Security
Can anyone recommend a good security alarm and or tracker for our newly aquired Broadway? It must have the ability to be set on occasions when we leave the dogs inside (briefly). Our insurers give a 5% discount for a Thatcham cat 1 alarm or a tracker class 5 or 6. Which of these two afford the best security?
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Van Bitz Alarm. Super, reliable and very loud especially with the Growler upgrade. A very professional installation.
Perversely Cat 5 alarm is better than cat 6 because Cat 5 is monitored and will contact you if tracker is activated. Insurers will most likely give a discount for either cat 5 or cat 6 but Cat 5 is much more expensive both for installation and monitoring.
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We have a Van Bitz Strike Back alarm fitted to our motorhome. Have a look at their website as they provide a lot of information. Not sure where you are based but they are in Taunton in Somerset and they will provide a free overnight stay at the campsite next to their premises.
David
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Our Broadway has the Cobra alarm which was fitted on behalf of the dealer by TSN. We also have a local AS dealer who uses this Company. They have a call-out service if anything goes wrong.
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Auto watch did ours in the last two Carthagos...they seem to do all the MH for that dealer and are based in north Birmingham area.
alarm has sensors on all external lockers and hatches and inside movement sensors which can be disabled.
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I think an alarm sounding serves to annoy people who then curse it rather than alerting them to a potential theft. Most 'professional' thieves will quickly disarm it anyway.
A tracker is only of use if the report to the police is given high priority by them. Ask yourself how likely that is these days.
Any discount given by an insurance company for a tracker will likely be exceeded by the subscription to the tracking service. Similarly, the discount given for having an alarm or tracker will likely be but a spot in the ocean compared to the installation cost.
Like DD's, our insurance company wasn’t bothered about an alarm or a tracker. We use a steering lock as a visible deterent and I’m another who wouldn’t want it back if it was stolen.
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The Van Bitz Growler has five sounders two of which are inside. They are designed to be discordant and I doubt anyone would want to hang around inside our small van with the racket it makes which of course is the whole idea. Each sounder is autonomous so disarming each one in a short time would not be easy.
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A tracker is only of use if the report to the police is given high priority by them.
I think Tracker themselves trigger the signal when you tell them your vehicle has been nicked....
The signal is then picked up by patrolling traffic cars equipped with a receiver and certainly in some forces (or the NPAS now) the chopper....
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As I said, TT, it ultimately depends on the priority given by the police to the report. We are in their hands.
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TW.......This might be of interest to you then......
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'Lucky' them getting their van back.
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Exactly.
No car or van of mine will ever have a Tracker.
If it get's nicked I'll have the insurance payout thanks.....
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I’m with you there.
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An alternative view for consideration. Alarms and trackers are just additional deterrents in the same way that steering wheel locks or vehicle wheel locks are. The aim is to encourage would be thieves to move on to the next van because your van looks a "tough one to crack". I know a really determined thief will get through just about any level of protection but I just want to make it that bit harder for them. My insurance did insist on additional security so I have fitted an Auto Watch alarm and SmarTrac Tacker which I am happy with and hope I will never need to use to recover the van.
I have had the unpleasant experience of having my house burgled while away on holiday and the police advice was to add additional window locks, security lights, alarms, CCTV etc to try and deter the next thief.
Gerry
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A car alarm was howling at Tesco yesterday - nobody took any notice. A man got in the car and drove it away. Was he the owner or was he a thief? Nobody took any notice.
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I appreciate that the alarm sounding in a supermarket car park is often ignored. It might have been different if it was a motorhome or caravan with an alarm going. Most vans spend most of their time on a campsite or on their drive at home. I would hope that an alarm sounding in those situations would generate some interest from neighbours so I still think the investment is worth it.
Gerry
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My view as well Gerry. If you store at home an alarm going off will also alert the owner that something is up. Even in a supermarket car park I would at least give the car a second look just to check as I would if one of my neighbours house alarms went off.
David
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