My mk2 16V was stolen on Friday night What I wanna know is could I have prevented it? Basically it had a Laserline alarm/immobiliser where you stick a coded key into the socket on the dash. Now my old car (which was recently written off [:^(] ) had a Cobra Cat 1 system which to me seemed a lot better. I was gonna get that system installed on the new one but hadn't got around to it yet - since I only had the new car for 3 weeks!!! But would it have made any difference?? I mean I haven't a clue how to nick a car, I just want to make sure no-one else can! So if I buy another then what system should I put in it? Will the Cobra be good enough - will anything be good enough if they know what they're doing!? help!
I know a little about them. The way I understand it two circuits are immobilised, say fuel pump and starter motor. How you bypass it I haven't a clue but clearly some people have as they took it without a key or the fob needed to disarm the immobiliser! Getting in the car is easy I guess, a crow bar or something would suffice and I guess if the alarm went off it would only take a few seconds to open the bonnet and rip the siren out (Some neighbours did hear an alarm early in the morning). I guess if you knew what you're doing after that then it may only be a few minutes work to bypass the system... Might look into alternative systems, Clifford are meant to be the dogs aren't they ? Edited by: scos
A lot of the effectiveness of an immobiliser depends on how well it is installed. I've seen some immobilisers fitted where when you take the fuse box cover off it is obvious which cables you need to connect to take out the immobiliser! If it's done well, with well hidden, non colour coded, cabling and the immobiliser unit not easily accessible, then it's much more effective.
So ture. it doens't matter how good the alarm is, if it's badly installed(and they usually are) it's easy to see how to by pass it, very easy in fact.
So a lot depends on the installation - didn't realise that. Perhaps the Laserline system was installed by cowboys, or DIY or something. My Cobra was professionally installed, that's one thing I'd never do myself! Think I will feel comfortable with the Cobra system in my next car, the company that installed it originally can remove it from the old car for 75 and then install it in the new one for another 75 when I get it - that's worth it I think.
It's all very well having a good alarm/immobiliser, but if the monkeys who fitted it don't give a toss, and just did the job as quickly as possible, all the wiring ends up really close together and easy to bypass, make sure you get a ruputable company to fit it, cos as far as i'm concerned Thatcham approval can mean noting if it's poorly fitted. Best security buy is a removable steering wheel, if they can't steer it, chances are they ain't gonna try and nick it.
even with the best alarm in the world fitted by the best installer will not stop your car from going awol. if the crook wants your car bad enough he's gonna have it. when forum first started i posted up methods that crooks use to get your car, some of them were pretty scary.has the car been into a garage lately and have you given the garage your address? it has not been unheard of for keys and remotes to be duplicated while they're not in your possession.
Nah, I only bought it 3 weeks ago. It's been in for alignment at a place near my work but the address where I've been keeping it is not the registered address. I guess that's a big problem though, you can get key fobs copied easily can't you? Nah I think this time someone just saw it and decided they knew how to beat the Laserline immobiliser. I looked into it earlier and it's a cheap system compared with the Cobra one I've got on my old car - and that wasn't nicked in over 5 years of parking it everywhere and anywhere!
I got past my immobiliser (and I'm not from Liverpool) so it can't be that hard. only the 15 rail (ie the coil) was isolated and I got round that by bridging it to the 30 rail in the fuse box, took about 5 mins (being very careful not to fry anything expensive) with the Haynes diagram for reference
you had the car 3 weeks. The last owner, did you know him?... I have heard of spare keys being kept by the last owner, with alarm fobs, next you know car's gone... Your Mk2 looked like a nice car as well...sorry to hear that. Good Luck.
suspicious minds! but you have to be nowadays! i have an alarm and two immobilisers and a thatcham approved steering lock. Plus i stick it in a garage!
***** UPDATE!!! ***** The car's been recovered!!!!!!!!!! I don't know what state it's in yet, will find out when I go to the impound tomorrow morning but I'm just really happy that it's been found! Anything I can get off it will be a bonus really cos I had a few mods on it that I thought were lost ...... Mixed emotions really! [:^(]
Monza 16V - LOL @your original post - did you change that of your own accord or was it the mods that asked you to?
