Factory Installed Satnavs And Security

[TonyRay]

I've come across a number of stories about thieves targeting cars with SatNavs. At the moment they seem to be targeting cars with portable SatNav systems. Can I assume the factory installed systems are less attractive to them, or are they just as vulnerable?

[Tegan]

I would assume that the ones that sit on the dash board are more vunerable yes - but i think you can take these out of the car?

The factory fitted ones are usually built into the dash - these would be harder to get out

But if you go for a more expensive one with a screen that flips out (and flips back in again) - they are not noticable to the people who dont know what they are looking for - they just look like a normal head unit :)

[Chuck04]

portable ones would seem the likly target, as its slightly more obvious that you have one, i dont leave mine in, just the cradel for it which is attached to the window !! stock systems at a guess would be less apealing for reasons such as

1. harder to remove, more time consuming

2. limits its use, rather than a portable universal one

[Demonic Angel]

Rich has Toyota Sat Nav installed in his Corolla, but its all built in around the CD player and tape deck behind it, so would be really difficult to remove I would imagine, plus it needs to be on for the screen to flip out.....

I can see how portable ones would be desireable to nick - I suppose the best thing to do is to remove it when you leave your car - they advise you dont leave anything of any value in your car..... they're portable so people should remove them and then they wont get stolen!

[TonyRay]

The factory fitted ones are usually built into the dash - these would be harder to get out

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Yeah, that's the type we have. It's always on display and highly visible, but not obviously or easily portable without doing some serious damage to the dashboard and SatNav unit.

[Blue84]

Yeah I'd imagine factory installed sat-navs would be much harder and take longer to remove - a thieve is gonna want to remove it as quick as possible and not hang around arent they?

[Tegan]

Do you live in a high-crime area?

Im pretty sure that some manufacturers make covers - that look like there is just a dash panel there instead of a sat-nav , i cant remember where i saw this though

This would be a good idea if you are really worried , better than covering it as the theives will just think - well there must be something valuable there for them to want to cover it :)

[DaveSR]

Another reason y OEM one's are probably not nicked is because they have to fit the same car/similar!

The portable ones can go into any car of age or make

[TonyRay]

Another reason y OEM one's are probably not nicked is because they have to fit the same car/similar!

The portable ones can go into any car of age or make

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Good point.

[TonyRay]

Do you live in a high-crime area?

Im pretty sure that some manufacturers make covers - that look like there is just a dash panel there instead of a sat-nav , i cant remember where i saw this though 

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We live in a relatively quiet spot of London, although our last car suffered a break-in. When we first parked the car outside the flat, we couldn't help but notice the number of passers who would stop and drool over the interior. One time in central London, I parked the car with the engine running and dashed in to a newsagent (my girlfriend was in the back seat) when I got back a pose of American tourists had thier noses pressed against the front window peering at the SatNav, they obviously hadn't spotted my girlfriend in the back behind the tinted glass she was a little shaken.

[Tegan]

What about tints? They can help with visibility (or lack of) only thing is the new laws saying you cant have them on the front windows! Grrrr!

If you find someone who will do it on the hush it could be a good investment ;)

[TonyRay]

What about tints?  They can help with visibility (or lack of) only thing is the new laws saying you cant have them on the front windows! Grrrr!

If you find someone who will do it on the hush it could be a good investment ;)

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Yeah, our dealer installed the tints ;) rear windows only though.