Risk behind owning an M5

stealthyspeeder

I've been on the recieving end of a thrashing manys a time while I was growing up, and have the scars to prove it (I like to think those days are long gone now though!) It would be a horrible thing for anyone to go through, especially if they came out with at the end with no car, and injuries (and potentially worse if you throw family in).

I hope it never happens to me our anybody else, and I hope I could act as tough as Im talking if the momment were to arise! (I've always woken up llike a bolt if I've heard something unusual in the house while sleeping!) I would hope the shock of the momment would not stop me defending myself and my things, but unless it actually happens, I will never know!

Your last point (forgot to quote)

"You get over loosing a material possession and reevaluate your principles"

Is where we differ, I know I could get over a loss that I had no control over, but if I felt that in some way or somehow that I could have prevented it...... this is what would be hard for me to deal with. Frustration, Shame and Regret put more fear into me than injury.

Edit* Plus if it happened, in the momment I'd be so Angry, outraged, scared and pumped full of adrenaline, I dont think I'd be able to do anything but confront theives aggresively!

Stevie Dakota

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

Plus..... if it does go you way, you get to give a theiving scumbag the total kicking he deserves!

OK, so now you have to go to court, miss work and enjoy our legal system at work, and you get to watch the scumbag get off, or face charges yourself, or he may face some short jail time with early release. In no time he's out and has a serious chip on his shoulder, he knows where you live and how to get in, and he won't get caught out next time.

Dramatic? Maybe, but possible none the less.

Don't leave the keys where they can be seen from outside, but please, leave them where they can find them easily ONCE THEY ARE IN.

-Chris-

voxpop wrote: »

Matt I see you point - but it really comes across as scaremongering. The picture you are painting sound like something straight out of Hollywood.

Straight out of Hollywood...

-Chris- wrote: »

A very good friend of mine experienced a home invasion when he was younger. He was led around the house with a knife to his throat, forced to point out where the family kept jewellery etc.

This actually happened! Can you imagine how terrifying it would be?

---

Seriously, before anyone else answers with another pro-hero response, take a moment.
a) close your eyes
b) take a deep inhale and exhale

Now, as vividly as possible, picture yourself standing in your boxers in your bedroom, holding your bat/knife.

You can hear at least two voices outside.

They're yelling at you because you have the door to your bedroom locked and they're having trouble kicking it in.

Can you feel the adrenaline?

How many guys are outside - two, three? How are they armed?


Seriously, don't just read this, picture it!

---

Now picture the end of the fight, you have two options - you can be the winner or loser, it's your fantasy.


If you're the loser, picture (really vividly now) how much pain you're in.
There's a knife in your eye.
Blinding, crippling pain.
Picture yourself trying to dial the Gardai while keeping as still as possible because everytime you move it sends searing pain through you.

Your car is gone, and so are your looks.



If you're the winner, picture (just as vividly) you standing out of breath over an unconscious stranger. You took a blow or two, but you're ok. You're not so sure about him.

The other guy got away.

Picture yourself phoning the Gardai explaining what happened.
I'm not sure if you've started worrying about the other guy and his mates coming back to get revenge for doing in their guy, or if you're worrying about what you'll say in court when you're accused of over-reacting.

Don't worry, it'll come.

---

Option 3 is waking up to find your car gone. Everyone's ok.



P.S. I know this is a little OTT, but I have a mate who was house-invaded. I've come home to find my front door IN HALF where someone beat it in with something heavy (in an apartment block, and still no fear of alerting anyone else).
I've also lost 80% of my material possessions in a house fire a couple of years ago. Trust me, once we were all out safe we weren't worried about "stuff". Other than the family photos, we didn't care about anything else - insurance covered it all.

voxpop

-Chris- wrote: »

Straight out of Hollywood...

Point...

Pkiernan

Get one of these dogs (argentinian Dogo).

With a normal guard dog, you know when a burgular is in the house when you hear the dog barking.

Dogo's don't bark. You know when a burgular is in the house when you hear him screaming for mercy.

