Risk of theft for 520 2007?

johnny.bill

Hi guys,

do you think that a BMW 520i / 523i has a high risk of theft these days?

Don't want to get a car and then sleep worried about people coming in the house. I've got dogs and any kind of security measures, but still I don't want to increase any risk.

Any reply would be appreciated,

Thanks

Modern ones more so than older ones, not a huge risk though.

smash

debadge it.

Gurgle

johnny.bill wrote: »

do you think that a BMW 520i / 523i has a high risk of theft these days?

Not really, they're common as muck these days. The scumbags who used to do it all have their own 5-series now and drifting is the new joyriding.

Anan1

A lot depends on where it's kept, but I wouldn't imagine it's a high risk car.

partyatmygaff

A bog standard 520i would be too difficult for an impulsive criminal and not worth the effort for a career criminal. Just follow the usual precautions and you ought to be fine.

Gurgle

Gurgle wrote: »

Not really, they're common as muck these days. The scumbags who used to do it all have their own 5-series now and drifting is the new joyriding.

Jesus :rolleyes:

partyatmygaff

partyatmygaff wrote: »

A bog standard 520i would be too difficult for an impulsive criminal and not worth the effort for a career criminal. Just follow the usual precautions and you ought to be fine.

.... They go for the keys.

Gurgle

RoverJames wrote: »

Jesus :rolleyes:

Is me wrong? Joyriding still as common as 15-20 years ago? Fast cars not all over the place now?

Better of not debadging it, don't want somebody to confuse it with a high powered 5er.

Gurgle

Gurgle wrote: »

Not really, they're common as muck these days. The scumbags who used to do it all have their own 5-series now and drifting is the new joyriding.

Gurgle wrote: »

Is me wrong? Joyriding still as common as 15-20 years ago? Fast cars not all over the place now?

... Two posts, different points. Anyone I know who was ever involved in joy riding did so as a juvenile. Lots of cars are stolen nowadays, they often aren't stolen for joyriding.

Chuck Stone

Put M5 badges on it so they're disappointed when they do steal it.

That'll learn 'em.

mfceiling

My 2007 520d was stolen in February this year. Guards say that German cars are in demand.

Came into my house and took the keys.

Please take care...good alarm, gates, make the car difficult to take.

Gurgle

RoverJames wrote: »

... Two posts, different points. Anyone I know who was ever involved in joy riding did so as a juvenile. Lots of cars are stolen nowadays, they often aren't stolen for joyriding.

Sorry, I was making one point badly.
More powerful cars used to be pretty rare, and joyriding was more common. They liked to play with powerful toys, so there was a higher risk of theft due to joyriders.

Nowadays there is much less joyriding and many more powerful cars. The risk of theft is no worse for a powerful car than any other.

partyatmygaff

RoverJames wrote: »

.... They go for the keys.

Yes but being perfectly honest there's nothing hugely special about an 07 520i that would make it a target for thieves. It's unlikely to be targeted for theft in the same way that an M5 or 535d would be. The risk would primarily be from impulsive thieves and they're unlikely to risk a house invasion unless the keys are in plain sight. That said, it depends entirely on the area.

At the end of the day, just get the car you like and do your best to protect it. Don't let thieving scumbags affect your choice of car.

mfceiling

mfceiling wrote: »

My 2007 520d was stolen in February this year. Guards say that German cars are in demand.

Came into my house and took the keys.

Please take care...good alarm, gates, make the car difficult to take.

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Yes but being perfectly honest there's nothing hugely special about an 07 520i that would make it a target for thieves. It's unlikely to be targeted for theft in the same way that an M5 or 535d would be. The risk would primarily be from impulsive thieves and they're unlikely to risk a house invasion unless the keys are in plain sight. That said, it depends entirely on the area.

At the end of the day, just get the car you like and do your best to protect it. Don't let thieving scumbags affect your choice of car.

.... See above.

Idbatterim

no the risk wouldn't be high, its not a 535 or 335 or m3, m5 were talking about here...

partyatmygaff

RoverJames wrote: »

.... See above.

Yes, they broke in to the house and took the keys and the guards said German cars in high demand. That doesn't necessarily mean that owning a 520i is hugely risky and necessitates hiring armed security.

