[shrink]

Originally Posted by gaza01

so how are they getting into the car??...breaking the glass?

I've had the cookes ferry mod done but what I'm getting at is I want a deterrent that prevents them from trying (via the obd method) so as to prevent the damage to the car - so I just want to understand what they do.

if you want to stop them breaking in to the car at all... i'd suggest a large, bright yellow steering lock is probably the best option. All the others are far too subtle and they wont realise until they have already broken in.

The sight of a huge steel lock through the window, will put off the bulk of ODB thefts I recon. Since they arent going to want to sit inside the cabin with an angle grinder!!

[1275rob]

Originally Posted by mrsbutton

Thanks so much for the walk through of getting to my OBD. I'll finish the job later today

Thanks also for the taser idea...that's so good I would be willing to never sleep again just to try and catch a would-be thief getting shocked to s**t!

I agree, I think these OBD thefts are getting a lot of coverage because they expose some serious faults in the BM security system and yes, we need to remember that there are all sorts of other thefts being carried out far more often. I saw a comment from someone on another thread asking about why the ODB's aren't encrypted or have better technology based security. As an IT geek myself, there are thousands of options BM could implement, the only reasons I can think of that they haven't are a)cost and b)industry compliance.

However likely this is though, after having my old house broken into and my R32 nicked in under 5 minutes (watched them do it on the house CCTV the next morning) and then not having the insurance pay out (long story) just to know that my car was targeted on Friday night is enough to make me want to cover all the bases.

I don't know how true any of this OBD stuff is, but hey, if by taking a few steps my car isn't nicked, then I'm happy.

I'm in a suburb of Birmingham (near Sutton Coldfield) and your right this is a big issue for the police around here. I was told by my friendly local bobby that there have been 60-odd thefts since the start of the year on BM's in this way. Apparently it was in the local paper a couple of weeks ago too.

It remains to be seen if my car was targeted because it is a BM or if the thieving little scumbags were just after a nice motor. I spread the word about what had happened to a few neighbours who have nice cars on Saturday and at about 9pm that night a young lad from across the road came over to say that his sporty little hot hatch had just had just been done (they'd popped the lock barrel right into the door) Luckily he has a large and slightly mad dog who heard something and went berserk at the front window. The guy came out to see a car speed off up the road. In the end he went and locked up his car in his works' yard...

Thanks again for the help and advice, I'll get my OBD sorted later and keep you posted on anything else I hear/see.....



Mrs (wannabe) Button

As a BMW owner and a West Mids Bobby I can tell you that the frequency of BMW's ( Mainly M Sports ) being stolen is alarming. I along with other colleagues have moved the OBD port from its current position as it can be accessed without acivating the alarm as just within the door area is a blind spot for the alarm. Mostley the thieves are smashing the window to gain access so if you move the port they wont bother hunting around for it, its cheap and easy to do ( DIY ) Also I know it dont look good but use a good steering lock as non of the cars I know that have been stolen have had one fitted. The thieves want something quick and easy to steal so make it harder for them. We recover loads using tracker, its expensive but so are M3's.

[Mart1000]

Very satisfying locating a tracker equipped vehicle, even better if there's a slag in it!

[Frobius]

Trackers are only useful while they can get a signal. Throw a GPS / GSM jammer in it (which until recently you could buy from Amazon for £20) and your £1k tracker becomes a paper weight.

Edited to say: Of course I'm not condoning that you can or should get this kit, I'm just astonished that the equipment to steal cars, ie jammers, key programmers etc, is so freely available!

[ian_m]

just get one with VHF/RF.

there are at least two on the market that you can fit yourself, in a location know to you and not the standard fitment places used by companies on a time/fee limit.

mtrack and tracker's battery powered tracker.

[coopersim]

Not the most glamorous....

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by coopersim

Not the most glamorous....

Where did you get that from?
I want one

[Mani59]

Originally Posted by makkan00

Where did you get that from?
I want one

See here:

www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=734628

[coopersim]

I found the design from the post here:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=734628

(post 10)

Forgot to mention that if you're dong this, you will need to use paint or photoshopmetc and flip it so it's printed in reverse as you're sticking it on the inside of the window.

Then downloaded and printed it on this:



If you're really struggling, I don't mind posting you one

[Terryk]

sorry for digging out this thread, but have to say, a very nice sticker!

struggling to think of a proper relocation of the obd since a almost daily use it for my torque app. and i disconnect the bt adapter every time too.

[tellis]

Been reading a lot about the thefts and one thing that seems to happen is smashed windows that dont set off the alarm. i dont think that anyone has mentioned is security film on the front windows?
i went for the Llumar and it is also slightly smoked and got it done when i had the rear tinted. i have also moved the port and added a steering wheel lock. Security film would stop them getting in?

[Sensible_]

It's so easy to code a bmw key these days. Unfortunately anything which has a computer in it can be cracked. As discussed sooo many times now the best way to prevent the theft of your car in this way is to move/secure/disable the odb port. Then the CAS3/4 ecu programmers like bmw multi tool for example cannot work unless they remove the CAS module from the car, which would take faaaaar longer.

[Terryk]

Originally Posted by tellis

Been reading a lot about the thefts and one thing that seems to happen is smashed windows that dont set off the alarm. i dont think that anyone has mentioned is security film on the front windows?
i went for the Llumar and it is also slightly smoked and got it done when i had the rear tinted. i have also moved the port and added a steering wheel lock. Security film would stop them getting in?

what do you mean by saying security film? cause i am familiar with one product that llumar released before one year claiming that makes the windows unbreakable (almost). i saw the video that a potential thief tried to smash driver's window and finally did it after many many many hits...
if you mean the simple regular tinted windows then no, they cannot offer any security at all.

[magic77]

http://www.pentagonglasstech.com/supaglass/

This stuff keeps a window together when smashed in, thought about getting it done but as car came OEM with tints never got around to it

Old video but gives u an idea

[tellis]

i got the security film from Polimax in East London. i am looking for the receipt as i think the rear tints are llumar and the front security windows are SunTek.... will confirm but the video above is pretty much what it offers and they offer lifetime guarantee! well worth the money!

[Dan930]

I also emailed pentagon regarding there supaglass..for those who want to know prices...they quoted me for a e90 front windows=driver & passenger is £195+vat or all four door windows is £585+vat..

[Terryk]

yes, about 15months ago during my visit to a llumar dealer he "made" me watch a similar video. nice feature but a bit expensive though.
bear in mind that they are comparing this security film with a totally naked window, meaning that even the regular "cheap" tint film will prevent the glass to fall in thousands of pieces (i mean that yes it will break in once but you wont have all these thousands of pieces dispersed all over the interior)

[tellis]

Originally Posted by Dan930

I also emailed pentagon regarding there supaglass..for those who want to know prices...they quoted me for a e90 front windows=driver & passenger is £195+vat or all four door windows is £585+vat..

Wow - that is high,

i managed to get all my done for around £200! with lifetime guarantee! contact Polimax in East london even if it is for quotes.....

[Dan930]

Is polimax similar to pentagon supaglass?also how long they need the car for?

[safe d]

I too am gettin a little para about this as it is reported a sneaking little b****d has been eying up neighbours' motors. I checked the original threads for obd relocation and the links for the parts were dried up. anyone with updates?

[Russbmw]

I've got a Viper system fitted to mine.