RS4 Owner's Anti-theft/Personal Protection advice needed...

[Gekko]

Mine's listed for build week 11.... have been told end of April or early May. A few friends of mine have started worrying me a bit... some of their advice includes:

1. Don't leave it on the drive overnight, use the garage... I've only ever used the garage to store old kitchen units, a BBQ, house-junk and my neighbours motorbike! Looks like a clear-out is imminent!

2. Don't let your missus drive it around with kids alone, make sure you're with them... told my wife that and she hit the roof saying why on earth had I ordered a car that may potentially put our family's welfare at risk. I have no intention of seeing it driven without me inside it!

3. It's highly desirable and one of those cars which are stolen to order by gangs... only professional thieves will be after it and if someone asks for the keys just hand it to them... great! Can't wait to drive this around without wetting my pants!

Any RS4 owners been assaulted round here for the cars and don't mind giving me some handy tips?

I think getting a tracker is a waste of time for instance- I had an import VW Golf V6 4-Motion which already had one fitted- got knicked. The tracker device helped the cops find the kid who went to jail but my car had been stripped clean... I personally didn't benefit at all. Plus my insurance premium remains the same whether the car has a tracker or not.

[PhilT]

Best advice is don't get it. Second best, probably is to have it debadged.

These cars do attract the wrong sort of attention, and have serious outcomes. We have users of the site that have been assaulted for their cars, so please take this very seriously.

[Kev.S]

You may find Tracker, or something of that ilk, is a condition for the insurance. Tracker Echo looks interesting and even if the scumbags have the key, it'll activate if they don't have the chipped card in their possession.
Advice 1 & 3 make sense. Not sure if 2 isn't a wee bit paranoid though.
I'd add-
1) Make sure the auto-lock function is activated.

2) Never pull up directly behind a car in traffic, or at lights- always leave enough room to pull out and escape.

3) Something like 'Toad Film' or equivalent makes it next to impossible for some lowlife to smash your side window and grab the keys or you.

Any decent car is a target for professional thieves, not just an RS4. Don't let that take away from your enjoyment of it- that's just the times we live in. The odds are against you being the victim, especially if you take sensible precautions.

[Gekko]

You may find Tracker, or something of that ilk, is a condition for the insurance. Tracker Echo looks interesting and even if the scumbags have the key, it'll activate if they don't have the chipped card in their possession.
Advice 1 & 3 make sense. Not sure if 2 isn't a wee bit paranoid though.
I'd add-
1) Make sure the auto-lock function is activated.

2) Never pull up directly behind a car in traffic, or at lights- always leave enough room to pull out and escape.

3) Something like 'Toad Film' or equivalent makes it next to impossible for some lowlife to smash your side window and grab the keys or you.

Any decent car is a target for professional thieves, not just an RS4. Don't let that take away from your enjoyment of it- that's just the times we live in. The odds are against you being the victim, especially if you take sensible precautions.

Thanks Kev.S! Some great advice there... could you recommend anyone in particular re: tracker installation or sorting out Toad Film stuff??? Is it really expensive???? The other thing is I don't really want to spend much more on it as I'm not keeping it more than 10 months or so.

[Kev.S]

Tracker Echo is expensive @ around £900 including subscription, but is worthwhile for peace of mind. I think all Audi dealers are Tracker fitters. The last car I had the film fitted to was an Imprezza in 98 and that was around £150. I reckon it's a bit dearer now. Try http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~secur ... ADSECU.htm

[Ev60]

Kev,

Could you give me a bit more info about the Toad Film please? i.e. does it tint the windows?

[Kev.S]

You can get various tints, but I had the plain stuff in my Imprezza.

[Ev60]

Thanks for the info!!