-Chris-

Some of my family had a VERY LARGE Rottweiler.

Instead of being afraid of the dog, thieves drugged it and stole it.

True story.

S.I.R

redman wrote: »

Thinking of buying a 6 year old M5 but have always been conscious of the threat of breakins to steal the car or hold ups while out and about.
Now there is a hell of a lot of high powered cars out there and wondering do you think this threat specifically at M5 owners has diminished?

debadge the m5 and stick on 520D instead...


most wont spot the difference.

Pkiernan

-Chris- wrote: »

Some of my family had a VERY LARGE Rottweiler.

Instead of being afraid of the dog, thieves drugged it and stole it.

True story.

I have no doubt that it is a true story.

To get the best level of protection, the dog has to be trained not to accept food from strangers. Lenghty training, but very doable.

-Chris-

It all seems a bit more complicated than getting comprehensive insurance.

WillieCocker

-Chris- wrote: »

It all seems a bit more complicated than getting comprehensive insurance.

Ha +1.
Problem is some people never like to go the easy way.

Stevie Dakota

S.I.R wrote: »

debadge the m5 and stick on 520D instead...


most wont spot the difference.

Most won't. But the lads who want the keys certainly will.

Stevie Dakota

-Chris- wrote: »

Some of my family had a VERY LARGE Rottweiler.

Instead of being afraid of the dog, thieves drugged it and stole it.

True story.

LOL! (Sorry)

sneakyST

Ok not quite a break in story but something to think about......I came back from walking my two pups late at night (they erm need a pee break), I live in a quiet cul de sac - in the corner in the dark were two guys. I stopped and turned and they looked at me. Now whether they were after the neighbours old 3 series beemer or planning on how to get the keys to my ST I dont know.

I knew though, as soon as they had been made there was going to be trouble. They ran at me and I held the dogs behind me (why cant dogs grow quicker)......One of the scumbags raised his hand and all I saw was shiney metal. I thought it was a knife and Im not kidding when I say my life flashed before my eyes- all i could think of was my newly born daughter and I need to get "fcuk" outta there. He swung at my head and I used my other arm to block. I was actually relieved when I realised it was a crow bar and not a knife. I got several blows to the head but was adamant I wasnt going to the floor. I kicked and kicked until the wife screamed out the door that she phoned the police...they gave up.
After all that my concern was - "would they come back" - I didnt sleep all night.
Maybe if I didnt have a family I would have put up a better fight -but when I thought it was a knife I knew I wanted to get outta there.
Scumbags dont care what damage they do to you. You have a hammer - they have a machete or worse.......

Pkiernan

-Chris- wrote: »

It all seems a bit more complicated than getting comprehensive insurance.

Not to mention the liability insurance you will need for when the dog goes beserk on the intruder!

WillieCocker

sneakyST wrote: »

I stopped and turned and they looked at me. .......

Could have saved you a hiding right there.
Had you pretended not to notice them , you may have got into your home to phone the Gardai.

sneakyST

probably willie- but when you see something in the corner of your eye - you tend naturally to look.......

Biro

The thing to remember is that Mazda made more than one 3 MPS. There's only one Stealthyspeeder though. BMW made more than one M5. Fire and theft insurance will ensure you'll get another one if they're stolen, but getting another face is very difficult and painful. Getting another life is impossible.
Unless you want to go the route of getting a gun and anyone who comes into your house shoot first, ask questions later - and all the legal implications that go with it, then you're just not going to be able to defend your life when it comes to determined scum who want your car.
Look at the guy shot in Limerick recently. All he did was go to court as a witness against some guy. Imagine what they might do to you and your family if you pummell the crap of one of the little scrotes one night, or shoot a pair of them in the face. Unless you have a few billion euro, are an expert martial artist, have a batcave and flexible body armour, a cape and a mask, then you can't take them all on and expect to win.
Buy your car and enjoy it. If it's stolen, get another one. Get security cameras so that hopefully the law might catch the feckers. If you're that worried, move to Mayo or somewhere.

stealthyspeeder

Great post Chris. Actually stopped and imagined all those scenarios! Does make it a good bit more chilling!

