[portal96]

Has anyone tried one of these OBD locks/protectors or similar? Appreciate its not a visual deterrent from outside…

BI OBD Protector Anti-Theft Immobiliser for OBD Socket Cover for OBD Interface https://amzn.eu/d/8tuXztQ

Thanks

[tc_303]

Originally Posted by iansimpson99

Yes, I think you are right... You never know there could have been a security breach / inside job at BMW UK, judging by the sheer number of these cars disappearing currently!!

is there a lot of Ix3's being stollen at the moment? this is the first one ive heard of after mine was broken into.

[RedJon]

Been working on automotive cyber security recently. In the ‘good old days’ wannabe thieves had to learn how to steal a car no hve the skills themselves. Nowadays the software hackers sell the devices they design and build on sites like alibaba for any wannabe thief to purchase unfortunately.

Also, if you do the hidden AirTag thing lookup ‘removing the speaker from airtag’ on YouTube, as it makes it harder for people to find.

[Stuppington]

I’ve bought an XLock steering wheel lock. It looks good from outside the vehicle and hopefully puts off most thieves. It makes me feel better when I leave it on the streets.

[Mobeam]

Originally Posted by keninuk

Hi b3afd@..., you might want to change your user id if it is your actual email.

I made a note to myself before purchase that although the key fob disables within about 3 minutes (tested on Premier Pro demonstrator) I should look at limiting the number of keys allowed if possible.

I think you can limit the number of keys that can be created but I cannot find the source where I read it.

If you google "obd II port car theft" or similar there are a number of sites saying the same thing. If they can break into your car or have had access to your car, they can make a key by accessing the OBD II data port which is down by the driver side footwell I think.

This would explain why an M Sport without keyless entry can be stolen. I have a Milenco Plus steering wheel lock which looks nice in the silver and importantly for me is easy enough to get on and off so that I use it.

It won't stop them stealing the air bag but as I have mentioned in another post it might just put off the thief with a laptop that hasn't got an angle grinder.

I do wonder that if you can limit the number of keys whether it prevents someone with access to the data port overriding this.

Perhaps someone with a bit more knowledge than me can help shed some light.

Was thinking of purchasing a Milenco wheel lock; does it do any dent damage to the nice leather steering wheel ?

[keninuk]

Originally Posted by Mobeam

Was thinking of purchasing a Milenco wheel lock; does it do any dent damage to the nice leather steering wheel ?

Apart from being a pain to get on an off, I got rid of the Stoplock Pro I initially purchased for exactly that reason.

The Plus version of the Milenco comes with a couple of rubber cups and a storage sleeve. I would suggest you get the Plus version.

With the Milenco nicely balanced on the top of the steering wheel with the cups in place, I am not getting any marks and I leave it parked for days at a time.

The Milenco itself is easy to get on an off but I sometimes forget to turn the steering wheel 90 degrees so that one of the wheel spokes is at 12 o'clock. Other than that, I am really pleased with it.

I purchased mine from here in Silver and arrived well packed.
https://www.thejourneycentre.co.uk/c...ck-plus-p16715

[BimmerStanMan]

Had someone parked across my drive at 2230 last night. I ended up going out, walking around my car and glaring at them. They were playing with 2 mobile phones. Realised that in unlocking my front door, I had moved the iX3 keys and triggered the signal, doh!

Anyway, I ordered the Milenco + today for some peace of mind. Thanks @keninuk for the info.

[keninuk]

Originally Posted by BimmerStanMan

Had someone parked across my drive at 2230 last night. I ended up going out, walking around my car and glaring at them. They were playing with 2 mobile phones. Realised that in unlocking my front door, I had moved the iX3 keys and triggered the signal, doh!

Anyway, I ordered the Milenco + today for some peace of mind. Thanks @keninuk for the info.

Hope you like it. I find I can tuck it down in the passenger footwell and if needed I can slide the handle under the seat and my passengers don't complain.

I don't think it would stop a determined, well-equipped thief, and if drilling the lock out doesn't work as stated then I am quite sure I couldn't get it off without ruining the steering wheel. At least it comes as standard with 3 keys to keep a spare at home and another location such as work or with a very trusted person.

[Imspartacus123]

Ordered one too, hopefully with this and cameras pointing at the car, they will move on

[supersebbo]

The problem with the AirTag idea is that they are not GPS trackers, or anything even close. They are simply low-power Bluetooth beacons and inside a metal vehicle the chances are their signal will not reach outside the vehicle.

How AirTag works is that Apple turned all iPhone into secret surveillance devices, any iPhone in range of any AirTag (no matter who is belongs to) will report the AirTag location back to Apple using the iPhones last known position (which may not be even remotely accurate if location services are not 'fully' enabled to be always on).

So you'll not locate the vehicle if:
- The theives don't have iPhones
- The theives are sensible enough to turn their phones off or disable location services
- The theives use iPhones but get alerted that a non-personal AirTag is following them and turn their phone off or search for the AirTag

So the chances of finding a stolen vehicle using it are very slim. But that said, there is still a small chance so for the cost of an AirTag, maybe it's worth the slight increase in the chance of finding your stolen car.

