How safe is your car?

Rappey69

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c220 w204 amg sport
Was watching a programme on some abscure channel the other night about car theft and what lenghts thieves go to for a car.
Most of the stolen cars were mercs :(
They would follow you home to see where you live and therefore get your address and take note of your vin number.
Using false documents and passport would travel to say germany,walk into a dealership claiming to have lost their keys and ask for a replacement providing all the proof of ownership then finally returning to the uk with their new key.
all they did next was to come around to your house, open the car and drive off, usually to the ferry port then onto spain or greece to sell the car.
It seems that many stolen cars are just driven onto the cross channel ferries,never to be seen again.
 

The Hooded Claw

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Best car to break into ...............................

Ford Mondeo ST24 Thump the front offside wheel wiv a rubber hammer ..........The airbags go off & all the locks lift This was designed so if you had a crash you wouldn't get trapped inside if it set a fire !!!!!!!!!

I believe the new Focus ST has the same system!!!!!!
 

antijam

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2003 SLK320
Best car to break into ...............................

Ford Mondeo ST24 Thump the front offside wheel wiv a rubber hammer ..........The airbags go off & all the locks lift This was designed so if you had a crash you wouldn't get trapped inside if it set a fire !!!!!!!!!

I believe the new Focus ST has the same system!!!!!!


And just how did you discover this..........? ;)
 

turbopete

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2017 '17' Ford Mondeo 2.0TDCi ST Line X 180 (sorry)
that rumour has been going around for years. problem is the sensors were always behind the bumper and the bang required to trigger the sensor was so great it would obliterate the bumper! takes a 20-30mph impact minimum to set off an airbag and trigger this system. ive yet to meet the person that can hit a bumper in the right place with that amount of force to trigger the bags and open the locks! this is an old wives tale im afraid!
 

ncooper

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Your Mercedes
1984 Mercedes Benz 280 SL,1993 Mercedes Benz 190E Manual,1993 Mercedes Benz 190E Auto
Was watching a programme on some obscure channel the other night about car theft and what lengths thieves go to for a car.
Most of the stolen cars were mercs :(
They would follow you home to see where you live and therefore get your address and take note of your vin number.
Using false documents and passport would travel to say germany,walk into a dealership claiming to have lost their keys and ask for a replacement providing all the proof of ownership then finally returning to the uk with their new key.
all they did next was to come around to your house, open the car and drive off, usually to the ferry port then onto spain or greece to sell the car.
It seems that many stolen cars are just driven onto the cross channel ferries,never to be seen again.

I hate programmes like these.
If you are the target of thieves like this,you have no chance.
However,a few simple precautions,like never leaving your keys in the car or where they can be easily found and always locking it when you get out,for however short a time,will make you safe from 99% of thieves.

There will always be the professional and if you become their target,you will have your car stolen.

Most of us,in fact virtually all of us,will never be in this position but these programmes spread alarm and despondency where they need not be.

Regards,
Nick.
 
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Xtractorfan

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S class
Yea totally agree with turbopete on this ..just think every time you kerbed a car then the air bags would go off .. heard of it many years ago...
 
C

C180 Chris

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I like my S class's anti theft device..........Double Glazed Windows!!!!

A few months ago some nice law abiding little sh4t (s)decided to take a wander down our street in the early hours damaging every car that they came across, one of my neighbours had a cabrio which was just too much to resist so it got set on fire, next was my 'S' I would have payed money to see the look on the faces of the little loves when the brick broke the first layer of glass then bounced off the second!! well, they did not gain access to my vehicle and so went on down the street and into the next one damaging and stealing from the vehicles. If only they had asked, i would have happily taken them out for a drive in my S class without needing to break into it ! (well it may have been in the boot, but at least it would be a drive out in a Merc)

I hate these Scum, Subculture's and wish only bad things on them, and all who sail with them:D!

A cool true story that has now become a Legend around my area though.... Chris and his monster merc that is impervious to attack from scumbags

I am an urban legend..........been called worse:D:D:D
 

Splatt

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To get back to the original point , ie criminals reading your vin no through the screen. On my C class I have slipped a piece of black card from inside between the sceen and the dash top and it slides down and covers the vin no so it cannot be seen. Probably illegal but if the Police object I can just pull it back for them to read the vin.
 
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Alex M Grieve

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B Class d200 Sport Premium Plus (66)
To get back to the original point , ie criminals reading your vin no through the screen. On my C class I have slipped a piece of black card from inside between the sceen and the dash top and it slides down and covers the vin no so it cannot be seen. Probably illegal but if the Police object I can just pull it back for them to read the vin.

That's an interesting thought. Replacement windscreens do not always have the facility to enable viewing the VIN number. If that would make them illegal, it would presumably also make them an MOT failure. Does anyone have any experience of that?
 

