I heard that thieves can use either their laptops or some other electronic device to capture the code that enables a driver to enter his vehicle with a keyless remote. Does this mean that keyless entries are not safe to use at this time? I am purchasing either a camry or an accord. Should I insist on a keyed entry into the vehicle?
First of all, keyless entry is virtually a standard item at this time. Unless you buy a stripped model of a really cheap car, it is likely that you will have keyless entry whether you want it or not.
I have also heard that it is possible to capture entry codes with electronic devices, but I really think that you are wasting a lot of time and energy on worrying about this point. For that matter, your home could be broken into, even if you have good door locks and a burglar alarm. Do you spend a lot of time worrying about that issue?
Of course, if you live in an area where car theft is a major issue, then you might have more of a concern than most people regarding car theft, but still, I think that you are “overthinking” this issue. Ultimately, this is one of the reasons why we purchase car insurance.
Sometimes you just have to focus on what is really important and what is actually under your control-- and this particular issue is not really under your control. I would suggest that you just buy the car that you really want, perhaps adding a device such as LoJack or OnStar, and forget about obsessing over this issue.
The one’s I’d be worried about is those cars that have those little credit card things that unlocks and can start the vehicle when you approach it without needing a key, or a button pressed.
Unless your car is a high-profile target, I wouldn’t worry. The technology necessary to own a laptop and the software to “steal” entry signals (usually a pulsed signal at a narrow bandwith frequency) is high-tech and hard to come by, and not often found in the possession of ordinary car thieves. A car thief can steal any vehicle even if they have to winch it up onto a trailer. Pay your insurance and sleep at night.
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Seems much easier and more effective to break a window. Realize nearly all cars are equipped with this and if you don’t use your limited to one lock on the drivers door. Most cars do not even have a keyed lock the trunk nor a lock on the passenger side door.