[mmeads]

So David Beckham's X5's (2 of them) have been stolen. Both with excellent security features. Maybe many of the same ones that are on the e90. So how did the thieves do it? Easy, hack it.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/05/...to-steal-cars/

I bring this up because I've seen many posts heralding how our cars are basically un-stealable, but it's just not the case. Nothing is.

As our cars become more and more software reliant, finding weaknesses and holes are becoming easier. It's no longer in the hands of hooligans or gang members that hangout in garages, but it can be done by all the mischievous 16-19 year olds with way too much time on their hands and a free laptop computer. Maybe our cars might need to get security updates much like Microsoft, Apple, and Mozilla put out.

[BMW F22]

lol- nothing is unstealable. We did say that it would be hard to steal a BMW. We also said that if they really want to, they will find a way to steal it.


"difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week"- Jay Z

[mmeads]

Originally Posted by BMWE90

"difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week"- Jay Z

Haha, And in this case, impossible takes all of 20 minutes.

[BMW F22]

haha well it did take them a while to figure everything out. But yeah, nothing is impossible. So there basically is no point in even getting an alarm.

[TENCHI]

u can steal any car....with a tow truck.

[Frank_NJ]

If they want it bad enough they will get it! I have had 2 BMW's stolen the first was a 1999 M3 Convertible and the Second was a 2002 BMW M3.

[e90fanatic]

usually they just get a dealership to hook them up with a copy of the car keys and just use it on the car when you're sleeping or working.

[Mr. BMW]

Originally Posted by mmeads

So David Beckham's X5's (2 of them) have been stolen. Both with excellent security features. Maybe many of the same ones that are on the e90. So how did the thieves do it? Easy, hack it.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/05/...to-steal-cars/

I bring this up because I've seen many posts heralding how our cars are basically un-stealable, but it's just not the case. Nothing is.

As our cars become more and more software reliant, finding weaknesses and holes are becoming easier. It's no longer in the hands of hooligans or gang members that hangout in garages, but it can be done by all the mischievous 16-19 year olds with way too much time on their hands and a free laptop computer. Maybe our cars might need to get security updates much like Microsoft, Apple, and Mozilla put out.

I’m not worried about it. That’s why I have insurance. I don’t believe our cars are easy to steal or you would be hearing a lot of people on this board screaming. The X5’s could be broken into by punching out the door lock and some how that would disable the alarm. BMW has known about that issue and I would be surprised if the E90 has the same problem.

I’m sure a professional auto thief could steal it but again I’m more worried about some moron dinging my door in the parking lot than I am about these guys.

[TENCHI]

Originally Posted by Mr. BMW

I’m not worried about it. That’s why I have insurance. I don’t believe our cars are easy to steal or you would be hearing a lot of people on this board screaming. The X5’s could be broken into by punching out the door lock and some how that would disable the alarm. BMW has known about that issue and I would be surprised if the E90 has the same problem.

I’m sure a professional auto thief could steal it but again I’m more worried about some moron dinging my door in the parking lot than I am about these guys.

true, I had my xenons stolen by someone punching out my door lock which disabled the car alarm. the ignition kill switch still worked but they got away with my lights

[Josh49]

I agree, if someone really wants a car, they will get it, no matter what type of electronics, alarm system, you have. The alarm system I think is an effective measure against the stupid everyday person who thinks they can steal the car, something in the car..

Am I worried about the world's most high tech grand theft auto artists stealing me e90?? Not really... But if they do, hey, thats why we pay for insurance.. Man I would be pissed though, two months was a long wait I don't feel like waiting again..

[E90Fleet]

The pros use a towtruck to take it somewhere they have time to work on it.

Because its hard for the regular thieves they have reverted to hi-jacking here.

Hence why most insurance companies here make us put in tracking systems.

[TENCHI]

Originally Posted by E90Fleet

The pros use a towtruck to take it somewhere they have time to work on it.

Because its hard for the regular thieves they have reverted to hi-jacking here.

Hence why most insurance companies here make us put in tracking systems.

tracking systems such as lowjack are useless IMO. I thought my car was stolen once so I called the cops to tell them I had lowjack and to see if they could locate it. They told me to come down and fill out paperwork and then they would put a search out for my car. Time to do all this? at min 1 hour. Time a thief needs to strip a car? 15min.

[E90Fleet]

Originally Posted by TENCHI

tracking systems such as lowjack are useless IMO. I thought my car was stolen once so I called the cops to tell them I had lowjack and to see if they could locate it. They told me to come down and fill out paperwork and then they would put a search out for my car. Time to do all this? at min 1 hour. Time a thief needs to strip a car? 15min.

Our systems are pretty good

We have systems that arm with the car alarm that will be tracked immediately if set off, hidden panic butons in the car, or you just place 1 phonecall and its tracked immediately.

They use ex-police and military personell , heavily armed, in vehicles and 1 or 2 helicopters that are constantly on standby.

They say they will track it within 30 min, but I know people who had theirs found and stoped in around 7 to 10 min from placing the call.