Blobcat

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R171 SLK280, Smart R451, Land Rover 110 County SW, 997 C2S, R1250 GSA TE 40th, CBR600FP
Was watching a programme on some abscure channel the other night about car theft and what lenghts thieves go to for a car.
Most of the stolen cars were mercs :(
They would follow you home to see where you live and therefore get your address and take note of your vin number.
Using false documents and passport would travel to say germany,walk into a dealership claiming to have lost their keys and ask for a replacement providing all the proof of ownership then finally returning to the uk with their new key.
all they did next was to come around to your house, open the car and drive off, usually to the ferry port then onto spain or greece to sell the car.
It seems that many stolen cars are just driven onto the cross channel ferries,never to be seen again.
I was in my dealers last week and whilst waiting for my car had a glance at a brochure they had which details how to get replacement keys for a Mercedes. Original documents are required for proof of ownership and proof of address before keys are ordered.
 

ncooper

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1984 Mercedes Benz 280 SL,1993 Mercedes Benz 190E Manual,1993 Mercedes Benz 190E Auto
I was in my dealers last week and whilst waiting for my car had a glance at a brochure they had which details how to get replacement keys for a Mercedes. Original documents are required for proof of ownership and proof of address before keys are ordered.

Another thought,do not replacement keys need to be programmed to the car,so at some stage,one has to be physically present at a dealers with the car?
Unless the programme was referring to aged cars like mine which do not have an alarm,immobiliser or chipped key?

I remember obtaining a new key for a 1998 E Class,I think I remember that the chap said there was a limited number of keys for the car,20 ish?.
He said I had key number two,the new key was number four and that he had disabled one and three,so if someone else had them,they would no longer start my car.

Regards,
Nick.
 

Jay Gee

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Honda
Another thought,do not replacement keys need to be programmed to the car,so at some stage,one has to be physically present at a dealers with the car?

I think I know what you're referring to here.Is this to do with the 'green key'?.When I ordered a new key for my car,it was as Blobcat.Documents presented,key arrived,money paid :shock: Off I go.
 

ncooper

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1984 Mercedes Benz 280 SL,1993 Mercedes Benz 190E Manual,1993 Mercedes Benz 190E Auto
I think I know what you're referring to here.Is this to do with the 'green key'?.When I ordered a new key for my car,it was as Blobcat.Documents presented,key arrived,money paid :shock: Off I go.

That would seem to be a backward step in terms of security.
The key wasn't a key,it fitted into a socket on the dashboard.
Is that what you mean?

There was,I think,a foldout metal bit,which I had to order seperately,to open the driver's door lock in the event of a flat battery,for example.

Regards,
Nick
 

SilverSaloon

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w124/1994/om606
Another thought,do not replacement keys need to be programmed to the car,so at some stage,one has to be physically present at a dealers with the car?

dont think so, when i bought a new key for my 208 CLK i bought it after showing documents and them taking copies, parts guy ordered it in and then gave me it and i just drove away - they never actually saw the car.

on my BMW 7 series i lost a key (well actually found it months later) and the BMW dealer said they would cancel the key so it couldnt start the car. i didnt take their option as i knew it was in my house somewhere, but all the keys were numbered and you can code the car to ignore "key 2" etc.
 

exchangeandmart

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I just read in the car news at exchange and mart about police who have been breaking into cars in Richmond in London - apparently they are "stealing" items from unlocked cars as a warning to motorists. do you think it is a good idea, to get people being more vigilant?
 

Miffy

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CLK 320 CAB Elegance C208
I just read in the car news at exchange and mart about police who have been breaking into cars in Richmond in London - apparently they are "stealing" items from unlocked cars as a warning to motorists. do you think it is a good idea, to get people being more vigilant?

Actually, I am sure its not legal to remove property from a car, be it locked or not
 

Myros

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R107, S211, R170, C219
the theft act and Pace rear their ugly heads here

it's only a crime if you intend to ( or actually do, despite intending not to) deprive the owner of the item permanently. They had to come up with "twoc-cing" as a separate crime as people were wise to this and said "i was only borrowing the car ossifer".

The police, love'em or hate'em, aren't going to be found guilty of depriving you of your property permanently. They are probably doing you a favour if they make you think twice about it.

Neat idea, I wonder how they got it past the operational planners.
 

jberks

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Jaguar XF 3.0 S, LR Freelander 2, Fiat 500 & Fiat Panda
Sorry but anyone dumb enough to leave their car unlocked and unattended anywhere in the UK, let alone in a crime hotspot such as London of all places, deserves to have their possessions taken!
When I fuel up I often use a garage in Harehills. Not the best area. I wouldn't consider going to pay before I've locked the doors and ideally posted an armed guard!
 

Splatt

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Sorry but anyone dumb enough to leave their car unlocked and unattended anywhere in the UK, let alone in a crime hotspot such as London of all places, deserves to have their possessions taken!
When I fuel up I often use a garage in Harehills. Not the best area. I wouldn't consider going to pay before I've locked the doors and ideally posted an armed guard!

I leave the wife in the car and keys in the ignition with engine running. Had no luck yet :rolleyes:
 


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