However option three could do with a little of the imagination used in option one and two!

You wake up, find you keys missing and your car gone. You feel angry, robbed, and disgusted. You feel violated that someone came into your place of refuge and safety and took your most valuable possesion. You feel stupid for leaving your keys and making it easy for the scum who has wronged you, you start to regret...

You think about who did this to you, could you have stopped them? could you have overpowered them and called the guards and stopped it happening to others? Are you a victem becuase of you own fear? Did you do the right thing?

Biro

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

Great post Chris. Actually stopped and imagined all those scenarios! Does make it a good bit more chilling!

However option three could do with a little of the imagination used in option one and two!

You wake up, find you keys missing and your car gone. You feel angry, robbed, and disgusted. You feel violated that someone came into your place of refuge and safety and took your most valuable possesion. You feel stupid for leaving your keys and making it easy for the scum who has wronged you, you start to regret...

You think about who did this to you, could you have stopped them? could you have overpowered them and called the guards and stopped it happening to others? Are you a victem becuase of you own fear? Did you do the right thing?

All that wondering is a lot better than lying in a hospital bed wondering when they're coming back for you and with how many. And will it be quick and painless.

Stevie Dakota

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

Great post Chris. Actually stopped and imagined all those scenarios! Does make it a good bit more chilling!

However option three could do with a little of the imagination used in option one and two!

You wake up, find you keys missing and your car gone. You feel angry, robbed, and disgusted. You feel violated that someone came into your place of refuge and safety and took your most valuable possesion. You feel stupid for leaving your keys and making it easy for the scum who has wronged you, you start to regret...

You think about who did this to you, could you have stopped them? could you have overpowered them and called the guards and stopped it happening to others? Are you a victem becuase of you own fear? Did you do the right thing?

Yes, but isn't it nice to be in one piece to be able to have all those thoughts?

WillieCocker

Biro wrote: »

Look at the guy shot in Limerick recently. All he did was go to court as a witness against some guy. .

Whilst it isn't right, what did he expect TBH.
Not even the cops would go witnesses against these guys.
Doesn't apply here.

voxpop

If you went by all the "advice" in this thread you'd spend every night sitting awake with a shotgun pointed at the front door.


OP - the main risk with owning an M5 is that petrol prices might shoot up

-Chris-

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

Great post Chris. Actually stopped and imagined all those scenarios! Does make it a good bit more chilling!

However option three could do with a little of the imagination used in option one and two!

You wake up, find you keys missing and your car gone. You feel angry, robbed, and disgusted. You feel violated that someone came into your place of refuge and safety and took your most valuable possesion. You feel stupid for leaving your keys and making it easy for the scum who has wronged you, you start to regret...

You think about who did this to you, could you have stopped them? could you have overpowered them and called the guards and stopped it happening to others? Are you a victem becuase of you own fear? Did you do the right thing?

Fair point, and as I say I have had my home burgled and have had those thoughts - who's been in my house? What would I have done if I had come home and interrupted them? What if my wife had been home on her own?

I've had my hero fantasies about what I would have done to them, but I'm very, very grateful that they're only fantasies.

-Chris-

voxpop wrote: »

If you went by all the "advice" in this thread you'd spend every night sitting awake with a shotgun pointed at the front door.

Absolutely, and if you sit around thinking about all the bad things that can happen to you (hit by lightning, run over by a bus, skin cancer etc. etc.) you'd never go anywhere.

As others have said, buy what you want to buy, enjoy it for all it's worth.
Be prudent in recognising the value you place in it and what sacrifices you will and won't make in order to own what you want to own.


OP, buy the bleedin' car, you'll love it! The rest will sort itself out.

cianclarke

S.I.R wrote: »

debadge the m5 and stick on 520D instead...


most wont spot the difference.

