Security!

[Bill_the_Bear]

Guys, here is a question.  Are any of you thinking about adding extra security measures to your new mk7s?  Any thoughts or experiences of these kind of products?  Anyone got their insurance to drop by adding anything?  Here are two things I've been thinking about:

• In car cameras
  Example: http://www.roadhawk.co.uk/roadhawk-720-black-box-camera/prod_31.html
  Ideally a forward and rear facing HD camera that adds time/date/gps data to the video and has enough battery and storage for at least 2 hours of operation.  I like my gadgets, but these do seem to cost about twice what I expected they would!  Claims to lower insurance, help exonerate you if you are blamed and deter vandalism (though if they take the cameras they are also taking the data chips so... ).
  
• Stolen vehicle tracker
  Example: http://www.tracker.co.uk/
  With modern immobilisers vehicle theft seems to have changed towards taking the keys from your home or person and the cars are either wrecked when used for other crimes or shipped out of the country before the police can get on with locating them.  On the other hand, if you keep you keys away from the kitchen table (or wire them up to the mains when you aren't using them) then you're covered right?  Unless you are car-jacked...
  

[mcmaddy]

It's thatcham category 1 approved security so no real point as most insurers aren't interested in additional security. at least that's my experience anyway.

[master_hayabusa]

I have given it some thought. Thinking of an electric shock that makes them go like this lol



But seriously, there is a cobra product, Cobratrak 5 which gives you a small pocket sized card (keep on you all the time) which basically has to be in the car for it to be driven, even if they stole your keys. If you were car jacked, and just switched the engine off and walked away, it would not start. Or when they turned off the engine (maybe stop/start tech too) it would not restart.

http://www.cobravehiclesecurity.co.uk/products/gps-vehicle-tracking/cobratrak-5-.aspx

[monkeyhanger]

Additional security on an "unremarkable" (in the insurance company's eyes) car like a Golf (even GTI/GTD) won't really reduce the risk writedown any further. Put that additional security on something with massive specialist thief appeal like an M5/Porsche 911/Audi R8 and then you'll see a difference. A neighbour of my cousin has a detached garage like a fortress for his M5 (electrically retractable bollards, very high end detection and alarming in the garage, tracking etc) and it makes a difference for him.

You've got to ask what your life is worth. Leave the car keys where a determined burglar will find them if they break in or have them ambush you in the bedroom armed to the teeth, demanding you tell them where your car keys are?

My house security is pretty good, we're in a quiet and safe area (for crime in general), but if someone bursts through my bedroom door at 3am and sticks a sawn-off shotgun in my face and demands my car keys, they can have the car, it's insured.

[master_hayabusa]

Additional security on an "unremarkable" (in the insurance company's eyes) car like a Golf (even GTI/GTD)

Mate, you'd be surprised how desirable the golf GTI is to thieves. In fact, a few days after ordering my GTI, I was watching a program on TV about car crime gangs and the gang leader specifically had a fetish for Golf GTI's He stole loads. Made me start thinking about security a lot.

[monkeyhanger]

From an insurance company point of view, the risk of them being stolen isn't enough to make additional security measures cost you less for insurance. They are as secure as they need to be for the insurance company to form a reasonable risk assessment that they are unlikely to be stolen. If someone is determined that they want YOUR car then they'll get it. In the insurance company's eyes there are better/more desireable cars out there that are as easy to steal, if not easier. Looks like my insurance premium for the GTD will be in the region of £230 a year. I could stick a £500 tracker on it with a subscription to the device monitoring management for £40 a year etc, but will my premiums go down? Nope. The bggest risk to most of us will be that our parked car has been clattered by a hit and run driver while parked up somewhere.

[Gryzor]

I've never bothered with any aftermarket security extras.  If somebody wants my car, they will take it one way or another.

[Bill_the_Bear]

Ok, so generally a low opinion of trackers...

But what about the cameras? hehehe, I love gadgets.  Someone tried a hit and run, I've got your number plate and I'll be damned if I'm losing my NCB because of you!

Thoughts?

[Gryzor]

Front and rear cameras that record a buffer of 30 seconds or so and save it in the event of a button push or an accident are not a bad idea, if they can be installed discreetly.

[Jimble]

Some american cars have cameras in the rear view mirror that are constantly recording but automatically save the last 2 minutes or so after an impact, should be standard fit in all new cars imo.