[MrRee]

Originally Posted by jayakrishnanv

regarding the app if apple approval is a headache can we have it along with some apps which help us track the car where it was parked or something like that to be clubbed with this additional feature?

Not really sure what you meant by that...

With regard to where to put the phone to get a good gps and data signal - you basically want to try to avoid wrapping it with a metal cage (bit tricky as that's effectively what a car is ), as this will likely act to some degree like a faraday cage and absorb the radio waves - hence the reason you'll lose any tracking ability once the car enters a shipping container (as that will be one massive faraday cage). Best way of figuring out if the position you're thinking of is a problem one is to try it, putting it in the back corner may limit the radio signal to some degree as it will be close to the bodywork, but as I say try using it in that position and see.

[TripleBlack]

Originally Posted by jayakrishnanv

Hi Rich, thank you for the time to explain about the iphone usage...yes now you are talking the options possible and happy to know that......an app which you are saying is very good...

regarding the phone location somewhere hidden, if u see my initial post i was thinking about the carpet area behind the tail light on the left side of the car where in SE or M-Sport models they have the pre-wiring done for the CD changer which can be used as a power in to keep the phone charged? so until and unless the thief finds it during breaking we will know where exactly it is it can remain helpful for us? But again like you mentioned if they ship it then the last we can see will be some UK port...

regarding the app if apple approval is a headache can we have it along with some apps which help us track the car where it was parked or something like that to be clubbed with this additional feature?

This has given me the confidence to think this through a little deeper. Get the local ICE specialist to have an Iphone charger connected somewhere in the car. Put the phone on silent, no vibrations, It will always be charged and will hardly use much energy if the cars not been on for a couple days. (Obviously I would know straight away and at least have a good couple days to track down the car before the battery died).

The only issues I see is keeping the account active and how accurate would it be to track down. Are we talking within a couple of miles or metres?!

I think the Apple 'find my phone' app is accurate to within a couple metres.

nice idea mate

[MrRee]

Yes, I have some experience of programming iPhone GPS and (with a clear signal) is very accurate to a couple of meters or so, but even when it's inaccurate it's still usually within 100m.

Rich

[vblanche]

Originally Posted by garysargent

Barbed wire stuffed in the access port around the ODB connector - that's what is needed! Easy to remove carefully before the stealers. Thief gets a bloody hand and leaves behind DNA.

excellent...

[makkan00]

Before anybody start thinking on these lines, please think twice.
A person who steals your car would set GPS and GSM signals blocker in your car first. Such devices can be bought easily on internet.
I guess this approach is, 'let them steal first and later we will recover the car.'

Why don't you become proactive and get something so that they cannot steal your car.
I would rather spend money on good alarm / security system than this.

[TripleBlack]

Originally Posted by makkan00

Before anybody start thinking on these lines, please think twice.
A person who steals your car would set GPS and GSM signals blocker in your car first. Such devices can be bought easily on internet.
I guess this approach is, 'let them steal first and later we will recover the car.'

Why don't you become proactive and get something so that they cannot steal your car.
I would rather spend money on good alarm / security system than this.

Last I heard. When a thief steals a car that they're unsure whether it has a tracker in it, they would park it somewhere they could keep an eye on it for a couple days to see if someone or the police comes to claim it. If not then they move it on to complete the job.

This gsm jammer thingy is new to me. But how many of these opportunist would have this device to hand. And I plan to reinforce the windows, relocate the OBD port. Fit a good alarm and try this cheap phone mod. Thus putting everything into prevention and a little bit extra into reclaiming the car should the worse occur.

[TripleBlack]

Just tried the 'find my phone app' (first time ever). It's was VERY accurate.

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by TripleBlack

Last I heard. When a thief steals a car that they're unsure whether it has a tracker in it, they would park it somewhere they could keep an eye on it for a couple days to see if someone or the police comes to claim it. If not then they move it on to complete the job.

This gsm jammer thingy is new to me. But how many of these opportunist would have this device to hand. And I plan to reinforce the windows, relocate the OBD port. Fit a good alarm and try this cheap phone mod. Thus putting everything into prevention and a little bit extra into reclaiming the car should the worse occur.

