Model Year 23/24 Ghost vs Pandora

[FormentorVZN]

Hi all,

I am re-joining the Cupra club by picking up my VZN tomorrow (spent 7 months away with a company car and sold my V2).

I am wondering what everyone is using for protection nowadays? I had the Ghost on a few cars in the past but it seems to be something that a thief can now bypass (by looking under the bonnet and finding the device - again, just by scouring the internet I found this information, please don’t shoot me!)

 

[Cupra_33]

Hi,

I don't know if this is what you have in mind, but I've read that some car owners invert 2 or 3 pins in the diagnosis socket. This way it can't be hacked (sorry if this is not the right word, I'm not a native english speaker) with a laptop. Of course, this means you need to make an adaptation harness for any maintenance or overhaul operation.
This seems to be quite efficient and not VAG cars specific.
I hope this helps.

 

[East Yorkshire Retrofits]

Hi all,

I am re-joining the Cupra club by picking up my VZN tomorrow (spent 7 months away with a company car and sold my V2).

I am wondering what everyone is using for protection nowadays? I had the Ghost on a few cars in the past but it seems to be something that a thief can now bypass (by looking under the bonnet and finding the device - again, just by scouring the internet I found this information, please don’t shoot me!)

The ghost can’t be bypassed unless they find it and remove it.

If it’s installed properly, it won’t be found

If the installer is lazy and puts them all in the same place then that makes it considerably easier

It’s not likely for the ghost to be installed under the bonnet in the first place, due to a lack of good hiding places in most engine bays.

 

[East Yorkshire Retrofits]

Hi,

I don't know if this is what you have in mind, but I've read that some car owners invert 2 or 3 pins in the diagnosis socket. This way it can't be hacked (sorry if this is not the right word, I'm not a native english speaker) with a laptop. Of course, this means you need to make an adaptation harness for any maintenance or overhaul operation.
This seems to be quite efficient and not VAG cars specific.
I hope this helps.

The OBD port isn’t a vulnerability on MQB, so that’s a waste of time

 

[Cupra_33]

The OBD port isn’t a vulnerability on MQB, so that’s a waste of time

OK, why not...
But as a VWAG specialist, what would you then recommend to answer the initial question?

 

[Cainy1989]

In all honestly if they want the car, let them take it, you can install what you want, but its more likely they'll break into the house and threaten the owner and go for the keys these days rather than trying to remote attack the car. Yeah Ghost stops them taking it, but it doesn't stop them breaking in for the keys.

 

[FormentorVZN]

Thanks all!

 

[KJA]

Use a visible steering lock.
If they want to take it they will take it anyway.
But visible lock means they would need to put some efforts and time than without it.
That might want them look for another one.

 

[FormentorVZN]

Use a visible steering lock.
If they want to take it they will take it anyway.
But visible lock means they would need to put some efforts and time than without it.
That might want them look for another one.

I’m using a Disklok at the moment - hopefully that will be enough!

 

[CupForm]

Ghost, Disklok, strangers getting inside the house to take the car-keys...

What kind of neighborhood do you guys leave in? It sounds to me like a wilder version of the wild-wild-west... You should move to Eastern Europe - we feel a bit safer here.

 

[SRGTD]

Ghost, Disklok, strangers getting inside the house to take the car-keys...

What kind of neighborhood do you guys leave in? It sounds to me like a wilder version of the wild-wild-west... You should move to Eastern Europe - we feel a bit safer here.

Car theft isn’t that unusual in the UK - even in what are considered to be neighbourhoods where crime rates are low. In fact it’s likely to be the good neighbourhoods where many of the desirable cars are, which means there’s plenty of choice for would be perpetrators.

Keyless (Kessy) car thefts is an area of specific concern for some owners and potential owners, as keyless cars they’re considered to be easy targets for professional car thieves with that steal cars to order - intercepting the signal from the car’s key fob using signal boosting relay equipment. However, based on what I’ve read on the VW Golf R forum, theft of members keyless cars on that forum are quite rare; the majority of thefts have been as a result of the owner’s home being broken into and the car keys stolen. My car has keyless entry / keyless start, but I’ve permanently disabled the keyless entry functionality in the car’s settings and I use my key fob to lock and unlock my car.

IMHO taking a few sensible precautions does reduce the risk of an owner’s pride and joy being stolen. Good home security is as important - if not more important - as it is to protect the actual car, as it makes it more difficult for would be perpetrators to gain access to an owner’s home and steal their car keys.

I always garage my car; IMHO out of sight is out of mind if there are perpetrators looking for a potential free car. Fortunately I live in an area where car crime doesn’t seem to be an issue, and I’m hoping it stays that way .

 

[East Yorkshire Retrofits]

OK, why not...
But as a VWAG specialist, what would you then recommend to answer the initial question?

Because unlike other manufacturers, VWAG are good at what they do

We do offer Autowatch products, so obviously we'll say go for the Ghost. At the same time, we chose Autowatch over other suppliers for a reason.

On MQBevo, keyless thefts aren't really as big of an issue due to the use of UHF. Of course this will only delay them until they develop technology to get around it. It's an expensive game of cat & mouse.

 

[Wyld Stallyn]

...It's an expensive game of cat & mouse.

Fortunately, we have 2 sod-off sized cats...
Here is Riggs in a 'realy big' box