My friends car was bumped hard by someone trying to park once outside a restaurant, causing the system to activate. He took the call in the restaurant and he and I went outside. The woman said she bumped it 1 min ago and before my friend could call back to say everything is fine we had 2 vehicles with armed guards arrive.

[Discodancingrover]

Question, couldn't the BMW assist people be able to track your car if it was stolen? Even if you don't have the service?

Edit: I'm dumb, yeah they do.

[TENCHI]

Originally Posted by E90Fleet

Our systems are pretty good

We have systems that arm with the car alarm that will be tracked immediately if set off, hidden panic butons in the car, or you just place 1 phonecall and its tracked immediately.

They use ex-police and military personell , heavily armed, in vehicles and 1 or 2 helicopters that are constantly on standby.

They say they will track it within 30 min, but I know people who had theirs found and stoped in around 7 to 10 min from placing the call.

My friends car was bumped hard by someone trying to park once outside a restaurant, causing the system to activate. He took the call in the restaurant and he and I went outside. The woman said she bumped it 1 min ago and before my friend could call back to say everything is fine we had 2 vehicles with armed guards arrive.

yeah, our system sucks which is why I ALWAYS turn down the Lowjack system. Not worth the $950

[Asiann]

Originally Posted by mmeads

So David Beckham's X5's (2 of them) have been stolen. Both with excellent security features. Maybe many of the same ones that are on the e90. So how did the thieves do it? Easy, hack it.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/05/...to-steal-cars/

I bring this up because I've seen many posts heralding how our cars are basically un-stealable, but it's just not the case.
As our cars become more and more software reliant, finding weaknesses and holes are becoming easier. It's no longer in the hands of hooligans or gang members that hangout in garages, but it can be done by all the mischievous 16-19 year olds with way too much time on their hands and a free laptop computer. Maybe our cars might need to get security updates much like Microsoft, Apple, and Mozilla put out.

If they want the care, have it. As long as I'm not in it!

[vivekk]

Originally Posted by E90Fleet

Our systems are pretty good

We have systems that arm with the car alarm that will be tracked immediately if set off, hidden panic butons in the car, or you just place 1 phonecall and its tracked immediately.

They use ex-police and military personell , heavily armed, in vehicles and 1 or 2 helicopters that are constantly on standby.

They say they will track it within 30 min, but I know people who had theirs found and stoped in around 7 to 10 min from placing the call.

My friends car was bumped hard by someone trying to park once outside a restaurant, causing the system to activate. He took the call in the restaurant and he and I went outside. The woman said she bumped it 1 min ago and before my friend could call back to say everything is fine we had 2 vehicles with armed guards arrive.

Tracker in the UK makes use of all 52 police forces & also operates in France & Spain:
" TRACKER's stolen vehicle recovery systems are operated by all of the UK's 52 police forces. Police aircraft and several police vehicles in each force are fitted with police tracking computers, which pick up silent land based radio signals emitted from the stolen vehicle. The average time that it takes the police to recover a TRACKER activated vehicle is just 4 and a half hours!"
" On customer request, a uniformed guard waits with your vehicle until it is recovered to a destination of your choice - anywhere in mainland Britain. This service applies only to stolen vehicles located within mainland Great Britain."

Luckily, I've never yet had to make use of it, yet.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by Discodancingrover

Question, couldn't the BMW assist people be able to track your car if it was stolen? Even if you don't have the service?

Edit: I'm dumb, yeah they do.

If you don´t have assist, there is nothing to turn on.

[David328M-Sport]

The unfortunate lengths sick people will go to, just to steal a car. No matter how organised the theives are, they are sick beyond repair.

Of course, we pay for car (and all other) thefts with hefty premiums on our insurances.

Do BMW in your countries use the simple but effective DataDot spray on system. Each DataDot microdot has the car's details embeded on it and millions of these dots are sprayed onto important components so the parts can be easily tracked if some sicko tries to make a new car out of stolen car parts with data dots all over it. The system has been very effective, with BMW Australia having used this level of protection for many years.

[Jibber]

Originally Posted by JSpira

If you don´t have assist, there is nothing to turn on.

I'm assuming he means that you don't have the subscription current? I suppose in that case you could activate a new subscription on the spot!

I went ahead and got the LoJack. I don't believe that it's perfect but it's better than nothing. I also plan to keep BMW Assist active. So I figure having both systems looking for the car will at least help. Plus there's the insurance discount.


As to the article, I wonder if having CA makes the car any easier to steal electronically?

[SP330]

Or you could hire a guy to stand by your vehicle with a loaded 12 gauge.

[Artz 330]

Originally Posted by Frank_NJ

If they want it bad enough they will get it! I have had 2 BMW's stolen the first was a 1999 M3 Convertible and the Second was a 2002 BMW M3.

There was alot of that going on in NJ, my uncle had his 03 M3 Vert stolen from the quaker bridge mall in lawrenceville. Later the car was found in NYC parked with lots of scratches dings and cuts in the roof. Recovered because of LowJack car was located 4 hours after it was stolen.