Car security - Jetta

[maneesh5880]

I wanted to ask this for sometime now. How secure are the new VW's in terms of theft of the car or getting broken into. I know one can always break one of the screens/windows to get in but I am keen to know

1. How easily can someone break into the car without breaking a glass panel (so as to steal some content etc).
2. Or worse drive away with your car with a duplicate key or usingsome alternate method.

This might be a no brainer but with my limited knowledge, I wanted to find out more.

Cheers

[ope126]

Now days with engine imobilisers etc. most cars including VW would be difficult for a novice to steal. Did you opt for the OEM Alarm with Tilt / Motion Detection?

[maneesh5880]

I did not opt for any additional alarm which was optional. What comes in the standard car configuration?

[gregozedobe]

1. How easily can someone break into the car without breaking a glass panel (so as to steal some content etc).
2. Or worse drive away with your car with a duplicate key or usingsome alternate method.

1 VWs have deadlocks on the doors, so it is quite difficult to open the door without the key/remote (if it is deadlocked).

2 Without a proper key coded to your car the engine immobiliser will stop the engine about 2 seconds after it starts, so even if someone copies your key blade they won't be able to drive it away.

These days if thieves want to drive your car away they usually either steal your key from your home or take it from you with the threat of violence.

To make a working duplicate key requires a VW dealer to both supply the key (with immobilser chip); and also code it to the ECU after logging on to the VW computer in Germany.

So in general, VWs have pretty good security.

[jettapilot]

I still would not leave anything interesting visible.

Even if they try unsuccessfully to break in they'll damage the car in the process.

I've heard that theives will break in for the hidden GPS even if they see the round mark left on the windscreen.

[maneesh5880]

I agree. I am not leaving anything visible interesting or not. I do have a phone holder installed with a round suction holder. hmmmm

[SoVeReIgN]

Quite hard to steal. Most modern cars required quite alot of skill to steal, or a towtruck, or someone breaking into your house to steal the keys.

Hence why IMO most VWs will be left alone, they're not worth the effort to a potential thief.

[maca]

I accidentally sent my sis-in-laws Audi A3 keys down the coast with her parents while her car was stuck on our driveway. Now we have a double garage but only one car could fit through the trees at once so we called RACQ. They came out and said that they couldn't even open the car let alone move it...

[warhead]

I can understand thieves going after GPS devices when they were about $800-1000 each, they'd get a nice return even if they sell it off on the streets for $400.

But now, they can be had for 200 or less from your local JB Hi Fi. Certainly most would consider the risk of getting caught red handed breaking into you car wouldn't be worth the $50-100 they'd get if they could sell it.

Different story if you leave a hand held gaming device ( PSP, NDS ), phones or laptops in plain view. Don't even leave a laptop bag in view.

[maneesh5880]

For most valuables, the boot is the right place.

[Dubdabest]

One time my mate's car was broken into in a public carpark because he left his laptop in the boot. I heard the professional thief would have some sort of scanning device to detect laptops/electronics in the boot - although not confirmed of such device to exist but I would still be cautious about leaving laptops in the boot.

[Maverick]

One time my mate's car was broken into in a public carpark because he left his laptop in the boot. I heard the professional thief would have some sort of scanning device to detect laptops/electronics in the boot - although not confirmed of such device to exist but I would still be cautious about leaving laptops in the boot.

He was either lazy and was seen loading his notebook in there or they broke into the car for another reason.

[Maverick]

I can understand thieves going after GPS devices when they were about $800-1000 each, they'd get a nice return even if they sell it off on the streets for $400.

But now, they can be had for 200 or less from your local JB Hi Fi. Certainly most would consider the risk of getting caught red handed breaking into you car wouldn't be worth the $50-100 they'd get if they could sell it.

Different story if you leave a hand held gaming device ( PSP, NDS ), phones or laptops in plain view. Don't even leave a laptop bag in view.

Who do you think the majority of the scum are who break into cars? Junkie scum who don't care if they get $20 for your $800 GPS unit, as long as they can stick something in their arm an hour later that's all that matters.

Which leads me onto an interesting idea to cull the population of junkies by leaving tainted needles next to said devices