Any "nice" car is at risk of theft whether it's an old Toyota Supra or a brand new 520i. That's a given and shouldn't immediately make people forever choose to drive the most boring car they can find purely out of fear.

What the OP wants to know is whether or not the car has a particularly high risk of theft. Compared to the likes of an M5, 535D or even an old Toyota Supra, there's nothing that would make a 520i any riskier to own than any other "nice" car. Unless he makes it particularly easy to steal, the risk of it being stolen is no higher than for any other fairly common "nice" car. The people that actually have something to worry about are those with high-performance or rare cars like an M5 or 535d.

Bla bla...... We know, you're opportunistic thief and career criminal post was misinformed spoof.

Tea 1000

smash wrote: »

debadge it.

What's the point in debadging the base model?

partyatmygaff

Tea 1000 wrote: »

What's the point in debadging the base model?

If anything, it will make people suspect it's actually something rare like a 530i.

Stallingrad

Do BMW offer a re-badge option, 535D with a 520D badge.

Idbatterim

Do BMW offer a re-badge option, 535D with a 520D badge.

dont know but you can get those badges on ebay, they could always tell from the tax disc if they took a look...

TheBazman

I don't think thieves that steal cars for robberies need massively powered cars any more as they just leave any scene before the guards arrive and burn the car out down the road. Stealing the car to order however is a different matter. In that case a 520d wouldn't be at much more risk than most other cars.

johnny.bill

thanks all for the replies - I got some very good insights.

Now, I also have a very old car. What would you suggest:

1. Keep the old car in the private front patio and the 523 outside
2. Keep the old car outside and the 523 in the private patio

(no gates)

Media999

They go for the Keys. a 520i would be a great car to do a Post Office in.

Get an alarm on the house and sleep with the keys under your pillow. Unless your dogs are hungry rottweilers they wont make a difference.
Do you jump out of bed every time your dog barks? No

Alarm systems are simple to fit on houses. Dont go wireless as theyll use a signal Jammer.

A lot of houses are pre wired so the hard work is done. Lots of unemployed electricians around to do a cheap nixer aswell.

Even pick up a fake alarm box and put it up if you cant get an alarm yet.

Edit actually forgot the best car lock going

Even with some serious power tools that takes an hour to get off. No one will go near a car with that. If someone sees you putting that on your car no way in hell will they try.

However

If they where really deperate they know the key will be on your keys so back to step one with the alarm

johnny.bill

thanks for the reply Media999, luckily I've got an alarm already in place in the house (eircom pw)

jhegarty

Media999 wrote: »

Get an alarm on the house and sleep with the keys under your pillow.

Worst advise ever.

Do you want your car stolen or your head smashed open with a crowbar ?

johnny.bill

good point.

tossy

Tea 1000 wrote: »

What's the point in debadging the base model?

Same reason you'd debadge any car - 99% of cars look better without badges.

Plus i've more respect for someone driving a fast car who is so comfortable with the size of their naturally supplied equipment that they remove the badges.

Media999

jhegarty wrote: »

Worst advise ever.

Do you want your car stolen or your head smashed open with a crowbar ?

Good point but im only passing on advice that was given to me by a Forensics inspector who deals with break ins every day.

If they where that desperate and couldnt find the keys they would smash your head in anyway. They could do that regardless. What can ya do? leave your keys on display?

He reckons an alarm and motion sensor light is the best thing you can have on your house. Wired alarm that is so it cant be jammed.

Lots of alarm companies are fitting cheaper wireless alarms to houses just to stay competitive.

Voodoomelon

smash wrote: »

debadge it.

Would that not make things worse, you cant go any lower.

bazz26

Stallingrad wrote: »

Do BMW offer a re-badge option, 535D with a 520D badge.

Your average scumbag who just wants to take it to joyride will not care if it is a 520d or 535d irrespective of the what badges are on it.

Professional car thieves will have no problem differentiating a 520d from a 530/535d as they know their target cars very well and vet them before taking them. At the very least entering the reg on the motortax webpage or looking at the tax disc will tell them too.

Myrddin

Media999 wrote: »

Good point but im only passing on advice that was given to me by a Forensics inspector who deals with break ins every day.

