Member Since: 02 Sep 2021
Location: Huddersfield
Posts: 1
2 stolen, is a 3rd madness? What are the alternatives?
I've owned two Discovery 4's, both of which I've completely fallen in love with and both of which have been stolen. I'm now trying to decide if buying a third one is a really stupid idea or if I need to accept that I'm simply not destined to own my favourite car?
My first was a 2015 D4 HSE in black. It was stolen whilst I was at Birmingham hospital in the summer of 2019. The incident wasn't caught on CCTV, there was broken glass where I parked the car and to my knowledge the car was never recovered. I'd loved that car so much that I decided to replace it like for like.
My second was a 2016 D4 HSE Lux also in black. It was stolen a few nights ago from my driveway in Yorkshire. The house wasn't broken into and no evidence left on the driveway. My partner and I slept soundly whilst this occurred below our bedroom window. Having done a little research on the subject of securing D4's, I'd previously disabled the keyless entry, all keys are kept in the house, away from the exterior of the house and in a faraday cage. I also had a Stoplock Pro Elite on the steering wheel. I thought I'd done enough to protect this one from theft. I do however, accept that I made some compromises on security.
I'd chosen not to get a tracker installed. The advice I'd had from friends in the police and within insurance companies is that they're generally uneconomical. There's too high of a risk of the tracker being discovered and disposed of before the vehicle is recovered. Frequently the vehicle would be written off anyway due the damage done in dismantling the vehicle.
I'd chosen not to install CCTV at our house. It was an on-going discussion with my partner, who for various reasons isn't comfortable with the concept. I'm also strongly aware that it's a deterrent only and is easily thwarted by a balaclava.
I'd chosen not to install lockable gates or posts on our driveway. Partially due to the cost (we've a large driveway with multiple entrances) but mostly due the inconvenience of having to operate them.
I've yet to go through the painful process of agreeing a settlement figure with the insurance company, but I'm already looking into my replacement vehicle.
I'm interested in thoughts and opinions as to if a Discovery 4 can be well enough secured that it can't be so seemingly easily stolen? Or should I learn the lesson and accept that doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is by definition madness? Can security be achieved with minimal inconvenience to myself? I hated the hassle of installing the Stoplock 2, 3, 4 times a day and hate it even more now I know that hassle was all for nothing.
If a D4 isn't to be, then what should I consider instead? The D4 had been my ideal car. Smart enough to drive to work, see customers, and transport the in-laws. Creature comforts for the long journeys and that nice little bit of luxury in life. Copes well with the muddy dog. Can happily pull heavy trailer across a wet field. With a budget of £25-30k (pay out depending!) I'm struggling to see what a suitable alternative might be.
Thoughts, considerations and opinions greatly appreciated
I would suggest PIR lights mounted high up so they can't be covered over - ideally with CCTV but if SWMBO insists maybe not.
A manually retractable inexpensive bollard in front of the car(s) which can easily be operated by anyone including an intruder but which triggers a very loud alarm if the alarm is not turned off prior to the bollard being lowered.
Good luck.
NJSS
Last edited by NJSS on 2nd Sep 2021 8:30 pm. Edited 1 time in total
I've got a Disklok ... big, bright yellow, obvious deterrent.
Not sharing details but my ODB port has been, er, "customised".
Problem is that many parts off these cars can be fitted (often easily) to vehicles built over a 12 year period ... that's a lot of potential eBay buyers to sell to.
My first one was stolen - presumably to order - by peeling back the security fence at a main dealer's locked compound.
All you can do is make your's look less easy to steal and the scrotes will move on and pick an easier target..
Dean
====================================
2011 D4 XS - OBD port protection, RLD spare wheel protector, All LED interiors lights, Timed Climate enabled, iiD tool paired.
2011 D4 Landmark - Stolen from same dealer before I paid for it
2011 D4 GS - Stolen whilst at dealer ... All LED interiors lights, DRLs, Spare Wheel protector.
1996 300Tdi - Eaten by tin worms
2nd Sep 2021 4:56 pm
Mk1Rally
Member Since: 24 Sep 2013
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 198
One of the things Ive done since having mine, is not hand it over for servicing with any of the keys for the physical locking devices or the devices/locks in the boot where removable
I trust our current garage, but a indy my dad used in the past..well he had young lads and they were constantly changing staff.
Could never really put a finger on it, but not long after his Defender serviced, it went missing one early morning. Never recovered but once spotted locally not long after. He had all the decent physical devices on top of the usual alarm, but there was no noise or indication of damage left on the drive.
Now I know defenders are even easier to steal(Im told), but something smelt about all that.
So dont give them opportunity to get the lock keys cut or numbers off them to order.
Just a thought, only takes a less than honest mechanic or a unhappy ex employee
2nd Sep 2021 5:29 pm
nigethecat
Member Since: 11 Sep 2016
Location: Marnoch
Posts: 4142
Very sorry to hear about you losing your D4, it's happened to a few on here recently, maybe publish some details in a new post and we can all be aware if we see it up for sale (not that you'd want it back once those thieving little (insert appropriate words) have had their hands on it) but it may help.
If you do decide to go down the replacement route I'm currently selling my 2015 D4 HSE very much within your budget and will allow you to spend some of the spare cash on security items (once you decide what those are). There are many threads on here as to "what can replace a D4" and the main answer seems to be "another one"...
Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: plymouth
Posts: 6525
got to slow them up...suggest BIG concrete block set in the ground...BIG link chain anchored to towing eye..with BIG shaclkle........with CCTV ...............a pain but worth it if youve got probs...
3rd Sep 2021 12:41 am
Trailered Movements
Member Since: 16 Jan 2020
Location: East/West Sussex Coast Borders
Posts: 1198
Any visual deterrent could work for opportunist thieves, however battery powered grinders mean they have the tools for cutting most things off.
I have fitted a hidden switch which interrupts a vital electrical circuit, in my case the gearbox inhibitor, it just won't start without flicking the switch, and the beauty of it is that once the engine has started, if the switch is operated by mistake, it has absolutely no effect, so is 'safe'.
Dave2011 Discovery 4 Commercial SDV6 (Gone)
2010 RRS TDV8 (Gone)
1980 OBLIC 4.0ltr Range Rover (went a long time ago)
3rd Sep 2021 7:37 am
RogB
Member Since: 15 Jun 2018
Location: Mansfield
Posts: 1650
reading through all the positive suggestions above, it seems the OP had already covered lots of bases by securing his keys, disabling keyless entry, visible steering lock and his reasons for not putting driveway bollards and cctv in.
Just how far do we have to go to secure our prized possessions that we have all worked so hard to get ?
makes me sick that these scrotes get away with it all so easily and makes me very tempted to get a shotgun for security as the justice system, even if they are caught, is just a joke.
massive sympathy to the OP, once is bad enough, twice is just shocking.
but get another D4, add steering wheel lock, pedal lock, OBD protection, maybe even a hidden immobiliser switch that only you and the installer know about.2011 D4 XS 305 MY12 - gone but not forgotten
3rd Sep 2021 7:46 am
Oxford-boy
Member Since: 07 Sep 2015
Location: Oxford
Posts: 1061
galwaygreen wrote:
got to slow them up...suggest BIG concrete block set in the ground...BIG link chain anchored to towing eye..with BIG shaclkle........with CCTV ...............a pain but worth it if youve got probs...
+1 on a Ghost Immobiliser.Jim
2014 Discovery 4 XXV SDV6 Causeway Grey
2016 Discovery 4 HSE Lux SDV6 Loire Blue - now gone
3rd Sep 2021 1:11 pm
HarryO
Member Since: 06 Apr 2010
Location: Brisbane Australia 🇦🇺
Posts: 79
Had same problem
Just fit an auto setting old fashioned secret switch with a manual bypass that you use when giving it in for a service.
I’ll give you my keys and you won’t steal it unless you tow is and even then I have the GPS..Land Rovers never get bogged! - merely delayed
Land Rovers never break down! - merely fail to proceed.
Land Rovers never leak oil - it’s a built in anti-rust feature
Discovery 4 TDV6
Discovery 4 TDV6 (Stolen)
Discovery 3 SE (Sold)
Discovery 2 (Sold)
Defender 110 (Sold)
Series 2 (Chev 4.1 Motor & S2A Gearbox) (Sold)
Toyota Hilux bakkie (Ute) (Broke it)
5th Sep 2021 7:38 am
Davethegeo
Member Since: 01 Oct 2015
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 879
I fitted a cheap tracker, a TruTrak, which seems excellent for the money. The hardware was ~£25, and a subscription is a couple of quid a month. Very accurate and interesting to look at the reports via an phone app to see where I've been and where the tracker thought I was cornering or braking aggressively! Positioning seems very accurate.
I fitted a hidden kill switch into Fuse 22. Impossible to start the car when I remember to switch it off. I also bought a Stoplock Pro which is a visible physical deterrent.
I am still considering fitting CCTV but SWMBO is not keen and I don't want to feel I have to go to those lengths to protect a car.
To answer your original question... Yes. it is worth replacing your D4. If you need a car like it, nothing else really comes close. I do feel guilty sometimes about the lack of fuel economy but I'll look after it and use it only when I really need to. After all, the most environmentally friendly car is the one you already own...
Member Since: 27 Aug 2013
Location: London
Posts: 74
I am sorry to hear that. I had my D5 taken from in front of my house last week. Police closed the case within hours so I doubt it will turn up. If/when I get a replacement (had just renewed the insurance and had had to negotiate to negate the 49% auto-renew 'loyalty' premium), I'll get another Stoplock Pro, but am thinking about one of those Airtag things from Apple. Not sure if anyone has any views on this?
16th Sep 2021 12:28 am
lard
Member Since: 07 Jul 2018
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 143
as above, sympathies for you especially the second time around! As a more dated D3 owner I do feel less of a target with much better specced D4's in abundance around my area (safety in numbers and being a much less attractive target fingers crossed!)
I've a GPS function in my FBH controller, but aside from this I'm also much better protected in the winter as it categorically won't start without pre-heating via an SMS command
As others already suggested, a discrete hidden switch for disabling will throw a swerve ball alongside an OBD relocation to frustrate further methods of theft
I've lots of CCTV at home, mainly for geeky reasons - set to only record on detecting a person and on a schedule so only activates & records when family is tucked up in bed
If it was me... I'd still get another D4 as nothing beats it - don't let these people prevent you from having the vehicle you want
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... All LED interiors lights, DRLs, Spare Wheel protector.
very much within your budget and will allow you to spend some of the spare cash on security items (once you decide what those are). There are many threads on here as to "what can replace a D4" and the main answer seems to be "another one"...
