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Ghost immobiliser in Birmingham, and the alternative.
We do not fit the Autowatch Ghost. We fit LockCar CAN-IMMO, and we would rather tell you that at the top of the page than halfway down it. Here is what the Ghost does, what it costs locally, the three cases where it is the better buy, and where we think we win.
What the Ghost actually does
The Autowatch Ghost is a CAN bus immobiliser. It joins the data network your car already uses to talk to itself and refuses to allow the engine to start until a PIN sequence is entered on buttons the car already has — steering wheel controls, window switches, the volume dial. There is no fob, no LED and no keypad, so there is nothing that identifies the car as protected.
It is a good product with a long track record, and it solves the same problem we solve: a thief who defeats the factory key check still cannot drive the car away. Anyone telling you the Ghost does not work is selling you something.
What a Ghost costs in Birmingham
Fitted prices from approved installers in the UK generally sit in the region of £400 to £600, depending on the vehicle and the installer. That usually includes registering the installation with TASSA, which is the part your insurer may care about.
We are not an Autowatch installer and we do not set their prices. Treat the range above as orientation and get a firm quote from an approved installer before you decide anything on the strength of it.
Side by side with LockCar CAN-IMMO
Autowatch Ghost II
£400–600
typical fitted price, other installers
- ConnectionCAN bus
- AuthorisationPIN sequence
- Anything to carryNothing
- Blocks engine startYes
- TASSA registrationYes
- App controlNo
- Hands-free approachNo
- Fitted by usNo
LockCar CAN-IMMO
from £199
fitted by us in Birmingham
- ConnectionCAN / LIN / ADC
- AuthorisationPhone or TAG
- Anything to carryPhone you already have
- Blocks engine startYes
- TASSA registrationNo
- App controlYes
- Hands-free approachTrust Mode
- Fitted by usYes
The security question is close to a draw. Both sit on the vehicle's data bus, both block the start, and neither listens to the key radio, so neither is defeated by a relay box. The difference is how you live with it.
Three cases where Ghost is the better buy
- Your insurer or lease company named it. If a TASSA-registered installation has been asked for in writing, buy the thing that was asked for. Nothing else on this page matters.
- You never want to carry or charge anything. A PIN sequence has no battery. If you like that, that is a real reason and not a marketing point.
- You want the longest track record on the shelf. Ghost has been fitted in very large numbers for years. Some people value that, reasonably.
Where we think we win
- Nothing to type. With Trust Mode on, the system disarms as you walk up with your phone or TAG. On a school run in the rain, that is the whole argument.
- Price. From £199 fitted, against a typical £400 to £600.
- App control. Status, modes and settings on your phone, with firmware updates arriving over the air rather than needing a workshop visit.
- Valet mode and anti-hijack as part of the same module rather than a separate conversation.
- Shared cars work properly. Extra phones and TAGs are paired at fitting, so nobody is sharing a code around a family.
If somebody has told you to buy a Ghost, buy a Ghost. If nobody has, you are choosing between two systems that stop the same attacks, and the deciding factor is whether you would rather remember a sequence or carry a phone. Our three-way comparison goes further, including IGLA.
Questions we get asked
Do you fit Autowatch Ghost in Birmingham?
No. We supply and fit LockCar CAN-IMMO. If a TASSA-registered Ghost installation is what you need, you should go to an Autowatch approved installer, and we will tell you that rather than talk you out of it.
How much is a Ghost immobiliser in Birmingham?
Fitted prices in the UK generally sit in the region of £400 to £600 depending on the installer and the vehicle. Confirm the figure with an approved installer, as prices change.
What is the difference between Ghost and LockCar CAN-IMMO?
Both are CAN bus immobilisers that block the engine start. Ghost authorises with a PIN sequence on the car's own buttons. CAN-IMMO authorises with your phone or a proximity TAG, and keeps a button sequence as the backup rather than the main method.
Does a Ghost immobiliser stop relay theft?
It does not stop the doors being opened with a relayed key signal, and it is not meant to. It stops the engine starting. The same is true of CAN-IMMO.
Is a TASSA registration worth paying for?
It is worth paying for if your insurer or lease company has asked for it, because it gives them a verifiable record of the installation. If nobody has asked, it is buying evidence you may never need.
Which one should I buy?
If an insurer named Ghost, buy Ghost. If nobody named anything and you would rather not type a code every time you drive, CAN-IMMO is the easier system to live with. We are happy to say that plainly.
Not sure which one you need?
Tell us what you drive and what your insurer has asked for. If the answer is a Ghost, we will say so.
Get a quote for your car Message us on WhatsAppLockCar is a trademark of the manufacturer; 5StarWin supplies, fits and supports the systems. Autowatch, Ghost and IGLA are trademarks of their respective owners and 5StarWin is not affiliated with, endorsed by or acting on behalf of any of them. Prices are correct at the time of publication and depend on the vehicle and the options chosen. Nothing on this page is insurance advice — always tell your insurer about any security device fitted to your vehicle.