Security
Thatcham S7 trackers
£449
Vehicle security
Thatcham S5 trackers
A Thatcham S5 tracker is monitored tracking with driver recognition tags, certified to Category S5. It is the category insurers usually name on higher-value cars, but check your policy for the one yours asks for.
Price £549
What an S5 tracker is
Category S5 is Thatcham's certification for tracking systems that also know who is driving. It does everything Category S7 does: a concealed unit reports the vehicle's position to a monitoring centre. On top of that it adds automatic driver recognition, usually called ADR.
You carry a small tag. When the car moves with the tag present, that is you. When the car moves without it, the system treats it as a theft in progress and the monitoring centre acts on that immediately rather than waiting for you to notice the car is gone.
That difference is why S5 is the category insurers ask for on cars that get stolen by having their keys relayed from a hallway. The thief has the key signal. They do not have the tag.
When you need one
Almost everyone fitting S5 is doing it because a policy named it. High-value cars, performance cars, and anything on a specialist or agreed-value policy tend to attract the requirement, and it is usually non-negotiable once it has been set.
It is also the right answer for anyone whose real worry is a keyless theft off the driveway overnight. S7 will tell you where the car went. S5 raises the alarm as it is happening.
If your insurer has only asked for a tracker without naming a category, S7 is likely to be enough and costs less. We would rather point you there than sell you the more expensive product you did not need.
How we fit it
The tracking unit goes in concealed and wired into the vehicle's own loom. The tags are then paired to the system and tested on your own car, so you leave knowing it recognises them rather than assuming it will when the moment comes.
We test the theft scenario before you go: the car moved without a tag present, and the alert that produces. It is a short test, and the only way to know the thing you are actually buying works.
The work is done by an IMI-approved technician trained by The OBD Company, on dealer-level tools rather than a generic cable.
Your certificate is emailed to you by the monitoring platform once the system is fitted and tested.
What's included
- Thatcham-certified (Category S5) tracking unit
- Two ADR driver recognition tags, paired and tested
- Concealed installation into the vehicle's own wiring
- Live test with the monitoring centre, including the no-tag alert
- First year's monitoring subscription
- Certificate emailed to you once the system is fitted and tested
Why us for this
We fit ScorpionTrack and Gecko Track, and we are an authorised installer for both. ScorpionTrack is made by Scorpion Automotive in Chorley and issues its own install certificate; which system we propose depends on your car and on what your policy names.
Everything is fitted at our unit at 85 Bogmoor Road in Glasgow, across from the Shieldhall test centre. S5 involves pairing and testing as well as fitting, and it is not work that should be done at the roadside.
The subscription has to stay live for the cover to hold. The first year is included, then it renews annually. A lapsed subscription means the requirement your insurer set is no longer being met.
What you pay
£549 fitted, with two tags and the first year's monitoring included.
Extra tags can be added if more than two people drive the car. If your policy names S5 with immobilisation specifically, that is the S5 Plus at £800 — it adds No Fob No Start and starter-kill immobilisation on top of everything here.
Common questions
What happens if I lose a tag?
Tell us and we will replace it and re-pair the system. Do not carry on driving on the assumption it will sort itself out. The system is doing exactly what it should when it flags a car moving without one.
Do I need S5 or is S7 enough?
It depends entirely on what your insurer asked for. If the policy names S5, S7 will not satisfy it. If it just says a tracker, S7 usually does and costs less. Send us the wording and we will tell you.
Does the tag work like a key?
No. It does not unlock or start the car, and it is not a spare key. It only tells the tracking system that an authorised driver is present.
What is S5 Plus?
S5 with immobilisation added, so the system can prevent the engine restarting as well as raise the alarm. It is a different specification with a different price, so tell us if your policy names it.
Will the tags set off the alarm if I walk past the car?
No. The system checks for a tag when the vehicle moves, not when someone is near it.
Do I have to keep paying after the first year?
Yes. Monitoring is an annual subscription and it has to stay live for the insurance requirement to keep being met.
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Next step
Let's get you a price
Tell us what you drive and what you want done to it. We will come back with a price for your car, not a range off a chart.