How Easy Is It To Steal An Isf?

[lee789]

As you know, theses cars gets a lot of attention. Some of it (in my area at least) can be rather unwelcome. I know Lexus security systems are extremely effective, but does the ISF have an inclination sensor to warn of and prevent jacking and towing, or theft of the wheels? Lexus HQ and Dealer don't know the answer, but since the RX has this added security measure, you would think the more expensive and (arguably) more desirable ISF would too. Does anybody know the answer please??

[jomo]

If i was to spend that type of cash on a car, then i would get an after market alarm fitted with every upgrade possible!

Prob drop you inc as well, so a double winner in my book!

[Rory]

a tracker would be very wise too

[lee789]

Yeah, I think the car may have a tracker as there are Tracker warning stickers on the windows. No paperwork confirming this, so I will do some investigating to verify. Could be fake of course, as stickers can easily be purchased on eBay. However, even those act as a good deterent to most would be car thieves i.e they wouldn't actually know for sure until it was too late. I think I'm inclined to stick with the factory fitted system as it is highly rated, and getting an after market system to work properly with the keyless entry and locking might be difficult. If the car doesn't have an inclination sensor I'm sure one can probably be added quite easily. I would be

asking Lexus why they neglected to fit one in the first place though.

[sparkystav]

why not just try yourself, jack the car up, if the alarm goes off voila!

[lee789]

Thanks, tried that one. It didn't set the alarm off. Of course trying to tow, or cut off lock nuts to steal the wheels might. Didn't want to go that far though lol!! Actually thought Lexus Technical might know, but they are as useless as Customer Services. You always get the same answer - If it's not in the brochure spec, it doesn't have it. Unfortunately, all the brochures are utter cr*p, and the specs are inaccurate for virtually every model in the Lexus range.

[Purvesh]

Even my old BMW E46 has a tilt sensor, I'd be shocked and :tsktsk: if Lexus didn't put one on the IS-F!

[lee789]

I had an E46 too, but I wasn't aware it had a tilt sensor. It was towed back to the dealer so many times that it probably wore out!! In my opinion, the IS is better than the 3 series in many respects, especially reliability. Much rarer too.

[Purvesh]

I had an E46 too, but I wasn't aware it had a tilt sensor. It was towed back to the dealer so many times that it probably wore out!! In my opinion, the IS is better than the 3 series in many respects, especially reliability. Much rarer too.

Yeah I've been caught out a few times when I'm swapping my alloys over and the car is still locked and then starts beeping at me to say what the :tsktsk: do you think your doing mate?! Unlock me first lol

[Steve ( West Mids )]

Unfortunately, if somebody wants your car nowadays they will ask you ( not necessarily politely ) for your keys. They will do this by dragging you out of the car when you are stopped, maybe not voluntarily, maybe breaking a window at home at night and taking the keys if they can find them or otherwise asking you with a baseball bat ( other weapons are available ).

So forget the alarms and get a tracker type device. Which one will depend on the level of cover you want, some are monitored for movement of the car others wait for you to wake in the morning and find the car has gone - it will probably by then be on a boat out of Tilbury in a container.

Your choice ;)

[lee789]

Steve. Sadly, I think you are right. If someone really wants to steal a car, theres little you can do to stop it. I imagine professional car thieves can even disable a tracker. It maybe best not to advertise the fact if you have one fitted.

[fjcfarrar]

As you know, theses cars gets a lot of attention. Some of it (in my area at least) can be rather unwelcome. I know Lexus security systems are extremely effective, but does the ISF have an inclination sensor to warn of and prevent jacking and towing, or theft of the wheels? Lexus HQ and Dealer don't know the answer, but since the RX has this added security measure, you would think the more expensive and (arguably) more desirable ISF would too. Does anybody know the answer please??

Can't answer that, but my insurance company and most of those that I contacted would not consider insuring it without a Tracker. This covers most of the issues - although stealing the wheels probably remains a possibility.

[Parthiban]

Even my old BMW E46 has a tilt sensor, I'd be shocked and :tsktsk: if Lexus didn't put one on the IS-F!

To be honest I was shocked when I found out the 1st gen IS didn't have a tilt sensor, so I'd be less shocked if the IS-F doesn't have one either

If it does have one, there has to be a way to disable it - so if there's no switch in the car to do so and there's nothing in the manual explaining how to switch it off then I'd guess that it doesn't have one.

But as others have said there are only two ways to steal modern cars, take the keys or physically pick it up and take it away - not much you can do about the first but a tilt sensor would help as a deterrent against the second.

[Purvesh]

I'm no expert, but a tilt sensor is just that right - activated if the car's tilted!? (As mentioned previously, if I jack my car up on the BMW without unlocking the door, the alarm beeps before screaming at me WTF are you doing MR..)

So if the car was lifted horizontally it wouldn't activate the alarm?

Either way I'd put a sticker to say this lady is Tracked 24/7.

[Parthiban]

I'm no expert, but a tilt sensor is just that right - activated if the car's tilted!? (As mentioned previously, if I jack my car up on the BMW without unlocking the door, the alarm beeps before screaming at me WTF are you doing MR..)

So if the car was lifted horizontally it wouldn't activate the alarm?

Either way I'd put a sticker to say this lady is Tracked 24/7.