Even a shell suit waste of oxygen scumbag can spot four big f*ck off pipes coming out the rear end..


To all the adrenaline junkie heros out there, I'm a 20 year old male - no wife or kids to be worrying about, and my favorite thing in the world is the four wheels under my arse (awfully modest and all as it is), but if some scumbag wants it, he can have it, be it my current car or my less modest M3 to come at some point in the future. I've got insurance, and I've got so many more cars to drive before I fancy kicking the bucket...

Kartale

Pkiernan wrote: »

Get one of these dogs (argentinian Dogo).

With a normal guard dog, you know when a burgular is in the house when you hear the dog barking.

Dogo's don't bark. You know when a burgular is in the house when you hear him screaming for mercy.

nice jumper by the way !

Biro

WillieCocker wrote: »

Whilst it isn't right, what did he expect TBH.
Not even the cops would go witnesses against these guys.
Doesn't apply here.

That's a discussion for a different thread, but my point was that if they killed a man who sent one of them to jail by telling the court what he saw, what would they do to a man who kicked the crap out of one of them and sent the other to the graveyard? They'd hunt not only him, but probably his family.

stealthyspeeder

I have been discussing this topic with my friends and once the safety of other humans (family etc) are taken out of the equation, it boils down to a personal pride thing. Im sorry to bring this crude analagy out, but this is the way I think of it. Imagine they are not stealing you car but raping you. (horrible thought but most mens sense of personal pride would not allow this)

Option 1 - once the criminal has decided he wants your car/ass, you leave the keys in an obvious place out so he doesnt hurt you/you lube up and bend over so he doesnt hit you.

Option 2 - once the criminal has decided he wants your car/ass, you leave the keys in place he will find if he is determined before a confrontaion/you lube up in case you get bent over.

Option 3 - once the criminal has decided he wants your car/ass, you hide the keys and force a confrontation which he can accept or run from/you force a fight and if he doesnt run, then if he wins you get your car stolen/raped, if you win keep your car/personal pride.

Only one of those options has the potential for you not to get fcuked and although materially and physically you may be better off, you have lost something in yourself that may be more important. some people could not accept losing without a fight!

(Again apologies for horrible analagy!)

Eoin

It's not so much a crude analogy as a flawed one. The two things just can't be compared in this context.

WillieCocker

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

I have been discussing this topic with my friends and once the safety of other humans (family etc) are taken out of the equation, it boils down to a personal pride thing. Im sorry to bring this crude analagy out, but this is the way I think of it. Imagine they are not stealing you car but raping you. (horrible thought but most mens sense of personal pride would not allow this)

Option 1 - once the criminal has decided he wants your car/ass, you leave the keys in an obvious place out so he doesnt hurt you/you lube up and bend over so he doesnt hit you.

Option 2 - once the criminal has decided he wants your car/ass, you leave the keys in place he will find if he is determined before a confrontaion/you lube up in case you get bent over.

Option 3 - once the criminal has decided he wants your car/ass, you hide the keys and force a confrontation which he can accept or run from/you force a fight and if he doesnt run, then if he wins you get your car stolen/raped, if you win keep your car/personal pride.

Only one of those options has the potential for you not to get fcuked and although materially and physically you may be better off, you have lost something in yourself that may be more important. some people could not accept losing without a fight!

(Again apologies for horrible analagy!)

How do you know he doesn't just want to stick his cock up your exhaust pipe.
No insurance needed.

Zube

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

Imagine they are not stealing you car but raping you.

Now imagine that they slapped you in the face with a glove!

Pistols at dawn!

stealthyspeeder

eoin wrote: »

It's not so much a crude analogy as a flawed one. The two things just can't be compared in this context.

Can you elaberate on that? its a question of personal pride which is intangible and not covered by insurance. I do admit its very harsh but in terms of being wronged I feel they are comparable in principle

Biro

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

I have been discussing this topic with my friends and once the safety of other humans (family etc) are taken out of the equation, it boils down to a personal pride thing. Im sorry to bring this crude analagy out, but this is the way I think of it. Imagine they are not stealing you car but raping you. (horrible thought but most mens sense of personal pride would not allow this)

Option 1 - once the criminal has decided he wants your car/ass, you leave the keys in an obvious place out so he doesnt hurt you/you lube up and bend over so he doesnt hit you.

