# Warning cobra tracker



## holly94 (May 29, 2014)

I've recently had my red GT-R stolen from my driveway in the middle of night around 3am the night of Monday the 12th/early morning Tuesday 13th this month.

By the time I've noticed it missing in the morning and called cobra it was too late as the tracker had been either ripped out or the car had been put in a secure unit where it couldn't be detected. I did not know that the cobra system only tracks the cars movements when alerted, not 24/7 and as Cobra were not alerted before it was too late, I now cannot find my car. 

As I was not aware of this flaw in the Cobra Tracking System I thought maybe some others would not know of this problem, hence me sharing it here hoping it will help some others maybe decide to put an alternative tracker on the car that tracks movements 24/7. as I wish I had done.


----------



## CT17 (Mar 25, 2011)

As soon as the car was moved without the fob they should have alerted you.
When I forgot my fob I rarely got 2 miles before the phone call.


----------



## vxrcymru (Sep 29, 2009)

I have a Cobra tracker.

Normally the tracker activates as soon as the car is moved if the phob isn't present and I get a call from them within 5 mins. Its been spot on the 6 or so occasions I've moved the car and forgot to take the phob with me or the phob has switched off accidentally whilst in my pocket.

Either the tracker wasn't working or they somehow disabled it at your house without moving it. 

Apparently there is some kit you can buy from the states that blocks the tracker signal. 

It is concerning that considering the cost of buying, fitting and annual subs that it isn't fullproof!"

I hope you get your car back.

How have the insurance company reacted considering the tracker system has basically failed?


----------



## TAZZMAXX (Mar 9, 2010)

holly94 said:


> I've recently had my red GT-R stolen from my driveway in the middle of night around 3am the night of Monday the 12th/early morning Tuesday 13th this month.
> 
> By the time I've noticed it missing in the morning and called cobra it was too late as the tracker had been either ripped out or the car had been put in a secure unit where it couldn't be detected. I did not know that the cobra system only tracks the cars movements when alerted, not 24/7 and as Cobra were not alerted before it was too late, I now cannot find my car.
> 
> As I was not aware of this flaw in the Cobra Tracking System I thought maybe some others would not know of this problem, hence me sharing it here hoping it will help some others maybe decide to put an alternative tracker on the car that tracks movements 24/7. as I wish I had done.


Maybe I'm wrong but I'm assuming your fob was stolen with the key to enable them to get the car? If so, the paperwork that comes with the tracker states that the key and the fob should always be kept in different locations when not in use.


----------



## Ja5on (Nov 18, 2009)

Yeh as soon as the car moves the tracker is active d.

I did have issues when we moved to a remote location due to bad signal. Nearly every time I moved the car cobra phoned me because the phob wasn't picking up. A bit of tweeking and it was all sorted. As the lads said above with the tracker fitted it was minutes before they would phone

Either the phob was taken with the car, they had some sort of jammer or maybe your subscription had expired?


----------



## Evo9lution (Aug 24, 2013)

I feel for you. I hope that you get a sensible insurance payout at the very least ... Good luck!

I think the car can be moved 200 yards before the alert system goes off, at least, that's what they told me when I queried it with my Evo. I assume that this means that they could (theoretically) move the car into a car transporter / van which may block the signal and Cobra would never know ...


----------



## Takamo (Oct 18, 2005)

The one bad thing with the cobra trackers is that the card has a very long bloody range of signal, meaning that realistically the tracker should only pick the card up when your literally sitting in the car, but no it can pick up the card even upto a few metres away so if his car was rite by his window of the house and his card was inside the house within that range then the tracker wouldn't recognise it as a theft, so best thing is to keep the card and car as far apart as possible. I've tried it on my previous gtr and the distance between the fob and car was around 1.5-2meters and it still picked up the card as being present when I started the and it didn't trigger the alert so when I called up cobra they told me to put the card slightly further away and then retry it which did a few days later on purpose when they weren't expecting it and they rang within 3-5mins so it does work. A bit crappy really


----------



## matt4man (Feb 27, 2014)

Does the tracker still work if that car was not turned on, what if it was just lifted on to a low loader....


