You may have worked on your classic car for many hours to restore it to its former glory or perhaps you’ve finally had the opportunity to buy the car you’ve always dreamed of and now it sits in your garage waiting for you to drive it.
All you can think of is the pleasure you’re going to get when you finally sit behind the steering wheel and take your classic car out for a spin. But unfortunately you’ll also got to be aware of the pain you might suffer if your car is taken from you and theft of classic cars in the UK is unfortunately increasing in frequency.
Classic cars are in huge demand overseas as the value of vintage vehicles goes up so criminal gangs are ready and willing to grab your car and ship it off to a market abroad. At the same time as vehicle theft overall has fallen to its lowest level in almost 50 years there has been an increase in thefts of classic cars.
So what can be done to safeguard your classic car? We talked to the vehicle tracking experts, CanTrack to understand how asset trackers can keep a vintage vehicle out of the hands of criminals.
Classic Cars are Vulnerable
Classic cars are of course more vulnerable to organised thieves as they lack the sophisticated security features included in newer models; they don’t have up to date security features or software while their physical security is easily overridden by the tools of thieves. But if you use an effective asset tracking device, you can foil car theft. An asset tracker can keep broadcasting the location of your classic car wherever it’s taken and make sure that it’s returned to you undamaged as quickly as possible.
There are two main options when it comes to asset tracking devices; GPS and non-GPS. Let’s look at the two choices in more detail.
GPS Tracking for Classic Cars
Most new cars are now equipped with GPS trackers of some description and some are advertised as security devices. But that’s misleading. GPS vehicle trackers are ideal for tracking the performance of a vehicle. A GPS tracker is perfect for recording mileage or providing directions to a customer’s location but it simply won’t protect your classic car.
Why?
GPS vehicle trackers depend on communicating with satellites in the sky above the car. Take that sight away and a GPS tracker is effectively blind. And criminals are now well versed in using jamming tools to stop the GPS tracker talking to the satellite. Or put a classic car in a shipping container or a refrigerated truck and the metal muffles the signal completely. These type of asset trackers also require power from your engine so have to be attached to your car battery. This makes them very easy to find and disable as well as being a drain on your engine power while you’re not using it. GPS trackers may also require using the electrics of the car for installation and potentially damaging the inside of the classic car that you’ve lovingly restored. That’s not exactly ideal for the classic car owner.
Combine GSM and RF for the Classic Car Tracking Solution
If you have a classic car, you’ve spent not just a lot of time but a lot of money on it so why would you stint in its protection? You should go for the best asset tracker on the market but what are the qualities you should look out for?
An effective classic car tracking device should use a combination of GSM and RF technologies to ensure that no matter what jamming technology car thieves use, your tracker will continue to provide accurate location details.
The vehicle tracker that you want should run on a long-lasting rechargeable battery, be easy to install and small enough to hide anywhere in your car. That means there is minimal disruption to all the work that you’ve put into your classic car and the device will be much harder for criminals to find in your vehicle.
You also want a tough working device that will continue to work even in difficult conditions and has tracking software that will alert you if your classic car moves from where it’s supposed to be without your permission. And if you can, find an asset tracking service that provides a human dimension to vehicle theft protection. Try a car tracker that comes with a team of investigators that can work for you and work with the police to ensure the quick return of your classic car if it’s stolen.
To Know More about Protecting your Classic Car, Keep CanTrack in Mind
For the latest information on asset trackers for classic cars, check out cantrack.com. CanTrack leads the UK as a tracking solutions provider with over 10 years of experience and constant innovation to protect their clients’ assets.