Potential S4 buyer

[Antony101]

My RS4 was targeted by a professional gang who were stealing to order. It had a tracking device attached to its rear wheel arch at Birmingham International Station. I live in a private location with a half mile long drive through a field, you can't see my house from the road or even see there are houses and they tried twice to get to my car, my house and me. Rest assured if they go to such effort you would end up with 2 dead dogs and a big lump on your head if they wanted your car, or worse a bullet or stab hole.

A walk by stealer is one issue and in such circumstances you are probably right, but cars targeted like mine was are by professionals, often from places where life is cheap. Four guys went down for 5 years (2 of them), 3 years and 18 months for trying to steal my car and for successfully stealing other cars, though I was lead to believe the guys were tech driven rather than violently driven, but others are very much about getting your car at any cost and come prepared to deal with dogs...and you if they need to.

You say they gave up trying to steal your car though? By the time they had subdued the dogs the police would have already arrived? Surely professionals will know that it's not worth the risk?

EDIT: I'd like to add, I agree with a previous comment and would prefer my car was taken than any person or animal in the house come to harm. After all, regardless of how nice the car is (mine isn't but) it can generally be replaced.

 

[Housey]

You say they gave up trying to steal your car though? By the time they had subdued the dogs the police would have already arrived? Surely professionals will know that it's not worth the risk?

Why would the police arrive after they had subdued the dogs? They didn't give up, the police raided their place before they could try again, I was lucky, mine was 1 of 3 cars they were trying to steal when the police raided their place. You are basing your argument on assumptions, I am basing it on fact and what I know and was told. To add I know a lot more than I am sharing on here so you conjecture is just that, conjecture.

 

[Antony101]

Why would the police arrive after they had subdued the dogs? They didn't give up, the police raided their place before they could try again, I was lucky, mine was 1 of 3 cars they were trying to steal when the police raided their place. You are basing your argument on assumptions, I am basing it on fact and what I know and was told. To add I know a lot more than I am sharing on here so you conjecture is just that, conjecture.

Because the moment they opened the door, or entered the house we would all be woken up by the dogs barking. I'd hear someone downstairs and call the police immediately. The chance of them entering, subduing both dogs, finding the correct keys and then getting into the car and driving off before the police arrived is extremely slim.

 

[Housey]

Because the moment they opened the door, or entered the house we would all be woken up by the dogs barking. I'd hear someone downstairs and call the police immediately. The chance of them entering, subduing both dogs, finding the correct keys and then getting into the car and driving off before the police arrived is extremely slim.

That's what you imagine would happen, it would be done in 1 minute or less, dogs dead, you with a knife against your through or worse, your wife or kid with a knife against their throat. They would be in and out before the police were turning on their heated seats and tuning to Radio 4.

You are confusing Dave the Chav with Somalian, Easter European professionals. We can all have the answers from behind our keyboards, these people do this for a job, they are good at it and a couple of dogs and the police on their way is really not the deterrent you think it is.

 

[Dimitris]

ouchy, don't know really...seems that having anything nice is taking a chance someone might take an interest...

However, I did go to test ride a 2011 b8 s4 in manual and 2013 b8.5 s4 in dsg. Regarding the 2 cars, the manual was lots of fun but obviously pre-facelift and it had not much options in it. the b8 had parking plus pack and bigger alloys, no supersport, or memory seats or folding mirrors of the sort, let alone torq diff etc. Also, for some reason this road tax is 490 a year instead of 265 for the b8.5 models... seems weird since its the same engine...
The 2013 was a Black model and has nice B&O and folding mirrors, supersport seats, sun roof but was obviously dearer to the tune of 5k over the b8. Still no torq diff etc.

What you guys reckon if you were to pick one? btw, the audi dealer will only knock off 300gbp off list price - which seems a bit poor? I was thinking atleast 1k to 2k - never heard of 300... anyone know what is the typical margin I can haggle with before told to p off by the dealer?

Thanks

 

[hurfdurf]

That's what you imagine would happen, it would be done in 1 minute or less, dogs dead, you with a knife against your through or worse, your wife or kid with a knife against their throat. They would be in and out before the police were turning on their heated seats and tuning to Radio 4.

You are confusing Dave the Chav with Somalian, Easter European professionals. We can all have the answers from behind our keyboards, these people do this for a job, they are good at it and a couple of dogs and the police on their way is really not the deterrent you think it is.

Spot on. I'm always amazed by non criminals who think they know what puts off criminals, it's a different world out there and a different mindset. Almost all security systems like dogs and cctv exist for nothing more than peace of mind or to put off crimes of opportunity, countering determined individuals is nigh on impossible.