How nickable are Z3's?

UK forum for general and technical discussion about the Z3 roadster
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Warrior
Joined: Tue 11 May, 2010 10:02
Posts: 497

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

How nickable are Z3's?

Post by Warrior »

Bit of background to the question.

Earlier this week about 50 yards up the road from us an Audi RS4 was stolen off the drive. On the same night a Ford Fiesta was stolen and just last night a mates daughter had her car stolen, again from the driveway of the house.

Today as I was putting the finishing touches to Zeddie's detail clean, two women walked by and one took a particular interest in her, a prolonged stare as she walked by, to the point where I forced a smile of acknowledgement.
A few minutes later my neighbour called over the fence and told me that one of the women had taken her mobile from her bag and candidly - crossing her arm across her chest and under the other one - taken a photo of a Fiat 500 owned by another neighbour opposite. 15 yards further up the road
they slowed to check out an Audi estate.

My car is secure in that most days they'd have to move a Polo from across the drive, the wife's Tiguan off the drive, before getting to her but i'm asking myself if she's a likely target? Somewhat of a collectors car, not an easy sell etc.,

Hence my question. Should I be looking at trackers and extra security or am I right in thinking that she's not a likely candidate for people who are nicking nearly new motors?

PS: Incidentally the Audi was nicked without a key within a few minutes of the owner hearing a noise at 2.40am. The Fiesta was stolen despite having a tracker, which was removed some 18 miles up the road.
TWO
Joined: Tue 05 Apr, 2011 22:04
Posts: 177

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Chelmsford

Re: How nickable are Z3's?

Post by TWO »

Worrying :-(

Any cars worth stealing if they can sell it on. Containers leaving the UK every day :-(

Have you thought about the old fashioned steering wheel clamp (if you can still get them) as a clear visual deterrent? At least the buggers would know it would not be a quick 'jump start' and off.

Have you seen the women before?

Time to think about that CCTV as another deterrent? :-)
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TWO
Joined: Tue 05 Apr, 2011 22:04
Posts: 177

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Chelmsford

Re: How nickable are Z3's?

Post by TWO »

I didn't realise they still made them :o :o

http://www.halfords.com/motoring/car-ac ... gIeB_D_BwE

If I see two women walking pass the drive.............I'm getting one!!! :) :)
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colb
Joined: Sat 05 May, 2012 22:46
Posts: 690

  Z3 roadster 1.8 TU
Location: Newport South Wales UK

Re: How nickable are Z3's?

Post by colb »

Agree with first reply, steering wheel locking bar is the way to go, its highly visible so a deterant. Nothing will prevent a car getting stolen if the proffessional thieves want it they will take it. Had a Ford Capri in the 70's that got nicked because of Fords crap locks and keys. Stopped it getting nicked a second time after fitting a looped jack plug into the distributor wiring that acted like a removable switch. The jack plug socket was not really noticable on the lower edge of the dashboard. CCTV would also be a deterant but not to the hoodie types judging by the amount of Youtube clips you can see.
Colb
1999 BMW 1.8 Z3
2003 BMW 2.5 Z4
1998 Honda Deauville NT650V
mrscalex
Joined: Fri 13 Mar, 2015 09:14
Posts: 910

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: How nickable are Z3's?

Post by mrscalex »

Any lock, even on a new car can be breached in 60 seconds. It’s probably more like 10-15 seconds on a Z3. And the boot is particularly vulnerable without even touching the lock.

Keys are easy to copy from photos so never show anyone your key publically.

So it’s laughably easy to get inside a Z3. And that’s before we consider breaking glass and the rear screen.

These people sound more like valuables thieves. So you are vulnerable I would say.

However the Z3 security module is basic but I believe effective in stopping the car from being started. You may be able to copy a key from a photo to get into the car. But it won’t start the car without a programmed security chip.

But I dare say an organised thief would be happy to tow it away if needed. Plus a lot of these people target your key first and will break into your house to get it.

A friend had his house broken into recently and his and his wife’s twin 1Ms stolen at the same time.

Are they desireable enough for a their to steal. Maybe depending on their motivation. But I wouldn’t think they are high on the list.
ImageImage
2001 Z3 2.2 Topaz Blue (Trudy) - Keeper rebuilt from a write-off
2002 Z3 2.2 Titan Silver (Cookies) - Keeper rebuilt having been bought with a seized engine
2002 Z3 3.0 Sapphire Black (Peanut) - Keeper awaiting rebuilding having been bought as an abandoned project
Plus Willy, Kodak & Maycee - All 2.2 Sport projects. Yes, 6 is a lot of Z3s :)
Always happy to try and help with spares :)
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Gazza
Joined: Tue 04 Oct, 2005 20:58
Posts: 9521

  M roadster S54
Location: Romford Essex

Re: How nickable are Z3's?

Post by Gazza »

I use Disclok on all my cars on the drive, facing the road and in reverse gear.
Gazza

"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you"

Z3 S54 M roadster Image, BMW Z1, BMW M3 CSL, Z4M Coupe
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gookah
Z Register member
Joined: Thu 07 Aug, 2008 09:51
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  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: How nickable are Z3's?

