Thatcham approved trackers, fitted where it won't be found
A tracker will not stop the theft, and anybody telling you otherwise is selling. What it does is tell people where the car went while the trail is still warm, and put a team on getting it back.
Meta Trak S5 VTS
The one insurers ask for by name
Thatcham category S5, monitored around the clock, with two driver recognition tags so the system knows the difference between you taking the car and somebody else taking it.
Best for Higher value vehicles, and anybody whose insurer has asked for an S5 in writing. Also worth it on a van or a car somebody else drives, where knowing who is moving it matters as much as where it is.
Full details →
Meta Trak S5 Deadlock Pro
It gets the car back, and stops it going in the first place
Everything the S5 VTS does, plus the part that actually stops the theft: the engine will not start without an authorised tag, and you can block it from your phone.
Best for Anybody who wants one system to do both jobs, and anybody whose insurer has asked for an S5 on a car they would rather did not leave the drive at all. It is the strongest answer here for keyless vehicles.
Full details →ScorpionTrack S7
Monitored recovery, without paying for what you will not use
Thatcham category S7 and monitored around the clock. The sensible starting point when your insurer has asked for an approved tracker and nothing more complicated than that.
Best for Anybody whose insurer has asked for a Thatcham S7, and anybody who wants monitored recovery on a vehicle without paying for driver recognition they will not use. A sensible choice on a van, a second car or a caravan.
Full details →Meta Trak S7
Monitored recovery, with an app built around how the car is actually driven
Thatcham category S7, monitored around the clock, from the other major name in the range. Asset tracking without driver tags, with an app that scores how the car was actually driven.
Best for Anybody whose insurer has asked for a Thatcham S7, and anybody who wants the Meta Trak app specifically, journey scoring included, on a vehicle where driver recognition is not needed.
Full details →
ScorpionTrack S5-VTS
Driver recognition and UK monitoring, from Scorpion
Thatcham category S5, built around the way cars are actually stolen now: relay attacks, cloned keys and the OBD port. Driver recognition and a UK monitoring centre, from the other major name in trackers.
Best for Anybody whose insurer or a manufacturer-approved scheme names Scorpion specifically, and anybody who wants UK-based monitoring on a car where driver recognition matters.
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ScorpionTrack S5+
Driver recognition, monitored tracking, and the car will not start without the tag
The S5-VTS with one addition that matters: the car will not start unless the Automatic Driver Recognition tag is present. Monitored tracking and prevention from the same unit, rather than the tracker doing recovery alone.
Best for Anybody who wants the immobilisation and the monitored tracking living in one system rather than two, and anybody whose insurer or a manufacturer-approved scheme names Scorpion specifically.
Full details →ScorpionTrack S7 + X-Series Immobiliser
S7 tracking for recovery, the X-Series immobiliser for prevention
The S7 tracker for monitored recovery, and the X-Series, a separate silent immobiliser, for stopping the car being driven in the first place. Two units, fitted together, doing two different jobs.
Best for Anybody who wants both prevention and monitored recovery from Scorpion's own range, and does not already have an alarm or immobiliser fitted elsewhere.
Full details →
Meta Trak S5 Deadlock
No tag, no start, without paying for the OBD port protection you may not need
The same Thatcham S5 monitored tracking as the S5-VTS, with the part that actually stops the theft built in: the engine will not start without an authorised tag present.
Best for Anybody who wants tracking and immobilisation from one system, and whose vehicle is not on the list of cars specifically targeted through the OBD port. It is the strongest answer here for keyless vehicles, short of the Deadlock PRO.
Full details →What a Thatcham approved tracker actually does
A tracker is the only thing on this site that works after the event. Everything else we fit is there to stop the car being taken; a tracker assumes it already has been, and concentrates on getting it back while the trail is still warm. It is worth being clear about that before you spend anything, because it is the opposite of what most people assume they are buying.
The word that matters is monitored. A cheap self tracking device puts a dot on your phone and leaves the rest to you, at three in the morning, from bed. A monitored system has a staffed control room behind it: they see the car move when it should not, they ring you to check it is not simply you, and if it is not, they work with the police while the car is still moving.
Insurers use the Thatcham categories to describe what they will accept, and the two you will see are S7 and S5. S7 is asset tracking. S5 adds driver recognition, usually a small tag or card you carry, so the system knows whether an authorised driver is present and can treat the car moving without one as an alert in itself. Your insurer decides which they want, so send us their wording rather than guessing.
How it works
- 01
It reports where the car is
A small hidden unit sends its position. You can see it yourself in an app, and so can the people monitoring it.
- 02
Someone is actually watching
A staffed control room, around the clock. Not an app that pings you and hopes you are awake at three in the morning.
- 03
They act on it
If the car moves when it should not, they check with you first, then work with the police to recover it.
