Facelift Concern around recent Stolen Audi S3's

[BrownChris1991]

Hi guys. Just a quick post really, I've recently ordered and signed for a new Audi S3 in the last week.

I've got a friend who I work with who has recently bought a new S3 on the 17 Reg plate and yesterday he's had the worst news where thieves have broken into his house with only one thing in mind.. get the keys from his S3 and steal it.

Many other valuables were in the house which were not stolen and they even went as far as stealing and driving his parents expensive top spec car £30k+ out of the way as it blocked his S3 in on the drive, later noticing they couldn't find the keys for the S3 and fled the scene and dumped the stolen car down the road.

This was in broad daylight on a main road.. Obviously this leaves me concerned not for the car but for my own and my family's safety as they live in the same house as me and I'm getting the same car soon.

Any thoughts? Stories? Have any of you guys had any similar issues?

 

[John99]

The best thing to do is make it clear to potential thieves that you are security conscious.
Make sure you have a security light so as soon as anyone comes on the drive they are bathed in light - thieves hate to be seen.
Either install CCTV or just put up a dummy camera - if thieves think they will be recorded it is a serious deterrent.
Get a tracker, or at least some stickers on the car window that claim a tracker is in the vehicle.
Use your house alarm at night and when you are out in the day.
The weakest point of any house is patio doors (presuming all entry points are locked!). Invest in a 'pat-lock'.
I read somewhere that you can now get some kind of software that requires you to press a sequence of buttons on the steering wheel before the car will start. Even if they get the key, this makes it impossible to drive the car away. Not sure on cost, but it's on my list of things to look into.

 

[Bitzieee]

I collect my S3 2nd of September at 9AM, I have it booked in 12:00 for a tracker to be fitted,

That way if someones so desperate as they will hurt me for the keys, they can certainly have them and I will have no hesitation in handing them the keys.

The tracker costs £800 fitted, with lifetime subscription, it lowers my insurance on my first year £600... No brainer really.

Depending how far you want to go you can have a blackjax immobiliser fitted, which requires a code to be entered every time you start the engine, if codes not entered after a mile or so the engine cuts out and alarms go off, letting them get so far away as to not come back for you, believe these are around £400 but can be a pain in the backside, they're usually fitted under ur steering wheel

 

[Jassyo06]

Gap insurance it's a car= item l have recently ordered my second S3 saloon not worried as it will be covered by GAP

 

[richinsoton]

Whatever forums you go on at the moment there seem to be similar threads with similar horror stories for example -

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1675904

I think you need to live your life however you feel most comfortable, either buy a nice car & enjoy nights out or live in constant fear of thefts & terrorist attacks & become a hermit!!.

 

[RedRS3Reilly]

The best solution is to fit an auto watch ghost immobiliser system where only the owner can start the car using a sequence of buttons

 

[paradigital]

The best solution is to fit an auto watch ghost immobiliser system where only the owner can start the car using a sequence of buttons

Yeah, because once you've broken into a property to threaten the owners into handing over the keys, it's far too difficult to coerce the code out of you at knife point. Don't waste your money.

As above, it's a car, insure it and GAP cover it. I've got CCTV also but that's not just for the car.

 

[Daveotto]

GAP
CCTV
Good house locks
House Alarm
Dash cam

And enjoy the car .... end of!!!!!!

 

[Liquidfusion-S3]

Big Dog

GAP
CCTV
Good house locks
House Alarm
Dash cam

And enjoy the car .... end of!!!!!!

Big Dog

 

[mrksl]

I had my S3 8P stolen couple of years ago...broke into house for keys whilst asleep and moved wife's car to get to mine.....nothing else taken. Broke in through patio doors. I've now changed all my locks to anti-snap cylinders, set the alarm day & night, new S3 always has disclok on it, GAP, hidden cheap phone with data sim in car so that I can self track (no monthly outlaw to 3rd party monitoring), take keys to bed (keep lock key separate) and have a spare set of 'dummy keys' left downstairs if anyone does get in. Also considering taking car to an auto electrician to wire up a spare button on the dash above aircon (that looks like one of the standard Audi ones) wired as a cut-off that needs pressing before car starts....

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[SportbackSam]

I had the unfortunate experience of having my PFL S3 stolen last week from Birmingham. They broke into my house by snapping the lock on my back door and got the keys and then took the keys for my Mrs' fiesta aswell. Luckily for me my no claims are protected and have vehicle replacement GAP but it's a major PITA. In 2 minds whether or not to get a new one, I would love another one but can't be having the hassle again. Decisions

 

[Daveotto]

I had the unfortunate experience of having my PFL S3 stolen last week from Birmingham. They broke into my house by snapping the lock on my back door and got the keys and then took the keys for my Mrs' fiesta aswell. Luckily for me my no claims are protected and have vehicle replacement GAP but it's a major PITA. In 2 minds whether or not to get a new one, I would love another one but can't be having the hassle again. Decisions

They took your wife's Fiesta as well as yours so don't matter what you get it can get stolen.

Choice is buy a car or not!!!!!

 

[Alex jb]

They took your wife's Fiesta as well as yours so don't matter what you get it can get stolen.

Choice is buy a car or not!!!!!

Not necessarily true, if there hadn't have been an S3 there (just 2 fiestas) then a different house would have been targeted.



