed vehicle)

[535dboy]

HAd to have one on both current BM and previous as value was more than £50k

don't get an RAC Trackstar on an E70 - it screws up the electronics

[X5Sport]

[quote=""535dboy""]don't get an RAC Trackstar on an E70 - it screws up the electronics[/quote]

Err - the Trafficmaster (no longer RAC) Trackstar systems are now the OEM offerings from BMW. Tracker lost the contract a while back.

As long as you get one of the two versions that are approved by BMW then there should be no issues. Which version caused issues? What was the issue caused?

With the signals being transmitted by cellular telephones and Beemers operate with the same channels in our mobile phones, the only way I would have expected there would be a problem was if the installation was done incorrectly (not in accordance with the Trackstar/BMW guidelines) and radiated into the vehicle wiring somehow?

[535dboy]

[quote=""X5Sport""][quote=""535dboy""]don't get an RAC Trackstar on an E70 - it screws up the electronics[/quote]

Err - the Trafficmaster (no longer RAC) Trackstar systems are now the OEM offerings from BMW. Tracker lost the contract a while back.

As long as you get one of the two versions that are approved by BMW then there should be no issues. Which version caused issues? What was the issue caused?

With the signals being transmitted by cellular telephones and Beemers operate with the same channels in our mobile phones, the only way I would have expected there would be a problem was if the installation was done incorrectly (not in accordance with the Trackstar/BMW guidelines) and radiated into the vehicle wiring somehow?[/quote]

That is correct, mine was around the switch over from Tracker to Trackstar

Mine was fitted by both the BMW Techs and Trackstar techs as one of the early cars. Can't remember which model it was but pretty much the top one if not the top one - had to carry card around etc that linked to the car, no card in car meant phonecalls etc

It went back 6+ times with similar faults with both BMW and RACTrackstar (at the time) looking over it and changing component parts etc

It was only when I lost my rag big time and demanded that they take it out and put one of the other well known makes in that all of my problems went away.

[X5Sport]

Sounds like your were a Beta Tester!! I know we had some EMC issues with the K100 bikes and UK Police radio equipment when they first came out, but in these days I would have expected that the EMC (Electro Magnetic Compatibility aka problems from radio interference - for the puzzled) issues to have been sorted before the kit went on sale. BMW probably would not let them have a car to play with and prove everything first. Takes me back a few years as that used to be my job.