Comand units nicked from Boston and Lincoln MB Dealers

[steve_amv8]

Should you happen to get offered a cheap Comand unit, I think I might know where it came from ....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/news/int/customisation/1....

Frankly rather bizarre thing to nick - they aren't exactly the easiest thing to sell on surely?!

[matc]

Happening everywhere at the moment, we had one nicked from our place the night after 2 were stolen from MB Truro. I would imagine it is one gang of people doing the whole country.

Pain in the ass to be honest, the replacement units are on back-order meaning you can't sell the bloody cars until the new units arrive!!

From June though all the units will be coded to the vehicle, so will be useless in any other car.

Edited by matc on Wednesday 6th May 21:02

[va1o]

I guess they will all end up on eBay, bloody theiving scum.

Problem is though if they are going to start coding COMAND systems to the cars from June, won't that mean that the only way to get hold of one will be ordered new from teh factory? What I am getting at is if you buy a Merc without COMAND, you won't be able to source a cheap unit from the breakers or one thats been removed form a car at PDI.

Edited by va1o on Friday 8th May 21:04

[Meeja]

va1o said:

I guess they will all end up on eBay, bloody theiving scum.

Problem is though if they are going to start coding COMAND systems to the cars from June, won't that mean that the only way to get hold of one will be ordered new from teh factory? What I am getting at is if you buy a Merc without COMAND, you won't be able to source a cheap unit from the breakers or one thats been removed form a car at PDI.

Edited by va1o on Friday 8th May 21:04

Yes, but wherever there is a coding system, there will be a cottage industry to unlock or re-code.

Radios are coded - have been for years. How many ads do you see in the back of Autotrader for Radio Coding services?

[va1o]

Ohhh I see what you mean, I thought you meant coded as in it will only ever work in that car.

In that case it wouldnt be a problem, as to transfer to another car the previous owner would simply need to provide the code to new owner.

[Meeja]

va1o said:

Ohhh I see what you mean, I thought you meant coded as in it will only ever work in that car.

In that case it wouldnt be a problem, as to transfer to another car the previous owner would simply need to provide the code to new owner.

To be fair, the earlier post said they WOULD be coded to the vehicle - but I still suspect that the techie people will find a way around that.

[steve_amv8]

My understanding is that it is coded to the car and I suspect the unit has quite close ties to the other car electronics.

Rumour is that some are on eBay already, being sold from Lithuania ....

[va1o]

steve_amv8 said:

My understanding is that it is coded to the car and I suspect the unit has quite close ties to the other car electronics.

Rumour is that some are on eBay already, being sold from Lithuania ....

Right, so you mean coded as in it will only work with that car, rather than coded like with most radios where you enter a code to unlock it, which only the owner of the car has?

[Meeja]

va1o said:

steve_amv8 said:

My understanding is that it is coded to the car and I suspect the unit has quite close ties to the other car electronics.

Rumour is that some are on eBay already, being sold from Lithuania ....

Right, so you mean coded as in it will only work with that car, rather than coded like with most radios where you enter a code to unlock it, which only the owner of the car has?

But it is simply electronics. One you know how to decode the thing, and you know the cryptography used, then I would hazard a guess that it is not too difficult to reprogram the electronics to THINK that it is connected to the car that it was originally coded to?

ETA: I'm not saying that it is easy, I am simply saying that when these coded units hit the marketplace, some electronics/radio coding whizz will crack it and offer services for re-coding.

Just like the radio guys

And the "mileage correction" people.....

ETA2: I am certain that this chap will do whatever he can to stop a coded COMAND unit putting him out of business....

http://www.comand.co.uk/

Edited by Meeja on Friday 8th May 23:20

Edited by Meeja on Friday 8th May 23:22