International Security Register - worth it or not?

Megalomaniac

Hi all,

I have just bought myself a second hand approved Mazda 3 and with the paperwork there's a form for the International Security Register. For £20 it registers your car with them so if it gets stolen, its supposedly easier to track due to the codes located on the windows. Supposedly, it even makes your car less likely to be a target for thieves :rolleyes:.

Has anyone else purchased this 'protection'? Is it worthwhile? I have seen mixed thoughts when googling if this is worth it on other forums but wondered what the Money Savvy Experts have to say

Website link: www.theisr.org

hewhoisnotintheknow

Megalomaniac wrote: »

Hi all,

I have just bought myself a second hand approved Mazda 3 and with the paperwork there's a form for the International Security Register. For £20 it registers your car with them so if it gets stolen, its supposedly easier to track due to the codes located on the windows. Supposedly, it even makes your car less likely to be a target for thieves :rolleyes:.

Has anyone else purchased this 'protection'? Is it worthwhile? I have seen mixed thoughts when googling if this is worth it on other forums but wondered what the Money Savvy Experts have to say

Website link: www.theirsr.org

not on a normal car like that

besides if i had my car nicked i wouldnt want it back!

Megalomaniac

hewhoisnotintheknow wrote: »

besides if i had my car nicked i wouldnt want it back!

That's what I was thinking. Ok, I'll forget about it Cheers!

GabbaGabbaHey

I am in the exact same position, with a 1999 Mazda MX-5 that I have just bought privately.

My two thoughts are:
1) Surely if the car was lost/recovered, I could be traced through the VIN and/or engine number?
2) As the windows are already etched, how would a potential thief know whether it was correctly registered or not?

My inclination, like yours, is to save myself the £20.

BTW, the website is actually https://www.theisr.org (you had an extra "r" in there)

checkincherry

Although you can also log info like key and radio codes with ISR. THe former is particularly useful if you're miles from home and need to get replacement keys coded from a dealer..the latter if your battery gets flat/disconnected - you need to re-enter this to get radio/cd to work again...like all insurance - cost/benefit of the risks you think arfe likely to be relevant for you. £20 doesn't sound bad for the lifetime of car ownership and the certainty this would bring...you coulod buy a different car - some throw this in for free ( although you probably pay for it somewhere along the way!)

boristbear

checkincherry wrote: »

Although you can also log info like key and radio codes with ISR. THe former is particularly useful if you're miles from home and need to get replacement keys coded from a dealer..the latter if your battery gets flat/disconnected - you need to re-enter this to get radio/cd to work again...like all insurance - cost/benefit of the risks you think arfe likely to be relevant for you. £20 doesn't sound bad for the lifetime of car ownership and the certainty this would bring...you coulod buy a different car - some throw this in for free ( although you probably pay for it somewhere along the way!)

I can only guess that they pay you well!

In the situation you mention you also need to factor the potentially very high call costs.

IMO certainly not worth a penny, let alone £20.

I have not (yet) investigated but I also have data protection concerns about this 'service'.

AlanCS

I have had this form through the post too and it states that the ISR number is in the name of the previous owner. I don't want to pay the money myself. What is the best course of action?

s_b

AlanCS wrote: »

I have had this form through the post too and it states that the ISR number is in the name of the previous owner. I don't want to pay the money myself. What is the best course of action?

file it under b

b=bin

dacouch

s_b wrote: »

file it under b

b=bin

That's normally known in most offices as "File 13"

Penny_JG

I bought my Mazda new last May and have received a letter in the post claiming that they have 2 vehicles registered with the same etch code. Then they ask what my etch code is! It's a bit worrying as both my name & reg. no. are written on the letter. It's not asking for any money though.

BennyTheSaver

Also found a brochure about this in the glove box of the Mazda 6 I just bought. Thought it may have been left by the previous owner but now I think it was planted by the salesman who also tried to increase his commission with Total Loss Protection, Supagard, Mazda Finance (gave me a qoute) and Mazda Insurance (gave me a week trial). Happy to say I turned them all down and also got a lot of extras thrown in on top of the car to sweeten the deal.

The International Security Register intrigued me when i thought it was a free service but when i seen they were asking for money i done a quick google search. This thread came up near the top of the search but I found some funny responses on other forums that made me realise what a joke the 'protection' is

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"I wouldn't bother with the International Security Register but the little stickers on the bases of the front side windows are excellent for checking that you have closed the windows properly as you walk away from the car. "

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"Got a letter through the post telling me my car is etched with a code on the main windows and for £20 I can transfer the registration to my details, is it worth it? "

"I have some magic beans you can buy for £10, thus saving yourself £10. Deal?"

"You can't just claim that they are "magic" beans, what magic do they do?"

"the same magic as paying the £20. its pointless u should write the numbers down so if it gets robbed u can tell the police "

---

Bought a car just before Christmas and today received a letter from this 'Retaina Group', asking me for £21.00 they can alter their database and put my name on it, rather than the previous owner.

Surely, the fact they've sent me a letter telling me it's in the previous owner's name, is enough to say "look, you recognise I'm the new owner"