Whether to have a Thatcham Immobiliser fitted

Buying a ‘5 and Insurance advice Insurance Advice
2

 

My “new” 1992 Eunos was due to have an immobiliser fitted before I picked it up, hence when I arranged the insurance via Footman James classic insurance I naturally stated that one was fitted.

However, the auto electrician the dealer was using let him down at the last second, hence I had a the car but no immobiliser … So I arranged for a local company to fit… but unfortunately there was a few weeks wait.

Not wanting invalid insurance I informed Footman James that there is no immobiliser, but there was no premium change.

I have just realised that the appointment to fit the immobiliser is almost here, and now I am thinking is it worth the cost ?

 

3

Any immobiliser I have had on a car has been a factory fitment and have caused few problems, but experience from the motorcycle world has taught me not to bother with aftermarket ones as they have been known to cause any number of faults/breakdowns.

If the insurance will be unaffected I personally wouldn’t have it fitted.

4

They can be a bother. I owned a London Taxi from new once which was forever plagued with water getting into the immobiliser after heavy rain. As it was original equipment, and the Taxi wouldn’t pass as fit to be used without it, so for years it couldn’t be removed. Eventually the licensing authority allowed their removal when 1000’s of them became effected. It caused me many days of missed work and AA call outs. For 3 years I had temporary connection which could be removed, direct to the fuel pump to bypass it. Thinking back, it was probably the biggest headache I’ve ever had with any vehicle I’ve ever owned. I would never install one.

5

 

Thanks, I hadn’t thought about the possibility of creating reliability issues.

I have cancelled the appointment

 

 

6

Hi,
You would probably benefit somewhat in the future if the vehicle was fitted with a Thatcham approved immobiliser as you will find a number of other insurer won;t offer terms on Japanese imported cars if they haven’t got this UK specification security fitted. You would just have to weigh up the cost savings etc.
Regards,
Dan.