Product Test: Classic Tracker

Here at Hagerty we are often approached by various companies supplying weird and wonderful products for us to try. Among the more extreme products have been a bi-focal windscreen, an alarm that screams ‘THERE’S A FIRE’ in the event of a spark and gadget that will measure your oil capacity for a mere £995 plus VAT (we used a stick)!

However, recently we met the Classic Tracker team and given that I was about to take part in two rallies forming part of the Historic Rally Car Register Hagerty Clubmans Championship and I was storing my Mini Cooper S (Mk II) away from home, I took the opportunity to try out the Classic Tracker.

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In a technological age when everything is swiped, swished or spoken to I was wary of what the Classic Tracker would provide. Having new tech in an old car is a juxtaposition that not all of us are completely confident about, yet.

Classic Tracker offer three options of tracker and I opted for the waterproof one, simply because it looked easier to install and I am not particularly mechanically minded. Within 24 hours the Classic Tracker landed on my desk. It’s a small box measuring roughly the size of a pack of playing cards and it was pretty easy to install. The wires had to be added to the loom, but it wasn’t hard and given the size of the box, it is also simple to hide within the car.

After fitting, I contacted Classic Tracker and within minutes I received an email explaining how to register the device. These instructions were easy to follow and then I used their software (via a downloadable app for smartphones or a web page) to set up my ‘safe zone’ where I knew the car would be stored during my rally. The idea is that if the car leaves the safe zone all registered owners or nominated individuals (driver and co-driver in this instance) are notified when the engine starts, stops and leaves a safe zone.

We tried it, and sure enough once the key was turned we soon heard the reassuring ‘ping’ of a text message arriving. As we drove out of the safe zone there was another ‘ping’ telling us our car was leaving the safe zone. Had we been away from the car our next call would have been to the police, then we would have opened the app and watched our car’s real-time location flash away on the map, helping to guide the local constabulary to their goal. Even if the car’s battery is disconnected, the tracker has a sturdy standby power source that will help it do its job.

The tracker also collects an amazing range of data that could be of interest to many owners, especially those who rally their cars. After our event, we were able to view our route, distance, average speed, and so on.

The Classic Tracker costs £179 plus a monthly fee that varies relative to the cover provided. I chose a deal which includes real time mapping, automatic warnings of tampering and programmable safe zones. Peace of mind? Well actually, despite my initial reluctance, yes.

For full info please visit www.classic-tracker.com