Typhoon Tops Security Ratings

[CountryPhoon]

Well I guess I have to declare a commercial interest here - because I sell DataDots - but this article from yesterday's Herald says it all.... The bad guys hate F6 (& GT) - as each DataDot (microdot) has the full VIN on it - and there are 7,000 Dots sprayed on each car! - Makes it and its parts of no use to them...

Typhoon wins anti-theft crown

Gavin McGrath

11nov05

Ford Performance Vehicles' F6 Typhoon and Tornado have blown away their locally made rivals in the RACV's security ratings.

The Typhoon scored 91 out of 120 points.

But the standard Falcon has been beaten by the 380. The Adelaide-built sedan's 74.5 makes it champion among mainstream locals.

The 380 outperformed the Commodore (59.5), Camry (58), and basic Falcon and Territory (57.5), thanks to its engine-immobilising system - the toughest for thieves to crack.

But the Typhoon's microdot technology, an invisible spray-on tracking system that identifies the car under black fluorescent light, has won for the sports sedan the local anti-theft crown.

"The ratings show our vehicle is in exclusive company in terms of security," FPV spokesman Andrew McLean says.

The DataDots microdot system has been standard on FPV cars since the launch of the Falcon GT in March 2003.

It is also a feature of many of the highest-scoring imports, including the Audi A6 (116.5 points) and A8 (115), Mini Cooper (106.5), Lancer EVO IX (102) and Subaru WRX (100).

The security tests are conducted for the RACV by its NSW cousin, the NRMA. Cars are rated according to how hard they are to break into, how effective their electronics are at immobilising, and how easy the cars are to track once they are stolen.

NRMA security research manager Michael Seidl says better security works because thieves don't want to hang around.

"Their worst enemy is the time it takes to break in and the amount of noise the car makes," he says.

HSV also uses DataDots, but "HSV hasn't provided us with a car for testing for about 18 months", Seidl says.

Herald Sun

[BALLBREAKER]

I love that

[Venom XR6]

The 380 rated so highly for theft security as no one would want to steal one anyway.

[Guest xrtwpn]

If they want to steal your car they will no matter what rating RACV gives it

[TURBO4LT]

  Venom XR6 said:

The 380 rated so highly for theft security as no one would want to steal one anyway.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Would you risk being caught in a 380??

[CountryPhoon]

  xrtwpn said:

If they want to steal your car they will no matter what rating RACV gives it

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is true - they can steal any car if they really want to - regardless of any security rating. But the trick is to remove the commercial imperative for them to want to steal a particular car. This is where DataDots comes in - by sticking the VIN on each car 7,000 times, the bad guys risk getting caught with identifiable parts after they dissemble the stolen car. Across the 8 makes that use DataDots the worst improvement in overall theft rates has been 63% improvement. (The best has been Subaru, with a 92% overall imporvement in theft rate).

[Dagabond]

Chris

Just wondering what would happen if the parts were acid dipped once they've been stripped off the car?

Seem's a logical and simple process, although maybe not for the slack pr1cks stealing the cars...

[cobrav8]

I am sure painting of panels, etc would disguise the dots as well - but the fact is, it is harder, cause they cant sell all parts, or know where the dots will be. So that is good! Any detterent is a start.

[flappist]

Acid. dipping, painting, heating etc will get rid of MOST if not ALMOST all of the dots. Coppers do not randomly look for nicked cars, they work on previous information aquired.

The problem is when you have the grub(s) in the interview room they deny everything and the burden of proof is on the prosecution.

Only one data dot is needed to prove origination and it's game over.

Another grub bites the dust................

(of course he will be out again in about 10 minutes due to our wonderful legal system but that's another story)

Edited 15/11/05 04:43 AM by flappist

[CountryPhoon]

  Dagabond said:

Chris

Just wondering what would happen if the parts were acid dipped once they've been stripped off the car?

Seem's a logical and simple process, although maybe not for the slack pr1cks stealing the cars...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Flappist effectively answered this one for me: With 'OEM' fitted DataDots, the coppers know that the parts are meant to have DataDots on them; we give them colour photos of every make/model with the positions the Dots are applied shown. So if they are all removed or painted over, then the police immediately expect foul play. And, the tamperer only has to miss one DataDot for the police to get the full VIN - and all the evidence they need.

Already several have been convicted on the basis of DataDots being found on whole cars that have had compliance plates swapped, or parts that were stolen; including the moron who was selling many sets of Suburu alloy wheels on eBay - and a large percentage of them still had DataDots on them.

All reflected in insurance premiums reducing over time....