Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Other subjects
Original poster

Will dh's £90K car make us a target for crime?

232 replies

idratherbeincognito · 07/09/2008 00:26

Have changed my name for this to avoid accusations of being ostentatious.

Dh has a £90K sports care. There is a waiting list of 12-18 months....

I hadn't considered this before but a friend has suggested that we step up our security at our house (we are semi rural - not many neighbours) eg CCTV, and our alarm should be linked to a rapid response security firm rather than a just a simple auditory alarm (as per now). He suggested that dh might be followed in his car and our house targetted (with car theft in mind). The miscreants then might, seeing that our house looks 'promising', be tempted to break in rather than just filch the vehicle.

Has he watched to many police dramas or does he have a point?

(Feeling all sort of nervous and vulnerable atm, not helped by a murder in the village yesterday - aggravated burglary)

OP posts:
Lizzylou · 09/09/2008 09:46

Think I prefer the R8

I saw one at the weekend (R8) and love the lights, not bothered about cars really, but the lights are fab

jellybeans · 09/09/2008 09:47

Not read all these but yes would be my answer, have discussed simelar question with some police officers recently on behalf of a relative with expensive car. I thought they would say NO old cars are more in demand for joyriders but apparantly not always. The car would also draw attention to your house and what may be in it of high value. I would increase security. Anything of high value could attract attention and you should safeguard yourself as much as possible.

FioFio · 09/09/2008 09:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

FioFio · 09/09/2008 09:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Marina · 09/09/2008 09:53

I note that our ancient banger is not on the hit list Fio, and I am not even posting what make it is
Tbh the only people I know who have been vamoose burgled were done for their head-turning fancy cars. They were very distressed by it.
If I were you, I would try and get your dh to reconsider the car altogether, and if not, milge's V5 address change and upping your home security would be a reassurance for you.
We have a better burglar alarm than you currently and the entire contents of our house would struggle to reach £90k

bellabelly · 09/09/2008 09:54

Most important thing is peace of mind about being in your house. If extra security would help, then it's definitely worth paying out for if you can afford to. If the risk of being targetted is still a real worry and stops you feeling safe, would DH consider selling?

Personally, I would make sure the keys were kept somewhere very obvious so that any thieves would take them and bugger off rather than come and find me for them.

It is so sad that rather than being able to just enjoy the car it is making you anxious. I must admit that the info about car crime on this thread makes me feel a bit happier about not having a £90k super car! But your DH should be able to enjoy his treat without you feeling vulnerable

bundle · 09/09/2008 09:58

my anti-theft strategy involved owning an F-Reg Nova. Our current Scenic has the children's handprints in suncream over one of the doors. you'd have to be to rob it!

bellabelly · 09/09/2008 10:00

Thing is, people do nick weird, weird things. Someone once broke into my fiat punto and nicked the rubber floormats.

WendyWeber · 09/09/2008 10:01

MPVs are more or less invisible cars anyway bundle!

bundle · 09/09/2008 10:01

snort!
an off-duty policeman saw a robber walking down the street with dh's stereo/speakers..."you're nicked" etc etc

Ripeberry · 09/09/2008 10:14

Back in 1988, i had a Ford Fiesta 1.3 sport (1974) and it was nicked from a station car park.
Got back home on the bus and the police rang to say they had found it as someone had rung them to say a very muddy car had been left on their drive!
The little devils had gone round and round a field with it and it had 6 inches of mud on it and then opened someone's gate and parked it neatly, dripping mud everywhere!
They must have really hated that neighbour!
Did not keep the car in the end as they had wrecked the engine

Oliveoil · 09/09/2008 10:25

have not read all of these but knowing MN it no doubt has kicked off with people moaning about the price of fish and that you are obscene etc and don't you know some people live on £20 a week etc [yawn]

anyhoo, friends of our have matching mercs and they leave their keys downstairs in the hall

if anyone breaks in demanding keys, they can say IN THE HALL and noone gets hurt

it is only a car after all, who wants armed robbers upstairs when your children are asleep?

however another friend has a ltd edition car and HIS MUM was car jacked when she was driving it . In feckin Sainsbury's fgs. They followed her out, one bumped her car, she got out to investigate 'damage', another one shoved her out of the way and they all zoomed off. She was fine, car was recovered.

Police reckon it is v common and things are stolen to order. Like that film Gone in 60 Seconds.

FioFio · 09/09/2008 10:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Oliveoil · 09/09/2008 10:29

we leave our car unlocked a lot of the time as the key fob thing doesn't work properly

only a blind tramp would want it anyway

Marina · 09/09/2008 10:29

LOL, Fio, and then putters up and down the A2 annoying the life out of everyone I expect

Cammelia · 09/09/2008 10:33

When a friend of mine got her old banger stolen form outside her house in Brighton the insurance wouldn't pay up for several months. Apparently some people pretend their old bangers get nicked so they can claim the insurance.

Her car was eventually found abandoned as a write off by the "joyriders" who'd nicked it.

Gingerbear · 09/09/2008 11:22

Fio, I see your tractor and raise you.....
A Combine Harvester was nicked last month round here. Worth about a squillion quid apparently, much more valuable than an R8.

Have visions of police chase at 2mph across wheat fields......

ElenorRigby · 09/09/2008 11:31

Id get rid of the bloody thing. A car that puts you in potential danger isnt worth it. It also not worth spending time worrying about it.

Ive always had unfashionable cars, I could be doing with the hassle of worrying about a sodding car. No ones gonna bother nicking my old 106!

FioFio · 09/09/2008 11:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

bandie · 09/09/2008 12:01

I friend of mine had her house broken into and car keys stolen.

It is a nice area, but it is often visited by the criminal underclass who really should just go and get a proper job.- maybe then they would not have to resort to stealing of hard working folk.

anyway, I would not get a posh car unless it lived in garage. I think there is a risk of a break esp if you live outside a major city like london.

They are usually nicked to order and my friend's house had been watched for sometime I think.

Gingerbear · 09/09/2008 12:18

indeed Fio. Lol @ farmer in bed with muffs on.

Jazzicatz · 09/09/2008 12:25

You are more likely for the car to be car jacked than stolen from the drive as its easier to nick. Cars have imrpved their security to such an extent that unless you have the keys its hard to get in. Thieves are therefore using other techniques, which include car-jacking. Hope that helps to allay your fears!

bandie · 09/09/2008 12:40

I am not in a position to make these choices. However, I would probably be a bit miffed that hubbie wanted to spend so much money or have so much credit on an expensive car which is not very family orientated.

Surely a cheaper car would suffice, reduce the risks and the rest could go in a bond for the kids future. Or even he could treat the whole family.

I think supercars for the boys is a bit selfish. I understand he probably is the bread winner but it is a bit much.

Id love the money, but not for a car- totally pointless I think, but so the kids could have a good start in life.

pigleto · 09/09/2008 12:55

I know several people who have been followed home and robbed. Police suggested that either the car or the house or the jewellery attracted the thieves. In one case the wife was tied up and threatened while the husband was forced to open his safe.

I would definately get a red care stle alarm system fitted, just for peace of mind.

Nice car by the way.

trixymalixy · 09/09/2008 13:42

My BIL was followed home and they battered down the back door to try and get the car keys. It was only a Subaru Impreza.

They sold the car soon after.

It is the one thing that would put me off having a really flash car, the fact that they are stolen to order and these gangs don't care who they hurt to get the keys.

Definitely beef up your security and get the car in the garage.