Post by gookah »

TWO wrote: Sun 22 Apr, 2018 09:08 I didn't realise they still made them :o :o

http://www.halfords.com/motoring/car-ac ... gIeB_D_BwE
Those are pretty useless though, In fact the thief uses the extra leverage to break the steering lock then hacksaws through the steering wheel which takes seconds.
Not much use being made out of hardened steel, when the steering wheel is mild steel.
the disc ones that cover the whole wheel are better. or a road wheel clamp instead
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Z3 2.8 Progress Journal (Mine)
Z3 1.9 Sport Progress Journal (Wifey's)

I have an element of 'M-styling' on my car, If that's a good enough reason for the manufacturers to adorn a 320 with the M badge, then its certainly a good enough reason for me..
Warrior
Joined: Tue 11 May, 2010 10:02
Posts: 497

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: How nickable are Z3's?

Post by Warrior »

Cheers all...

Over the past couple of years two relatives have had cars nicked. On both occasions they gained access to the house via the double glazed front door which hadn't been double locked, handle pulled up etc., and nicked the keys. The suggestion with this latest spate is that they don't need the keys to gain entry.

We live in a village that effectively has half a dozen routes to main roads within 2 minutes which doesn't help.

My interim measure, after parking the Polo across the drive has been to put the top of a roll top bin in the drivers side foot well. :D Easy enough to remove in daylight but without knowing what your dealing with not so easy to discard. :head:
TWO
Joined: Tue 05 Apr, 2011 22:04
Posts: 177

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Chelmsford

Re: How nickable are Z3's?

Post by TWO »

gookah wrote: Sun 22 Apr, 2018 21:50
TWO wrote: Sun 22 Apr, 2018 09:08 I didn't realise they still made them :o :o

http://www.halfords.com/motoring/car-ac ... gIeB_D_BwE
Those are pretty useless though, In fact the thief uses the extra leverage to break the steering lock then hacksaws through the steering wheel which takes seconds.
Not much use being made out of hardened steel, when the steering wheel is mild steel.
the disc ones that cover the whole wheel are better. or a road wheel clamp instead
Point taken :) but at least it would be some form of deterrent for minimal cost to deter the opportunist thief.

We all know that if the theif is that determined; they'd have the Zed and the Polo at the same time :-)
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gookah
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Joined: Thu 07 Aug, 2008 09:51
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  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: How nickable are Z3's?

Post by gookah »

apologies didn't mean it to sound as it reads.
I think the best one is the disc lock though its a bit more expensive

Someone my wife knows has yesterday just had his whole steering wheel with the flappy paddles pinched from his 3 series.
According to the police they have had a few steering wheels pinched lately.
They broke in, removed the airbag, undid the wheel bolt and then took the wheel, the airbag and the slip ring with the stalk controls.

nothing is safe nowadays
Image

Z3 2.8 Progress Journal (Mine)
Z3 1.9 Sport Progress Journal (Wifey's)

I have an element of 'M-styling' on my car, If that's a good enough reason for the manufacturers to adorn a 320 with the M badge, then its certainly a good enough reason for me..
Bumpa
Joined: Fri 23 Jun, 2017 20:31
Posts: 70

  Z3 roadster 2.2i

Re: How nickable are Z3's?

Post by Bumpa »

It seems that the modern trend for keyless entry to cars is one of the causes of the car theft rate increasing. With a couple of small computers the thieves don't need to break into the car or the house. One stands at the front door and picks up the transmission from the fob, sends this code to the other guy who is next to the car, bingo, the car opens its doors and allows itself to be started because its on-board system sees the approved fob. These keyless fobs need to be put in a metal box to stop the transmission being detected.

I use one of these on my MGB, but unfortunately they don't seem to be made any more. ebay.co.uk item 282935923799

Actually, in my opinion, keyless cars are a pain. A pal recently got one. The first time he filled it up with fuel, he walked into the garage shop to pay and because the fob was in his pocket the car locked. That might have been alright except there were passengers in the car, who couldn't then get out, or even move without setting off the alarm. Brilliant.
Cooper01
Joined: Tue 29 Apr, 2014 08:06
Posts: 163

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: How nickable are Z3's?

Post by Cooper01 »

I once has a VL commodore station wagon, auto. I put a switch on the wire that lets the car know it is in park / neutral so the car can be started. I mounted the switch in the gear selector area and if that switch was not activated - no go. The good thing about it was I could de-activate the switch when the car was running so if I got jacked the first time the jacker switched the car off, that's where it would stay!
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pingu
Joined: Fri 30 Apr, 2004 16:01
Posts: 3412

  M roadster S50

Re: How nickable are Z3's?

Post by pingu »

I used to have a "push-to-make" switch in series with the starter relay.

Press it when starting or the car won't start. I suppose you could bump start it, but the idea is to slow them down and deter them - you will never stop a determined criminal.
Pingu
Warrior
Joined: Tue 11 May, 2010 10:02
Posts: 497

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: How nickable are Z3's?

Post by Warrior »

So far.............Dummy CCTV, (proper one on the way) Solar PIR Spotlight and heavily padlocked gates.

Picking up a wheel clamp - visual deterrent - this week and trying to encourage the missus to sleep in a tent alongside through the summer :D
joneseric
Joined: Wed 19 Jun, 2013 19:10
Posts: 20

  Z3 roadster 2.8
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Re: How nickable are Z3's?

Post by joneseric »

It’s a bit of a pain, I use a wheel clamp, don’t bother locking it, the alarm doesn’t work.

E
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