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[Nigeltdi4life]

A big dog helps but I have a small dog (miniature schnauzer) and he's a badass security dog lol barks at any stranger that comes onto the driveway and I have him trained to look for intruders, all I have to say is "Whos that? Whos at the door?" And he will point his ears up and listen for a few seconds then immediately run to the front door to have a look lol

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[Jassyo06]

I have had 2 attempts to steal cars from my drive in the past 3 years 1st time ST3 focus.... they walked into the house at 11-30 pm....( Step daughter left the door unlocked) took the house keys and came back that night at 02-00 am hunted downstairs for the keys step daughter heard them they bolted, 2nd time S3..... 02-00am they broke the front door locks with whatever, Mrs heard the loud sound that made, again they scampered and my car is first in the drive the Mrs fiesta is last in so they need the 2 sets of keys

 

[Joetidman]

Guys, seriously worry less about them taking my S5, than them being in my house near my wife and kids. If they do ignore my CCTV and alarm then I want them out of my house as soon as possible. I love my S5 but ultimately it's just a car that I can replace, unlike my 2 sons... Don't make it hard for them to steal it once they're inside your house. Seriously


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[PanamaS3]

I don't know if Audi has the same tracker that Merc has, but my good buddy in UK had his Merc and wife's Nissan pinched a couple of weeks ago. Think the robbers had it quite easy to get the keys. Happened around 3am. My mate woke up at 6am...realised cars had gone....within 30 minutes both cars were recovered. He called Police immediately and was able to give the Police screenshots from his Merc tracker app which showed exactly where it was....Police were amazingly quick, set up a road block ahead of the car I think and got it....his wife's car was found nearby. Scumbags got away...but the tracker and phone app worked amazingly well...Police were seriously impressed with it...got a good result.

 

[infernox]

I don't know if Audi has the same tracker that Merc has, but my good buddy in UK had his Merc and wife's Nissan pinched a couple of weeks ago. Think the robbers had it quite easy to get the keys. Happened around 3am. My mate woke up at 6am...realised cars had gone....within 30 minutes both cars were recovered. He called Police immediately and was able to give the Police screenshots from his Merc tracker app which showed exactly where it was....Police were amazingly quick, set up a road block ahead of the car I think and got it....his wife's car was found nearby. Scumbags got away...but the tracker and phone app worked amazingly well...Police were seriously impressed with it...got a good result.

Just wondering, in that case with the car being stolen and recovered, would it be classed as a Cat D car?

 

[sliced]

Is it the 5dr s3's that get stolen or the 3dr ones?

 

[PanamaS3]

Just wondering, in that case with the car being stolen and recovered, would it be classed as a Cat D car?

I just googled what Cat D car means:
"Category D is for the most lightly damaged cars, or those which were stolen and recovered after the owner had been paid by the insurance company. The official description of a Category D car is one that has suffered accident damage that would cost less to repair than its value."
So answer is no. His car was not damaged at all, and also no insurance pay out as it was recovered almost immediately.

 

[azibux1]

Is it the 5dr s3's that get stolen or the 3dr ones?

Any..

 

[Daveotto]

Not necessarily true, if there hadn't have been an S3 there (just 2 fiestas) then a different house would have been targeted.



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but a different set of thieves would have been after the 2 Fiestas, its as broad as it is long

 

[RedRS3Reilly]

Yeah, because once you've broken into a property to threaten the owners into handing over the keys, it's far too difficult to coerce the code out of you at knife point. Don't waste your money.

As above, it's a car, insure it and GAP cover it. I've got CCTV also but that's not just for the car.

In exreme circumstances!!
But there's s sequence you can give the thief so that the car starts and he/she drives a small distance then the car stops and gives a gear box malfunction notice on the dash rendering the vehicle undriveable.
Most thefts don't involve knifes being held to owners!!

 

[Daveotto]

Guys, seriously worry less about them taking my S5, than them being in my house near my wife and kids. If they do ignore my CCTV and alarm then I want them out of my house as soon as possible. I love my S5 but ultimately it's just a car that I can replace, unlike my 2 sons... Don't make it hard for them to steal it once they're inside your house. Seriously

yep, same here, if they are determined enough to get past good locks, House alarm and CCTV who knows where the will stop so my keys are on the key holder in the kitchen in plain sight

 

[Soulboy]

I trust the OP is aware of this news from last year ?

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/jun/25/hi-tech-thieves-keyless-car-crime-electronic-security

 

[richinsoton]

Is it the 5dr s3's that get stolen or the 3dr ones?

Mainly 4 or 5 drs as the cars are generally used for other crimes, rather than for the actual car itself...

It's a bit of a ****** getting out of the back of a 3dr with a pair of stockings over your head whilst carrying a sawn off & bag of swag!! (Or so I believe!!)

 

[fence]

From experience, if someone wants to break into your house when you aren't in no matter what locks / CCTV / alarms you have they will and can get in and out within minutes. By the time you've spent all that money upgrading your house, the car will still be stolen. (If of course you have the money for the upgrades go for it, well worth it)
By far the best advice which has already been given is the use of tracker and hiding the keys. I personally always keep my keys within a metre of me at all times, obviously keyless thefts are on the rise so tracker is the next solution.
"Tracker" company itself liaise directly with police and within some of our vehicles if a stolen "tracker" equipped vehicle is nearby we'll be notified. Most switched on criminals will only drive a high value vehicle a few miles and leave it a day to see if its tracker equipped and if it is by that time youve got your car back!

 

[BrownChris1991]

I trust the OP is aware of this news from last year ?

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/jun/25/hi-tech-thieves-keyless-car-crime-electronic-security

I'm not speccing the keyless entry which I think will help.

Thanks for the information though guys, really helpful.

 

[davc]

Chris just get the S3 and enjoy it mate.

Don't worry about something that may never happen. That's what insurance is for if it does.

 

[mrksl]

Autowatch Ghost - Looks a good product to keep our pride and joy's safe...Has anyone had one fitted?

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