Too easy to break into the A2?

[jaf_se]

I had a visitor tonight. Seems to have jammed a screwdriver into the lock and unlocked it. Thought it would be harder than that too break into a brand new car?
http://www.jaf.se/temp/a2_lock.jpg

I think he was after my stereo. I've got a Blaupunkt with detachable front which I never take off since it's broken. At least he couldn't get it off either so i still got my stereo. :) Stole my CDs and parking permit though.

[Stuart_D]

Sorry to hear of your incident, indeed it's very unfortunate and as you say, I'm amazed it was so easy. I would have thought that it would have had a rotating barrel inside the lock preventing a break in such as this. Still atleast it's easier and less messy than a broken window.
Do you know if your alarm went off? - you probably wouldn't have heard it even if it did!

[img=left]http://www.a2forum.net/stuart.gif[/img=left]Stuart Diamond: (mailto:Stuart@A2OC.net) A2OC Founder | Forum Administrator

2001 TDi SE: Cobalt Blue Metallic | Open Sky Roof | Kenwood Mask CD | Front Centre Armrest | Front Centre Tray

New A2OC Website! (http://www.a2oc.net)

[jaf_se]

No alarm. This might be a little embarassing, but I actually don't know if I even got an alarm installed. I know there's a blinking light on the door but that's all.
But if it would have gone off then, as you say, I probably wouldn't have heard it, and my battery would probably be dead also.
The lock is still functional with the remote. So it seems as they unlocked it properly.

People should know that there are easier ways to steal music in the Internet age. :D

[runboy]

Sorry to hear chap. There are some low-life scum out there.

I thought all A2's had an alarm? Or do you have a non-UK car as I understand some european countries don't have an alarm as standard on their A2's.

Hope the fix brings your A2 back to as good as new!

Steve - 2002 1.4SE petrol, Silver, black/black interior, Then an identical replacement 2003 A2. Now a Toyota Corolla 1.6 T-Spirit

[deheld]

I've heard a rumor that the first edition of the mercedes SLR was even easier to break in to. Just bang your knee on the body besides the lock. That used to short the lock and open the car. Open Sesame !

Dennis de Held

Amulet Red 1.4 Tdi

[runboy]

Yep, I think the Daewoo Matiz was the same-it was quicker to open without the key by bashing the right place on the door!

Steve - 2002 1.4SE petrol, Silver, black/black interior, Then an identical replacement 2003 A2. Now a Toyota Corolla 1.6 T-Spirit

[jaf_se]

quote:Originally posted by runboy

Or do you have a non-UK car as I understand some european countries don't have an alarm as standard on their A2's.
I'm from Sweden so it's a non-UK car :)

I think I'd better check if I've got an alarm or not. I'm not a big fan of car alarms in general because nobady cares when they go off anyway. People are just pissed off by it. The theif doesn't care either cause he's in and out just as fast anyway.

Too me it seems as the lock opened itself in the "right" way so even if I had an alarm i guess it wouldn't have gone off.

[frido]

I think most european A2´s don´t have alarm as standard, the UK seems to be the exception here...
You can check if your A2 has alarm by looking for a second button just above the fuel flap release button....
But the alarm sound is a joke anyways... always reminds me of the French fries machines at McD...

Bye, Frido.

----
[img=left]http://homepage.mac.com/frido/a2pic.gif[/img=left]
A2 1.4 TDI 2003 S-Line, cobalt blue, CC, DIS, SatNav+, TV, Apple iPod
now parents' car: A2 1.2 TDI 2002 silver, CC, DIS
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[humps]

My UK spec A2 certainly has an alarm, which I tested. Open windows then lock the car. Wave your arm into the car to set off the motion sensor. I was shocked to hear such a low alarm volume. I think my mobile phone can make a louder sound than that! But it certainly won't annoy my neighbours....

My advice is not to leave anything visible in the car, not even a few coins in the tray. There are some low life scum who will break your window just to take a few coins, not to mention a few CDs. These low life scum has already broke into my scooter, a Vespa, many times. They even took the screw drivers in the tool box and even the battery, twice! It just shows what kind of things they will take.

humps
1.4SE Cobalt Blue, Bose and leather

[jaf_se]

The guy at the Audi garage told me that this was very common and that the alarm didn't trigger when unlocking the door "the way" they did. Strange. He thought the best way was to leave the car unlocked and put a sign on the door saying "Hey. It's unlocked. You do not have do break anything." Because if they want to get into the car, they will, no matter what.

