Tracker

[Alps]

I would think twice about having one fitted.

A tracker unit have a live feed to the battery and it WILL drain it in 2-3 days (I know) and may leave you standing, especially if you perhaps left the car at an airport for a week.

not true in all cases, there must have been another drain in your car, i know of at least 2 cars that get driven every few weeks and have trackers on them, no problems , longest between drives was about 20 days, still started first time, one was an E63 and another a SL55.

I also have one in my car, and leave it not driven all week without problems

best one was when it was getting trailered back to MB MK and tracker called asking if it was being stolen... should have told them it was!

 

[NewMB]

not too sure I agree about a tracker draining your battery.

I have one fitted to my quad bike, that has a smallish battery (compared to a car one). I regularly leave it 2 weeks withoout starting and it always starts first time when I do come back to it

I reckon on a car you should be able to leave it 4 or 5 weeks without any real prob, unless you have a knackered battery

Do you want a tracker?

If you think that having a brand new MB as a replacement for your less-than-one-year-old stolen car is a good thing, try running this converation through your mind:

Insurance agent: Have you had any claims in the last five years?
You: Yes
Insurance agent: How much was claimed against your insurance?
You (embarrased voice): £45,000
Insurance agent: That's no problem at all, it won't affect the premium.

Did you notice what I did there? I made up the last line of that dialogue.

Tracker: bargain.

PS: I have one and leave my car for a month or more and it starts immediately. No battery drain.

Perhaps the unit I had on the E55 was either faulty or connected incorrectly as it was a main cause for draining a brand new battery....

 

[mbenz76]

Tried a bunch of the big name insurers online tonight and most are higher than Direct Line! AA came in lower with lower excess but benefits not as good.

MB Insurance website wouldn't quote me as it doesn't recognise my postcode (we're in a new development) and won't allow you to manually enter it, so I'll have to call them tomorrow.

At this rate I could be sticking with Direct Line! On the plus side, I won't waste the last 3/4 months towards a new years no claims if I move.

One thing I have noticed (not sure if all insurers are the same now) is that they won't take into account where the car is parked. As far as they are concerned garaged is the same as on the street! We have full gated access and 8ft high walls, so very secure, but they class it as if it were on the street.

 

[NewMB]

Just checked the policy wording on my Direct Line insurance re "Modifications":

8 Modifications to your car
You must tell us what modifications you intend to make and
obtain our agreement prior to making them. Modifications are
changes to your car’s standard specification, including optional
extras. These include, but are not restricted to, changes to the
appearance and/or the performance of your car (including wheels,
suspension, bodywork and engine).
If you do not tell us about any relevant modifications, we may:
• reject or reduce your claim;
• treat the policy as void (i.e. as though it has never existed).

 

[mbenz76]

I will call them back tomorrow then and run the factory fit options by them. Guess that will increase the premium.

Hope MB insurance can come up trumps as the more I learn the more I dislike Direct Line.

 

[fuzzer]

I will call them back tomorrow then and run the factory fit options by them. Guess that will increase the premium.

Hope MB insurance can come up trumps as the more I learn the more I dislike Direct Line.

Just wait till you have to make a glass claim with them and they tell you that they only supply pattern glass and not OEM. IF you want OEM they pay the first X amount minus your excess and you have to foot the bill of the rest.

When i insured my smart car with them it was like a christmas tree with optional extras brabus etc. It had to go to the underwriters because id filled up all 6 boxes allowed.

 

[NewMB]

I will call them back tomorrow then and run the factory fit options by them. Guess that will increase the premium.

Hope MB insurance can come up trumps as the more I learn the more I dislike Direct Line.

I never used to tell them (in fact, I didn't even know that factory options came under "Modifications" as such) and when you want to be honest and tell them, which I did, they penalise you!

The biggest issue I have with these insurance companies are the fact that they (in most cases) ask what the total value is. This value should include all extras etc from factory. If one later add wheels or a boy racer exhaust, then fair enough, they charge extra.

So how does it work for used cars? Most people wouldn't have a clue what extras may be fitted to their car which may be say 3-5 years old. Is it fair that it would still be the owners/policy holders responibility to find out and declare that the a/c fitted was in fact an optional extra in 2004?

I believe that Adrian Flux do not charge extra for factory options but need to check it.

 

[NewMB]

Update.... Good News!!

Spoke to Adrian Flux - they DO NOT charge extra for factory options as these are not classed as modifications. So all leather seats, folding mirrors, CD players etc are all ok, as long as you notify them and it's added to the policy. In the event of a claim, no-one will ask why you didn't declare them!

However, power enhancement and bigger wheels/exhausts fitted as accessories are modifications and may be charged for. Adrian Flux did tell me that dpending on what it is, value and size etc they may not actually charge at all (like changing OEM 17" wheels for another set of OEM 17" wheels).

I know where I am going next time round...

 

[mbenz76]

OK. Back to the saga!

Listed all my options with Direct Line this morning and itdoesn't increase the premium but they said they difinitely want to know.

Also asked about glass and was told they would use MB glass.

Called MB insurance and they are double the premium of Direct Line!

 

[NewMB]

OK. Back to the saga!

Listed all my options with Direct Line this morning and itdoesn't increase the premium but they said they difinitely want to know.

Also asked about glass and was told they would use MB glass.

Called MB insurance and they are double the premium of Direct Line!

I am suprised that Direct Line didn't increase the premium for optional extras.

Good news all round then.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

OK. Back to the saga!

Listed all my options with Direct Line this morning and itdoesn't increase the premium but they said they difinitely want to know.

Also asked about glass and was told they would use MB glass.

Called MB insurance and they are double the premium of Direct Line!

Exactly my findings too.

 

[mbenz76]

AA have come in cheaper but only by about £15/month. Got a couple of the other big names to try tonight and then decide.

For small savings it might just be worth sticking with Direct Line for the remainder of the year (policy expires in December) as I will have to pay a fee to cancel and will lose the 3 months I have earned towards NCD this insurance year.

Not very happy about £500 compulsory excess but a colleague was telling me he has a very large voluntary excess to bring the insurance low and then insures the excess with a special policy for about £50/year. Could be worth looking into.

Any way MB have setup the complimentary 7 day cover (might as well as it's free) so got a bit of breathing space.

 

[Aoraki]

AA have come in cheaper but only by about £15/month. Got a couple of the other big names to try tonight and then decide.

For small savings it might just be worth sticking with Direct Line for the remainder of the year (policy expires in December) as I will have to pay a fee to cancel and will lose the 3 months I have earned towards NCD this insurance year.

Not very happy about £500 compulsory excess but a colleague was telling me he has a very large voluntary excess to bring the insurance low and then insures the excess with a special policy for about £50/year. Could be worth looking into.

Any way MB have setup the complimentary 7 day cover (might as well as it's free) so got a bit of breathing space.

Small saving!!!! £180 in a year equates to about half my annual premium on my W212 350.

 

[mbenz76]

In my whole 14 years of driving I have never had a premium under £600ish, so for me £15/month in insurance terms is small in the whole scheme of things.

 

[Aoraki]

In my whole 14 years of driving I have never had a premium under £600ish, so for me £15/month in insurance terms is small in the whole scheme of things.

£180 is 30% of £600, not a small amount at all, I bet you would jump at 30% off your new car wouldn't you?? I got 7.5% off list and was more than pleased