[ThreeXi]

Hello,

Rather than create a new thread, this is probably a reasonable place to post, has anyone had an immobiliser successfully installed into the iX3 yet?

Many thanks,

[iansimpson99]

Originally Posted by supersebbo

The problem with the AirTag idea is that they are not GPS trackers, or anything even close. They are simply low-power Bluetooth beacons and inside a metal vehicle the chances are their signal will not reach outside the vehicle.

How AirTag works is that Apple turned all iPhone into secret surveillance devices, any iPhone in range of any AirTag (no matter who is belongs to) will report the AirTag location back to Apple using the iPhones last known position (which may not be even remotely accurate if location services are not 'fully' enabled to be always on).

So you'll not locate the vehicle if:
- The theives don't have iPhones
- The theives are sensible enough to turn their phones off or disable location services
- The theives use iPhones but get alerted that a non-personal AirTag is following them and turn their phone off or search for the AirTag

So the chances of finding a stolen vehicle using it are very slim. But that said, there is still a small chance so for the cost of an AirTag, maybe it's worth the slight increase in the chance of finding your stolen car.

Hi ALl, Yes, I have bought four of these now and tested them out on my family. It takes EIGHT HOURS for an Airtag to start notifying a carrying non-owner of its' presence. These were put into family's rucksacks/handbags at 08h00 and only popped up a message on their iPhones at 4pm-ish.

This functionality has obviously been forced upon Apple by anti-stalking laws, which is fair enough, but it does give a window of eight hours where the Airtag could be tracked. When my new iX3 arrives in a few weeks (Yes yes I know ... I must be mad!!) I will araldite a couple of these somewhere in the engine bay, or under the floor pan, really difficult to get to places, in the hope that this helps.

[iansimpson99]

Originally Posted by ThreeXi

Hello,

Rather than create a new thread, this is probably a reasonable place to post, has anyone had an immobiliser successfully installed into the iX3 yet?

Many thanks,

So this implies that the iX3 has no inbuilt immobiliser at all...? This seems surprising, though if it is linked to the smart key technology as per above, then it is irrelevant anyway, as our laptop-weilding thieves will disable it anyway. I suppose a non-branded proprietary immobiliser could be tried... ? Bizarre that end users like us have to make these modifications to what should be a very secure modern vehicle...

DO we think thieves use this OBD Port to disable the immobiliser in which case the OBD Security device suggested earlier may be worth getting as well...?

[RedJon]

Thieves use the obd port to programme a new key, then simply use it to drive off. Then remove the gps tracking module.

In my opinion an OBD port lock, air tag (with speaker removed) and immobiliser are the best combination for peace of mind.

[Mogwai888]

Sobering topic! Has anyone had experience of the autowatch ghost can bus immobiliser? https://www.autowatch.co.uk/veh-sec/ghost-2-menu

Guessing there could be implications on warranty if fitted?

[Vip355]

Originally Posted by Mogwai888

Sobering topic! Has anyone had experience of the autowatch ghost can bus immobiliser? https://www.autowatch.co.uk/veh-sec/ghost-2-menu

Guessing there could be implications on warranty if fitted?

Not yet, however due to have the autowatch ghost 2 installed this week. Have spoken to my dealer about impact on warranty and been told this won't have an impact. Will follow up once I've had it installed.

[GDEvans]

If theft of the X3 / iX3 was a regular problem, would the insurance companies not be insisting on additional trackers and immobilisers?

[Mogwai888]

Originally Posted by Vip355

Not yet, however due to have the autowatch ghost 2 installed this week. Have spoken to my dealer about impact on warranty and been told this won't have an impact. Will follow up once I've had it installed.

Great, thanks for the info. Look forward to your feedback.

[iansimpson99]

Sounds a great idea. What a pity BMW don't add this functionality as standard on all their models!! I wonder if Mercedes / Aston MArtin / Porsche etc. have something which works similarly and is inbuilt...?

[Vip355]

Originally Posted by Vip355

Not yet, however due to have the autowatch ghost 2 installed this week. Have spoken to my dealer about impact on warranty and been told this won't have an impact. Will follow up once I've had it installed.

Had the ghost 2 installed today. Installation was pain free and took about 45 minutes. Have tried it a few times since installation this afternoon and works as expected. Overall very happy. Time will tell how we get on with it during the next few weeks but disarming is pretty quick and for those who haven't read about it, arming is automatic.

Any questions, please dm me if anyone has any questions.

[Imspartacus123]

what about one of these, any good?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trackers-Ze..._=dtdpexs&th=1

[GDEvans]

Originally Posted by Imspartacus123

what about one of these, any good?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trackers-Ze..._=dtdpexs&th=1

Reading the comments, the battery life seems to be 1-2 weeks. Any GPS tracker really needs to be hard wired to a power source.