Is the M135i targeted by thieves as much as s3/golf r
Discussion
rampageturke said:
JQ said:
Martin brown said:
Hi,
Contemplating buying a m135i. Having seen a few threads regarding golf r and s3 being stolen regularly, wanted to know if anyone has had the same experience with the BM (being a fast hatch)?
I'm not Rambo and have a kid on the way so if there is a good chance of having people breaking in for the keys I will pass for something else! It's just not worth the risk.
Cheers
Martin
The S3 is the most stolen car in the UK, with 0.85% of S3's stolen each year, or to put it another way, 99.15% aren't stolen. It's not exactly a foregone conclusion an S3's going to get stolen. Contemplating buying a m135i. Having seen a few threads regarding golf r and s3 being stolen regularly, wanted to know if anyone has had the same experience with the BM (being a fast hatch)?
I'm not Rambo and have a kid on the way so if there is a good chance of having people breaking in for the keys I will pass for something else! It's just not worth the risk.
Cheers
Martin
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/jun/25/hi-t...
I've had my M135i for almost a year without a problem. I live on a nice estate but in a rough town. I live in at the end of a Cul-De-Sac and I have a wrap around driveway. I park my car right down the side of the house next to the garage and it can only be seen if you're actually standing on my property. It's totally hidden from view otherwise. The XC90 family wagon is parked up in front of the house which can be seen when passing the street so my hope is if anyone is going past, they'll just see an ordinary soccer mom car and move on. I don't garage it and I often leave it in car parks around the town. I certainly wouldn't base my decision on a car on the off chance it might be desirable to thieves but I am conscious it might be more of a target.
My other half was recently housebound on maternity leave and we've had a lot of builders/tradesmen come and go as it's a new build site. While she's been dishing out the cups of tea, she's told me a lot of them have commented on the car and asked how fast it goes etc. This sort of thing makes me a bit nervous but time will tell whether I'm a target or not.
I used to work for a guy who is very successful and has had lots of seriously nice cars over the years. Aston's including a classic DB5, Ferrari's, AC Cobra and the likes and he's never had any trouble with any of them. A good few years ago, he was working late one night and had a fairly ordinary (for him) 2.8 Audi A4 Quattro saloon as his company hack. He's a big bloke but got confronted with 3 menacing chaps with baseball bats so handed over the keys. Looking back, I suppose that sort of car is better for robberies (less conspicuous, 4 door, quickish, 4WD, etc.) but in my mind I'd have thought a classic Cobra would be more likely to get pinched than an Audi A4.
My other half was recently housebound on maternity leave and we've had a lot of builders/tradesmen come and go as it's a new build site. While she's been dishing out the cups of tea, she's told me a lot of them have commented on the car and asked how fast it goes etc. This sort of thing makes me a bit nervous but time will tell whether I'm a target or not.
I used to work for a guy who is very successful and has had lots of seriously nice cars over the years. Aston's including a classic DB5, Ferrari's, AC Cobra and the likes and he's never had any trouble with any of them. A good few years ago, he was working late one night and had a fairly ordinary (for him) 2.8 Audi A4 Quattro saloon as his company hack. He's a big bloke but got confronted with 3 menacing chaps with baseball bats so handed over the keys. Looking back, I suppose that sort of car is better for robberies (less conspicuous, 4 door, quickish, 4WD, etc.) but in my mind I'd have thought a classic Cobra would be more likely to get pinched than an Audi A4.
legless said:
The neighbour in question now drives a bog-standard middle-of-the-range Fiesta. That experience shook him up so much that he never wants to stand out from the crowd again.
Poor bloke, I'm not surprised he's shaken up by it. Having a gun pointed at you is bad enough, having it pointed at your kid is another thing altogether. 
Of all things why is it the likes of a Golf-R that is so desirable to a thieving little turd? Certainly a fast car but surely no easier to steal than another hot hatch?
I've read it a lot on here and don't have reason to doubt they're stolen regularly just surprised why the the R comes up so frequently.
The top 10 cars stolen in 2016 according to the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service were :
Audi S3: 8.6
Land Rover Defender: 5.8
Land Rover Range Rover: 3.8
Audi Q7: 3.7
Ford Escort: 3.6
BMW X5: 3.1
Audi A5: 3.1
Mitsubishi Shogun: 2.4
BMW 5 Series: 2.4
Toyota Hilux: 2.
The numbers are the number of thefts per 1,000 vehicle. Neither the Golf nor 1 Series are present.
