A&Q about Lotus
Q:
Is it easy to steal a lotus? Is there an immobilizer?
A:
Frankly, I'd probably hand the keys to your average crook. Bet they couldn't figure out how to open, start, and drive it.
Are you a crook or an investigative reporter?
A:
Wow... now that's a loaded question...
A:
I stayed away from the B5 audi's cause my friends s4 was stolen 4 times. Will the elise be as easy to steal? I know bmw's immobilizer rocks.
A:
Originally Posted by ken_vs_ryu
Will the elise be as easy to steal?
No.
Think about it. It's not your average Chrysler LeBarron.
A:
How the heck did someone break IMMO 2? You usually have to make a planned effort to do it... or just flatbed the thing away... I guess you could have an IMMO-deleted instrument cluster?
(That model year of B5 should have had it...)
Anyway, yes, these have immos.
A:
Hell, most people can't even the door when it's unlocked!
A:
Elise is very easy to steal.
The good thing is that nobody wants to steal it.
A:
They'd never be able to sell IT OR the parts !
A:
The car weighs 1900 lbs. 4 guys could carry it away.
A:
Originally Posted by ®ob
The car weighs 1900 lbs. 4 guys could carry it away.
They'd probably end up walking away with two clams suffereing from ripped off attachment points!
A:
A guy I work with had someone try to steal his in a public garage near work. He came back to the garage and found the floor he'd parked on blocked off by police and a car alarm screetching. He didn't realize it was his car at first. Seem that the would be thief got locked in the car and couldn't figure out how to get out . The cops couldn't figure out how to get him out of the car either and were in the process of trying to contact the Lotus dealer when my co-worker returned. The best news of all was they guy didn't even have time to damage the car and is in Jail now.
A:
Someone posted in another thread the ~04 DOT figures showing no Lotus has been successfully stolen in the U.S. since 1988.
You gotta be really, really dumb to steal a car that has no parts market and is really easy for cops to find. "Attention all units, be on the lookout for a stolen, day-glo green Ferrari."
A:
Originally Posted by Taxcheat
Someone posted in another thread the ~04 DOT figures showing no Lotus has been successfully stolen in the U.S. since 1988.
...
I can't believe that!
A:
Originally Posted by Taxcheat
Someone posted in another thread the ~04 DOT figures showing no Lotus has been successfully stolen in the U.S. since 1988.
So what you're saying is, the Lojack they try to sell you at the dealership is a waste of money!
A:
Originally Posted by Val
Elise is very easy to steal.
The good thing is that nobody wants to steal it.
I could hand my keys to a person who had never been in an Elise and say I will be back in 15 minutes if you can drive it away it is yours. I would bet most people would spend about 5 minutes trying to figure out the door opening mechanism and location. 5 Minutes manually locking and unlocking the door locks. Then 5 minutes pushing buttons after setting off the Panic alarm. Then spending 5 mintues figuring out how to physcially get into the car. Then I don't know if they would ever figure out how to get it started. And since I leave it in gear they would probably end up in the wall since most modern cars won't start if the car is in gear. In other words WRONG !
A:
Originally Posted by Crudson
I can't believe that!
I can, first there are not that many out there. second cars are stolen to be stripped down and parted out. The sophisticated Pro theives, the guys with tow trucks, programmable alarm decoders, lock kits etc, are looking for HondaAccords and Civics. Maybe some Mercedes and Porsche but the focus is on can they not attract attention, get the the thing to a chop shop and collect their money. The only people I could see wanting to steal an Elise would be some kids, they usually have a screwdriver or crowbar and would not have much luck figuring out how to drive the car
A:
Originally Posted by delise
I can, first there are not that many out there. second cars are stolen to be stripped down and parted out. The sophisticated Pro theives, the guys with tow trucks, programmable alarm decoders, lock kits etc, are looking for HondaAccords and Civics. Maybe some Mercedes and Porsche but the focus is on can they not attract attention, get the the thing to a chop shop and collect their money. The only people I could see wanting to steal an Elise would be some kids, they usually have a screwdriver or crowbar and would not have much luck figuring out how to drive the car
Not one Lotus has been stolen just for a joyride or any other purpose in almost 20 years in the US? Rubbbbish. In fact I did a simple web search and found some. Here's an example:
> My 1990 Lotus Esprit SE has been stolen from my condo's garage in
> Seattle. The theft occurred some time between Nov 6 and Nov 13.
>
> Be on the lookout for
>
> Esprit SE, British Racing Green, 329RFN (WA)
He could of course be lying.
A:
Originally Posted by Flash G
So what you're saying is, the Lojack they try to sell you at the dealership is a waste of money!
I though about getting Lo-Jack installed, but my dealer talked me out of it. He explained that in the inland U.S., there was no market for a stolen Elise-it was too unique to hide, not expensive enough to warrant the risk and didn't have enough usable parts to chop up. However, he thought Lo-Jack was a good idea in a port city, where the car could be stolen, whipped into a container and shipped quickly to a "less legally burdened" country.
Tom
A:
Originally Posted by Taxcheat
Someone posted in another thread the ~04 DOT figures showing no Lotus has been successfully stolen in the U.S. since 1988.
You gotta be really, really dumb to steal a car that has no parts market and is really easy for cops to find. "Attention all units, be on the lookout for a stolen, day-glo green Ferrari."
That might have been me; here it is again:
In case the link doesn't work, go to:
nhtsa.gov
click Vehicles & Equipment
click Vehicle-Related Theft