----------



## Chronos (Dec 2, 2013)

my cobra tracker seems to work ok, same here when i have driven the car and forgot the fob, 1-2 mins down the road i get the phone call......

last time was not long ago, at the tuners, tuner drove off to test.... i had the fob, under 2 mins later I got the call... 

something fishy going on with yours holly94... hope it works out ok.


----------



## deano555 (Apr 22, 2012)

The trackers work like you want them to but the thief can get past them in seconds. In fact anyone with the right bits can do it and you don't have to look far to find out how.


----------



## Chronos (Dec 2, 2013)

deano555 said:


> The trackers work like you want them to but the thief can get past them in seconds. In fact anyone with the right bits can do it and you don't have to look far to find out how.


As said, if the right people REALLY want your car, they will take it.

Still, i prefer the tracker, incase some scrote managed to get the keys, or even for carjacking etc.


----------



## Takamo (Oct 18, 2005)

Best protection is Thatcham approved disc lock and magnum 45 for the thieving [email protected] effing low lives. Sorry dude


----------



## 15delux (Nov 4, 2012)

Tbh I have a tracker and if someone stole mine I wouldn't really want it back


----------



## AnEvoGuy (Aug 17, 2011)

Did they take the car without the key? If they did, then that's worrying!!


----------



## Mookistar (Feb 5, 2004)

sounds like it was taken with the key and the card. Gotta wonder how.


----------



## saucyboy (Nov 1, 2009)

Sounds like a typical car key burglary from the above. Gotta say that I'm in the camp that wouldn't want their car back tbh. 

Op sorry to hear your bad news fella.


----------



## Satan (Mar 8, 2012)

Only 1 post and no replies to the posts on here?

I would have liked to know the circumstances so that we can all learn / modify what we do, to avoid this.

To the OP, please keep us informed and hope it works out for you.

Satan


----------



## holly94 (May 29, 2014)

Yes, I failed to mention the fob was taken along with the key as they were unfortunatley both in my girlfriends handbag, the fob in a zip pocket. I usually cant get to the main road without a phone call if i forget the fob.

But i assumed the car would be 24/7 tracked even when not on alert like other trackers do.

So beacuse cobra wernt alerted the car wasnt continuously tracked.


----------



## holly94 (May 29, 2014)

It has brand new Alcon discs front and back with new yellow Padgats pads, so if any gets offered a cheap deal or spots anything on the internet please let me know as the seller probably has my car or other personal items stolen from my house at the same time.


----------



## Chronos (Dec 2, 2013)

saucyboy said:


> Gotta say that I'm in the camp that wouldn't want their car back tbh.
> .


Well If mine was taken and it got recovered un-scathed, I would certainly want it back, its tuned to how i like it, and I've spent good £££ tweaking it to how i like it... 

plus no having to wait for months for insurance claims, whilst driving a crap courtesy car.


----------



## holly94 (May 29, 2014)

luckly i have a landrover defender that i can drive in the mean time, i dont think ill want it back now. 
However if it has been in a lockup untouched with no more miles on it i would want it back but im just hoping ill get a decent insurance pay out and the police catch the scum that stole it


----------



## majestic (May 3, 2010)

Where were you when this happened?


----------



## holly94 (May 29, 2014)

majestic said:


> Where were you when this happened?


In bed asleep upstairs.


----------



## Mookistar (Feb 5, 2004)

holly94 said:


> In bed asleep upstairs.


they took the keys and the card?


----------



## holly94 (May 29, 2014)

Mookistar said:


> they took the keys and the card?


Yes as they were both in my girlfriends handbag, as you know everything goes in a womans handbag.. the theives have emptied the contents, makeup and shit went one way and the key and fob with them


----------



## Chronos (Dec 2, 2013)

holly94 said:


> Yes, I failed to mention the fob was taken along with the key as they were unfortunatley both in my girlfriends handbag, the fob in a zip pocket..


Mook ^^^


----------



## saucyboy (Nov 1, 2009)

Chronos said:


> Well If mine was taken and it got recovered un-scathed, I would certainly want it back, its tuned to how i like it, and I've spent good £££ tweaking it to how i like it...
> 
> plus no having to wait for months for insurance claims, whilst driving a crap courtesy car.