Option 2 - once the criminal has decided he wants your car/ass, you leave the keys in place he will find if he is determined before a confrontaion/you lube up in case you get bent over.

Option 3 - once the criminal has decided he wants your car/ass, you hide the keys and force a confrontation which he can accept or run from/you force a fight and if he doesnt run, then if he wins you get your car stolen/raped, if you win keep your car/personal pride.

Only one of those options has the potential for you not to get fcuked and although materially and physically you may be better off, you have lost something in yourself that may be more important. some people could not accept losing without a fight!

(Again apologies for horrible analagy!)

Here's another one for you then.
A guy comes up to you, you're unaware anything till it's too late. He sticks a syringe into you with who knows what in it. Gives you a choice. You can either be raped or your car stolen. Which would you go for? If you think that's a tough choice and you'd need time to think about it, then your above post is valid for you.

Eoin

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

Can you elaberate on that? its a question of personal pride which is intangible and not covered by insurance. I do admit its very harsh but in terms of being wronged I feel they are comparable in principle

The difference is between a couple of tons of metal being taken that can be replaced and an assault upon your person that I would think you would never get over. I can only imagine what rape victims would think about that comparison.

igglou

My house was burgled in Jan this year but to give you an idea of how unprepared you might be even though you think you are this is what happened..

Our house alarm has often been set off in the night due to bad weather so at 3.30am on Jan 5th, I was woke up by the beep beep beep sound it makes when you come in the door before unsetting it.

I panicked about it going off and waking my 1 yr old so I thumped the hubby tellin him to quickly turn off the alarm. He was so asleep that he started pressing buttons on the alarm clock! Eventually the alarm did go off, I ran into our little girl to settle her and my husband went down to the hall to unset the alarm wearing not very much. And though we have a huge pickaxe handle under the bed and I've listened to him spout on and on, like a lot of the brave posters on here, down through the years, it never even occured to him to bring it with him let alone use it.

He went through the house on a general check still not expecting anything but the cause to be the winter elements.

Luckily we always lock the doors downstairs as we had been broken into at the back door but they couldn't get into the kitchen. They did get into the office room and stole a laptop and thankfully were gone before my husband opened the door. They very kindly shut the backdoor but I think it was incase we just unset the alarm and went back to bed so they could try again.

The moral of my story is that you think you are ready but you never really are unless you sleep with your eyes open.

stealthyspeeder

eoin wrote: »

The difference is between a couple of tons of metal being taken that can be replaced and an assault upon your person that I would think you would never get over. I can only imagine what rape victims would think about that comparison.

Im talking about in PRINCIPAL, not in severity.

The trauma of rape is not based on material things, it is based on feelings of violation. While not in any way as severe as rape, if a my car was stolen in this manner I would have a trace of this feeling which I would be unable to accept. This would motivate my defensive and aggresive actions. Insurance would not be able to compensate me for this. It would appear that this feeling is not as strong in my fellow boards members as it is in myself.

Apologies for any offence caused

WithCheesePlease

Worry is like a rocking chair - it's gets you nowhere but gives you something to do.

An M5 on the other hand...

Just buy the damn car OP and enjoy it.

rocknchef

I would be with stealthyspeeder on this one... if any person enters my home uninvited I will do time. just the way I was brought up. if im going to hospital he is coming with me. And im not been a hard man behind my computer its just who i am.

Op I hope you dont let scum bags deter you from your dream

Anan1

Pkiernan wrote: »

Get one of these dogs (argentinian Dogo).

With a normal guard dog, you know when a burgular is in the house when you hear the dog barking.

Dogo's don't bark. You know when a burgular is in the house when you hear him screaming for mercy.

