Take Caution When Selling... Please Read

Take Caution When Selling... Please Read

Author
Discussion

Billyray911

1,072 posts

203 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
Blank keys are easily bought via the internet.Used keys are easily reprogrammed and only need to be used once to get from point A to where the car will be stripped.The key can then be used again if the car is to be broken down.
The only cost involved will be buying or hiring the key coding equipment.

robuk

2,195 posts

189 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
Why are plod not using bait cars to catch these gangs?


AOK

2,297 posts

165 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
But that's a blank key. I meant ordering your key from BMW, already cut/programmed for your car.

I remember when I bought my E46 it only had 1 key so the (independent) dealer who was selling it said he has ordered a spare and will forward it on to me in the post as soon as he gets it from the dealer. Sure enough it arrived a few days later, and the blade was already cut to match my ignition barrel. I had to do some kind of coding ritual with the existing key to get the buttons to work, but I guess the blade still would have opened the doors manually.

Billyray911

1,072 posts

203 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
AOK said:
But that's a blank key. I meant ordering your key from BMW, already cut/programmed for your car.

I remember when I bought my E46 it only had 1 key so the (independent) dealer who was selling it said he has ordered a spare and will forward it on to me in the post as soon as he gets it from the dealer. Sure enough it arrived a few days later, and the blade was already cut to match my ignition barrel. I had to do some kind of coding ritual with the existing key to get the buttons to work, but I guess the blade still would have opened the doors manually.
I see what you're saying,but nowadays there really isn't a need to compromise anybody with the hassle of getting a key cut and finding out names and addresses etc.Sitting in a car in a car park or outside your house,using either a signal jammer (or grabber if it's keyless entry),access to your car is trouble free.Or,you can just smash the window on the E9# and use the convenient void where the alarm sensors don't cover,to plug a key coder into the obd.Minutes later,your car is gone...

NickHKent

305 posts

165 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
Billyray911 said:
Regarding BMW Keyless theft,anything that has the block type key and anything that has followed ie all E9# and newer F# models.
If it has parts that are easy to strip and sell,they will be stolen-idrive,leather,xenons-anything and everything...
Oh joy. That is not exactly ideal.

t8cmf

342 posts

159 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
I know you shouldn't have to do this but the first thing you need to do if you buy a modern era BMW is to relocate the OBD port. If they break into your car they cannot reprogram your car if they don't have access to the port. Buy an extension lead and hide it well, fit a blank dummy port so they waste more time trying to program a lump of plastic. They don't have time to strip your car down looking for the port whilst it's sat on your driveway. You will only need to unveil the port every 12-18mths or so for servicing reasons.

This job was the first thing I did when I got my E92 M3 two and a half years ago. It cost me £20, £15 for the 3M extension lead and £5 for a dummy port. It will also be my first job if I buy an M4. It's unfortunate but if you don't do it you will become a victim and you'll be moaning about it on the internet one day.

Be proactive.

Billyray911

1,072 posts

203 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
It's not all bad news,but it will mean paying for for external security devices and this is never a 100% solution.I know it's not ideal having paid out for a vehicle that turns out to be vulnerable.However,as mentioned,it's not just bmw's.
It's been discussed loads,so there is loads of advice available.We all have to be a bit proactive with our security.

av185

18,433 posts

126 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
robuk said:
Why are plod not using bait cars to catch these gangs?
Low priority.

Also many 'gangs' are from outside local plods area so why waste thei resources trying to secure convictions elsewhere......confused

Tea Pot One

1,842 posts

227 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
av185 said:
Low priority.

Also many 'gangs' are from outside local plods area so why waste thei resources trying to secure convictions elsewhere......confused
Sadly finding stolen cars in for arguments sake Essex, originally stolen in London, does nothing for Essex crime figures - they mount an operation and make the Met Police figures look good. I hope this is not why they aren't spending time on it but I bet there is a high chance it is true ! I would stress I read it on a forum but it did make sense in a perverse way :-(

Phateuk

751 posts

136 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
Not a nice thing to happen, but on the plus side its just an insurance claim.

The worst "for sale stories" are the ones where the car gets forcibly taken during a test drive, most insurance companies have exclusions for "theft executed during attempted sale of vehicle" so you'd be pretty screwed financially as well as psychologically frown

On any valuable/desirable car I've always found the financial hit of part ex or selling to a dealer preferable to the risk/hassle of a private sale.