Trackers

[edcase]

Found out when I picked up the car on Saturday it has a tracker fitted.

Called my insurer (Admiral) and spoke to a very unhelpful (verging on rude) Indian chap who, after initially trying to CHARGE me an extra £90 on my policy as an 'optional extra' then said that its classed as an immobiliser / alarm and does not reduce my policy.

Is that correct? Surely half the point of trackers on expensive cars is that it reduces your premiums?

Or is he just a useless bstard?

If there is no reduction in insurance, I don't think I'll even activate it, I'm not sure I would want to recover the car after someone has had their way with it.

Any thoughts?

[rs666]

Reading elsewhere on here the basic Tracker was fitted by Audi as standard.

[bobjebb]

Umm... he's a useless bastard.

Or a clever one trying to rip you off. Either way it should not increase your premium one iota. Might not reduce it by much either, but...

I have Echo on mine, plus some extra stuff. It's a tricky one, but I decided to pay up and register, it probably will do nothing, but if there's a tiny chance of the keystone cops ever actually catching the plankton, then it's worth it. But your right I probably wouldn't want it back, I'd have to get the Domestos out.

[edcase]

Who do you all have your insurance with?

I'm a 30 yr old male, with 9yrs protected NCD, car garaged, clean license, but still >£1200 a year. SE10 postcode doesn't help (greenwich / deptford) but still....

[Kev.S]

I got 10% reduction when I had an S6 with a Tracker, now, with the RS6, I've found that insurance companies are saying no Tracker- no cover. (and no reduction either!) They've got us over a barrel.
I for one won't even consider a company that uses call centres in distant parts, which is why I'm staying with my current insurers.

[oilman4345]

I have been with Direct Line for several years and they always insist on Tracker device fitting to my cars past and present. Quite happy to do this.

[SteveH]

Who do you all have your insurance with?

I'm a 30 yr old male, with 9yrs protected NCD, car garaged, clean license, but still >£1200 a year. SE10 postcode doesn't help (greenwich / deptford) but still....

I use Tesco and have struggled to find anyone cheaper with comparable cover, although there are a few threads on this forum about insurance in the ownership section thats well worth a look, i will next time I re-new.

My experience also was that nearly all insurance companies would'nt even consider the beast for theft cover unless it had a Tracker, and also wouldnt consider Tracket Retrieve, had to be the Tracker Monitor as minimum.

Last time I insured I paid £1200, for me (30 with clean licence (thankyou road angel!) and full NCD) and the Gilfriend, Protected NCD, but in hindsight over did it with up to 30K miles allowance. I will drop this considerably and anticipate it coming in at a grand next time which I believe is top value for such a high risk car.

Can anyone advise what £'s impact a stage 2 made to their insurance?

[rs666]

We are going to end up running two insurnace threads..

My mods added £100 pa and won't be replaced if unfortunate happens

[edcase]

Who do you all have your insurance with?

I'm a 30 yr old male, with 9yrs protected NCD, car garaged, clean license, but still >£1200 a year. SE10 postcode doesn't help (greenwich / deptford) but still....

I use Tesco and have struggled to find anyone cheaper with comparable cover, although there are a few threads on this forum about insurance in the ownership section thats well worth a look, i will next time I re-new.

My experience also was that nearly all insurance companies would'nt even consider the beast for theft cover unless it had a Tracker, and also wouldnt consider Tracket Retrieve, had to be the Tracker Monitor as minimum.

Last time I insured I paid £1200, for me (30 with clean licence (thankyou road angel!) and full NCD) and the Gilfriend, Protected NCD, but in hindsight over did it with up to 30K miles allowance. I will drop this considerably and anticipate it coming in at a grand next time which I believe is top value for such a high risk car.

Can anyone advise what £'s impact a stage 2 made to their insurance?

Steve, I feel slightly happier now I've seen your similar circumstances, given I live in probably a higher risk area.

[W8PMC]

Answered on your other thread.

Tracker (basic version) is standard on RS6 & RS6+ but you were offered the option to upgrade from basic to higher levels prior to delivery (this relates to new cars). Mine had the middle level (can't recall it's name) & my insurer stated it had to be fitted & working. No discount for having it, as the car is a £60K+ high performance motor so it's kinda expected, plus i'm sure insurers know it's fitted as standard, hence no discount.

[SteveH]

Steve, I feel slightly happier now I've seen your similar circumstances, given I live in probably a higher risk area.

Cheers, should that mean that I feel unhappier then! LOL

Yes Damon we have two threads !!!!!!

[SteveH]

OK lets hold on a sec and have some order please gents... this threads to do with Trackers and whether they are worth it, the others to do with insurance!!!

[edcase]

So, is the upgrade a different physical unit, or just an upgraded service.

Judging by the paperwork its a 'retrieve' system. If I wanted to go for the 'monitor' is that an all new install?

[SteveH]

Last time I purchased, in sequence the Trackers available go 1) Retrieve (activated when you call them to advise its been stolen). 2) Monitor (does what it says on the tin, for example, if they lift the car onto a truck and carry it away then the Tracker people call you pretty much instantly to check if your ok as they are monitoring the car for un-authorised movement) and finally 3) Horizon (same as monitor but with in-built GPS).

Alledgedly its a different unit;as had to have the Retrieve replaced in the RS6, but thats a whole different story.

In my last three cars I have had the Retrieve fitted and although I thankfully have not had a theft incident. I have been very happy with the piece of mind of the thing, and I only know one person who has had their car stolen (225 TT Coupe) and it was tracked immediately so they got it back within hours and without any dirt or damage at all from the scum of the earth that stole it. Whenever the car has been carried away by an Audi ambulance they have been on the ball. Did have a problem in my last car as the unit developed a fault and it kept on triggering a theft call on one of my previous Devon trips, they decided to replace the unit within a couple of days and all was good. Check the electrical section of the forum as there are some top tips from people who have had other devices fitted.

[GaryC]

I have a tracker fitted to my car and paid for lifetime subscription (about £300), but only because the saving in insurance premium pays for the device within a couple of years. Personally I'd rather never see the car again if it was stolen, but the difference in insurance cost made the case for fitting one quite compelling. Every company that asked for a tracker (ie almost all of them) insisted on the unit being at least a tracker monitor.

A minor correction to the point above - not all RS6's had trackers fitted as standard. My car was first owned by Audi UK and it didn't have a tracker fitted (as confirmed by Audi and tracker themselves), and I've known other ex Audi UK cars without a tracker too, presumably as they have some large fleet insurance policy.

Gary.