[magic77]

know feeling, read up some other posts on here about cars driven out with no keys and its scary, you tube with people showing off coding keys to cars using gadets from middle east dont help

[DavS1]

I'm told it's not hard to access the module thingymabob that they code to keys, I wonder how they manage to get into the cars to do it though??

all the need is a new module thing and a matching key, afaik!

Scum!

[Hoops]

Chingers is not far from Chiggers - a bit too close to home. Hope you get it sorted and sorry for your loss.

[sheps]

Perhaps I'm on my own here, but I would take solace in the fact that they can nick it without breaking into your house.

Yes, it's totally unacceptable that your car can be driven off with a third party ecu/key with seeming ease, but surely this is better than having your home invaded and your family put at risk.

OP - I'm not downplaying your situation at all; its horrendous having this happen, its a royal pain in the ass and BMW neglecting there is an issue is infuriating. But, that said, the car is insured and your family is safe. This is a far better outcome than it could have been.

*Having just read this, I realise it sounds like you should almost be grateful you were robbed. Clearly this wasn't my intention. If I had my chance I would rip the arms of every car-thieving c*nt and beat them to death with the soggy end.

[doughboy]

Bad luck!

But if it was towed away, how did they disable the anti-tow alarm?

An authorised tow truck (transporter for example) would need to open the drivers door and press the little button, then re-lock the car, this stops the alarm going off when the car is 'tilted' off the ground. Often why you see cars being towed for illegal parking with the alarms going off.

Mind you its amazing what folks can sleep through, and in a city you become 'immune' to the sound of ringing alarms as there seems to be one or another going off almost 24hrs a day, alomg with the sirens and helicopter noise (well, it was like that in Manchester....)

[DavS1]

Where's this button doughboy?

[Hoops]

I do concur with Sheps. Wish you all the luck though.

[magic77]

i dont recall the 3 having one I certainly havent seen one in my 320D maybe on pre lci

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by DavS1

Where's this button doughboy?

Hmmmm, could be a case of memory failure here.

Now you mention it maybe that button was in the A3 i had 6 years ago???

Well that car was silver too, so that's my excuse. doh.


In anycase, without disabling it then the alarm would go off for sure when it was towed wouldn't it?

[xenon]

You disable the tow / tilt sensor by locking the car and then pressing the lock button a second time within 5 seconds of locking.

[m1bjr]

But the question for me is still

why take an old 320d that is nearly six years old?

[magic77]

no idea most likely parts

[DavS1]

Yea It'll be on the A3 mate, drivers side lower B pillar IIRC like Golfs aswell.

Ah good info xenon, i'll need to remember that as sometimes press it twice to makesure I pressed it first time!

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by DavS1

Ah good info xenon, i'll need to remember that as sometimes press it twice to makesure I pressed it first time!

Didn't know it did the tilt too, ta.

This is a BMW pain - a lot of cars you press twice to deadlock the car, but with BMW you deadlock with one press and disable the freaking passenger compartment and anti tow alarm with press 2!!

I often wondered how many BMs get parked every night unknowingly with the alarm virtually disabled.

[m1bjr]

Originally Posted by doughboy

Didn't know it did the tilt too, ta.

This is a BMW pain - a lot of cars you press twice to deadlock the car, but with BMW you deadlock with one press and disable the freaking passenger compartment and anti tow alarm with press 2!!

I often wondered how many BMs get parked every night unknowingly with the alarm virtually disabled.

I have read a couple of posts on here about people having goods stolen from the cabin and found there were no alarms sounding.

Easy to hit the button twice, especially walking away and thinking "I'll press it again as Im not sure I locked it"

[Dino355]

Dam I didn't know about that feature! I do the press it again thing sometimes....!

[dobsy]

Originally Posted by m1bjr

I have read a couple of posts on here about people having goods stolen from the cabin and found there were no alarms sounding.

Easy to hit the button twice, especially walking away and thinking "I'll press it again as Im not sure I locked it"

Exactly what happened to me a while back-went out in the morning and all the junk from my glove box and centre console were all over the car! I just presumed I'd left it unlocked and some chancer had pulled the handle and bingo. Now I know!

[Mart1000]

Originally Posted by bmw335iconvertible

i have had my sprinter van nicked in a similar way and i know the ecu hack is not a myth as the police caught the gang stealing the van...

You are dead right. Sprinter theft is huge now, and the main way is the ECU replacement/hack, which on earlier sprinters is so easy you wouldnt beleive.

I'd lay money that the car was taken by flatbed. My patch covers Chingford, and in East London in particular, this is the main way to take prestige & performance cars.

Pitty Ive just seen this, as the original theft was nearly a year ago.

[Mart1000]

Originally Posted by m1bjr

But the question for me is still

why take an old 320d that is nearly six years old?

Break it for parts. The bits are worth a fortune broken down.

[shortie]

Out of interest, would an after-market alarm / immobiliser solve this problem.

Or would an ecu swop still allow them to start it?

[magic77]

not sure shoudl do, worth addint insurance company did security check on the car keys and confirmed it was fully locked. I would think if it flagged the car was double locked and alarm disabled they would have flagged it. Seems the keys log each time you open/close car with date / time. As he forgot to say his son went into the car to get something out and they picked up on it.

Still scary need some extra security me thinks

[m1bjr]

Originally Posted by magic77

As he forgot to say his son went into the car to get something out and they picked up on it.

Is he short of a job right now?