It is possible to erase UV pen markings?.. with white spirits or something else? A bit like the thread above, if it degrades over a 12 month period, not very useful.
Dremel your address on it. Uv marker is nothing a bit of cleaning thinners won't remove something more permanent is better
No, I wouldn't think people would want their contact details made public would they?
Perhaps not, but I thought we were having a list of owners serial numbers so that we could all check the list prior to buying a second hand on on ebay or wherever...Have I got the wrong end of the stick?
I don't see anything wrong with publishing serial numbers, or at least the numbers of missing units. That way we don't have to bother you every time we look one up. If we come across the missing unit in question we can just PM you to let you know and you can let the rightful owner know so he can take it up with the authorities
I see where you're coming from, the only reservation I have about puttings serials up is we know the scummers trawl this forum and if one has an RNS-E in hand with a known serial he's definitely going to do whatever it takes to remove all evidence. If there's a chance that we have the serial but he doesn't know it then there's just that little bit more of a chance of him not going to that extra effort. I have no experience of this and I may be wrong but that's just what I was thinking
well i reckon we should all make an agreement between ourselves not to buy units unless we verify the serial number first.
if we publish the numbers of missing units and the the scum try and obliterate it on the HU then we'd know something was up anyway, and the unit would become (relatively) worthless.
so overall it still serves a purpose.
Perhaps, although I'd rather the thief wouldn't be given the reason to scrub it off anyway, one aim is to try and get the unit back to its rightful owner too don't forget.
It's a good idea in theory, but in practice I think there are many reasons why this won't make a blind bit of difference to RNS-E thefts etc.
Absolutely spot on, there is a very very good reason this wont work at all, you need to understand the technicalities why they're nicking mk1 units atm, also why apologise for your opinion.
I still think it's worth a shot.
and if it doesn't work we haven't lost anything surely.
I'm not sure it is. Although to be fair, that's with regard to ASN and the innocent buyer of a stolen goods, rather than the person who has had it stolen.
I wouldn't want to be the middle man in a stolen RNS-E tug off war.
This is my point, I think there is potential for problems. Messy problems.
I can see the threads that would be started already..... "MEMBER XXXXX... GIVE ME BACK MY RNS-E!!!!"
Although, realistically, the idea will probably all just fizzle out into nothing. IMO.
Perhaps an open access database is a better idea then as the onus is then on you as the buyer to make the decision?
If it is going to happen then this^^^^^ is probably best.
with my solution tho this doesn't happen.
1. Member A checks the serial number before purchase. (Or the buyer does not disclose the s/n and member A walks away.)
2. Member A then cross checks serial on ASN.
3. Member A discovers the unit is a missing unit.
4. Member A contacts ASNs mods, who inform Member B that their missing unit has turned up on eBay/whatever.
that's the way i'd handle it, and your problem doesn't arise. THEN we have nothing to lose.
Is that thought on the basis of sub39h's scenario?
Let's be honest about this..... an ebay seller who knows he is selling stolen units is not going to provide serial numbers to people that ask, and will just sell it to the next person that comes along and buys it without asking questions.
except i think it's fairly safe to assume that a large number of people who would want to retrofit RNS-E to their car or even know that it can be done are likely to be enthusiasts and hence members of a forum such as this one. if we between ourselves agree to a code of conduct on this matter we're taking away enough of their business to stop them selling on stolen units, and hence stop them being stolen in the first place.
I'm not going to take credit for the public list idea (unlike you taking credit for the 8P naming idea :icon_thumright
ASN has quite a few members, but we ain't exactly a buying force in the audi second hand parts market, are we.
hmm i think we'd have to agree to disagree on that.
either way, we wouldn't know unless we tried, would we?
Going back to your claim, here is a simple yes or no question for you.....
Do you think that this proposed list of serial numbers or a "code of conduct" on audi-sport.net is going to stop or reduce rns-e theft in the UK?
stop = no
reduce = yes
but with all due respect, you could try help find a solution than shooting down the best one we have.
i'd rather try and be proven wrong than not try at all.
First of all you said it would stop the theft, now you're saying it wouldn't.
And as for reducing the theft.... there are millions spent on trying to stop or reduce the theft of cars and their contents so how you think this idea of serial numbers is going to some how reduce the number of thefts is beyond me.
And what do you mean by "reduce"?? (If you're gonna say a reduction of one, then i'm finished with the discussion.)
I can't offer a solution because I don't have one, and going back to what I just said about the amount of money thrown at stopping this type of theft failing, the chances that an idea coming from our little corner of the internet changing it is zero.
The people that steal or sell these units are far too cunning to allow a thread of serial numbers to stop them.
As for "shooting down" the idea, I'm not. I'm just offering my opinion on it, as that's what this thread is for.
And also with respect, by saying that you've adopted the stance that your posts are often met with...... i.e. you are just arguing etc, when really you are simply airing an opinion which doesn't fall in line with what others might think.
Should I decide to have one, where could I buy one, not at Audi prices, that I know hasn't been knocked off, and how could I prove it ?
buy off Nigel. solves all your problems. and it's MY10 so it's just about useless if someone does choose to nick it, because Audi are reluctant to give out codes and it can't as yet be hacked.