Which is more likely, I wonder - that dog saving your car or that dog eating your child's face?

WillieCocker

Anan1 wrote: »

Which is more likely, I wonder - that dog saving your car or that dog eating your child's face?

Agreed.
Hopefully neither......rather he just eats that chavvy jumper.

rocknchef

-Chris- wrote: »

Some of my family had a VERY LARGE Rottweiler.

Instead of being afraid of the dog, thieves drugged it and stole it.

True story.

off topic but good one for yea.

i was walking in sherrif street good few years back and this fella parked his pick up, kids all hanging around sayn mister ill mind it for a pound and your man points to the back, big german shepard in there growling back at the kids and your man says thats what hes for, and the kid shouts after your man can he put out fires:D

SV

Anan1 wrote: »

Which is more likely, I wonder - that dog saving your car or that dog eating your child's face?

The dog saving your car is more likely I'd say.

wtf is up with people thinking all of these dogs will just attack children. :mad:

bonzos

milltown wrote: »

While it bugs the bejesus out of me that we even need to think about such things before we buy the nice things we work hard for, it would be very foolish not to weigh everything up. I nearly bought an RS4 a year and a half ago but had to decide against it after hearing that it was for sale because it was stolen in an aggravated burglary, recovered thanks to the tracker fitted, but they didn't want it back anywhere near the house. RS4s are rare enough on our roads but I have heard similar stories about three or four different cars. I've only heard of one such M5 story, the same one Kdevitt mentioned but would presume they attract the same class of tea-leaf.

Things to remember for all the key hiding, bat equipped have-a-go-heroes:
The people who want your car have planned how they are going to get it.
Regardless of how you imagine the scene playing out, they are alert, ruthless and ready for you to wake up.

My opinion is, unless you have dog(s) and above average security, not an Aritech alarm and a PIR floodlight, then the average career scumbag will try get your car if he wants or needs it.

Whats the problem with aritech alarms?

Stevie Dakota

bonzos wrote: »

Whats the problem with aritech alarms?

LOL!

Rovi

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

bonzos wrote: »

Whats the problem with aritech alarms?

LOL!

I too would like to know this.

rocknchef

up to last year any sparks could install these without any certification so basicly anybody in the know knows how to by pass these and gain access.

thats what i was told by a sparks out fixing my old 1.

Stevie Dakota

I suspect that they are simply very common, they are actually quite good but like any alarm not much of a problem to those who want to brake in. While we were away on holiday they smashed the box off the wall outside with a long plank, crowbar'd a back window and then smashed the internal siren to pieces. The technician said it took them 1min 15 seconds to kill the alarm entirely.

stephenf

<snip>

In terms of security, I've never had anything bad happen thankfully. The most I do is lock the doors if I feel a little dodgy about my surroundings. I did mull over these points when I was buying, but being a car nut I reckoned there was no way I could go through life without at some stage owning a 5 litre v8!

Eoin

stephenf, your last post was removed for advertising your car. Please use www.adverts.ie

milltown

rocknchef wrote: »

up to last year any sparks could install these without any certification so basicly anybody in the know knows how to by pass these and gain access.

thats what i was told by a sparks out fixing my old 1.

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

I suspect that they are simply very common, they are actually quite good but like any alarm not much of a problem to those who want to brake in. While we were away on holiday they smashed the box off the wall outside with a long plank, crowbar'd a back window and then smashed the internal siren to pieces. The technician said it took them 1min 15 seconds to kill the alarm entirely.

Precisely what I meant. Just that they are so common and often installed so lazily by someone who did a Fás course while they were on the scratcher. Probably a decent alarm for the money but far from state of the art. They're also the only brand name I could think of.

Human nature is often how they get around the alarms anyway. They'll be patient and pick a stormy night and thump one of your windows to set it off. They'll watch as you get up, do a quick scout around, then reset the alarm and go back to bed cursing the wind. They'll repeat this a couple of times until you, knowing you've to be up for work in 3 hours, turn the alarm off and go back to sleep soundly.