S211 Security

[corned]

The alternative title to this thread is "Imbecile of the week award goes to..."

I gave my S211 a good security test yesterday.

I was at a supplier of ours up in Thirsk, North Yorkshire. It was belting it down as I was leaving, and I had an armful of stuff to shove in the back of the car, so I got ready with the keyfob and ran for it. Pressed the tailgate open as I ran and up went the tailgate. All good so far.

Dumped the stuff in the back, pressed the close button and bade my host goodbye so he could dash back in again and not get soaked. So I turned to the car and fumbled around in my pockets for the keys. Ah.

Quick examination of the boot area through the rear window revealed the keys next to the pile of boxes. Doh!!!!!!

So - go on then - how do you reckon the situation was resolved? Answers on a postcard please...

 

[janner]

+

 

[corned]

We got exceedingly close to requiring that particular solution, however one last trick did it...

I should add that the cost was £0 plus a £5 tip for some beer! No damage incurred.

 

[Druk]

Key is infra-red so the mobile call to the wife with the spare key didn't work........did it?

 

[corned]

Funny you should say that, because a mate of mine suggested doing exactly that. I had never heard of it before, and I must admit I remain sceptical. However the breakdown guy who attended said he had been talking about it with his colleagues that morning, and had seen it on TV.

It wasn't the solution though as the spare set was at home and my missus was at work!

 

[w124coupe]

Slim jim down the famous no-deadlocks door?

 

[jaymanek]

normally our preferred method is to shove some wire down between the door and then pull on the door handle.

If you had left the car running, its even easier, just use a piece of wire to push on window switch.

 

[corned]

The breakdown guy used a copper rod - like brake piping - to try to press the central locking button on the dash, but the rod kept bending and wouldn't press the button. I'm not sure the button would have been enabled in any case, but it was worth a try. Then he tried hooking the driver's door handle, but again he couldn't get sufficient leverage to pull it.

Getting closer though!

 

[jaymanek]

the boot didnt actually lock?

 

[corned]

Ha ha! No, I did check thoroughly before summoning the breakdown service. All doors and tailgate firmly locked.

That would have been even more embarassing than locking them in in the first place! (But I bet it has happened!)

 

[Mactech]

Did you show your car a picture of a fire so that it got hot and opened all its windows?

 

[corned]

Not in the downpour that we had to endure!

 

[Lugy]

He pressed the button on the fob somehow?

 

[alexander patie]

He pressed the button on the fob somehow?

my thoughts too, are we correct?

 

[corned]

It was quite involved, and took ages, but the pay-off was no damage and no cost.

He wedged the rear door at the top rear of the window frame and managed to insert a tough plastic 'bladder' which he could inflate like a blood pressure testing band. This widened the gap sufficiently to get the copper rod through the small gap. He bent the rod backwards towards the boot, and managed to fish-hook the keys up from the boot floor. Once the rod was retracted far enough to have the keys right at the top of the door frame, he tried to press the buttons, but no joy.

So with a bit more gap courtesy of the plastic bladder 'wedge', and some brute force and ignorance, we got the keyfob through the gap!

Job done! AND the door sprang back as it was. I did the return journey deliberately fast to listen for air leaks, of which there were none.

Only damage recorded was to one's pride. It was pure chance that the keyfob was visible, and the metal ring on it happened to be sat up ready to be hooked.

The whole operation took ages, and there were no other ideas other than resorting to damage (i.e. taking a window out).

Apparently, with the advent of keyfobs with separate boot buttons, this thing is far more common than it used to be...

I was quite impressed as to how difficult it was to gain entry. So a to me for being such an idiot, but a to the 211 for being tough to get into!

A Slim Jim wasn't an option apparently - are 211's immune to them (hence the no deadlock thing)?

 

[jaymanek]

yes its amazing how those bladder things dont do any damage... you have to be careful though as i have heard of broken glass etc.. i bet he made you sign a disclaimer!?

 

[corned]

Indeed he did!

 

[Mactech]

Glad you did at least get back in despite the delay!
I have never encountered the problem, but that's probably more to do with the fact that my car is rarley, if ever locked!
Out where we live we actually give burglars a medal for finding us and a Tom Tom to find their way back in to civilisation
Oh! and I don't leave stuff in cars!....keys included

Hope you haven't just published the thieves guide to S211's

 

[corned]

Hope you haven't just published the thieves guide to S211's

Only if they happen to spot that you have locked your keys in there, and if they have a lot of time!!!

 

[Mactech]

Only if they happen to spot that you have locked your keys in there, and if they have a lot of time!!!

Good answer!