If they where that desperate and couldnt find the keys they would smash your head in anyway. They could do that regardless. What can ya do? leave your keys on display?

He reckons an alarm and motion sensor light is the best thing you can have on your house. Wired alarm that is so it cant be jammed.

Lots of alarm companies are fitting cheaper wireless alarms to houses just to stay competitive.

If they're after breaking into your house to get the keys, they're not gonna leave without them. Rather than putting them under your pillow, & guaranteeing yourself a nasty encounter, why not have the keys in such a place so that you can be spared an encounter with an intruder. Your car is very likely going to be taken if they've already broken in, why put yourself in harms way.

I spoke to a gentleman before who's house was broken into. He had the keys of his car hidden away as per your advise. So that night, two intruders broke into his house, couldn't find the keys, politely boiled a pot of water, brought it up to his bedroom where his wife & he were asleep, & was told if the keys arn't handed over...the pot of boiling water was going over the him & his wife.

Sh1t happens, stay out of sh1ts way would be my advise.

Tea 1000

tossy wrote: »

Same reason you'd debadge any car - 99% of cars look better without badges.

Plus i've more respect for someone driving a fast car who is so comfortable with the size of their naturally supplied equipment that they remove the badges.

But a 520d or 523i owner doesn't have a fast car, unless their other one is!

Blazer

tossy wrote: »

Same reason you'd debadge any car - 99% of cars look better without badges.

Plus i've more respect for someone driving a fast car who is so comfortable with the size of their naturally supplied equipment that they remove the badges.

I was under the impression they were hiding their standard spec and hoping to confuse the non clued up brigade that they're driving a better car than is..

eg 520D..see some debadged, figure they hope people mistake them for 530D/535D etc...most people wouldn't know which is which....
I'd debadge a 535D myself but not a 520D..smacks of desperation...or maybe I'm just reading it wrong?

Media999

EnterNow wrote: »

If they're after breaking into your house to get the keys, they're not gonna leave without them. Rather than putting them under your pillow, & guaranteeing yourself a nasty encounter, why not have the keys in such a place so that you can be spared an encounter with an intruder. Your car is very likely going to be taken if they've already broken in, why put yourself in harms way.

I spoke to a gentleman before who's house was broken into. He had the keys of his car hidden away as per your advise. So that night, two intruders broke into his house, couldn't find the keys, politely boiled a pot of water, brought it up to his bedroom where his wife & he were asleep, & was told if the keys arn't handed over...the pot of boiling water was going over the him & his wife.

Sh1t happens, stay out of sh1ts way would be my advise.

In OPS case alarm would have went off long before they realised the keys where hidden. Even hide them somewhere else but just dont leave them on display where a thief will smash and grab regardless of alarm.

If you had no alarm its not a good idea alright.

Myrddin

Media999 wrote: »

In OPS case alarm would have went off long before they realised the keys where hidden. Even hide them somewhere else but just dont leave them on display where a thief will smash and grab regardless of alarm.

If you had no alarm its not a good idea alright.

Alarms are not foolproof. Whole panes of glass are often removed to defeat impact sensors, it depends on it you have motion sensors etc so they're not a catch all system. A good deterrent for sure, but you can't wholly rely on them.

I still fail to see the logic in hiding keys inside the house. I do agree not to display them openly in a hallway or within eyesight from the outside. But if intruders are in they're in, & if they can't find the keys without involving you, they're just going to involve you.

Media999

EnterNow wrote: »

Alarms are not foolproof. Whole panes of glass are often removed to defeat impact sensors, it depends on it you have motion sensors etc so they're not a catch all system. A good deterrent for sure, but you can't wholly rely on them.

I still fail to see the logic in hiding keys inside the house. I do agree not to display them openly in a hallway or within eyesight from the outside. But if intruders are in they're in, & if they can't find the keys without involving you, they're just going to involve you.

If you dont have a suitable alarm it wont be foolproof but if you have shock sensors and motion sensors in suitable locations its extremely difficult to get past them without setting them off.

Thief would have to pass at least 3 motion detectors to get upstairs if setup correctly. As well as shock sensors on windows and doors.

