G05
BMW X5
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03-13-2026LAST POST
03-05-2026
All,

How many of you have encountered dealers try to sell you so-called anti-theft devices (claimed by the dealer) that are just inventory gps trackers as dealer add-ons? The one I'm seeing is InTouch (I think from a company called Passtime). I've run across this several times in the past several days when looking for an X5.

I "think" that the X5 already has the ConnectedDrive / BMW Assist correct? (at least for 4 years). I don't know enough to know what I'm talking about but I need to educate myself enough to argue agains the above tracker crap.

Any help is appreciated on how you folks have argued to not pay or not pay AND remove that mess from the car.

Thanks in advance
03-05-2026
Just tell them you don't want it, no arguing needed.
03-05-2026
TurtleBoy wrote
Just tell them you don't want it, no arguing needed.
TurtleBoy's user avatarTurtleBoy Is this a typical BMW move to try to pass off inventory trackers to the customer? I just haven't seen it with other car brands we have purchased in the past.

Am I correct that the the car already has a tracking feature? I'm getting a great deal with zero haggling so I'm trying to respond nicely and sound educated. : )
03-05-2026
snowyATX wrote
TurtleBoy's user avatarTurtleBoy Is this a typical BMW move to try to pass off inventory trackers to the customer? I just haven't seen it with other car brands we have purchased in the past.

Am I correct that the the car already has a tracking feature? I'm getting a great deal with zero haggling so I'm trying to respond nicely and sound educated. : )
Some dealers do it but would say most don't.

You can find the location of the vehicle using the app but I wouldn't call it a tracker. One of the first things done when the vehicle is stolen by someone that knows what they are doing is ripping out the TCU under the headliner beneath the shark fin.

If you think you need a tracker for some reason then get it but generally if your vehicle is stolen you probably don't want it back anyways. ;)
03-05-2026
TurtleBoy wrote
Some dealers do it but would say most don't.

You can find the location of the vehicle using the app but I wouldn't call it a tracker. One of the first things done when the vehicle is stolen by someone that knows what they are doing is ripping out the TCU under the headliner beneath the shark fin.

If you think you need a tracker for some reason then get it but generally if your vehicle is stolen you probably don't want it back anyways. ;)
Exactly! If it is gone I do NOT want it back. Had that happen to a family member. Car was trashed and would of been better had it been declared a total loss.
03-05-2026
I've never been pressured to buy a tracking system. I've seen Many dealers try to charge you for a BS paint protection application. I think a "No thank you" is all that's needed. Ditto on what the others have said (connected drive services).
03-12-2026
TurtleBoy wrote
Some dealers do it but would say most don't.

You can find the location of the vehicle using the app but I wouldn't call it a tracker. One of the first things done when the vehicle is stolen by someone that knows what they are doing is ripping out the TCU under the headliner beneath the shark fin.

If you think you need a tracker for some reason then get it but generally if your vehicle is stolen you probably don't want it back anyways. ;)
I don't know any new car dealers that push trackers but I have heard of a couple. At Buy Here, Pay Here lots the trackers are pretty standard. But since they're dealing sub-prime loans repos are fairly common.

If you have an active BMW assist plan, you can notify them and the police when the car is stolen and BMW Assist will provide tracking data to the authorities (assuming they haven't ripped it out.)
03-12-2026
They pulled it and I got them to remove all add-on garbage.

They sent me this. It’s an inventory tracker they try to pass on to the customer for $$$.
An image attached to this post, provided by the poster
03-13-2026
I just bought a '23 M440. The NJ dealer put a $499 "APPI passive theft protection" on the initial quote. I said I didn't want it and it came off without any further conversation.