Immobilisers / security suggestions.

[Maff]

Apologies no doubt this has been asked before. What is the best immobiliser / anti theft system that I can currently fit to my 2016 GT. Have been told that Ghost immobilisers can be a pain in the arse and can also cause issues with Mustangs.
Don’t have any knowledge on these matters and just want to sleep easy at night knowing I’ve done what I reasonably can. Any help Greatly appreciated.

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[Mustangstephy]

I had my GT stolen last year and so have had a Ghost fitted to my Mach 1 (along with other security measures). I have had no issues at all with it. My other Half's Type R on the other hand has had two Ghost installers on their knees

 

[Vince]

I also have a ghost immobiliser on my GT. I have had no issues at all with it. I feel that anything that is passive is going to be alot harder for someone to get past. I also keep my key in a faraday box at night. There isnt much else you can do short of sleeping in the car.

 

[Maff]

Thanks both. Think this is probably the way forward then.

 

[Tinpot]

I think the ‘pain in the arse’ issue is due to the particular installers familiarity with the car model in question. Ie finding the right place in the CAN bus to fit it. I had one fitted to a BMW M4 and it was straightforward as he’d fitted several to M3/4s previously. The same installer really struggled with a subsequent VW Arteon simply because it was his first and gave up in the end.

 

[Supersolo]

I don't mean to piss on anyone's parade...

In 2019 I had a Ghost II fitted to my GT after an RS focus owning associate nagged me not to fit a pandora system and get the Ghost II (I do not have, nor have I ever had a Pandora system).

Straight away the Ghost II threw PCM error codes, which cost me £££s to discover this when I took my car to a Ford dealer because the engine light was on. No light before the installation and after installation the light would come on at the 3rd start after the codes had been cleared. Funny how the Ghost II installer didn't warn me the immobilizer would do this.
Once I understood why the engine light in the intstrument cluster was on constantly, was because the Ghost was triggering it, I lived with it. But obviously, this then rendered the engine useless for it's intended function, which could be pretty important!

After about a year (first Ford service), I was struggling to put the car into valet mode.
After 2 years, it was not possible to engage valet mode anymore, when I dropped my car off to Ford for an annual service, or for any other reason.

In late 2022, I needed some CANsys work done and the Ghost II cost me a fuck-ton of money in booked, but wasted time, trying to re-flash a couple of modules in the car, because the Ghost was interupting the flashing process and I was unable to neutralise the immobilizer, by putting the Ghost into valet mode.

When I mentioned my issues to a few garages, they all commented that they were/are now seeing cars which have had Ghost IIs fitted for a few years, showing the same issues, ie, that the owners could no longer engage valet mode when delivering the car to the garage for servicing.
So basically, the Ghost II units are failing.

Desparate to get my car re-flashed and running (It would not start) I contacted the parasite which originally fitted my Ghost II who then proceeded to charge me £120 to remove the immobilizer. Once the failed Ghost II had been removed the car's modules could be flashed/updated. The cheeky leech said he'd charge me another £120 to refit the faulty Ghost II unit. I have not taken him up on that offer.

Instead the POS Ghost II sits on my kitchen work surface, by the fridge.
It's a sorry POS, a few electrical components encased in a cheap piece of glue lined shrink wrap. Soon I will heat it and open the shrink wrap.
Absolute clown world of a thing.
No way this is durable, automotive electronic hardware and the thing failed within 2 yrs.

So, as far as I'm concerned the Ghost II is an 'O' level electronic homework project device which lacks the durability of a properly designed and tested, automotive CAN system device.

The failed Ghost cost me over £900 in labour and charges to flash some modules in my car, when that job should have cost around £150.

That's my experience of the Ghost II and, err, I can't recommend it!

 

[2021 Mach 1]

Gee, I don't have a Ghost, just another brand. My car hasn't been stolen yet. That said it's stored in a professional storage facility with loads of security cameras and locks.

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