gibbo_ireland

Hi all,

I am looking to buy my first scooby at the moment, however I have a serious question that Id be grateful for your opinion on.

You cant help but hear all the stories about robberies and thugs breaking into houses for keys etc, so I was just wondering what everyones view on this is. Has it been totally over-rated and blown out of proportion, or is it something you definitely need to think about.

A scooby is my dream car, and even with all the security I have planned for it, my family's safety has to come first.

What do you guys think?

pmather

From all the reports that are in the papers, there are organised gangs out there that will break into a house to nick your pride and joy. They seem to target many makes of car but Scoobs are amongst those targeted for there use as getaway cars. You can take steps to mitigate this by fitting things like trackers, but the best way is to try and make sure that your pride and joy is reasonably concealed when parked.

Gridlock Mikey

Hi there,

I think that as long as you take sensible precautions, you are at no more risk than say a M3 driver or Porsche or any performance car. The robberies and car jackings are happening across the country to all sorts of people and have been for years and years. On this BBS though, everything is concentrated so it may seem that all the bad stuff only happens to scoob owners.

Get one and enjoy and take on board the responsibility that comes with it

Mikey

HELLOM8

Depends were you live, most reports seem to be in Nottingham and Manchester. I didn't buy my Scoob until I got a garage and would suggest the same to you.
Cheers.
Ian.

Riftzone

Gettin blown outta all proportion. There'll always be scum who'll want to nick yer car, wotever it be - do you decide not to become a car owner cos of it - i dont think so.

Tiggs

all hype, the odds are remote to say the least.

T

Brun

There's no getting away from it, it does happen. The only advice i can offer, is always drive with your doors locked. When you are sat at traffic lights, leave a good gap in front of the car, incase you need a quick gettaway. When you are stationary, constantly observe whats going on around you. If there is anyone who looks dodgy, be prepared to go! One of the latest tricks, of the TWOCers is to bump your car when you're stationary, naturally provoking you to get out, in this case if the person who has bumped you looks suspicious, forget the re-arranged bumper and go. I think the best advice is, for the last mile of so, before home, pay attention to whats behind you. If you feel that the car behind is following you, take an odd route (ie-two laps of a roundabout)if the car is still there, do not go home and leave it eating your dust. When at home - Hide your keys.
The list goes on and on, it's all just common sense really.
Hope this helps!

Nigel H

It goes with the territory - if you have a nice car somebody will want to nick it. I was worried about Scoobs, but then I read about Mercs, BMs etc. being done. I don't think a Scoob is any worse than any other 'nice' car, but don't have figure to prove it.

Like the others say, take precautions to lower your risk.

You could always have a Golf GTi - who'd want one of those!

Mojo

Unfortunatly it's one of those things that exists and you have to face. It all comes down to weighing up how much you want the car against the attention and risk it may bring.
I owned a Scooby very happily for 2 years without any trouble. Then within the last month I found myself being followed home (not just being paranoid) and eventually attempted carjacked in a supermarket carpark in broad day light.
For me it just spoilt the owner experience and I've now since changed my car. I loved my Scooby to bits and it broke my heart to give it up, but I really couldn't justify the rising insurance costs etc. The factor that swung it for me was that I couldn't bear to think that I might be putting my family and friends at risk for the sake of a car.
I realise that what happened to me is rare and statistically probably wouldn't happen again.
If you do opt to get one (they are fantastic and I miss mine terribly) I would offer this advice.
Have a garage and always use it. Not just at night but all the time. Never leave the car in the drive as inconvient as this may be.
Fit tracker.
Fit discloc.
Lock doors as the first thing when you get in the car.

I've just read that back and it makes me sound a total neurotic, but you did ask for feedback and it's always worth having both sides of the story.

I'll finish by saying Scoobies are fantastic and I never regreted buying one. It was everything I hoped it would be and more. And the fellow owners are a great gang (as you'll probably find out on here)

Hope this helps a bit

Mojo

Tim Bomford

Well a guy at work (who HAD a new shape Scoob) has just had his house broken into and the keys to the Scoob taken. Needless to say the cars now gone too. It brings it home to you when its someone you know. He won't be getting another Scoob.

His insurance has been loaded £2K as they are saying it was taken WITH the keys and as far as I know they've not paid out yet.....They do not seem to care that the house was broken into and it was not like he left the keys in it at a petrol station or the like.

