DESPERATE FOR YOUR HELP - Tracker thread - BUT slightly different

[BRABUS]

Ok so we are having some issues with a supplier of some equipment in our vehicle. i wont say any more in case they reading this and take me to court.

let’s just say that the vehicle HAS to go back to them to rectify THEIR failings (we don’t have a choice so please don’t go down that route as it’s an arguement I have been having) and I want to know exactly where it is at all times.

I know that a normal car thief would pull all of the panels and find a simple tracker. I know that the company may well have people on here looking as they know I come here for advice.

so please can anyone tell me, via private message, where (no rude answers LOL) I can stick this and where there is an easy place to get power so that it stays alive as long as possible.

this is what I am planning on sticking in as it is quick and not too costly to me at the moment. Any help would be greatly appreciated because the way these people are treating us currently is making me feel pretty depressed and not in a good place.

TruTrak FMT100 PAYG | TruTrak

Easy Self-installation by connecting 2 wires to your battery. Start immediately with 14 days free credit included Pay As You Go (PAYG), no contract, just Top-Up when you like with PayPal Works with Android, iPhone, MAC and PC Covers 176 Countries including the UK and all of Europe Internal...

www.trutrak.co.uk

 

[t0mb0]

We use a battery one - you can stick that literally anywhere and it’s not defeated by pulling the power.

There are loads of similar models on amazon and the like, the one we have is an LK209 and the battery lasts months. The one caveat is that the user interface isn’t the most polished and may be a struggle to set up if you’re not naturally too techie.

 

[DXX]

We have free speech in the UK, unless you are inciting hatred or being unjustifiably defamatory you have a right say what you want where you want and to whoever you want.

 

[Pauly]

Quick easy fix with a battery powered device, something like apple airtag or kensington proximo

 

[BRABUS]

We have free speech in the UK, unless you are inciting hatred or being unjustifiably defamatory you have a right say what you want where you want and to whoever you want.

We do indeed but companies have lawyers that can end up costing you money just to defend yourself so that’s why I am being careful. But I totally get what you say and I thank you for your support .

Quick easy fix with a battery powered device, something like apple airtag or kensington proximo

I hadn’t thought of those. don’t they notify people though that an AirTag is nearby and so they would be aware for certain that we are tracking them. i am not fully up to speed on AirTags.

 

[BikerPa]

I hadn’t thought of those. don’t they notify people though that an AirTag is nearby and so they would be aware for certain that we are tracking them. i am not fully up to speed on AirTags.

@BRABUS I think you’ll find AirTags only notify someone who is not the registered owner if it stays very close to them constantly for some period of time (like if a dodgy character drops theirs on you/your bag/property etc to track you, your iPhone would alert you of it)

Otherwise they are ‘invisible’ to other Apple users devices which just ping the location to apples secure system so the ‘owner’ can see the location on the Find My app

I have one in my van which is currently ~300miles away being ‘fixed’ & it works well.

You don’t get alerts if it moves & you have to physically check the app but if the vans battery is disconnected or the van is indoors etc when GPS is poor any iPhone nearby still silently updates it’s location

Put it this way I can see when mine goes in/out of the workshop, where it is currently parked & when it was last pinged by an Apple device.
HTH

 

[BRABUS]

@BRABUS I think you’ll find AirTags only notify someone who is not the registered owner if it stays very close to them constantly for some period of time (like if a dodgy character drops theirs on you/your bag/property etc to track you, your iPhone would alert you of it)

Otherwise they are ‘invisible’ to other Apple users devices which just ping the location to apples secure system so the ‘owner’ can see the location on the Find My app

I have one in my van which is currently ~300miles away being ‘fixed’ & it works well.

You don’t get alerts if it moves & you have to physically check the app but if the vans battery is disconnected or the van is indoors etc when GPS is poor any iPhone nearby still silently updates it’s location

Put it this way I can see when mine goes in/out of the workshop, where it is currently parked & when it was last pinged by an Apple device.
HTH

Thanks for that really helpful info, I have sent you a private message.

 

[Oceanis]

If it is going to a workshop, there are 2 possible scenarios, one where they don't find the tracker and one where they do - regardless of where you hide it.

Anyone working on a van would have a legitimate reason to disconnect the vehicle battery - so a loss of external power alert doesn't get you very far - you don't need this feature IMO.
Anyone working on a van would also have a legitimate reason to put it on jacks or a ramp - so a bump alert doesn't get you very far either - so you don't need this feature either IMO.