What this stops
- A stolen car being hidden in a lock up or container
- Long distance moves before anyone notices
- Insurers refusing cover on higher value vehicles
What it will not stop
- The theft itself, this layer is about recovery
- Someone taking parts rather than the whole car
Thatcham Trackers: worth knowing
The detail, if you want it
What do S5 and S7 actually mean?+
They are Thatcham categories. S7 is asset tracking: it reports where the vehicle is. S5 adds driver recognition through a tag you carry, so the system also knows whether an authorised driver is present and can treat the vehicle moving without one as an alert in itself. Our guide covers the difference in full.
What does monitored actually buy me?+
Somebody awake. A self managed device puts a dot on your phone and leaves the rest to you at four in the morning. A monitored system has a staffed control room behind it that sees the vehicle move, rings you to rule out the obvious, and works with the police while the car is still going. That is what the subscription pays for, not the box.
How do I know which one my insurer wants?+
Read the wording rather than the summary, and send it to us. Insurers name a category and sometimes a specific approval, and fitting the wrong one is worse than fitting nothing because you believe you are covered. We have written up how to read that wording.
Will a tracker reduce my premium?+
Sometimes, and sometimes it is simply the condition of being covered at all on a higher value vehicle. It varies far too much between insurers for anybody to promise you a discount honestly. We go through what actually happens to premiums here.
Can a thief jam the signal?+
Jammers exist and it would be dishonest to pretend otherwise. Better systems treat a blocked signal as an event rather than going quietly silent, and jamming has to be sustained and draws attention. It is still a real limit, and it is the reason we describe a tracker as a recovery plan rather than a security plan.
Common questions
What does Thatcham approved actually mean?+
Thatcham Research test and categorise vehicle security products for the insurance industry. When an insurer asks for a particular category, they are referring to that scheme. Tell us what your policy says and we will match it.
Is there a subscription?+
Monitored trackers carry an ongoing subscription, because there is a staffed control room behind them. We will be clear about that before you commit, and we will tell you if you do not need a monitored one.
Will a tracker lower my insurance?+
Some insurers reduce the premium, some simply require one before they will cover the car at all. It varies enormously, so check your own policy or ring them. We can tell you which systems usually satisfy them.
Can a thief find and remove it?+
A well hidden unit is difficult to find quickly, and speed is what matters to a thief. Where we put it is a large part of what you are paying us for, so we do not advertise the usual spots.
Do I have to keep paying for it?+
Yes, if you want it monitored. The subscription pays for the control room and the recovery service behind it, not the box on your car. We will tell you what it costs before you commit, and we will tell you honestly if a monitored system is more than you need.
What happens if a thief jams the signal?+
Better systems notice they have lost contact and treat that as an event in itself rather than going quiet. Jamming also has to be kept up, and it draws attention. It is a real limitation of any tracker though, which is why a tracker on its own is a recovery plan rather than a security plan.
Will it work if the battery is disconnected?+
Approved units carry their own backup power so they keep reporting for a period after the car battery is cut. How long depends on the unit, and we will tell you what the one we are quoting actually does rather than what sounds best.
Can I just use a cheap tracker from the internet?+
You can, and for keeping an eye on a caravan or a trailer it may be all you need. What you will not get is anybody watching it at four in the morning, or a control room that the police will take a call from. If your insurer has asked for an approved system, a cheap one will not satisfy them either.
Will the tracker work on my vehicle?+
Most vehicles from the last fifteen years or so, but it does depend on the make, model and year. Send us those three things before you commit to anything and we will confirm it, or tell you plainly that the tracker is not the right answer for your car.
How long does the fitting take?+
It depends on the vehicle and where things have to be hidden, and we would rather give you an honest figure for your car than a headline one that suits us. We will tell you when we quote, and we will tell you if it turns out to be a longer job than expected rather than rushing it.
Will it affect my manufacturer warranty?+
What we fit is designed to sit alongside your vehicle's own electronics and we do not cut into anything we should not. Manufacturers word their warranties differently though, so it is worth a quick check with your dealer first. We are happy to talk it through before you decide.
Can I use the vehicle normally afterwards?+
Yes. The Thatcham approved tracker is meant to disappear into how you already use the car. If living with it is going to change anything day to day, we will tell you exactly what before you book, not after we have left.
Not sure which one?
Send us your make, model and year, and what your insurer has asked for if anything. We will tell you honestly which tracker satisfies it.
Fitted across Liverpool, Manchester, Wirral, Cheshire, Warrington, Chester, St Helens, Widnes, Wigan, Bolton, Preston.
Which tracker fits my car?
Tell us about the car and we will ring you back, usually the same day. No charge for the advice and nobody will chase you afterwards.
Thanks, that is with us
We will ring you back shortly. If it is urgent, give us a call and we will pick up.