Are Car Trackers Worth the Money?

Imagine you’re driving a quiet scenic route to George: it’s green everywhere. The hills, the farms, the plants next to the road, all different shades of green. You’re so focused on admiring your surroundings that you miss one of the sharp turns the George Pass is so well known for. 

The next moment, you’ve lost control of your car, and your coffee that turned cold hours ago is everywhere.  Finally, you comes to a standstill, and you’re still alive! But, wait—no one knows where you are. There weren’t any cars behind you to witness your accident and offer help. If only your car had a tracker…

Compelling story, isn’t it, but are car trackers really worth the money? Let’s find out.

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In this article, you will:

• Find out what a car tracker is

• Get a better understanding of why you need a car tracker

• Get an idea of what your options are if you do not want a car tracker

• See the benefits of having a Cartrack unit

• Read a case study on how Cartrack helped Calgan Recliners save fuel

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Are car trackers worth the money? Let's start by looking at what a car tracker is

A car tracker is a small GPS telematics device used to monitor your vehicle’s location in real time. In other words, if you forget where you parked your car in the maze called the mall parking lot, don’t worry about it—you can use your vehicle’s tracking unit to locate your car. 

A telematics tracking device can also be used to track your vehicle’s telematics data such as whether the ignition is turned on/off, and whether the driver committed any harsh driving offences such as speeding or sharp cornering.

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Why you need a tracker in your car

Having a tracker in your vehicle poses a great number of benefits, and some of these include:

1. Preventing your vehicle from falling victim to car thieves: 
   A total of 5,937 carjackings took place from October to December 2023 according to the 2023/2024 third quarter report. A GPS tracker can stop thieves in their tracks because it can be integrated with other vehicle safety measures such as alarms that blare when your vehicle is being tampered with. 
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2. Increased chance of recovering your vehicle: 
   When our vehicles get stolen we all go through the 7 steps of grief:

• Shock: “My car. My Sweet Suzi (the name of your car in this scenario) was just here. 10 minutes ago Sweet Suzi was just here. Where is she?” 
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• Denial: “No no no. My car is not stolen. I just forgot where I parked (*starts turning in maddening circles trying to locate Sweet Suzi*).” 
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• Pain: “My favourite sweater was in my car. And my brand new Stanley Cup. My brand new expensive Stanley Cup.”
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• Anger and bargaining: “When I find the guy who stole my Sweet S…”
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• Depression: “I’m never getting Sweet Suzi back again. Ever.”
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• Reconstruction: “It’s okay if I don’t get Sweet Suzi back again. And it’s okay if I tear up every time I see a beat-up white Suzuki Swift.”
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• Acceptance and hope: “I lost Sweet Suzi but I can still get her back.”

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Your chances of getting your vehicle back once it has been stolen are much higher when it has a car tracker installed. The reason for this is that the recovery team, whether it’s the police or a tracking company’s recovery team, can use the GPS function of the tracker to locate your vehicle and retrieve it. So, you never have to worry about never driving Sweet Suzi again.
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3. Increase your safety: 
   Have you ever driven down a secluded road and thought, “If I get into an accident right now, I will surely not make it because there’s no one around.” Your chances of being safe can increase exponentially when you have a vehicle tracker. 
   The reason for this is that most trackers have telematics functions that can detect when your vehicle abruptly stops or collides with something. In instances like these, the system can contact you, your emergency contact and emergency services to provide you with immediate assistance.
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4. Keep an eye on your loved ones’ safety with real-time vehicle location monitoring: Traveling or moving to a new city can be quite daunting and your loved ones often worry about your safety. To give them peace of mind, you can share your live location and even create geofences to notify them when you’ve reached a specific location.
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5. Lower your vehicle insurance premiums: 
   Your vehicle insurance premiums can drop like a penny down a well when you have a car tracker. Insurance companies oftentimes offer discounts for members who have car trackers because it reduces the chances of their vehicles being stolen, and if it does get stolen, the recovery rate is much higher.
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6. Your vehicle’s fuel efficiency at its best:
   We all know that we have a couple of… shortcomings… when it comes to driving, whether that is driving, by pure accident of course, 160km/h in the 120km/h lane or driving 40km/h in the 100km/h, or imagining we’re Usain Bolt, and zooming between the lanes by revving and braking at neck break speeds. We all have our habits. Which isn’t always good for our fuel efficiency. A car tracker’s telematics unit can gather the data to show what our individual shortcomings are, allowing us to work on improving those habits so that we can get the most out of our fuel per month. 

