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How Nickable is my VW Cali?

Paxtonend

Guest User
Messages
35
Location
Broxbourne Herts
Vehicle
T6.1 Ocean 199 4Motion
We have a new VW Cali 6.1 landing on our drive soon. We live in a decent area and our van will be behind electric gates on our drive which has CCTV. The big white box motorhome we just sold we protected with wheel clamps, steering lock, tracker etc. Somehow I do not feel that the VW is as vulnerable even though it’s going to be 73k’s worth. Are they targeted? Are they particularly vulnerable? Are the factory fitted locks, alarm etc. good enough? We have an expensive car and never have we even thought about extra protection measures. We would appreciate your views and experience on this. How many of you have a tracker fitted? Ta
 
From the sounds of it, the Cali is the least of your concerns.

I'd suggest additional CCTV, a second gate, and perhaps a nighttime security guard.

Alternatively, insure it and make sure your keys arent in an unlocked vehicle.
 
From the sounds of it, the Cali is the least of your concerns.

I'd suggest additional CCTV, a second gate, and perhaps a nighttime security guard.

Alternatively, insure it and make sure your keys arent in an unlocked vehicle.
Thanks for the suggestion that we should insure it not leave keys in it. This would never have occurred to us.
 
Thanks for the suggestion that we should insure it not leave keys in it. This would never have occurred to us.

I take it you didn’t spot the sarcasm.

You have yourself a proverbial fort nox of gates, cctv and other attractive vehicles. If thieves are planning steal from you and find a way in/out of your property, then chances are they have themselves a plan on what they’re after and how they’re going to do it.

a wheel lock won’t stop them, nor will a clamp. They’ll know how to remove/disable tracker.

Just use the basic security and leave the rest to insurance if the worst happens.
 
I take it you didn’t spot the sarcasm.

You have yourself a proverbial fort nox of gates, cctv and other attractive vehicles. If thieves are planning steal from you and find a way in/out of your property, then chances are they have themselves a plan on what they’re after and how they’re going to do it.

a wheel lock won’t stop them, nor will a clamp. They’ll know how to remove/disable tracker.

Just use the basic security and leave the rest to insurance if the worst happens.
If they want it, then they will find the easiest means to get it....probably away from all your security.

They are known to attach their own tracker, with magnets, so they know where it is being used and where it is parked up.

I bet that you never put the wheel clamp on when you are away from the house.
 
When ours is parked on our drive we park it behind one of our other vehicles, but I appreciate that not everyone will be able to configure their parking like this. We also use a steering lock as a deterrent. When out and about we avoid parking in isolated spots and always put the steering lock on. On top of that we keep our fingers crossed and hope we aren’t unlucky.
 
I cannot answer the question "how nickable is it?" as I am not a full time thief. As others have said if someone really wants your vehicle then they will have it away by some means. We have a 2 month old T6.1 and I park my wife's A3 in front of it.

When I took out my insurance, with Comfort, i specifically asked how many Calis get stolen. The guy on the phone, who has been at Comfort for 12 years, said he had never heard of one being stolen. He then said if we were buying a Ford or Fiat based MoHo then we would need all manner of trackers etc. He said that the thieves are just after the base vehicle to be broken for parts rather than the accommodation side of the vehicle.

In just 2 months I have grown to love our Cali, and I would be gutted if it got stolen, but there is only so much I can do. :thumb
 
These vehicles are not stolen by joyriders but stolen by professionals to order. If they want it they will take it.
 
We live in Lewisham, our van is parked on the drive overnight with no additional security. If concerned I swivel the driver's seat, apply the handbrake, recline the seat slightly and move it back.

Not once in 3 1/2 years has it been stolen, however, on one occasion I did report Amarillo stolen. My wife was rather shocked when half an hour later two Met Police officers came into the pharmacy while she was collecting a prescription and accused her of the vehicle's theft! I was even more shocked when I received a phone call from the police 35 minutes later saying they had recovered my van and were detaining a woman in the local pharmacy...
 
When ours is parked on our drive we park it behind one of our other vehicles, but I appreciate that not everyone will be able to configure their parking like this. We also use a steering lock as a deterrent. When out and about we avoid parking in isolated spots and always put the steering lock on. On top of that we keep our fingers crossed and hope we aren’t unlucky.
Hi HamishEeyore,
Take sensible precautions but don’t overthink it. Avoiding isolated spots will seriously limit your enjoyment of the Cali, won’t it? In a recent post on this forum somebody had their rear window smashed and their suitcases stolen - not in an isolated spot but in the centre of Rome.
 
Make it as difficult as possible to Nick..Maybe turn the drivers seat round and put a padlock in the mechanism..By that time the alarm will be blaring and the lights going on and off..unless you are an extremely heavy sleeper you should have heard something by then..
 