I see ur point mate but still my personal opinion fella. Thing is, the car may look fine but the damage waiting for say the gearbox or diff to go pop later coz is was ragged to [email protected] by some [email protected] could be lurking underneath. Meaning you get a lovely big bill later on. Love my motor and feel attached but it's just metal and easily replaced ; ) the switched on cookies on here get their upgrades covered just in case ; )


----------



## Chronos (Dec 2, 2013)

saucyboy said:


> I see ur point mate but still my personal opinion fella. Thing is, the car may look fine but the damage waiting for say the gearbox or diff to go pop later coz is was ragged to [email protected] by some [email protected] could be lurking underneath. Meaning you get a lovely big bill later on. Love my motor and feel attached but it's just metal and easily replaced ; ) the switched on cookies on here get their upgrades covered just in case ; )


you forget the beating our cars can take and how they lap it up, and how a lot of R35's take it daily on a track and lap it up.. also the car protects itself via ECU (redline etc) as is... and if they got 10 miles down the road and it was recovered un-marked... Id still be happy having it back.. Yes they are metal and can be replaced, its just the hassle of finding another/replacing/insurance payout time then remodding time and the ££ to remod... Vs Police knock on the door 'Hey Mr.Smith, we have recovered your car, no damage luckily, we found the keys and fob with the car, here's the keys Sir'

either way its personal perspective bud.. some would like them back / some wouldn't totally upto the owner.


----------



## Evo9lution (Aug 24, 2013)

Some of the valeting modes seem quite easy to turn on & off so maybe one of the best engine / gearbox protection tools in the case of theft is to use that? Even if it doesn't stop the car getting stolen itself, if they cannot go faster than 10 mph or 1200 rpm they will soon ditch the car (probably torch it though unfortunately) and at least that way if you do get it back at least it will not have had any mechanical damage done.

Doesn't stop them putting it on a low-loader of course but it would have helped somewhat with the OP's case.

Other trackers have anti-hijack tools added but these can create problems if they car is actually stolen as they are illegal. Knowing this country, you'd probably end up in more trouble than the thieves ...

OP, if the fuzz find the car and you get offered it back, couldn't you get the ECU read to determine how it has been driven and see if you want it back after that? Or is it more to do with the violation of having some thieving C*** taking and driving your car?


----------



## Evo9lution (Aug 24, 2013)

Chronos said:


> you forget the beating our cars can take and how they lap it up,


I think that you taking your car and beating it up is very different to someone else doing it though - especially if they have no permission & absolutely no concern for the car whatsoever ...


----------



## Mookistar (Feb 5, 2004)

people don't steal cars to joy ride anymore. It'll have been stolen to order or export or as a getaway car. If it's the latter, I wouldn't want it back.

I'll never forget the insurance guy who told me I wouldn't get a discount for having a tracker as it "just told us what field it was burning in" lol


----------



## holly94 (May 29, 2014)

Evo9lution said:


> Some of the valeting modes seem quite easy to turn on & off so maybe one of the best engine / gearbox protection tools in the case of theft is to use that?
> 
> can you explain this valeting mode futher, how does it work?
> 
> ...


----------



## Evo9lution (Aug 24, 2013)

holly94 said:


> can you explain this valeting mode futher, how does it work?


I think that they differ in operation depending on whether your car is standard or running an after market ECU or software but basically, it's a mode that can be enabled to prevent the car running above a pre-defined rev limit which you can activate when you take the car to a garage or, as the name suggests, for a valet. There's no reason why you cannot use that everyday as an added security feature but all it really does is prevent a thief from driving the car hard and not from stealing it in the first place.


----------



## holly94 (May 29, 2014)

it was running on the standard software, but ive never come accross that feature when looking through the system. interesting which i had know it would make a helpful security feature when leaving it for example in a carpark when its not visable


----------



## Chronos (Dec 2, 2013)

Evo9lution said:


> I think that you taking your car and beating it up is very different to someone else doing it though - especially if they have no permission & absolutely no concern for the car whatsoever ...


What i am saying is, is that the car can take being driven hard and 10 minutes of some scumbag zooming down the road, shouldnt upset the internals.

talking from a mechanical point of view.


----------



## Chronos (Dec 2, 2013)

ecutek valet mode
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRBcdAvbXOI


----------



## Tiler (Mar 28, 2014)

This tread is a bit strange. 
I have only had my car 6 weeks now and cobra have contacted me 4 times now. 
Twice when the black fob thing was in my pocket but so was my phone
So the signal was being blocked. By my phone. 
And twice tonight when I disconnected the battery and then when I reconnected it. To fit the anti bonnet counter things. 
So I think I can say my tracker is working.


