The very best!! (1 Viewer)

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Jan 29, 2020
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Hi we are due to pick up our Motorhome pretty soon, it has a ‘Thatcham 1 ‘ alarm..???????

what we would like to know what is the rolls Royce of security systems for motorhomes..??
 

irnbru

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We have Outsmart The Thief and can't fault it. What you've got to take into consideration is how far or near you live to supplier should things go wrong for any reason and you need to go back.
 

eddie

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What I like most about the Growler is that you're never likely to hear the alarm go off as the flashing blue LED lights are enough to frighten people away.
 
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Was that question a 'plant' from Eddie?

Not that he needs to.

I am only quoting my own post because it is nice to see that Dave Burleigh laughed at it and is still around and paying attention.

Hello Dave, hope you are well. Are you still scribbling? - I have been out of the country for years so do not see mags now.

Folks ignore my 'scribbling' description, as Dave is one of the most knowledgeable in his field and writes very well.

Best Wishes Dave.

Geoff Nicholson
 

Deneb

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We have Outsmart The Thief and can't fault it. What you've got to take into consideration is how far or near you live to supplier should things go wrong for any reason and you need to go back.

Regular moans about the system on a facebook group I follow. One, involving the alarm not responding properly, had input from the OSTT director who advised that the vehicle battery needed to be disconnected for 24 hours and a plug disconnected from the OBD socket so that the alarm could reset. The thread got removed after people started asking questions.

So, does anyone who has OSTT know what is connected to the OBD socket and why?

Can the alarm operation be affected if someone intentionally removed the "dongle" from the socket?

And how can an alarm system protect the vehicle if it needs to be powered down for 24 hours?

I don't advise that anyone answers those questions, at least publically, for obvious reasons. But I'll just let them hang for the OP to ponder...

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irnbru

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Deneb can you guide me to the FB group please as any I’ve been on all have high praise for OTT and they have a fantastic track record of never having lost a van. While I can’t personally answer your questions , for me bearing in mind I live in Scotland I’d rather let my system run down for 24 hrs to resolve a conflict than have an alarm that didn’t work and be out fuel costs and time etc all the way to Taunton.
 

Deneb

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Deneb can you guide me to the FB group please as any I’ve been on all have high praise for OTT and they have a fantastic track record of never having lost a van. While I can’t personally answer your questions , for me bearing in mind I live in Scotland I’d rather let my system run down for 24 hrs to resolve a conflict than have an alarm that didn’t work and be out fuel costs and time etc all the way to Taunton.

PM sent.
 

eddie

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Deneb can you guide me to the FB group please as any I’ve been on all have high praise for OTT and they have a fantastic track record of never having lost a van.
To be fair, that is ambiguous, it depends on how many systems a Company installs, how many years that they have been doing it, and up to a point if a Company specialises solely on motorhome alarms, or does cars, motorhomes and caravans, a bit of everything.

I keep being told by people that read Facebook that we have lost vans, but I can't prove or disprove that unless actual thefts are reported to us.

Whilst there are loads of reviews, praising the Van Bitz system for defending the motorcaravan during an an actual attempted theft, it is hard to follow what happens to, I guess literally tens of thousands of motorhomes

Alarms that we fitted in the Nineties, we still have records on, and are still in touch with the current owners as we do an "adoption scheme" Some motorhomes multiple owners.

I do agree with Deneb no alarm should be plugged into the OBD Port and work through the original central locking key as it can simply be unplugged

Easy for the mobile installer, in out get paid and gone, but useless for the customer. The same scenario with wireless door sensors, easy to install, easy to overcome

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Oct 29, 2016
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I am saying nothing!, The vans out there on the drive with its Blue lights winking at me,and I feel happy & secure about that, cos it would Growl at anyone it didnt know, or tried to stroke it, without me being there.
LES(y):giggle:
Plus a nice pat on the back from Comfort Ins each year on my premium.
 

irnbru

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eddievanbitz Of course your going to praise your business against all others, thats only natural, but does it really mean its the best or not. I don't know and I really don't care. I'm happy with OTT as are many others.

Its always just a bit one sided on here considering Carl Meyer isn't a trader here, similar to being one sided on FB where OTT gets all the raving reviews. I am not knocking your product in any way, just saying my point :)
 

eddie

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eddievanbitz Of course your going to praise your business against all others, thats only natural, but does it really mean its the best or not. I don't know and I really don't care. I'm happy with OTT as are many others.