[ianjohnsonws14]

This sound similar to a fault on the Golf/Passat where by inserting a scredriver you can wind down all the windows - the alarm only goes off when you open a door. A friend's was done and there are rumours of whole areas where all the Golf/Passats were done in a night. Audi told me that their design was different and it couldn't be done but from this it appears that perhaps it can!

Ian

2002 1.4 Petrol SE, silver with climate control for SWMBO (1.4 Petrol SE, Ebony Black, grey leather, heated seats, climate, opensky, five spoke alloys on order) Honda Accord Tourer 2.2 iCDTi for me.

[Skipton01]

Makes a mockery of the NVSR (New Vehicle Security Rating) award doesn't it. They give the A2 5/5 for theft of and 4/5 for theft from the vehicle!

Hope the damage is relatively cheap to fix and the little buggers don't come back (unless you're hiding in wait).[3] Makes me think now - I'll have a DAB 54 fitted in mine before long. Must remember to take the face off every time

A2 TDI SE 2001 Ebony Black Pearl (The Little Tank!) Soon to be TDi 90 Sport with the full monty and red leather!

[Johann]

At least our A2's have only the one lock to pick specifically as a security measure... Next time you see an A-class Merc look at the amount of pick points it has: THREE!!! Each front door AND the boot... Stupid.

__________________________________________________ __________________________________
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2001 A2 TDI SE Crystal Blue with Open Sky, 6CD Symphony II, BOSE upgrade, DIS and HALF a winterpack!

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[Mason]

Most of my friends who own Golf's have already superglued 5p pieces over the lock barrels to avoid this problem..

Shouldn't really need to though...

[Skipton01]

But what happens when your blipper fails? It has done so twice already on my week old 90PS Sport! Each time, I needed to reset the key, by opening the door manually and then inserting the key into the ignition and starting the car.:(

WAS : A2 TDI SE 2001 Ebony Black Pearl (The Little Tank!)
NOW : A2 TDi 90 Sport, OpenSky, winter pack, ISOfix, fogs, climate control, all-round electric windows, Blaupunkt DAB54, genuine HID xenons and red leather! (The NEW Tank)

[Mason]

You pray you can get in via the boot...

My friends who have done this don't use the stock alarms though, they all run Cliffords..

[Skipton01]

The boot unfortunately had no keyhole and is operated solely on the blipper, unless you count opening it from the inside, when the motor fails. But then you can't get inside to open it anyway.............

WAS : A2 TDI SE 2001 Ebony Black Pearl (The Little Tank!)
NOW : A2 TDi 90 Sport, OpenSky, winter pack, ISOfix, fogs, climate control, all-round electric windows, Blaupunkt DAB54, genuine HID xenons and red leather! (The NEW Tank)

[EF MAX]

Sometimes and independant system is what is needed. I am probably paroniod, I use safety/tinted film on the main windows and I just ignore my standard horn. Hooked up my own gizzmo = digital pager [approx 500m range] tells me if the car has been hit and which side, if it has been tilted, if the doors are open, if the main alarm has gone off and even if you are standing too close [mine is adjusted to wing mirrow depth]. It is an old system about 8yrs now, but I move it from car to car and it has never let me down, even will tell me when it's raining if I want it to [ I have no sunroof on this car].

Don't know what the modern day equivlant is but I am sure there is one. This system works independant of the Audi system and has it's own battery and is DTI approved.

You can go OTT on the range [non DTI approved] and extend it up to 5 miles but running 500m and having enough strength and courage to confront a would be scum bag takes a lot out of you..

[IQ]

EF Max, how much do those systems cost?
I was planning on getting one.

[EF MAX]

I think that there are some really new stuff around now. Even stuff that connect to your mobile phone but you would have to do a search and see what is new. I paid about £130 about 8 years ago and added to it from bits I made up from Maplins Electronics.