Interested in a C63 but worried about theft!

[KennyN]

What a weird and depressing way to live life.

Nothing weird or depressing about considering how my "automotive wants" will impact on the other family members should some piece of scum feel the need to break into my home for the keys whilst we are at home.

Maybe it is just me though.

K

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

What a weird and depressing way to live life.

The curious thing is that most new expensive cars are, of course, sold into areas with high vehicle theft: London, Manchester, Birmingham etc., where they usually sit around not being driven that much. It's the later owners who relish and cherish.

Want a high performance car with less of a theft risk? Buy an older car with a good history. It'll go just as fast, and you'll save a fortune, and it'll be less likely to be stolen. (Although the SatNav display will be a bit rubbish)

.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

To put Enfield into context, down in Gauteng in South Africa, they car-jack 50 cars a day - i.e. hold up, and steal, 50 cars from their drivers while at the wheel.

All in area of just eight million mainly very poor people. It's so common that the driving schools give lessons on how to avoid being highjacked, and how to survive such escapes. The police are on to it: they have a dedicated helicopter just to track stolen cars in Jo'burg.

So relax: things could be worse: 17,000 carjackings a year. 53,000 car thefts in total.

And that's in a country of 55 million: 5 million white, 50 million relatively poor black.

Makes Enfield look a bit quiet doesn't it ?

.

 

[John]

I've always bought what I really wanted regardless as I am a stubborn get.

You have car and gap insurance to make up the financial loss should the worst happen.

There's a potential psychological side to it as well but only you know if this is going to be an issue for you (no one really knows what it's like unless it happens god forbid).

You have to weigh up whether the potential stress of worrying will outweigh the enjoyment and make a decision from that.

 

[badgx]

Location and storage is almost as important as the vehicle, model and age.

You can be pretty confident that a new C63 coupe will be stolen - the C class is second only to the BMW X5 as the most stolen vehicle in Britain, with the C63 leading the way.

To be certain that it will go, either during the day, or overnight, you'll need to be parking it in public, on the urban streets of the major cities. Park it in a locked garage, behind a secure pillar in your driveway, and it's less of an issue.

Insurance is a comfort, but the downside is that your premium will skyrocket after a claim, and it's a tad stressful if the thieves kick in your front door, or threaten your family in order to get the keys.

Masked gang smash way into family's home to steal high-value Mercedes AMG

But, hey, what else are you going to spend your money on?

.

It's scary, especially for a family with children. We work hard and save up and then these cold hearted gang turn up and ruin peoples lives. Makes me sick.

 

[MrRight]

I have a robust suggestion:
buy a pre facelift estate . I've had it 23 months and zero theft attempts. it is one of the ugliest looking cars you are likely to see which is probably why thieves turn their nose up at it
An RS4 avant on the other hand is like candy to a sugar addict ...

 

[Tom911t63]

I personally wouldn’t worry, As that’s what insurance / Gap is for..
Buy if your heart says so, Don’t let it get to you. As you’d always have the “What if I did” on your mind. Live once as they say

 

[AMGC63Fan]

I have a robust suggestion:
buy a pre facelift estate . I've had it 23 months and zero theft attempts. it is one of the ugliest looking cars you are likely to see which is probably why thieves turn their nose up at it
An RS4 avant on the other hand is like candy to a sugar addict ...

I would be interested in the estate if I was looking for a larger car, but your earlier post about wishing for it to be stolen kinda put me off !

Thanks everyone for their suggestions - I will have a think and another test drive before making a decision. As @MikeInWimbledon correctly assumed, I would rarely drive it as I commute to work by train, so more of a weekend car, which probably would make it more susceptible to theft..

 

[seesixtythree]

Interesting read - I live in the borough with the fifth highest number of car thefts per the article, and have CCTV footage of thieves trying to open my car, which is parked on the driveway, on 2/3 occasions (although never by force - just using the keyless cheat device or simply trying their luck to see whether it's been left unlocked). @AMGeed alas I don't have a locked garage, just a wide driveway, shared with a Golf. A couple of streets away is a Lambo Huracan which the owner has tried to block in with his other car, a LR Disco Sport - I may try a similar tactic, though this thread has, rightly, given me second thoughts about the whole purchase.

no ones going to Nick the Lambo there isn’t a high demand for used Lambo parts the disco he’s using to block it in with is very desirable to the criminal fraternity

 

[Petrol Pete]

To put Enfield into context, down in Gauteng in South Africa, they car-jack 50 cars a day - i.e. hold up, and steal, 50 cars from their drivers while at the wheel.

