Car Stereos Get Stolen These Days ?

[redgriff500]

I was just wondering if it was still an issue.

I have always upgraded the stereos in my cars and fitted "face off" versions which I remove every time I park but a few passengers have questioned if it's necessary ?

Thinking about it I've never had one stolen and I don't know anyone who has either.

I'd guess my Alpine is worth around £100 on Ebay and I suppose if a scumbag is out trying to steal stereos he'll break the window anyway assuming the face is in the glovebox.

So am I just being paranoid ?

[ZOLLAR]

They'd have to take the dashboard with them to get mine

[eybic]

I do the same as you and have wondered the same thing. I think satnavs are the theft of choice currently, a lot easier to lug around than a stereo with wires hanging from it. I still remove the face of my unit when left anywhere just to be safe.

[sklar]

VAG RCD-510s and RNS-510s are one of the stereos of choice atm I believe.

They're held in with 4 torx bolts. An experienced scrote can get these out pretty swiftly. Just check out how many are on ebay. I'm suprised there's any left in Latvia.

[Fastra]

Just this very weekend I've put £230 (ebay) worth of Pioneer double din touch screen into mine which has no security features what-so-ever really. I've fitted nice and snug, but someone with the right, brutal, mind could easily rip it out.

So I'm getting one of these £10 hi-tech devices:

[Wayney]

Just for peace of mind I take mine off off every night! There are thieves where u least expect it! Had my car broken into 8yrs back coz I left too much stuff on show! Now the car is empty & the glove box open & empty every night! Sat Nav & Face Off securly hidden in the car

[RemainAllHoof]

Wayney said:

Just for peace of mind I take mine off off every night! There are thieves where u least expect it! Had my car broken into 8yrs back coz I left too much stuff on show! Now the car is empty & the glove box open & empty every night! Sat Nav & Face Off securly hidden in the car

So, guys, if you see an Evo 8 with the glove box open and empty, the satnav and hifi face are hidden in the car.

[V88Dicky]

They're welcome to the unit in mine.

[XG332]

I didn't know the front came off mine until a friend took it off.

[Baryonyx]

I have to say, I haven't heard of a car stereo being stolen in years. Most cars have had that risk designed out with built in stereos.

[Benbay001]

I wondered the same thing earlier, i went to take a portable sat nav off the windscreen of the car, then remembered that they can be bought for about £50 now, so didnt bother. I have faith in humanity, probably a bit too much of it.

[Bursar]

Benbay001 said:

I wondered the same thing earlier, i went to take a portable sat nav off the windscreen of the car, then remembered that they can be bought for about £50 now, so didnt bother. I have faith in humanity, probably a bit too much of it.

So that's £50 for a satnav, but how much for a new window?

[croyde]

Bursar said:

Benbay001 said:

I wondered the same thing earlier, i went to take a portable sat nav off the windscreen of the car, then remembered that they can be bought for about £50 now, so didnt bother. I have faith in humanity, probably a bit too much of it.

So that's £50 for a satnav, but how much for a new window?

Exactly my worry.

[JonnyFive]

My car got broken into to.. Took the iPod and SatNav in the glovebox.. Left the headunit and the gearknob that was worth more the iPod was

[Wattsie]

Benbay001 said:

I wondered the same thing earlier, i went to take a portable sat nav off the windscreen of the car, then remembered that they can be bought for about £50 now, so didnt bother. I have faith in humanity, probably a bit too much of it.

Of course you realise, its the fact that they're are £50 off eBay that makes it worth nicking from your car?

[Lionsden]

I had an old alpine head unit ripped out my car could only have been worth £40, but didn't stop the little chavs bending my door open and causing nearly a grands worth of damage to get at it.

Then it was broken into again a month later for the sub and amp in the boot, only this time they used a screwdriver in the lock, same group of chavs I suspect.

[aww999]

I remember my Aunt had a tape player in her Maestro where the whole unit would slide out of the dash as a security feature. Every time she parked up she would faithfully pull the entire headunit out of its quick-release caddy and lug it around the shops.

[sinizter]

Happened to our car in about 2006.
Used to leave the aftermarket stereo in the car with the fascia on.
Glass was broken and stereo stolen.

Since then, fascia was always taken off and put out of sight - until that car was traded in.

[anonymous-user]

aww999 said:

I remember my Aunt had a tape player in her Maestro where the whole unit would slide out of the dash as a security feature. Every time she parked up she would faithfully pull the entire headunit out of its quick-release caddy and lug it around the shops.

Kenwood used to do them. Most people just slid it out & stuck it under the seats, hence later versions where the faceplate only came off........& people stuck them in the glovebox...........

ETA

So kenwood came up with the "Mask version" where the faceplate rotated into the headunit so it looked like the faceplate had been taken off. The Chavs then just nicked the whole unit(again).

[Thesaint01708]

its not just the cost of the headunit its the agro it causes..

I had my Mark3 Golf GTi broken into at a council run multistory back in 2000, they stole my pioneer headunit (without the face?! that was in my pocket) and ripped the lock out of the glove box and took a pair of oakleys.

then when i go to phone a window replacement firm i get told 'its out of usual office hours so there is a premium call out fee (it was friday, 6.15pm)

From memory the costs were...

Head unit £250
Oakleys £200

Window £65
Call out £160 (from memory)


and a cancelled friday night out by the time they turned up, finished etc..