If you google it, you will come across many things like that. Funny enough, those things do not cost much. (Some hospitals use GSM signal blockers near operation theatres, so these things are there for years)

Those people who steal BMWs or premium cars, they have better equipment comapred to anybody else who steal just for sake of tenner to have something to fulfil their addiction.

Looking at your other prevention measures, those should do the job.
I don't think you will need phone thing added to it.

[makkan00]

Self explanatory:

These must be the same guys who took mine in West London last week. Recovered the car within hours in a Mayfair car park!! It must be so easy for them that they just go for anything they can get hold of. Mine had no damage whatsoever.. Not to the locks.. To nothing. Except interior passenger and boot trim removed looking for tracker... And of course the OBD port cover removed.

Now, I will have the OBD port disabled but my question is.. If they have cloned a key out of my system... Is it too late? Shall I have the coding reset at BMW? They wouldn't bear the cost of course.. I have complained to dealer, customer service at various levels.. Nothing,, they don't care.

So OBD off and recoding? Or OBD off should suffice?

Reference

[jada07515]

recoding would be the route mate

[Hotcoupe]

From Pistonheads:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/t...1760&mid=&nmt=

I had 2 BMW X5's stolen from London W9 in the last 6 months . The first car was never found even though it had a Tracker Horizon fitted to the car , the second car was found the same night that it went missing . The thieves had parked it up off the A1 waiting to see if I had a second tracker fitted to the car.
I have been on the case with BMW , they are an arrogant bunch of idiots , never offering any help , they even tried to make me sign a full and final settlement letter before they would do a software upgrade.


I dropped my car off at a main dealer to have the OBD disconnected , to my surprise the dealer told me that BMW had come up with a new software programme that will sort out the issues, my car was the first to have the upgrade, supposedly the upgrade stops keys being reprogrammed through the OBD.
I would advise you to call your local BMW main dealer and ask for the upgrade. BMW will start a marketing campaign in September highlighting the solution . Good luck .

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by Hotcoupe

From Pistonheads:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/t...1760&mid=&nmt=

I had 2 BMW X5's stolen from London W9 in the last 6 months . The first car was never found even though it had a Tracker Horizon fitted to the car , the second car was found the same night that it went missing . The thieves had parked it up off the A1 waiting to see if I had a second tracker fitted to the car.
I have been on the case with BMW , they are an arrogant bunch of idiots , never offering any help , they even tried to make me sign a full and final settlement letter before they would do a software upgrade.


I dropped my car off at a main dealer to have the OBD disconnected , to my surprise the dealer told me that BMW had come up with a new software programme that will sort out the issues, my car was the first to have the upgrade, supposedly the upgrade stops keys being reprogrammed through the OBD.
I would advise you to call your local BMW main dealer and ask for the upgrade. BMW will start a marketing campaign in September highlighting the solution . Good luck .

Thanks mate. I hope that is true and not a new way of making us fool.

[fulcrum]

X5 and X6 only

[IanS100]

I've been into my local BMW garage today to arrange for a service & asked about securing the OBD. Their response is:

......I am the first & only person to make such a request

......They deny that there is a problem with the OBD port and maintain that it is only accessible using special codes from BMW

......It is impossible to reprogram a key in the way described & certainly not without the BMW codes

......They haven’t been made aware of any thefts using this method and

......“don’t believe everything you read on the internet”

It seems crazy that BMW are not making dealers aware of the problem

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by IanS100

I've been into my local BMW garage today to arrange for a service & asked about securing the OBD. Their response is:

......I am the first & only person to make such a request

......They deny that there is a problem with the OBD port and maintain that it is only accessible using special codes from BMW

......It is impossible to reprogram a key in the way described & certainly not without the BMW codes

......They haven’t been made aware of any thefts using this method and

......“don’t believe everything you read on the internet”

It seems crazy that BMW are not making dealers aware of the problem

If I was you, I'd slap their faces with 1M youtube video.

[IanS100]

Originally Posted by makkan00

If I was you, I'd slap their faces with 1M youtube video.

I doubt it would've made any difference if the PG Tips chimps had rolled up, smashed the window of his 3 series & driven off with the Keystone Cops in hot pursuit - the Official Corporate position is that BMW thefts are not a problem & neither is OBD security

[ian_m]

Originally Posted by makkan00

Thanks mate. I hope that is true and not a new way of making us fool.

if so, imagine the queue at the dealers