All in area of just eight million mainly very poor people. It's so common that the driving schools give lessons on how to avoid being highjacked, and how to survive such escapes. The police are on to it: they have a dedicated helicopter just to track stolen cars in Jo'burg.

So relax: things could be worse: 17,000 carjackings a year. 53,000 car thefts in total.

And that's in a country of 55 million: 5 million white, 50 million relatively poor black.

Makes Enfield look a bit quiet doesn't it ?

.

A very close relative of mine lives in Gauteng...the police there are not "on top" of anything.....trust me.

 

[Petrol Pete]

no ones going to Nick the Lambo there isn’t a high demand for used Lambo parts the disco he’s using to block it in with is very desirable to the criminal fraternity

Agreed. Many years a ago a man I know has his Ferrari broken into and pushed out the way so the scroats could get to his wife's brand new Ford XR 3i ! It was a white one, she never saw it again.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

A very close relative of mine lives in Gauteng...the police there are not "on top" of anything.....trust me.

Yep, with 50 cars being carjacked every day of the week, that was a very tongue in cheek comment of mine about why the police in Jo'burg have a dedicated police Robinson 44 just to respond to daily carjackings in the area.

 

[Deleted member 150136]

I've not read all the posts.
But I had an sl63 for 2 years and just parked it on the drive outside my house with the standard merc alarm/immobiliser.
Yes i was concerned, but I also thought, I've paid my insurance so relax and enjoy.

I did with no issues.

Buy it, enjoy it....life is to short for the kind of worries you have.

Live for the moment.

 

[AMGC63Fan]

Thanks!

 

[John]

I think I'd rather have the car I wanted and it got stolen should that happen than live with the "what" questions in my head (like what would it have been like to own and drive every day).

Under duress, just let the car go and move on. They aren't interested in you and it is obviously isn't personal - they just want the car.

There will be plenty more to replace it with or you might even fancy something different.

I realise not every car jacking will be smooth for the owner and indeed I know of some where it has affected the owner quite badly but if you live your life trying to constantly mitigate the risk (of anything in fact), then are you really living?

Has this thread helped you make up your mind yet OP or are you still undecided?

 

[ChrisCLS55]

At the end of the day, it’s just a car, it can be replaced. Buy what your heart desires and let the insurance companies and or police worry about things like theft. You’re more likely to be a victim of ID theft than car theft. Obviously take good measures to reduce/lower risk of theft. If that’s the car you want though, get it and enjoy it. Life’s too short!

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Some say getting older is all about faster cars, older wines, and younger women.....

All we know is that money spent on anything else is just wasted...

 

[AMGC63Fan]

Has this thread helped you make up your mind yet OP or are you still undecided?

Thanks a lot everyone for your comments - I decided to go ahead with the purchase and buy the W205 C63 which is more stunning than I imagined in real life (and gives me the fizz just sitting on my driveway.. - will post pics to the appropriate thread in due course). Ultimately I think that theft is an important factor but I found myself agreeing with people on this thread like @John - buy it, protect it and enjoy it, otherwise what’s the point?

As far as protection goes, I’ve fitted a wheel lock (£20 from amazon) and invested another £20 in a faraday box for the keys.. I’m considering Ghost but also thinking about full PPF wrap which is over £2k and I’m not made of money! Have people had this done?

 

[alabbasi]

Just go low tech. A mechanical kill switch on the wires going to the neutral safety switch or the starter relay, hidden somewhere will slow them down enough.

 

[Srdl]

Thanks a lot everyone for your comments - I decided to go ahead with the purchase and buy the W205 C63 which is more stunning than I imagined in real life (and gives me the fizz just sitting on my driveway.. - will post pics to the appropriate thread in due course). Ultimately I think that theft is an important factor but I found myself agreeing with people on this thread like @John - buy it, protect it and enjoy it, otherwise what’s the point?

As far as protection goes, I’ve fitted a wheel lock (£20 from amazon) and invested another £20 in a faraday box for the keys.. I’m considering Ghost but also thinking about full PPF wrap which is over £2k and I’m not made of money! Have people had this done?

If it is a 2019 car, you won’t need the Faraday box as the key will have a built in movement detector and switches itself off when it’s not being moved.