But the fob already has the code, as a crook I don’t care if does change every time it gets used. In a very simple ,note I said very simple, way lets say you are going to change your phone number every time someone calls you. You tell the person who’s authorized the number. And they write it down. I’m looking over their shoulder and write it down, then I call you, does it matter if you change it after I call you, no because you think I’m authorized and you’re going to give me a new number. Besides I only need to use it once. After I get the car to wherever odds are it going to be hacked up into parts anyway.
Even if you set it up where the fob asks what’s your number first, all that means I have to be around when the code back and forth, they must talk to exchange codes. I only need the code once, I don’t need to break the algorithm because the car is going to give next code.
Of course I could just get the vin number and make a new fob, if the dealer can do it so can a crook. Yes I know it secret information, nobody has access to it, but if more than one person has the data it will be leaked.
Anything someone can think up a crook will think of a way around it.
No I don’t think that every time I see a tow truck I think someone is stealing a car, notice in my original post I said “how many times did you notice a person in a parking lot getting into a car and driving off, vs a tow truck picking up a car in a parking lot.”
I said “notice”, by that I mean someone thinks something different, they might even go as far watch for a few minutes to see whats up. The last thing a crook wants is attention, that was the point, a person getting into a car and driving off doesn’t get noticed, a tow truck does, even one on legal business.
But are you telling me you never noticed a tow truck picking up a car in a parking lot? You just walk blindly by and didn’t even look? That was the point, it doesn’t matter if it says Jake’s Repossession or Joe’s towing, it’s going to get noticed and if someone say a car was stolen in this parking lot by a tow truck, they might remember what the guy looked like. What are the odds you’d remember the guy getting into a car and driving off?
I think that has more to due with parts than the car transponder, at least according to the report I read. They hack the car up and just sell the parts and older more popular cars have the greatest demand for parts so it follows that they are stolen more.
There is less demand for late model car parts than older car parts? That may be the case for some hot rod honda people but for some cars on the list the salvage yards are full of these vehicles.
for all cars 2010
Honda Accord/Honda Civic
Toyota Camry
Ford F-150
Dodge Ram
C/K 1500
Dodge Caravan
Toyota Corolla
Nissan Sentra
Acura Integra
Jeep Cherokee
Here’s the 2010 list for the most stolen cars (2007 to 2009 models years)
Cadillac Escalade
Ford F-250 crew 4WD (2008-09)
Infiniti G37 2-door (2008-09)
Dodge Charger HEMI
Chevrolet Corvette Z06
Hummer H2 4WD
Nissan Pathfinder Armada l
Chevrolet Avalanche 1500
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 crew
GMC Yukon
in the article they state one in every 100 Escalades is stolen, even with a antitheft ignition immobilizer. Snatch and grab is the preferred way to take them.
More model year 2000 Dodge Caravans were stolen (no transponder) than Escalades (transponder equipped) because of a demand for parts? Or thieves have bad taste?
-If anything, cars are harder to steal than ever before, though if a thief is high-tech and bright enough, now a physical key isn’t needed for your car–the signal and ‘handshake’ sequence between the fob and car can likely be captured and used to make ‘keys’ for your vehicle. This is pretty unlikely and would require a thief to hide within range with some electronics gear, but if your vehicle is expensive enough, it may be worth it.
-Car keys have had transponders in them for a long time now for most new vehicles. If you lose the key and don’t have a spare, you’re just as screwed as with push button start.
-Gone are the days of accidentally bending or breaking a key off in the ignition lock. And as someone else has mentioned, gone are the days of a heavy key ring damaging an ignition lock. (though I have a lot of keys on my ring and haven’t had a problem like this with any car I’ve ever owned. It must be mostly Hondas and Toyotas that are susceptible to this)
-If you have two working keys (or transponders), you can easily program another by yourself, and are only out the expense of another transponder if you want an extra. If you’re worried about locksmith fees or losing your keys, keep two in reserve and you can make more. (I got a spare very cheap on ebay)
-I LIKE inserting and twisting a key to start my car. There’s something satisfying about it that pushing a button just doesn’t give.
-What if I’m wandering around my yard doing yardwork with my keys in my pocket. Do I really want/need my car locking and unlocking when I come in proximity? NO.
-One more complicated system to fail and have to troubleshoot, that likely is not possible by the end-user.
-If anything, cars are harder to steal than ever before, though if a thief is high-tech and bright enough, now a physical key isn’t needed for your car
Correct, though they never needed a key before either
Car keys have had transponders in them for a long time now for most new vehicles. If you lose the key and don’t have a spare, you’re just as screwed as with push button start.
Correct.
What if I’m wandering around my yard doing yardwork with my keys in my pocket. Do I really want/need my car locking and unlocking when I come in proximity? NO.
It won’t. There’s a sensor built into the door handle. The car doesn’t unlock until your hand touches the handle.
The old cliche “the bigger they are the harder they fall” comes to mind. Affluent, high tech savvy Gen Xers seem to be a profitable market for automobile companies and offering them a digital cockpit has apparently been successful. But technically top heavy may be a liability in the long run. I see relatively new cars totaled because the airbags have deployed or the electronic transmission has failed. Will I soon see cars totaled because of a computer virus?
"Whatever. “Damn dude there’s a tow truck, he must be stealin’ cars!” "
Not sure about now…but in NY there was a law that REQUIRED the police to be there if a tow was ever hooked up to a car. If no cop…then the tow was being done illegally. This includes you towing
In NH they don;t even require a cop when a repo is being carried out. I was visiting a friend some years ago in a condo complex and at 4:00am we were awakened to the sound of a tiltbed dragging a car up onto it. We found out the next morning that it was a repo.
I remember when the start function was moved from a button (sometimes located on the floor!) to the dash - then later to the steering column - and guess what? There were similar complaints then. Too complex, prone to failure, makes it easier to steal!
I think these arguments are more about change (or resistance to change) than anything else.
Change just for the sake of change seems quite ludicrous, And again, I will proffer that durable goods that are produced with lagging, proven technology are preferable in the long run to those using leading edge technology. So much of automobile design is to distinguish one brand from another when there is little difference in the basic products. And that seems to be the basis for 1/0 buttons on cars. Those who hanker for such triflings can enjoy them but they will increase the probability of failure and complicate the diagnosis and repair. Rolls Royce’s claim to fame seemed to have been greatly enhanced by their reluctance to change until changes were proven. Hydraulic brakes, automatic transmissions, etc., were on most cars, even Fords, before R-R incorporated them.
You assume that I think that a transponder is a given. I’m old. I learned to drive with the starter bendix being engaged with a pedal through the floor. It was very reliable.
I had a rental with one not long ago. I was totally un-impressed. Not that it is evil, but I am not about to go out of my way to get one or not get one.