Tim

Mojo

That's rubbish!!
The keys were stolen not taken due to the owner being neglegent.
Insurance companies pi55 me off! They charge whatever they like and then refuse to pay out when it's needed.
What's the point of having insurance and paying all the money if it's not worth the paper it's printed on?

Mojo

TAZMAN

simple... keep the car out of sight when parked at home, in a garage of buy a cover to go over it... drive with the door locked, keep you keys in the bedroom not downstairs (unless you live in a bungalow). I used to live in Miami where people will carjack pretty much anything...follow the rules above and always leave space to manouver and you will avoid most incidents...

however it really does boil down to being in the wrong place at the wrong time...

camk

I'd be surprised if they try not to pay out. My brother had his Honda Accord nicked from his driveway with keys in and engine running, went back in to pick up a CD(****). Came out to see motor heading down the road, ins paid out for theft.
The fact that they broke in and Police report supports this means it will be nigh on impossible for Ins Company to avoid paying out.

Cheers
Cammy

Kippax

don't leave your house keys and your car keys on the same keyring

TAZMAN

or build a bunker for you and the scoob and never ever come out!!

Mojo

talking about keeping keys separate...
I always kept my car keys and garage / discloc keys separate.
SO, if I ever lost my car keys they couldn't just drive the car away.

nichop

Blimey, reckon you've scared him off by now !!! One thing I would say is, unlike TAZMAN, I would leave the keys DOWNSTAIRS. I have a family and i'd rather they just found the keys and left than come upstairs to where my kids are asleep. However, we've had big long threads about 'keys upstairs or downstairs' and it's a personal choice. For me the car isn't as important as my family
Everytime I read one of these threads I wonder about getting rid of the scoob. However, remember that a thread like this will attract the scary comments and typically not the many many people out there who've never had a problem at all. I've had my scoob for 3 years, not garaged, and the only problem i've had was some kids throwing eggs through the bonnet scoop. (Obviously I grabbing at every piece of wood I can find now )

Andy Hamilton

I too thought the chances of anything like this happening were remote! but **** happens I'm afraid

Had 2 scumbags break into our house after the keys to my STi Type UK. It was broad daylight and 10.30 in the morning.
Apparently scum had been watching the car, we live in a terraced house, and when my wife took the pushchair out the car they identified which house the car belonged to and as soon as my wife went out they broke in. Now I shudder to think what might have happened if my wife and 2 year old boy had come back while they were in the house or what if they had challenged her for the keys in the street? They also trashed the house and stole a few other things as well including a digital video recorder with irreplaceable footage of our son

So after 4 scoobs and more than 6 years of Impreza ownerhip the STi was sold and will be my last Impreza for the time being. Can't even think about putting my family at risk for the sake of a car no matter how much I loved it. Also lost a shed load of money selling at only 2 months old......*******s.
I kind of feel like I'm letting them win by selling the car but what if they, or someone else come back and try again?
Just not worth it and It's a very sad world we live in.

Be very careful out there people

nichop

As a matter of interest Andy, what did u buy instead ?

TAZMAN

a tow truck and a scooby owners list???

wibes

I WONDER IF IM BEING DAFT BUT I CURRENTLY OWN MY 4TH SCOOBY AND I DONT PUT IT IN THE GARAGE I LEAVE IT ON THE DRIVE, HALF THE TIME I FORGET TO LOCK IT AND IVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM, AFTER READING THIS PAGE A CHANGE OF MIND ME THINKS

Andy Hamilton

Rather not say nichop!

Got a bit paranoid since it happened, mega alarm system on house etc!

The police did ask if details of my car had ever been given on the internet and the only place it had been was on here in the members gallery. As it was pretty rare (silver Type UK with anthracite wheels) I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to find after looking at my Profile. Didn't think about the implications of putting where you are from when I first registered on here back in March 1999, makes you think though doesn't it............

gibbo_ireland

Thanks for the posts guys, you've helped me a lot. Although my garage wouldnt fit the Scoob, I think once I take some precautions and good security measures its the best I can do. Fort Knox will have to eat its heart out!

nichop

Understand Andy. Did you have house alarm when it was taken ? Do you think this would have been sufficient deterrent ?

TAZMAN

Gibbo, can I suggest a punji pit....very effective deterrent...

Andy Hamilton

nichop

No house alarm at the time (although there is now!!)

I think in this case it may well have been agood enough deterrent as it was 10.30 am and there were builders working on the house directly opposite.

Andy