----------



## scoooby slayer (Jun 13, 2009)

took my car out last sunday and forgot my tracker didn't even get 1 mile and my phone rang cobra ringing for authorisation of vehicle moving with no tracker fob connected.


----------



## Chronos (Dec 2, 2013)

Tiler said:


> This tread is a bit strange.
> I have only had my car 6 weeks now and cobra have contacted me 4 times now.
> Twice when the black fob thing was in my pocket but so was my phone
> So the signal was being blocked. By my phone.
> ...


I keep my keys and fob in different locations, as per the manual and it works so far.. Yes when I changed my battery recently for a yellow top optima I received the call as well, haven't heard of a mobile phone blocking the fob signal tho, as when I first had the car, I had the fob/phone in the same pocket and it still worked, but now I have them SEPARATE as cobra advise, for obvious reasons ( car jacking, stolen keys from home etc ).


----------



## Brad1979 (May 26, 2012)

I once had my Evo on the back of a low loader when clutch went I was in cab with driver cobra phoned within minutes to say the car was moving with no ignition so unless the fob was in car can't see how this happened if the fob was nowhere near the car I would take this up with cobra

When I bought the car the guy had the fob on the key "otherwise the car won't start" didn't have the heart to tell him C**K


----------



## dominic1 (Feb 16, 2012)

Hope it all works out for you pal


----------



## Glgtr (May 21, 2012)

Does anyone else remember the gtr that caught on fire when the guy was taking his shopping out the back?
He apparently put in neutral and rolled it back before any damage to his house.

This feels a lot like that thread. 
Half term, right?


----------



## BigBen (Aug 18, 2012)

holly94 said:


> I've recently had my red GT-R stolen from my driveway in the middle of night around 3am the night of Monday the 12th/early morning Tuesday 13th this month.
> 
> By the time I've noticed it missing in the morning and called cobra it was too late as the tracker had been either ripped out or the car had been put in a secure unit where it couldn't be detected. I did not know that the cobra system only tracks the cars movements when alerted, not 24/7 and as Cobra were not alerted before it was too late, I now cannot find my car.
> 
> As I was not aware of this flaw in the Cobra Tracking System I thought maybe some others would not know of this problem, hence me sharing it here hoping it will help some others maybe decide to put an alternative tracker on the car that tracks movements 24/7. as I wish I had done.


Sorry mate but to call it a flaw is wrong. Firstly there was no need for them to rip the tracker out because they have the fob. The tracker is only alerted and Cobra informed IF the vehicle is moved with no contact to the FOB. There is no reason to track all vehicles in contact with the fob. Why should it? Car is talking to fob. Fob is with owner. Car hasn't been stolen. Alert sent to Cobra when car moves when not in contact with fob ie when its been nicked!

You are in the unfortunate position where they have the car, the fob and the key! Something that no tracking system in the world can save you from until you know its been nicked. In your case when you woke up several hours later to realise it gone. Giving them time to remove it.

Bottom line is keep the fob on your possession ie wallet and this wouldn't have happened. Or at least you would have known it was being nicked when it was being nicked and they could have tracked it.


----------



## Chronos (Dec 2, 2013)

BigBen said:


> Sorry mate but to call it a flaw is wrong. Firstly there was no need for them to rip the tracker out because they have the fob. The tracker is only alerted and Cobra informed IF the vehicle is moved with no contact to the FOB. There is no reason to track all vehicles in contact with the fob. Why should it? Car is talking to fob. Fob is with owner. Car hasn't been stolen. Alert sent to Cobra when car moves when not in contact with fob ie when its been nicked!
> 
> You are in the unfortunate position where they have the car, the fob and the key! Something that no tracking system in the world can save you from until you know its been nicked. In your case when you woke up several hours later to realise it gone. Giving them time to remove it.
> 
> Bottom line is keep the fob on your possession ie wallet and this wouldn't have happened. Or at least you would have known it was being nicked when it was being nicked and they could have tracked it.