Moral of the story - whatever you do don't buy a 5 Series, it is absolutely guaranteed to be stolen. Well, it's not really, despite being the 9th most stolen car in the UK, 99.76% of 5 Series are NOT stolen every year - pretty good odds in my book.
Buy whatever car you want and stop worrying.
ps - Escorts are in the list due to high value ones being stolen to order and for parts.
Audi S3: 8.6
Land Rover Defender: 5.8
Land Rover Range Rover: 3.8
Audi Q7: 3.7
Ford Escort: 3.6
BMW X5: 3.1
Audi A5: 3.1
Mitsubishi Shogun: 2.4
BMW 5 Series: 2.4
Toyota Hilux: 2.
The numbers are the number of thefts per 1,000 vehicle. Neither the Golf nor 1 Series are present.
Moral of the story - whatever you do don't buy a 5 Series, it is absolutely guaranteed to be stolen. Well, it's not really, despite being the 9th most stolen car in the UK, 99.76% of 5 Series are NOT stolen every year - pretty good odds in my book.
Buy whatever car you want and stop worrying.
ps - Escorts are in the list due to high value ones being stolen to order and for parts.
J4CKO said:
This is of interest to me, my thinking is that it is of less interest for the thieves as it isnt as good for doing an armed robbery in, mainly as it is only 2wd, a 135i wouldnt see which way a Golf R went if its wet, even in the dry the R seems to be regarded as quicker point to point, so if you are trying to get away from the Police, the R is the choice, great for ram raids as well, has always been the case for the 4wd VAG stuff.
I am sure that the BMW is still desirable to scum but not as much, still good for blasting about in and maybe to put in a container to send abroad but I think that is more something that happens with the SUV's, Q7's and X5's etc as they are in big demand abroad, but a small hatch with a big engine, probably less so.
I would get 5 door in white with the model designation delete, perhaps stick a 116i badge on or just leave it debadged, am sure the anoraks liek us can tell but probably more likely to get overlooked, I like the lack of clues to the performance.
I agree, I`d have thought the S3 / R are stolen to use as opposed to stolen to sellI am sure that the BMW is still desirable to scum but not as much, still good for blasting about in and maybe to put in a container to send abroad but I think that is more something that happens with the SUV's, Q7's and X5's etc as they are in big demand abroad, but a small hatch with a big engine, probably less so.
I would get 5 door in white with the model designation delete, perhaps stick a 116i badge on or just leave it debadged, am sure the anoraks liek us can tell but probably more likely to get overlooked, I like the lack of clues to the performance.
People still steal Escorts! 
JQ said:
The top 10 cars stolen in 2016 according to the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service were :
Audi S3: 8.6
Land Rover Defender: 5.8
Land Rover Range Rover: 3.8
Audi Q7: 3.7
Ford Escort: 3.6
BMW X5: 3.1
Audi A5: 3.1
Mitsubishi Shogun: 2.4
BMW 5 Series: 2.4
Toyota Hilux: 2.
The numbers are the number of thefts per 1,000 vehicle. Neither the Golf nor 1 Series are present.
Moral of the story - whatever you do don't buy a 5 Series, it is absolutely guaranteed to be stolen. Well, it's not really, despite being the 9th most stolen car in the UK, 99.76% of 5 Series are NOT stolen every year - pretty good odds in my book.
Buy whatever car you want and stop worrying.
ps - Escorts are in the list due to high value ones being stolen to order and for parts.
Audi S3: 8.6
Land Rover Defender: 5.8
Land Rover Range Rover: 3.8
Audi Q7: 3.7
Ford Escort: 3.6
BMW X5: 3.1
Audi A5: 3.1
Mitsubishi Shogun: 2.4
BMW 5 Series: 2.4
Toyota Hilux: 2.
The numbers are the number of thefts per 1,000 vehicle. Neither the Golf nor 1 Series are present.
Moral of the story - whatever you do don't buy a 5 Series, it is absolutely guaranteed to be stolen. Well, it's not really, despite being the 9th most stolen car in the UK, 99.76% of 5 Series are NOT stolen every year - pretty good odds in my book.
Buy whatever car you want and stop worrying.
ps - Escorts are in the list due to high value ones being stolen to order and for parts.
DickP said:
Is this not all in line with the stories of Cosworths etc being stolen back in the 80s and 90s though?
Cars change but the performance / quick ones have always been and always will be a target?
