Used car prices are INSANE

[Sara]

Originally Posted by CTinline-six

I never understood people leaving things unlocked. Granted, if someone wants it bad enough they will take it regardless, but sometimes making things difficult will make them move on. I grew up on a dirt road in a small town, but that town was next door to the heroin capitol of the northeast. Every once in a while you'd get some odd people just walking down the street. We locked our doors and our house. Now I live in a nice quiet neighborhood, and still do the same. Even though we live in a secluded area, one of our neighbors got their car broken into a year ago or so.

Meanwhile one of my friends lives in a not-so-great section of Hartford and leaves her car unlocked on the street. I guess it's all what someone is used to. Personally I trust people about as far as I can throw them, which with my thinner build and the obesity problem in this country isn't too far.

Parts of New Orleans you need to leave it unlocked, or pay your deductible for a window replacement. It’s like this in a lot of areas in the US. It’s unfortunate.

This happened last year to my cousin’s girlfriend. She locked her doors while at the lakefront. Unfortunately, she came back after her workout to a smashed window.

[Joe T]

recent update:

got a call at 11:30ish. Car was found 30 miles away, in a residential neighborhood. It had been parked there since Wednesday night... no damage, slightly cleaner inside than when it left the driveway

The guy who called the police said he thought it was the neighbor's kid's car who just came from college. He called over yesterday to tell them they left a window open and it was raining.

Cop thinks car was parked just close enough to the house that the fob worked... and they were in this neighborhood to steal another and the car wouldn't restart

Met the cop just as they finished DNA and fingerprinting.

[Patton250]

Originally Posted by Joe T

recent update:

got a call at 11:30ish. Car was found 30 miles away, in a residential neighborhood. It had been parked there since Wednesday night... no damage, slightly cleaner inside than when it left the driveway

The guy who called the police said he thought it was the neighbor's kid's car who just came from college. He called over yesterday to tell them they left a window open and it was raining.

Cop thinks car was parked just close enough to the house that the fob worked... and they were in this neighborhood to steal another and the car wouldn't restart

Met the cop just as they finished DNA and fingerprinting.

Wow awesome. Great news

[Fly320s]

Originally Posted by Sara

Parts of New Orleans you need to leave it unlocked, or pay your deductible for a window replacement. It’s like this in a lot of areas in the US. It’s unfortunate.

This. In some areas (looking at you, San Francisco) you are better off leaving the car unlocked than getting your window smashed.

In SF, the police don't investigate petty crimes under $1,000 (IIRC). That, plus the fact that some auto glass is on back order, means there is no benefit to locking your car.

[F30lolz]

Originally Posted by Joe T

recent update:

got a call at 11:30ish. Car was found 30 miles away, in a residential neighborhood. It had been parked there since Wednesday night... no damage, slightly cleaner inside than when it left the driveway

The guy who called the police said he thought it was the neighbor's kid's car who just came from college. He called over yesterday to tell them they left a window open and it was raining.

Cop thinks car was parked just close enough to the house that the fob worked... and they were in this neighborhood to steal another and the car wouldn't restart

Met the cop just as they finished DNA and fingerprinting.

So I would assume the car would be labeled as a recovered theft? Title gets branded? Wondering, even with used cars prices being sky high, do you have the option to decline the car and take the insurance payout?

Also, you know the market is insane when POS e36 shitboxes are going for $7k with rust/paint/interior/misfire issues. Glad you got the car back at least OP.

[Joe T]

Originally Posted by F30lolz

So I would assume the car would be labeled as a recovered theft? Title gets branded? Wondering, even with used cars prices being sky high, do you have the option to decline the car and take the insurance payout?

Also, you know the market is insane when POS e36 shitboxes are going for $7k with rust/paint/interior/misfire issues. Glad you got the car back at least OP.

The insurance company still haven't called me back from my call to "claims" early Thursday. Tried calling today and unless it was a new claim, the offices were closed. I expect they'll call me Monday

I'm assuming there'll be no claim filed, no branded title, and other than a police report in my town, no history of theft. I may be wrong though

[2000cs]

Glad it worked out for the OP.

I’m considering selling my newest car (2021 Volvo S60) and buying an older car (pre-2010) where the prices are still relatively decent (low). Maybe an SL or something funner than a Volvo (which means anything). My Volvo with 10k miles on it is worth just about $1k less than I paid, according to on-line pricing guides.

[E92inNC]

Awesome news OP. Hopefully the insurance leaves your title alone and there’ll be no notes on it on your car history report. Also hopefully the thieves didn’t abuse it while they had it

[ryan stewart]

Originally Posted by Joe T

Cop thinks car was parked just close enough to the house that the fob worked... and they were in this neighborhood to steal another and the car wouldn't restart

So I have a small key locker just inside my garage door entry to the house and I wonder how much of an impact that has. I mainly got it for locking up keys when I travel but it would be interesting to see if it helps.

my car is garaged but girlfriends car is usually on driveway.

