New E30 already broken into

[griffjh]

Hi All

I just bought my first e30 last Thursday and someone has already tried to nick it. Left it in Brighton over the weekend and came back to a bent passenger door. Fortunately the deadlocks stopped them from getting any further. I have a steering lock which I unfortunately left on my old car which was left alone.

They've bent the door top and scratched the paint. Any suggestions on where to take it to be repaired? Any where good in Brighton? My excess is £600 so doubt theres any point going through insurance. There is CCTV on the street so I will find out tomorrow if I can get hold of some video.

cheers

[Topblag]

If it’s a bent door, they can bend back. Worst case a 2nd hand with working window is probably £50, then swap the door lock and get it painted.

Can’t help with a recommendation except don’t leave it sitting about for a weekend.

[griffjh]

I've just managed to bend it back but I can see a buckle at the end of the door and the paint has flaked off. Think I'll have to get a new door unfortunately. Yeah I won't be leaving it alone again, I've had my Mk2 golf on this street for a year with no issues but think the e30 grabs the attention more.

[Cloggy Saint]

Feel for you mate, that sucks.

[DHFiS]

You were lucky the thief didn't know how much the BBS hub caps would have made on Ebay.

[Steve]

This is the trouble now, if I go out in mine it never leaves my sight.

On the upside you still have your car, as DHFIS said the thief clearly didn't know what they were doing !

[steve_k]

thats a pretty shitty thing to come back to

thing is as these old turds ris in value so do the price of parts, so many that get nicked are never found again as they are broken for parts then sold on,

if you need a new door there's plenty of traders on here who can sort you out,

also look into upgrading the security on the car, i;e tracker, good quality alarm/immobiliser & a hidden "kill" switch for the fuel pump.

[Satan]

Trouble is its now a "marked" car disc lock may help but if they want it they will just tow it away, where do you park the car?

[Gert_8]

You were lucky the thief didn't know how much the BBS hub caps would have made on Ebay.

This is an easy £200. I wouldn't leave the car parked up with the caps on.

[griffjh]

Thanks for the sympathy!! Really was horrible to come back to. Its got a factory alarm and immobiliser but the remote doesn't work, I will fit a tracker and a kill switch in the future but as I've not even had it a week I haven't got round to it yet! Its currently parked on a residential street, was even parked under a lamppost. Fortunately the building nearby has CCTV pointed directly at it so I will try and get a video, Not sure if the police will be bothered though.

[paultv]

yeah, get a look at the video if possible, don't reckon the plod will be much bothered as you still have the car, albeit buggered up, feel for you.

Paul

[griffjh]

Am I good to get any door from a coupe? Were there any changes throughout production?

[Brianmoooore]

Were there any changes throughout production?

Early doors had a different electric window winder mechanism and brown tinted glass instead of the green tint on yours, and may have chrome trim instead of shadowline. All is interchangeable, but you shouldn't have trouble getting an exact match for what you have. It's a common enough colour.
Just as well the key fob doesn't work. If you had locked and armed the alarm with that, the dead locks wouldn't have been on, so your potential thief would have got into the car.
If he knew what he was doing, he could have driven your car away in about thirty seconds.

[Satan]

If they want it they will take it.

[griffjh]

OK looks like I will have to be a lot more careful with it. Perhaps fit a new alarm. Any other security recommendations?

[Brianmoooore]

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... 72#2943172

[griffjh]

Thanks Brian, I had found a previous post of yours and will install a fuel pump short circuit switch tomorrow!