Our front drive is covered in pea shingle, it is nigh impossible to traverse over it without making a considerable noise. It is also impossible to gain any purchase on it for pushing or pulling a vehicle. It was also the cheapest way to cover a large area but that’s beside the point. We also park another vehicle across the only exit. Every little helps. Oh and one more thing, if ever you do happen to wake up in the middle of the night to see strange men attacking your Cali, remain indoors and don’t be tempted to confront them.
 
Except it d
Make it as difficult as possible to Nick..Maybe turn the drivers seat round and put a padlock in the mechanism..By that time the alarm will be blaring and the lights going on and off..unless you are an extremely heavy sleeper you should have heard something by then..

Sounds good, except it doesn‘t work like that now. It will be a targeted, professional theft. They need, and will get hold of, the key. Your house will be broken in to. You‘re just not going to try and be clever with a knife pointed at you or your family. As much as it goes against my instinct, throw them the key, get them off your property and keep family safe. It’s an awful state of affairs but the reality is if they decide they are taking it, make it easy for the sake of your personal safety. It’s only a van.
 
I’ve always liked the idea of wiring the van up so if anyone unauthorised on your property touches it they get a belt of a shock offthe thing. Ran it past Mrs gas as a possible deterrent, she quickly poo pood the idea as our 6 year old son or basset hound mat get the shock
I’d never forgive myself if the dog got a shock off the van.
 
Except it d


Sounds good, except it doesn‘t work like that now. It will be a targeted, professional theft. They need, and will get hold of, the key. Your house will be broken in to. You‘re just not going to try and be clever with a knife pointed at you or your family. As much as it goes against my instinct, throw them the key, get them off your property and keep family safe. It’s an awful state of affairs but the reality is if they decide they are taking it, make it easy for the sake of your personal safety. It’s only a van.
I’m sorry but I think you are 100% wrong.. Most car thieves will not use the threat of stabbing you and your family when they are going to steal a vehicle..These are 2 completely different types of criminal.99% of vehicle thieves will not use violence and certainly those who are stealing to order.. I don’t know where you live but if I were you I would be moving ASAP.
 
I’m sorry but I think you are 100% wrong.. Most car thieves will not use the threat of stabbing you and your family when they are going to steal a vehicle..These are 2 completely different types of criminal.99% of vehicle thieves will not use violence and certainly those who are stealing to order.. I don’t know where you live but if I were you I would be moving ASAP.

Many car thieves are opportunistic scrotes who’ll nick easy to take cars. A stolen Cali would be a professional job, often by particularly unsavoury gangs. As for moving, I couldn‘t be in a more rural low risk area, half a mile drive, the dog would give me enough time to offer any unwelcome visitor both barrels. Except it’s not going to happen! Have a read on some of the wider motoring forum sites about people having their RS Audi’s etc stolen who live in urban areas, it makes you wonder why they bother owning them.
 
Good evening,

We are in the wonderful situation were I am not worried about the security on the driveway. That all be fine and save. Parking in our area (Maynooth, Kilcock, Dublin etc.) strangley enough I am also not very worried,

But being out and about, parking in a forest or at the beach on a car park where nobody is, here I am worried. Leaving the van and go for a hike I always hope that the camper is still ok. I don't believe the van will be completley gone, but more the window(s) are smashed and the inside damaged.

I don't know what the insurance company will pay out if the camper is gone, but I don't believe that with that money from the insurance I can purchase a replacement camper. That would be the end of this area.

Regards,
Eberhard
 
I had my previous camper van (T5 conversion) stolen from my driveway overnight. I was surprised by how upset it made me feel. I’ve had two cars a financial write off due to a third party and I sighed then shrugged but the camper van is like part of the family. They did not have one of our keys but still made off with it.

Our Cali has more security- for one thing I had it lowered so it would go in the garage. Also auto watch ghost, so will not start even with the keys. Not sure what would happen if I was asked for the keys with menaces...


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Our front drive is covered in pea shingle, it is nigh impossible to traverse over it without making a considerable noise. It is also impossible to gain any purchase on it for pushing or pulling a vehicle. It was also the cheapest way to cover a large area but that’s beside the point. We also park another vehicle across the only exit. Every little helps. Oh and one more thing, if ever you do happen to wake up in the middle of the night to see strange men attacking your Cali, remain indoors and don’t be tempted to confront them.
I would just lean out of my upstairs window and shoot the little devils.
Whoops I have just discovered that we are not living in the US or SA so would just give them and my Cali a cheery wave goodbye instead.
 
I would just lean out of my upstairs window and shoot the little devils.
Whoops I have just discovered that we are not living in the US or SA so would just give them and my Cali a cheery wave goodbye instead.
I agree, we’ve probably all fantasised about what we would do at the time but as Farmer Martin found out it can backfire very badly. As you say, gently bid them farewell from the safety of your bedroom window. Then wait for your insurance company to wriggle out of any liability!
 

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