[BMWCCA1]

Originally Posted by Joe T

recent update:Cop thinks car was parked just close enough to the house that the fob worked...

The cop is delusional.

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by ryan stewart

So I have a small key locker just inside my garage door entry to the house and I wonder how much of an impact that has.

Why not put the keys inside and test it?

I bought a house-mounted mailbox, and hung it in the mud room. Made my best effort to build a Faraday cage, with two levels of shielding. I can't open the doors of either car in the driveway by grabbing the handles.

With that said, there are instructions online to build a code-boosting theft amplifier with a directional antenna for $50 using a Raspberry Pi and SDR radio module. Locks are only to keep honest people honest.....

[kanovic]

Originally Posted by Patton250

Well about that time I would build a fence around my entire house and put a couple of Rottweilers in the yard. That should take care of those young punks. Lastly I would think about this time it’s not very wise to leave the keys in the car unlocked knowing what’s happening in the neighborhoods.

Or just lock the cars and keep valuables out of them.. there are so many people that leave their cars unlocked it’s insane. Literally these people get dropped just go around if they see car is locked they don’t waste their time. Owners are making it way to easy.

[Tyga11]

A lot of victim blaming in this thread. It's extremely disappointing reading some of these posts

[DETRoadster]

Originally Posted by Fly320s

This. In some areas (looking at you, San Francisco) you are better off leaving the car unlocked than getting your window smashed.

In SF, the police don't investigate petty crimes under $1,000 (IIRC). That, plus the fact that some auto glass is on back order, means there is no benefit to locking your car.

A buddy of mine here in Seattle swore by the "leave it unlocked with literally nothing inside it" mentality. It worked well for him for quite a while. Every month or so he'd find his door ajar, glovebox open, but no theft or damage. Eventually though his luck caught up with him and he came out to his car one morning to find someone had been living in it. The person (who thankfully was not there) had made an elaborate "nest" for himself in the back seat of mostly garbage. There were needles in the car and vomit on the back of the front seats. Pretty nasty. He's since moved out of the city into a suburb that actually enforces laws and hasn't had a problem since.

[BMWCCA1]

Victim blaming?

One of our service loaners was stolen from out in front of a customer's townhouse. She insisted she'd locked the car, but was unable to provide the key. Then she said the thief must have climbed up her balcony and taken the key from her kitchen counter. Sure. We had BMW Assist locate the car parked downtown in a health club parking lot. Police took our spare key and returned the car to us. Don't know if they even cared about staging surveillance to catch the thief. The customer is now on our no-loaner list. We were the victim here and we most rightfully blamed the customer.

[PackPride85]

I keep my M2 in my garage with the keys in a faraday box. Not worried anyway since it came equipped from the factory with the best millennial anti-theft device known to man.....a clutch pedal.

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

i just can't wrap my mind around people leaving their keys in their car. like when even have a key. accident understandable. everyday, why tho

[Alfisti]

For a run around, I see 9-3's in decent shape are still dirt cheap. These are effectively Malibu's, the 2008-2011 FWD models are pretty simple things to maintain and service. The "brand no longer exists" fear must be keeping prices low, for half the price of a clapped out civic with twice the miles....worth a look if there's a nice local one.

[Mein11]

Originally Posted by G35POPPEDMYCHERRY

i just can't wrap my mind around people leaving their keys in their car. like when even have a key. accident understandable. everyday, why tho

Yeah leaving keys in the car never made sense to me either. Plenty of areas I'll leave my truck unlocked overnight, and others wouldn't.

Also don't keep any possessions in it, unless they want a box of face masks and an expired coupon for Downy fabric softener.

[stevenc]

My business partner was trying to buy a new Accord. The dealership had a $4k market adjustment on top on MSRP and REQUIRED he buy the window tint for $2.5k. I told him to decline!

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by Sara

Parts of New Orleans you need to leave it unlocked, or pay your deductible for a window replacement. It’s like this in a lot of areas in the US. It’s unfortunate.

This happened last year to my cousin’s girlfriend. She locked her doors while at the lakefront. Unfortunately, she came back after her workout to a smashed window.

Yeah if I'm in my Jeep I just leave it unlocked, not worth someone slashing the top open. I also keep nothing in it though.

[Sara]

Originally Posted by CTinline-six

Yeah if I'm in my Jeep I just leave it unlocked, not worth someone slashing the top open. I also keep nothing in it though.

Same here. Only things worth taking would be my child's booster seat, the 5 half used water bottles in the backseat, or my riding boots in the trunk. I leave nothing else in my vehicles.