+1 +2

Simple as that, keep the key and fob in the same place, aka both in the wallet/purse = game over WHEN the wallet/purse is stolen , THE tracker thinks all is safe as the driver and keys are nice and safe TOGETHER


----------



## snuffy (Mar 26, 2014)

A while ago I was using the insurance comparison sites for a quote and fiddling around with various options to see what affected the price. This is what I found:

a) Cheapest : Car parked in street overnight
b) Next cheapest : Cared in my drive overnight
c) Most expensive : Car parked in my garage overnight

Sounds stupid ? More expensive to garage your car than keep it on the road ? yes.

I asked on PH and the reply I got from someone who works in insurance was that since for modern cars the only way to steal it is to steal the key then;

a) If it's on the road it's not obvious where the owner lives so it's also not obvious where the key is

b) If it's on your drive it's very obvious where the key is

c) As b) but no one can see it being stolen as the thief is hidden from view in your garage

So the highest risk is to garage your car and the lowest risk it to park it on the road. 

So for keeping your car in your garage you get penalised.


----------



## snuffy (Mar 26, 2014)

The thing with a tracker is that the yearly cost is almost always more than you save in your insurance premium. So, for the privilege of paying more money in total you are reducing the risk to the insurance company. So it costs you to mitigate their risk. Good eh ?


----------



## Chronos (Dec 2, 2013)

snuffy said:


> A while ago I was using the insurance comparison sites for a quote and fiddling around with various options to see what affected the price. This is what I found:
> 
> a) Cheapest : Car parked in street overnight
> b) Next cheapest : Cared in my drive overnight
> ...


never thought of it that way.. IF they need the keys... well. wowsers. you would have thought a garage would have been safer....


----------



## BigBen (Aug 18, 2012)

snuffy said:


> The thing with a tracker is that the yearly cost is almost always more than you save in your insurance premium. So, for the privilege of paying more money in total you are reducing the risk to the insurance company. So it costs you to mitigate their risk. Good eh ?


Maybe but without a tracker you wont get your supercar back.


----------



## vxrcymru (Sep 29, 2009)

Chronos said:


> never thought of it that way.. IF they need the keys... well. wowsers. you would have thought a garage would have been safer....


Arn't garages locked, i know mine is. 
Keeping it off the street and in the garage reduces the risk of someone seeing the car and wanting to nick it. Its a clause in my insurance that i cant park the car within 500m of the house over night - it must be in the garage.


----------



## tinimark (Dec 3, 2012)

vxrcymru said:


> Its a clause in my insurance that i cant park the car within 500m of the house.


That sounds like a restraining order...bit harsh!


----------



## vxrcymru (Sep 29, 2009)

tinimark said:


> That sounds like a restraining order...bit harsh!


That's overnight but its not a problem for me personally, I always put the car in the garage when I'm home. 

Basically its to stop people being lazy and not putting the car in the garage every night but maybe on the street.


----------



## andysukgtr (Mar 23, 2014)

Really sorry to hear your car was stolen. 
This thread made me check the two fobs I got with the car in March, both we're flat ie. no flashing led. New batteries in fobs this morning, all good now.
I hope you get the car back unscathed.


----------



## scoooby slayer (Jun 13, 2009)

andysukgtr said:


> Really sorry to hear your car was stolen.
> This thread made me check the two fobs I got with the car in March, both we're flat ie. no flashing led. New batteries in fobs this morning, all good now.
> I hope you get the car back unscathed.



that makes no sense if your batteries were flat then cobra would have phoned you instantly unless you havnt driven the car since march ?

you have to pay a yearly subscription or the tracker will not be active.


----------



## andysukgtr (Mar 23, 2014)

scoooby slayer said:


> that makes no sense if your batteries were flat then cobra would have phoned you instantly unless you havnt driven the car since march ?
> 
> you have to pay a yearly subscription or the tracker will not be active.



Agree it doesnt make sense. The subscription is active until Mar h 2015...


----------



## Chronos (Dec 2, 2013)

andysukgtr said:


> Agree it doesnt make sense. The subscription is active until Mar h 2015...


sounds like its not tracking/active, ring cobra to test it 02083 052 026


----------



## Trevgtr (Dec 24, 2012)

Another reason why parking on the road gets cheaper insurance is apparently because a lot of people claim for damage after hitting their garage door frame or driveway gate post.

My quote this year was exactly the same with or without a tracker.


----------