Theres ways around everything. Nothing to stop thief waiting outside house for person to start car then just attack them. Even if house is like fort knox.

tossy

Tea 1000 wrote: »

But a 520d or 523i owner doesn't have a fast car, unless their other one is!

True but your average saloon/hatchback or avant still looks better without badges in my eyes.

Blazer wrote: »

I was under the impression they were hiding their standard spec and hoping to confuse the non clued up brigade that they're driving a better car than is..

eg 520D..see some debadged, figure they hope people mistake them for 530D/535D etc...most people wouldn't know which is which....
I'd debadge a 535D myself but not a 520D..smacks of desperation...or maybe I'm just reading it wrong?

Never looked at it that way.equally as sad as fake badging really.

JJJJNR

IMO It would be better/simple to park the car away from the house. I don't believe that criminals will do a stake out on every car they want to rob so parking it away from the house leaves them guessing.

mfceiling

JJJJNR wrote: »

IMO It would be better/simple to park the car away from the house. I don't believe that criminals will do a stake out on every car they want to rob so parking it away from the house leaves them guessing.

They do...

Guards told us that they want the car for parts or a huge trade in cars now going to africa - mad but we were told there is a spike in robberies the week before a container ship leaves cork for africa!!

Seriously, check the amount of "my car was stolen" threads on motors...it's not always for robberies or opportunists. They were scoping my house for a while before mine was taken - kids playhouse door lying open a couple of mornings (latch opened - thought nothing of it - thought the wife had tidied toys away the night before).

Just because it's a base model or a boggo diesel - if they want it they will try to take it. My keys were not in view and the amount of things they didn't take from the house makes you realise they wanted the car and the car only.

baldshin

Fit a well fitted and hidden ignition killswitch to the car also, as an added preventative measure.

partyatmygaff

baldshin wrote: »

Fit a well fitted and hidden ignition killswitch to the car also, as an added preventative measure.

That makes it obvious that the owner has disabled the car. It also allows the thief to remain silent and not attract attention to themselves.

A fuel pump killswitch would be a much better option. It would allow the car to start and drive for a minute or so before cutting out and refusing to restart. If anyone tried to steal it, they'd abandon it down the road and more than likely run from the scene as they'd already have made a fair bit of noise.

Popoutman

Something worth noting with any modern BMW with a keypress start: The car can be broken into without the alarm being set off, and a new key can be associated with the car in min, allowing the scumbags to drive off your car without using your keys. There's a dead area in the alarm coverage down by the driver's feet, allowing access to the OBD port. The OBD port allows access to the security systems without needing power or any protection at all. In some places keyless stealing has meant a 3x rise in the rate of BMWs getting nicked.
All possible with a diamond cutter and €500 of ebay purchases for the key matcher.

Massive PH thread here

There are also indications that certain BMW models can be accessed by jamming a screwdriver in the lock and twisting, activating the comfort close feature.

Disklocks are your friend

Media999

Theres ways around everything but i think its pointless assuming your car is being targeted by seriously high tech criminals. Everytime someone mentions any type of security on this forum someone else comes in with a post basically saying its pointless because its "possible" to get around as if thiefs are better equipped than Jason Bourne.

So where do we end?

I agree with the discloks though.

Rated at over an hour to crack even with the noisiest power tools. Pretty much impossible with small tools. Weighs 5 Kilos i think.
Serious piece of kit but takes a bit of getting used to. Its huge and takes up a lot of space when not in use but definitely the best there is.

this one

Edit - Back to square one if you leave your disklok key on your car keys which are stolen

Media999

Media999 wrote: »

............

I agree with the discloks though.

Rated at over an hour to crack even with the noisiest power tools. Pretty much impossible with small tools. Weighs 5 Kilos i think.
Serious piece of kit but takes a bit of getting used to. Its huge and takes up a lot of space when not in use but definitely the best there is.

this one

Grand for a yoke with no immobiliser, as countless people have said the thieves go for the keys nowadays. It won't take an hour to get that off with the key

Media999

RoverJames wrote: »

Grand for a yoke with no immobiliser, as countless people have said the thieves go for the keys nowadays. It won't take an hour to get that off with the key

I was editing my post as you where replying.

As i said its back to square one if you leave the key on your car keys.