2018 onwards GTI any attempt theft issues?

[SRGTD]

But we can do our best to make such thefts at least dificult to make a thief think twice; vary driving parking habits, leave car in highly visible areas, best of all (if possibe) hide it completely, or try to hide it in plain sight.

Agree. I am fortunate enough to live in a low crime area but I garage my car when it’s not being used. I’m one of the few - if not only - people on my road who bothers to put their car in the garage. Out of sight (of would be perpetrators) is out of mind IMHO, and if any would be perpetrators do come looking for easy pickings, then they can take their pick of a selection of BMW,‘s, Audi’s, Mercedes or many other brands that are left parked on neighbours and the owner’s driveways.

I know that from an insurance perspective, some insurance companies consider the theft risk is lowest when a car’s parked up if it’s parked on the roadside away from your home, rather than being parked on the driveway or in a garage. Thieves won’t know which house to break into to steal the car keys, or which house to stand next to with their signal amplification equipment to pick up the keyless signal. Driveway parking is likely to represent the highest theft risk as the keys will be in the house the car is parked at, unless it’s parked on someone else’s driveway. However, a car that’s parked on the roadside is more likely to be damaged or written off in a hit and run incident, the target of malicious damage, or being broken into to steal the contents than one that’s parked off the road. Whatever the relative risks of different parking locations, parking in my garage has worked for me so far, so that’s what I’ll continue to do.

[lancslad1985]

I know it’s a feature of the car, but I always disable the keyless when I get out. I also don’t leave my keys near any windows or downstairs at night, so it’s harder for them to boost the signal. Apparently many people leave their keys hanging next to the front door or next to the windows in their front room.

[SRGTD]

I know it’s a feature of the car, but I always disable the keyless when I get out. I also don’t leave my keys near any windows or downstairs at night, so it’s harder for them to boost the signal. Apparently many people leave their keys hanging next to the front door or next to the windows in their front room.

I also disable keyless. If it hadn’t been part of the car’s standard spec, I wouldn’t have been disappointed. It’s not something I’d have paid for as an extra cost option.

[steeve]

Don't forget that if your car is stolen you get trade for it, in fact it might be immaculate but that won't count if they can't see it. So to replace it with something similar is going to cost you at least two grand. Plus you may lose your no claims, and that can be significant. Protected no claims only covers you if you stay with your current insurer or its a no fault claim. Any new company will always pan you if you've had a claim.

In the case above a Ghost system wouldn't have been of no use as they didn't want the car, just some parts.

A disklok is about as good as it gets (sadly) a tracker is no deterrent but you may get your motor back. It does pay if can take simple precautions, like disabling keyless, keeping the keys in a pouch and a safe place etc.

[Andy Beats]

Disable keyless?
I'm enjoying having it back for the first time in years!
How ironic that my base spec Leaf has it when my GTi didn't (amongst plenty of other things).

[lancslad1985]

Yeah but let’s be fair Andy, the base spec leaf is more expensive than the gti and the same price as the gti+, which does have keyless.

I’m sure the leaf is a lovely car but I’d never buy a Nissan after previous experiences driving jukes, qashqais, x-trails and micras. All of them were generally boring drives with no feedback, bit like driving a Peugeot or Renault. If I was going Japanese I’d buy Mazda, Toyota or lexus.

[Andy Beats]

Yeah but let’s be fair Andy, the base spec leaf is more expensive than the gti and the same price as the gti+, which does have keyless.

I’m sure the leaf is a lovely car but I’d never buy a Nissan after previous experiences driving jukes, qashqais, x-trails and micras. All of them were generally boring drives with no feedback, bit like driving a Peugeot or Renault. If I was going Japanese I’d buy Mazda, Toyota or lexus.

VW are hardly a paragon of feedback, even their sporty models are very dead feeling.
God even knows how anyone separates feedback between a normal Polo and a Micra.
It's been a long time since I've driven a sporty Peugeot or Renault, but aren't their sporty models considered much better in terms of feedback?

[lancslad1985]

The sporty Renaults have feedback that will ruin your spine. Not driven a recent sporty pug, only normal ones.

[SRGTD]

Disable keyless?
I'm enjoying having it back for the first time in years!
How ironic that my base spec Leaf has it when my GTi didn't (amongst plenty of other things).

IMO Keyless = a pointless feature that car manufacturers’ marketing teams and promotional material have tried to convince us is really useful and something we need.

I managed without keyless for well over 40 years of car ownership and wouldn’t miss if I didn’t have it now.

[Andy Beats]

IMO Keyless = a pointless feature that car manufacturers’ marketing teams and promotional material have tried to convince us is really useful and something we need.

I managed without keyless for well over 40 years of car ownership and wouldn’t miss if I didn’t have it now.

You could say that about anything, cars were so basic only 20 years ago.
I wouldn't be without keyless ever again, just having to have the keys 'somewhere' on your person is ace.

[monkeyhanger]

VW are good at producing hot hatches you can live with every day there are more exciting hot hatches to fling around Halfords car park, but you wouldn't want to drive one 300 miles. There's always compromise, and a composed/refined ride is always going to be a bit dull when you try and going it around.

My Golf R was very quick, from a standstill and in-gear, but it drove like it was on rails, with very little drama.

An old 1986 Peugeot 205 GTI 1.6 would be more fun, and way slower.

The wife likes keyless so she can leave her keys in her handbag, but for me, pulling the keys out of the pocket to blip the central locking is absolutely fine, with no security concerns. Keyless is for handbags.

[Andy Beats]

Hands full of stuff from B+Q tonight, no having to put stuff down to find keys in pockets.
Elbow on the door button, I’m in.
Perfect.

[monkeyhanger]

Hands full of stuff from B+Q tonight, no having to put stuff down to find keys in pockets.
Elbow on the door button, I’m in.
Perfect.

Do your doors open automatically when your hands are full too, or do you have to put all that down to open the door?

[stevereeves]

"Agree. I am fortunate enough to live in a low crime area but I garage my car when it’s not being used. I’m one of the few - if not only - people on my road who bothers to put their car in the garage." Tell me about it; I live on the outskirts of a city, my dad lives in a wee small village, yes everyone does know everyone else, most folk don't even out their cars away at night, their garages are mostly used for storing junk. And - the doors are often left wide open . Ok not everyone is fortunate enough to have access to a garage and is forced to park on the street. Once had a serious exchange of opinion with a VW dealer bragging that Audi, BMWs and especially VWs were 100% thief proof, I begged to differ and bet him if he turned his back I could take any, that's any, car from the lot in less than 5 minutes. I'm no car thief and wouldn't know where to start bypassing security but told him if it came to it I'd get a tractor hook it up and drag a car away, wouldn't do the tyres & brakes any good but a thief wouldn't be concerned with such things. It's easy to get paranoid, especially if you've recently been a victim of theft, my advice is to take whatever precautions you can, make sure your insurance is up to date and try not to worry but to enjoy your car....

[lancslad1985]

Hands full of stuff from B+Q tonight, no having to put stuff down to find keys in pockets.
Elbow on the door button, I’m in.
Perfect.

Do your doors open automatically when your hands are full too, or do you have to put all that down to open the door?

Mine don’t but I can waggle my foot under the bumper and the boot opens automatically so I can throw everything out my arms. Wish my gti had that on it, wouldn’t be without my electric boot on my tiggy now.