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There have been a few car thefts from drives in my area recently and I've been thinking about getting a tracker. Does anyone have recommendations for a cheap tracker?

Or would you go for another security device?

Trouble with a tracker is that it only comes into its own after the car is stolen. Would you not be better finding a way to reduce that likelihood?

Kill switch? Always liked Chris Fix videos
https://youtu.be/XUhXLsrZiE0

I was going to buy something very similar to this, solely to use whilst the car is sorn and stored in my sisters garage. Might not be enough of a deterant for the more determined thief, but it makes the opportunist think twice.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/QZEP-Protectio ... 9&sr=8-202

kis wrote: ↑Tue Jan 24, 2023 8:31 pm Kill switch? Always liked Chris Fix videos
https://youtu.be/XUhXLsrZiE0

that's a great idea Kis

Have you thought of Apple Airtags?

Just hide one in the car and its location can be tracked on your iphone in the same way as the find my phone feature.

I use them in luggage when travelling and they work amazingly. Picked a couple up from CEX for a few quid each

The air tags only work through Bluetooth so have a very limited range, you need something that uses gps and can send you a text alert.
I’ve got this

https://itrackgpstrackers.com/product/m ... s-tracker/

It can also help find the car when you’ve forgotten where you parked it

Chippie wrote: ↑Wed Jan 25, 2023 1:59 pm The air tags only work through Bluetooth so have a very limited range, you need something that uses gps and can send you a text alert.
I’ve got this

https://itrackgpstrackers.com/product/m ... s-tracker/

It can also help find the car when you’ve forgotten where you parked it

Fekin size of that thing loool! What a piece of sh!t.
Needs a power source and any self-respecting car thief would be able to locate that in seconds!
Fail.

Airtag would be far superior to this. Range is good enough, small/concealable and doesn't need a cable that a car thief could trace back from the battery.

Couple of year back I bought a rechargable tracker which I fitted a sim card to. Battery lasted around 3 months and it was about the size of a cigarette packet. Had a magnet on the back so could be tucked away out of sight - not foolproof but I think I paid about 40 quid for it off amazon, so worth installing just in case.

Chris_D wrote: ↑Wed Jan 25, 2023 2:10 pm Fekin size of that thing loool!

That’s because it has a rechargeable battery

I still reckon given the nature of these cars that it will be in a thousand pieces within 24 hours or less.
Rather than find the panel you fitted the tracker too, spend the money on securing it on the drive?

Chippie wrote: ↑Wed Jan 25, 2023 1:59 pm The air tags only work through Bluetooth so have a very limited range, you need something that uses gps and can send you a text alert.

That is true but they don't have limited range.

The way they work is that they connect to ANY apple device with bluetooth which then relays the signal to the icloud and then to your device. If YOU have an Apple phone and bluetooth is activated, your device can pick up a nearby airtag signal and become the relay and you will never know.

All you have to do to find your air tag anywhere in the world, is use the find my phone App which tracks all your devices including your air tag. The batteries are constantly on sending a signal and last about 2 years.

We put one in each of our cases whenever we travel abroad and have tracked them onto the plane and through the airport. I have seen them used on dog collars to track dogs if they get lost, my wife carries one in her hand bag whenever she goes out in case it gets stolen or she looses it.

Be careful though, they have been used to track errant partners. Slipped into a pocket or handbag and they can be lets say, expensive?

https://www.apple.com/uk/airtag/#:~:tex ... %20privacy.

Nanu wrote: ↑Wed Jan 25, 2023 8:44 pm The way they work is that they connect to ANY apple device with bluetooth which then relays the signal to the icloud and then to your device. If YOU have an Apple phone and bluetooth is activated, your device can pick up a nearby airtag signal and become the relay and you will never know.

Very interesting I didn’t realise that

A cheap option for you hysben?

If your car gets stolen, which hopefully will never happen, all that is needed is someone to come within bluetooth range of the car at some point in time and bingo, you know where the car is.

These days I think it's difficult to avoid coming within range of somebody with an Apple device.