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You have other options when you don’t want to use a car tracker… at your own risk

In the instance that you wish not to get a car tracker, which we don’t recommend, you have other options at your disposal when keeping yourself and your vehicle safe:

• Car guards can keep an eye on your car: There is at least one car guard at any shopping centre, store or office. However, let’s look at it from their perspective: they offer their services on the premise that they aren’t going to get paid because most of the time they aren’t. And if they are, it’s not a lot. They also don’t get the necessary training of have the tools to defend your vehicle when it gets stolen. Is it your best option? You decide. 
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• Neighbourhood watch can do patrols: Another alternative to using a car tracker is neighbourhood watches. You and the people in your street can create shifts to drive around the neighbourhood at night to ensure that no one tries to steal the vehicles that are not securely parked. However, your car will not always be in the vicinity of your neighborhood watch patrol, and these patrol officers are often fatigued unalert as they have to stay up into the early morning hours.
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• Parking your vehicle in a secure location: You can park your vehicle in a gated area however that’s not always an option as not all stores or complexes have gated parking lots. 
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• Use your cellular device’s GPS tracking: You can also use the GPS function on your mobile phone while you are in the vehicle; however, if you get out of your vehicle, it will no longer have a GPS tool to track it if it gets stolen.

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Why choose Cartrack as your tracking partner?

1. Location tracker: Our tracking devices monitor your vehicle's location in real-time and show data such as whether it’s, driving, idling, or turned off. This will allow you to have the peace of mind in knowing that the moment your vehicle gets stolen or you get hijacked we can see your live location and send out a team to find you and your vehicle.
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2. Stolen Vehicle Recovery (SVR): Cartrack’s specialised Stolen Vehicle Recovery teams use the GPS tracker in your vehicle to locate it and recover it as quickly as possible. It’s also reassuring to know that our stolen recovery rate has been holding a steady position of over 90% for several years now. 
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3. Limited Recovery Warranty*: In the event that your vehicle gets stolen, and Cartrack is unable to recover it, you can claim up to R150 000 from us. This option does however come with *Ts&Cs. 
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4. Risk alerts: You can get alerts on your mobile app when your vehicle is about to enter a high-risk area for instances such as popular hijacking zones. This can give you the option of not entering the area or being extra vigilant when you do decide to enter the area.
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5. CarWatch: You can get a personal digital car guard that notifies you when your vehicle moves without your knowledge and/or authorisation. 

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Case study: A baby, a stolen vehicle, and the relief of having a Cartrack

Alicia Lamprecht was visiting with one of her friends in Observatory (residential area in Johannesburg) when her car was stolen with her baby still in the back seat. Luckily, she has a tracking unit in her vehicle and was able to monitor the location of her vehicle in real-time on her Cartrack mobile app while she got in contact with Cartrack’s control room. With the help of Cartrack’s SVR team, they were able to find her vehicle but her baby was not in it anymore. Luckily, the vehicle’s location gave them a starting point to search for her baby. 

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Still wondering if car trackers are worth the money? Don’t wait for your most precious possession to get stolen to find out you need one! Contact us today and keep them safe with Cartrack Zimbabwe. 

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Frequently Asked Questions about Car Trackers

• Is it worth putting a tracker to my car?
  Yes, it is worth getting a tracker in your vehicle. Having a tracker in your vehicle has various benefits such as a higher rate of vehicle recovery if your vehicle gets stolen, lower insurance premiums per month, and being able to see your vehicle's telematic data which can help you lower your fuel costs per month.
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• Which car tracker is best in South Africa?
  There are a couple of really good car trackers in South Africa at the moment. But the best fit for you will depend on your needs. Cartrack’s telematics unit is designed to fit most makes and models, old and new, and offers an extensive range of tracking, recovery, and safety services. 
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• Is it important to have a car tracker?
  Having a car tracker in your vehicle can be important. Especially with the rising vehicle theft statistics in South Africa, having a tracker in your car can help recover your vehicle if it gets stolen.