There were other fast cars around back then, equally as fast, if not faster than the Cosworth stuff, however, it wasnt as high on the scrotes agenda as they may have owned, or aspired to own Fords, it was a massive deal at the time, almost exotic looking but still a Sierra and though expensive, it was more attainable than Say a 944 or AUdi quattro/200/V8, there were also fast Lancias like the Thema Turbo and 8.32 and other fast saloons like the Volvo 740 GLT Turbo, Renault 21 Turbo etc, but though anything was a theft risk then, a Sierra Cosworth was the one they were after, an MG Maestro or XR3i would do to joyride in but the Cossie was the ultimate prize.Cars change but the performance / quick ones have always been and always will be a target?
I dont think the 80s and 90s scum had Audis on the radar for example, they were oddball things for posh people so probably under their radar, the Golf R/S3 is fulfilling the Cosworth role now as the big prize, anything else is perhaps a risk, but not quite as much.
I think the Golf R is a bit of a problem theft wise, was driving from my parents in Heald Green (Sth Manchester) back home to Wilmslow, and on the border of Handforth a Red Golf R went flying past on the right hand side through traffic, it is a busy area and there is some "challenging" driving but not usually a car flying past on the right towards oncoming traffic, then I heard the sirens 
got out of the way and a Plod BMW flew past trying to keep up with the Golf, am guessing that isnt normal owner behaviour so can only assume it was stolen.
got out of the way and a Plod BMW flew past trying to keep up with the Golf, am guessing that isnt normal owner behaviour so can only assume it was stolen. J4CKO said:
I think the Golf R is a bit of a problem theft wise, was driving from my parents in Heald Green (Sth Manchester) back home to Wilmslow, and on the border of Handforth a Red Golf R went flying past on the right hand side through traffic, it is a busy area and there is some "challenging" driving but not usually a car flying past on the right towards oncoming traffic, then I heard the sirens got out of the way and a Plod BMW flew past trying to keep up with the Golf, am guessing that isnt normal owner behaviour so can only assume it was stolen.
Did it have a discreet PH sticker on the back and another one that said 'Drive it like you stole it'? got out of the way and a Plod BMW flew past trying to keep up with the Golf, am guessing that isnt normal owner behaviour so can only assume it was stolen. That was me. Soz. Was on my way to an important executive meeting.
J4CKO said:
I think the Golf R is a bit of a problem theft wise, was driving from my parents in Heald Green (Sth Manchester) back home to Wilmslow, and on the border of Handforth a Red Golf R went flying past on the right hand side through traffic, it is a busy area and there is some "challenging" driving but not usually a car flying past on the right towards oncoming traffic, then I heard the sirens got out of the way and a Plod BMW flew past trying to keep up with the Golf, am guessing that isnt normal owner behaviour so can only assume it was stolen.
I live just round the corner and drive like all the time, plod have never managed to catch me yet. Mine's Lapiz Blue so it can't have been me this time. got out of the way and a Plod BMW flew past trying to keep up with the Golf, am guessing that isnt normal owner behaviour so can only assume it was stolen. Judging by your posts in both this thread and other's about this topic, can I suggest you get yourself a Toyota Yaris, anything else and you won't be able to sleep at night.
Recently bought an S3 myself and while I love the car do find the reports of people getting their houses broken into for the keys slightly disturbing, especially when my stupid cat's busy banging around in the kitchen at night.
Poor bloke on Audi sport net got his locks snapped last week. Crazy how weak most upvc door locks are. Easily fixed though. Also seems to be predominatly four door cars getting nicked, which mine isn't.
Poor bloke on Audi sport net got his locks snapped last week. Crazy how weak most upvc door locks are. Easily fixed though. Also seems to be predominatly four door cars getting nicked, which mine isn't.
This is personally while I am.an advocate of the stealth performance purchase, or something away from the VAG/cheaper BMW performance cars.
I drive an Audi S4, which isn't especially special in itself, but I have groups of kids looking, wing mirrors stolen and people driving up the rear.
My old C5 S6 was stealthy; dark blue and many people didn't recognise it.
Me personally, I don't like the attention. Hence my next car will be an XKR/XFR.
I drive an Audi S4, which isn't especially special in itself, but I have groups of kids looking, wing mirrors stolen and people driving up the rear.
My old C5 S6 was stealthy; dark blue and many people didn't recognise it.
Me personally, I don't like the attention. Hence my next car will be an XKR/XFR.
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