Its always just a bit one sided on here considering Carl Meyer isn't a trader here, similar to being one sided on FB where OTT gets all the raving reviews. I am not knocking your product in any way, just saying my point :)
I 100% agree irnbru and I don't think that I have said, or can remember saying anything derogatory about any other business

I am not on Facebook anymore, I used to be but don't like the concept where anyone can say anything about anyone and its not checked and becomes "fact" once it has been "shared" However, according to my staff, there are positives & negatives about a number of alarm companies us included.

I suppose we, as the only motorhome security specialists in the Country (by specialist I mean not advertising that we install systems into caravans or the general car market) having been installing security systems into motorhomes for 30 years will have some disgruntled customers, which means as we have been doing it the longest, we probably have the most!

And it would seem that they are on Facebook :ROFLMAO:

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aria

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Deneb can you guide me to the FB group please as any I’ve been on all have high praise for OTT and they have a fantastic track record of never having lost a van. While I can’t personally answer your questions , for me bearing in mind I live in Scotland I’d rather let my system run down for 24 hrs to resolve a conflict than have an alarm that didn’t work and be out fuel costs and time etc all the way to Taunton.

I’m in Scotland too. I’ve had a couple of issues with my VanBitz system but the phone/email support was spot-on, and on both occasions a replacement part was posted to me sharpish for a simple diy fitting.

OTT have never had a van taken? How would we know that? Not trying to stir, but it’s impossible to state that with certainty.
None taken that they’ve been told about - fair enough.
 

irnbru

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I’m in Scotland too. I’ve had a couple of issues with my VanBitz system but the phone/email support was spot-on, and on both occasions a replacement part was posted to me sharpish for a simple diy fitting.

Thats fine if you are happy fitting parts yourself.
OTT have never had a van taken? How would we know that? Not trying to stir, but it’s impossible to state that with certainty.
None taken that they’ve been told about - fair enough.


I believe the owner of OTT and believe me he knows. Ive accidentally set mine off several times and he's on the phone within minutes, if not seconds.
 

Peppadog

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Never having heard of OTT until reading this thread, I looked them up and notice they include a tracking function. Is that like any other tracker we see advertised? Is so, can it be electronically discovered and then disabled?

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irnbru

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Never having heard of OTT until reading this thread, I looked them up and notice they include a tracking function. Is that like any other tracker we see advertised? Is so, can it be electronically discovered and then disabled?

Give Carl a ring on 07407 606060 and he will answers any questions you have.
 
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eddievanbitz Of course your going to praise your business against all others, thats only natural, but does it really mean its the best or not. I don't know and I really don't care. I'm happy with OTT as are many others.

Its always just a bit one sided on here considering Carl Meyer isn't a trader here, similar to being one sided on FB where OTT gets all the raving reviews. I am not knocking your product in any way, just saying my point :)
It's not really one-sided. Traders in motorhome accessories are, AFAIK, welcomed by Jim. Some choose to join in, some don't. Facebook can be a problem with built-in anonymity. I think any trader posting on this Forum must have some faith in his products to subject them, and himself, to the scrutiny of this lot. And no: I'm not a VanBitz customer.

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irnbru

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tonyidle from what I believe no it’s not a case of choice, it’s more a conflict of interest. Carl has tried to ask about becoming a trader before, so yes it is one sided.
 
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OTT have never had a van taken? How would we know that? Not trying to stir, but it’s impossible to state that with certainty.

Because Carl personally tracks the vehicle.
The alarm goes off, Carl phones you, Carl phones your wife, Carl texts you, and then Carl texts your wife.

(I‘m sure at some point Carl will have a day off, and a member of his staff will step in, but he doesn’t appear to yet in my experience)

You get a separate remote to use the OSTT so it isn’t reliant on the vehicles remote. Even if the van is unlocked via the van remote with the alarm in active mode this will trigger the alarm system.

OSTT have a phone app so so you can always check to position and status of your vehicle, and even control the alarm system. It also has the ability to disable the van from starting, or the alarm from being disabled even if the thief has all your keys and remotes.

Carl isn’t just fitting someone else’s alarm system and then leaving you to deal with them, you deal with him, Carl, whenever it is triggered or you require support.

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Peppadog

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This chap Carl eats, sleeps and lives, so cannot do what you are suggesting 24/7. I expect his Gemini based alarm system works fine. I have no idea, as I don’t have one fitted. My now 12 year old van came with a Strikeback alarm that only partly worked, so I can do something about that or not as I choose. So. I have no preference here.
My question about the tracker he uses was: is it as easily electronically found or overcome as some or most commercial trackers are? Which of course renders them useless if discovered.

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