For any car owner, or anybody who uses cars as a key part of their business (such as leasing) having a car tracker can be the most crucial point of security in case your car is ever stolen or misused. Car thieves are becoming more efficient and astute with their theft, finding new ways of being able to enter your vehicle.
That is why we at Car Specialist Customs offer car tracker solutions for your vehicle, but what is a car tracker? In this article, we will be discussing car trackers, their uses, reliability, cost and costings.
What is a car tracker?
A GPS tracker for your car is a small device placed in a hard-to-locate area of your car, the tracker works by emitting a signal that when used in conjunction with the appropriate software, shows the location (and sometimes the journey taken) of the car.
The benefits of having a GPS tracker in your car are that:
- If stolen, you will know the location of your car.
- You have peace of mind when away from your vehicle.
- Car leasing companies have a complete understanding of their customer’s usage of their car and whether they followed pre-agreed rules or not in regard to mileage etc.
At Car Specialist Customs, we are happy to be a supplier and installer of Car Trackers, working with brands such as Meta Trak, Pandora, Scorpion and SmarTrack. Trusted and approved brands when it comes to car security.
Are car trackers any good?
If you value the security of your car, especially if your job revolves around the usage of a car, car trackers are not good. They are one of the best investments you can make. To highlight this we will be discussing are most premium car tracker available, the MetaTrack S5 VTS Deadlock.
MetaTrack S5 VTS Deadlock
The MetaTrack S5 VTS Deadlock is the standard S5 + insurance-approved tracking system from industry giant, Meta.
The Meta Trak S5 uses Automatic Driver Recognition (ADR) as its first line of defence against vehicle theft.
Should the ignition be turned on without the ADR tag present the unit will transmit an alert to the control room and a Push Notification to the owner’s mobile phone allowing quick identification of possible theft.
- Automatic Immobilisation – On leaving your vehicle the Metatrak S5 Deadlock Immobiliser will automatically immobilise the vehicle and prevent an engine restart should the driver ADR tag not be detected.
- Remote Immobilisation – In the event of theft, the vehicle can be remotely immobilised by the customer from the Smartphone app or upon Police request via the Meta control room.
- ADR Tag Override – The owner can also activate the Metatrak S5 VTS Deadlock to only release the immobiliser from the mobile phone app, handy if you are concerned about your keys being vulnerable or the vehicle being stolen. Simply turn the ADR option off in the app and should the Metatrak S5 VTS Deadlock detect the ADR tags it will remain immobilised until told to switch off via the smartphone app.
Features include:
- Insurance-approved
- Driver ID tags included with “no tag, no start” technology.
- Immobilise via mobile app & web application
- OBD port protection (optional)
- 24-hour control room monitoring
- European coverage
- Battery backup
- Journey history & score
- Instant alerts
- Low battery, tamper and geo-fence alerts
- Motion alerts
- Transferable
- 12 & 24 volts compatible
- 1-year warranty
How much is a car tracker?
How much does a car tracker cost? Our selection ranges from car trackers costing £249, all the way to over £1000. The main difference between the premium and entry-level ranges will be the features available, with our premium stock offering more features such as immobilisation. With that being said, let us take a look at one of the most affordable options in our range.
SmarTrack Protector Pro Global
The SmarTrack Protector Pro Global uses the latest in GPS tracking technology, making the device very small and covert. The tracker itself is rugged and waterproof, making it suitable for many applications (not just cars). It also has an internal battery installed, meaning it will continue to send its location if its power source is removed/tampered with.
The tracking system will provide low vehicle battery alerts, tow-away alerts, and battery disconnect alerts. It is also fully transferable to your next vehicle.
Convenience Features
- Insurance Approved
- 24-hour control centre
- European Coverage
- Waterproof case (IP67 rated)
- Battery Backup
- Low Battery Alerts
- Motion Alerts
- Battery Disconnect Alerts
- App Access
- GPS, GPRS, GSM, and LBS tracking technology
- Transferable to new vehicle
- 3 years device warranty
- 12 & 24 volts compatible
What is the best car tracker to buy?
When it comes to knowing which car tracker to buy, it is best to know your budget and what your specific needs are, considering we have shared our entry-level tracker and our most premium tracker, we feel we should share some information on 5 more car trackers that you can buy today.
- ScorpionTrack S7 VTS – Another affordable car tracker, which houses features such as journey tracking, geo-fencing and driver behavioural analysis. Interaction is facilitated through the use of a free app, providing 24/7 coverage 365 days a year. Click here to view the full specifications.
- Meta Trak Shield – A car tracker that offers the option to also have an immobiliser, this tracker has European coverage as standard, including real-time tracking, tampering alerts and even towing alerts. To view the full specifications, click here.
- SmarTrack S5+ iMob – Featuring a no tag, no start function in which the car is immobilised until the correct tag is used, this tracker takes your security even further whilst including the standard GPS tracking features. Check the full list of specifications here.
- SmarTrack S5 D-iD – With the standard features available, this model of car tracker from SmarTrack offers very user-friendly accessibility by having the user’s smartphone act as the ID Tag in order to start the vehicle. The full list of its specifications can be found here.
- MetaTrak Pulsar – This unique tracker requires no hardwiring and is fully wireless. With programmable ‘awake times’ this tracker is long-lasting and efficient, see the full list of features and specs here.
Does my car have a tracker?
Unless you are leasing this car, or it’s a work vehicle, its tracker is the prerogative of the owner and unless you signed any documentation that states you do not consent to be tracked, there is no further action you can take. At the very least, contact the vehicle owner if you need to travel more than what was previously agreed.
Unfortunately, there are instances where people use car trackers for more nefarious purposes. However, with a bit of looking you should be able to find if you are being tracked, here is a quick guide on how to find a tracker on a car:
There are two types of trackers, monitored, in which location is shared live. And unmonitored, where location is stored on the device and viewable when the device is in the hands of its user.
What to look out for:
- A small box or rectangle (usually with wires coming from it)
- Any abnormalities in or outside your car
- Wiring that you can physically see
Where to look:
- In the wheel well of your car
- Around your front and back bumpers
- Any crevice or space outside the car that is not subject to heat or direct weather.
- In and around the dashboard, including the glove compartment
- Underneath, behind and on the sides of seats
- In your boot and in the spare tire storage.
What to do if you find a tracker:
GPS Trackers are legal, however, if someone is tracking your vehicle without your consent, it then becomes illegal. We advise you to ring your local police and have them remove it for you. Hopefully, they should have the ability to trace its owner.
Get on track with Car Specialist Customs
If you’d like more information about our services and products, or clarity on how we can help you, don’t hesitate to get in contact with us. Our specialist team provide around-the-clock quality care and services to help you find the product or service that fits your needs.
To reach us and get more information today, you can contact Car Specialist Customs at 07523 971347 or use our email at info@carspecialistcustoms.co.uk for the quickest responses and swift support from members of our team.
Alternatively, if you prefer to browse independently, you can find a portfolio of our work here with plenty of photos to show off our quality. Whatever you choose to do, we have no doubt that you’ll find what you’re looking for with us.
We hope to have provided insight into ‘what is a car tracker?’ for my insightful articles on the services we offer and questions we want to help address, head over to our blog page.
We at Car Specialist Customs hope this has been an insightful and helpful resource for you, answering questions you may have had whilst providing an in-depth and thorough breakdown of our services along with the top-quality products that we offer.