Good question, but I think when they pick the car up from above you can never hold it level anyway, plus the car knows it's being picked up. I've seen it several times that when cars get towed for being illegally parked they get picked up horizontally but it sets off the alarm (which is quite annoying if you're nearby!)

Would be interesting to test it out on a ramp at a garage or something if a perfectly level lift would set the alarm off or not :)

[lee789]

Thanks all. I have been contacted by Lexus Technical and told that none of the Lexus range have tilt/inclination sensors. That doesn't make a lot of sense as it is listed as standard equipment on the RX on their own website. I think that demonstrates that either the spec on the Lexus website is wrong again, or the technical dept (that should know the answer) don't know what they are talking about. If what they have told me is true, it would be a good idea if they started fitting them as standard immediately. Theres no point kitting out their cars with such high levels of spec, and leaving out something as basic and relatively cheap to include as this. If anyone can confirm that what I have been told is BS, please let me know.

[Tango]

As you know, theses cars gets a lot of attention. Some of it (in my area at least) can be rather unwelcome. I know Lexus security systems are extremely effective, but does the ISF have an inclination sensor to warn of and prevent jacking and towing, or theft of the wheels? Lexus HQ and Dealer don't know the answer, but since the RX has this added security measure, you would think the more expensive and (arguably) more desirable ISF would too. Does anybody know the answer please??

Does anyone know if any of the 188 IS-F's in the UK have been stolen?

[lee789]

Tango, I don't know the answer to that, but I thought there were close to 600 in the UK now (150 per year x 4). I'd be interested to know where the figure of 188 came from, and also where you got the illuminated kick plates for your ISF? Cheers!

[Tango]

Tango, I don't know the answer to that, but I thought there were close to 600 in the UK now (150 per year x 4). Where did you get the 188 figure from?

Perhaps I'm fortunate in where I live, but having a tracker fitted has not been essential for any of the Insurance Companies I've had quotes and/or policies from.

There is only188 licensed by the DVLA to be on the UK roads this year (plus an additional 7 on SORN), that's up on the 104 that were licensed in 2008. The 150 per year was only ever a target figure for Lexus GB. The info is readily available from the DVLA. http://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/

My blue illuminated kickplates came from my Is250 SE-L, I just swapped them for the plain stainless steel plates in the IS-F. It's not a direct plug and play on both sides as additional wiring is required on both sides, and the socket connection is only pre-wired on one side of the IS-F for some reason. It's easy enough though, and I notice both the blue and white illuminated plates are available from Sewell in the USA.

[lee789]

Thanks a lot for the info on the kick plates, I think they would finish off the car interior lighting nicely. I had no idea there were so few ISFs in the UK, and I think that figure is really suprising given how excellent the car is. I drove an M3 as a company car a couple of years ago, and although it is fantastic, unless you intend to use either car at track events, the ISF is much more civilised for family transport. Performance wise on the road, theres little to choose between them, except for the incredible sound of the ISFs V8. I'm rather mystified why somebody would buy a new M3, spec it to decent levels and pay nearly £60k for the priviledge, when they could get a 6 month old ISF for £15k less. I also think the M3 is far less exclusive, although I suspect many on the roads are wannabe 3 series cars with M Sport bodykits!!

[lexynik]

unless the stratagy at tracker has changed radically since i last had one fitted it was an absolute no no to put tracker stickers on a car with tracker - they can and are findable,destroyable and the signals blockable - why stack the cards in your favour and then show your hand ?

[Parthiban]

unless the stratagy at tracker has changed radically since i last had one fitted it was an absolute no no to put tracker stickers on a car with tracker - they can and are findable,destroyable and the signals blockable - why stack the cards in your favour and then show your hand ?

Good point, the whole point of a tracker is that they don't know it's there, otherwise they'll just look for it and disable it.

That's part of the reason when my car was stolen it was parked in a car park not far from where I live to see if it was picked up - unfortunately for them the police found it anyway despite it not having a tracker

[Purvesh]

unless the stratagy at tracker has changed radically since i last had one fitted it was an absolute no no to put tracker stickers on a car with tracker - they can and are findable,destroyable and the signals blockable - why stack the cards in your favour and then show your hand ?

It's like having a house alarm fitted but not putting a flashing bell on the front of the property. It's a deterrant, like said previously, no matter what you do, if they want it badly enough they'll have it. Anything that's going to make them think twice and move onto another car gets my vote.

[The Editor]

I think this is fitted as standard to the IS-F

[lexynik]

unless the stratagy at tracker has changed radically since i last had one fitted it was an absolute no no to put tracker stickers on a car with tracker - they can and are findable,destroyable and the signals blockable - why stack the cards in your favour and then show your hand ?

It's like having a house alarm fitted but not putting a flashing bell on the front of the property. It's a deterrant, like said previously, no matter what you do, if they want it badly enough they'll have it. Anything that's going to make them think twice and move onto another car gets my vote.

well when i spoke to tracker about this exact point they were very clear in their advice and opinion - ie if you see a car with tracker stickers on or decals they werent fitted with the tracker and arent part of any kit or package they sell as they undermine the ethos of the equipment which is to actually get your car back !! they went so far as to say any car you see with tracker stickers on it probably hasnt got one fitted or just plainly someone has got aftermarket decals and stupidly put them on against all the advice of tracker - but yes if you think that would deter the sort of people that could/would steal an isf then by all means have a huge deterrent tracker sign put along the top of your windscreen for the ultimate protection