Ok, I get it. Thanks for the explanation. Guess that's one of the downsides to living in the third world.

Wait, what??

 

If you've ever seen one of those videos with the kids putting McDonalds trays under the tires and drifting across a parking lot, it's the same principle of tow skates, NOT saying this is what happened, and very sorry to hear about the truck getting stolen.

Anyone with an aftermarket remote staring system installed also need to know that many of them will tape a key to the steering column so the truck will sense the key enabling it to start, guess what happens when a thief tries to steal it? Truck thinks the key is there.

If someone wants a vehicle bad enough, it's gone. All it really takes is a phone call to a tow company willing to take a stolen credit card over the phone, an address to drop it off and never a face to face meeting, and a trailer waiting at the drop off to reload it and..... it's gone, no way to trace.

We used to check IDs against registration for vehicle unlocks just to verify the person actually owned the vehicle was theirs. There's guys that steal trucks to rebuild write-offs using new, factory painted parts that blend in so good you would never suspect anything has been done to it, or just switch vins into the stolen vehicles.

Sad world we live in now, that's for sure.

 

I always try to park next to a more expensive truck than mine.

 

cameras at the hotel?

 

Any updates?

 

looking for an update as well. thanks

 

Hopefully this has a good ending, but have to agree with the others, it is more than likely long gone and not coming back.

 

Wouldn't be hard to get in at all if someone knew the door code.

How could someone know the door code?

Well, I went to a local Ford dealer to look at vehicles with the MIL a year or so ago. We were looking at a vehicle and the salesman had to go get the keys, but said "If you want to open it, the door code is xxxxx". I immediately recognized that number as the zip code of the city the dealer was in. Next vehicle we looked at, I tried the same code and it worked. Next one after that, same thing...you get the picture. Apparently they set all the door codes on the lot to their zip code.

Not sure how many dealers do this or something similar, but anyone who works or has previously worked at that particular dealer would know the door code for any vehicle that came from there, along with anyone else (like myself) that happened to figure that out. If the dealer put their own little sticker on the vehicle like most do, that would make it even more obvious.

So, now I know the door code for every vehicle I see around town that has this dealer's sticker on it. Luckily I'm not a thief or a whole lot of people could be missing a whole lot of stuff.

Sent from my HTC ONE using IB AutoGroup

 

^^^^ Zip Code of the dealer...Brilliant ^^^^

 

Years ago, we used to program the dealership address as the door code..

 

I was going to zip tie a PATS key to the column so I could use a straight key so I wouldn't get stranded if the key failed. It's happened to me before. The next day I saw a listing on craigslist for a guy looking for his stolen F350. I changed my mind.

LoJack is an option but not cheap. It beats losing a truck. I think they have better than 90% recovery rate.

 

I've never liked having the door code. If the dealer programs the code, couldn't it also be reprogrammed?

 

You can reprogram the code.

 

Not hard at all, find me a rock and I can have yours open in about 5 seconds. It very well could have started as someone stealing a gps and change left in the console, found a key and now they have a truck.

 

I drive an international pro star with work and you would be surprised at how easy those things are to get into. The window isn't in a track on the sides (top only) and is only held in place by the rubber seal. If the window is left open even a crack all you have to do is pull out on it and it comes out in no time and slides back in just as easily. The backing plate for the door handle pops off with a knife blade and you can unlock it right behind the plate. I don't want a vehicle that is impossible to get into if I lock my keys in it, but I don't like it when I can get into without a key faster than I can get my key out of my pocket.