Anyone finding the tracker, regardless of where it is fitted, could remove it and leave it on their workbench.

So my advice is fit a tracker that doesn't connect to the vehicle at all and be very inventive as to where you hide it - your primary concern is it being found.

@BRABUS I think you’ll find AirTags only notify someone who is not the registered owner if it stays very close to them constantly for some period of time (like if a dodgy character drops theirs on you/your bag/property etc to track you, your iPhone would alert you of it)

Otherwise they are ‘invisible’ to other Apple users devices which just ping the location to apples secure system so the ‘owner’ can see the location on the Find My app

I have one in my van which is currently ~300miles away being ‘fixed’ & it works well.

You don’t get alerts if it moves & you have to physically check the app but if the vans battery is disconnected or the van is indoors etc when GPS is poor any iPhone nearby still silently updates it’s location

Put it this way I can see when mine goes in/out of the workshop, where it is currently parked & when it was last pinged by an Apple device.
HTH

Do you know that it hasn't been "discovered" by any of the workshop employees? ... They may know it is there but aren't concerned by it.

 

[BRABUS]

They may be lucky and they workshop they are using is really cool and has no concerns (I cant say I feel the same about ours) and may have just been explaining it this way as an example to help me out.

I really hope for their sake that their workshop is indeed cool and they have no concerns.

If it is going to a workshop, there are 2 possible scenarios, one where they don't find the tracker and one where they do - regardless of where you hide it.

Anyone working on a van would have a legitimate reason to disconnect the vehicle battery - so a loss of external power alert doesn't get you very far - you don't need this feature IMO.
Anyone working on a van would also have a legitimate reason to put it on jacks or a ramp - so a bump alert doesn't get you very far either - so you don't need this feature either IMO.

Anyone finding the tracker, regardless of where it is fitted, could remove it and leave it on their workbench.

So my advice is fit a tracker that doesn't connect to the vehicle at all and be very inventive as to where you hide it - your primary concern is it being found.

thank you, all very valid and useful comments.

 

[Mike23864]

What is the reason you want to track it? Are you concerned they’ll be driving round in it or something else?

 

[BikerPa]

Do you know that it hasn't been "discovered" by any of the workshop employees? ... They may know it is there but aren't concerned by it.

No idea.
2 different dealers haven’t mentioned it & as most tech’s are so busy ATM I doubt they’ve spotted it or are bothered by it TBH

 

[BRABUS]

What is the reason you want to track it? Are you concerned they’ll be driving round in it or something else?

I wish I could tell you, I wish I could tell the world. when it’s all sorted then maybe a I will be able to, I hope.

 

[Boyd River]

I wish I could tell you, I wish I could tell the world. when it’s all sorted then maybe a I will be able to, I hope.

So 7 months on, can you tell us? Is it something thats nothing to do with bringing down the cost of the insurance?

 

[DXX]

Possibly so Q can keep an eye on the van and 007’s location, Aston Martins stand out in the crowd.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Possibly so Q can keep an eye on the van and 007’s location, Aston Martins stand out in the crowd.

Nah! We use Smart Blood now, trackers are sooo yesterday…

 

[BRABUS]

So 7 months on, can you tell us? Is it something thats nothing to do with bringing down the cost of the insurance?

Ok I will tell you what I can.

we were right to track it. This vehicle was used when it shouldn’t have been. the trackers (yes more than one) and the several AirTags that were fitted showed that after it was confirmed that the Issue was fixed after a part was replaced this vehicle went on a trip. Now call me suspicious but the place it went to and was parked up for a while outside of, was a specialist parts supplier that only a company like these would use.

The trackers all confirmed the exact same thing, I tracked them in real time and kept copies of all of the logs. We are still waiting for even a response to our request to explain why the vehicle went In this journey. it wasn’t just a couple of miles either. also when it was due to be reuturned to us we were told that it was with VW, it wasn’t, it was sat outside their workshop. Their stories don’t match and I obviously record all phone conversations with them after a previous incident with them, I do not trust them at all and obviously have good reason not to as you can see.

Unfortunately we are in a tricky situation where we will likely have to deal with them at a minimum annually or worst case more often if the equipment they have fitted breaks down again. Which it has done again since I first posted about this.

For those wishing to use AirTags, I would highly recommend that you look at videos on YouTube telling you how to disconnect the speaker inside them, this won’t allow people to hear any audio warnings as to where they are hidden.