Are these diesels a target for thieves? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Magoo · #16 09-19-2008, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by F18

.......most would not even know how to start one.

That was my first thought too! LOL

Fulcrum525 · #17 09-19-2008, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTUpower

w123 diesels are invisible to both police and thieves... unless you have no muffler and you are young and then perhaps the police will pull you over for noise.

My thoughts exactly. Why run away only to get caught when you can just hide in plain sight.

JordaanDMC-12 · #18 09-19-2008, 11:47 PM

I would love to see some thief try and steal my 220D.... Scratch off the "starter" knob and they probably never figure it out, plus, we also have our German Shepard "Dexter" keeping the night watch for us

When he's awake that is.. haha

Hatterasguy · #19 09-20-2008, 03:22 PM

They want to steal cars that they can take apart and sell for parts. Honda's and Toyota's are good targets.

As said above don't leave anything visable, if they look in your window and see a back pack or something, they may break in just to see whats inside. Could be a laptop or Ipod.

Also don't leave anything relating to those portable GPS's visable. Thats a big thing in New Haven, if they see the bracket they will smash the window and look for it.

In the rougher areas a lot of drug dealers own older MB's, breaking into a drug dealers car is a good way to get shot. When I was looking at a property and what turned out to be a rougher area than I thought, their was a very nice 420SEL parked with the windows down, GPS on the dash and keys in the ignition....the reason? Their was a very mean pit bull relaxing inside, as soon as you got close it tried its hardest to eat your arm...drug dealer.

Alastair · #20 09-20-2008, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTUpower

w123 diesels are invisible to both police and thieves... unless you have no muffler and you are young and then perhaps the police will pull you over for noise.

Do you know, I think thats true!

For a couple of months, Ive been running a REALLY Tatty W123 300D I bought just for parts, but as there was still a valid MOT (roadworthyness) cert on it, I ran it till that ran out. (I cant quite believe how it had passed this just a year ago, the structural rust is MAJOR!)

The poor old thing looks absolutely terrible. Its red paintwork was 're-finished' at some point, its peeling off in sheets, obvious rust to sills and jacking-points, door-bottoms etc, pieces of body-trim missing, and the rear end sits around 3-4 inches lower on one side due to a broken spring.....

It does however, have a nearly new exhaust system complete, and a nearly new scratch-free windshield!

Never had even a second-glance from anyone let alone a police-officer

MTUpower · #21 09-20-2008, 09:27 PM

Wow I said something and people didn't call me grumpy!

LUVMBDiesels · #22 09-20-2008, 11:03 PM

This brings to mind a funny story. My ex brother and siste-in-law lived in Rockville. They drove up to NYC back around 1988 to visit her grandmother. They took everything out of the car except his ratty olf basketball shoes. Punks broke into the car for the shoes, smelled them and tore up the interior. They broke all the gauges, tore up the seats, broke all the windows, etc. then stuffed the ratty shoes into the dashboard. It cost them over $3000 to fix the car.

An old girlfriend of mine had a Ford Maverick

when she was going to college at NC State. One day she came out to the car and the radio was gone. They theif did a very nice and clean job removing the radio without breaking up the dash. He even left a thank you note! Politeness rules down South!

Lexxani · #23 09-20-2008, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUVMBDiesels

The theif did a very nice and clean job removing the radio without breaking up the dash. He even left a thank you note! Politeness rules down South!

I didnt even bracket my aftermarket head unit in, you could easily pull it out (to mitigate potential damage). . .The kids around here love to hook up their honda's at other peoples expense. Where I work at (Orlando International Airport) I have seen many japaneese cars on blocks with their rims stolen, Im glad that there is really no market for stolen vintage MB parts...

nickofoxford · #24 09-21-2008, 10:03 AM

Old MB's are SO invisible to police.. they won't even look at me.

I read in another thread that they also have a "built in" anti-tailgating device in the exhaust fumes

oh the joys of these cars.

BUT you have to remember, punks like our hood ornaments.. and i don't like parking in my high school parking lot because of that. I never did get whats so cool about wearing clocks and hood ornaments around your neck it looks as stupid as just wearing a blender for a belt buckle.. haha

Hope everyone had a good weekend.

Actros617 · #25 09-21-2008, 11:37 AM

If you dont want punks to steal your hood ornament you should consider charging your hood ornamant with some high power battery.... that should teach them some lesson

Alastair · #26 09-21-2008, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Actros617

If you dont want punks to steal your hood ornament you should consider charging your hood ornamant with some high power battery.... that should teach them some lesson

Yup, Often thought of this....

But with todays litigious society, it would be you in court ordered to pay compensation to the scrote who grabbed it and 'Suffered mental anguish' at being zapped.....

The world has gone mad, driven there by greedy lawyers....

a2t · #27 09-21-2008, 06:02 PM

friend of mine had his 1990 civic with 200k on it stolen 6 months ago in ATL. Still have never found the car (not like APD is skipping donut breaks looking for it or anything...)

Another friend had the, GET THIS, 13" wheels stolen off an 80's civic. ALL 4. When APD showed up they all busted out laughing. Apparently they were expecting 22's on an Escalade or something.

Anyhow, goes to show stupid people will do stupid things. Not sure I'd rule out an old MBZ.

How hard would it be to steal these? Judging by the simple mechanical nature, I cant believe it would be all that difficult. The guy who stole my 92 Jetta GLI (with *****IN VW recaro seats..b@stards) got mine in about 20 seconds. Pryed into the cheesy plastic door handle and tin foil attached to tin foil sheet metal, ripped wire harness from under dash, stuck 2 wires together and was gone. My dip***** neighbor saw it all happen, thought it was me or 1 of my friends (at 3am). Apparently these types of people are very skilled, I doubt an old MBZ would pose much challenge (aside from nearly bulletproof mechanisms)...cant be too safe...and with the WVO craze and gas crissis, its probably not too far off. I guess living in downtown ATL I'll be the 1st to find out...