M3 Break-in

[chronopc]

Looks like the drop lock is a filler piece that slides into the existing handle and needs a special tool to remove it... sounds like a simple quick fix. $25 seems a bit steep for what you get... but I’ll give it a shot and report back.

Yeah keep us posted with the removal tool. From first glance, it doesn't look like it would be that difficult to remove.

 

[ggumz]

UPDATE:

However small the odds, it seems some semblance of justice may be served!

I received a call from an Orange PD Detective today, and was informed that they have a suspect! More to follow soon...

Between this and the news of a Sentry mode in development, just wow...what a difference a week makes.

 

[run-the-joules]

UPDATE:

However small the odds, it seems some semblance of justice may be served!

I received a call from an Orange PD Detective today, and was informed that they have a suspect! More to follow soon...

Between this and the news of a Sentry mode in development, just wow...what a difference a week makes.

Signs you're not in the bay area: the police follow up on your car breakin

 

[EVnut]

Between this and the news of a Sentry mode in development, just wow...what a difference a week makes.

Well, that's great to hear.

Signs you're not in the bay area: the police follow up on your car breakin

Just how sad and accurate is that??

 

[EVnut]

$25 seems a bit steep for what you get...

From my experience, the number of hours in design and failed attempts is significant. Yes, it is a piece of plastic, just like $400 software can come on a 50c DVD (or hey, free for download). It isn't just the final physical product that we're paying for that costs little to reproduce. To inspire continued innovation, folks have to make a profit from their risk and effort. This is near and dear to me because I also prototype. There is nothing more deflating than spending weeks perfecting a design, and when I finally have a product ready... only to hear "well, that's not worth much!" We're too used to having everything mass-produced and instantly available and CHEAP now. Innovation goes by the wayside.

I once sold a flashlight (yes, a flashlight) for $650. Today you can buy a better flashlight for $50, and they're made by the 10's of thousands. But that $50 flashlight wouldn't have existed without the lights that my team made in the early days of high-output LEDs. OK, sorry. Rant over.

Agreed... I think this would cost about $0.50 to produce with a 3D printer. Anyone game?

Game to print a file that somebody else spent hours, days, weeks, months creating? Or Game to actually create this thing from scratch?

Yeah keep us posted with the removal tool. From first glance, it doesn't look like it would be that difficult to remove.

It is amazingly difficult to remove (without the "trick"), and the "tool" is included. But it's best to keep the removal a bit of a mystery. It is not straight forward, nor is it obvious. And it won't make much sense unless you have the part in hand. And even when you know the "trick" it still takes some concentration and dexterity to remove. This isn't something that's going to happen quickly, one-handed through a broken window. Trust me on that.

 

[FlatSix911]

From my experience, the number of hours in design and failed attempts is significant. Yes, it is a piece of plastic, just like $400 software can come on a 50c DVD (or hey, free for download). It isn't just the final physical product that we're paying for that costs little to reproduce. To inspire continued innovation, folks have to make a profit from their risk and effort. This is near and dear to me because I also prototype. There is nothing more deflating than spending weeks perfecting a design, and when I finally have a product ready... only to hear "well, that's not worth much!" We're too used to having everything mass-produced and instantly available and CHEAP now. Innovation goes by the wayside.

I once sold a flashlight (yes, a flashlight) for $650. Today you can buy a better flashlight for $50, and they're made by the 10's of thousands. But that $50 flashlight wouldn't have existed without the lights that my team made in the early days of high-output LEDs. OK, sorry. Rant over.Game to print a file that somebody else spent hours, days, weeks, months creating? Or Game to actually create this thing from scratch?

It is amazingly difficult to remove (without the "trick"), and the "tool" is included. But it's best to keep the removal a bit of a mystery. It is not straight forward, nor is it obvious. And it won't make much sense unless you have the part in hand. And even when you know the "trick" it still takes some concentration and dexterity to remove. This isn't something that's going to happen quickly, one-handed through a broken window. Trust me on that.

Game over... welcome to Silicon Valley. This product will be mass produced and available on Alibaba and EBay in a few months...

 

[Eno Deb]

It is amazingly difficult to remove (without the "trick"), and the "tool" is included. But it's best to keep the removal a bit of a mystery.

TBH, that's why I haven't ordered one yet: sounds to me like "security by obscurity" which generally doesn't work, as every security expert will tell you. That and the fact that their online store requires the use of Google Pay (hell will freeze over before I use that ).

 

[EVnut]

TBH, that's why I haven't ordered one yet: sounds to me like "security by obscurity" which generally doesn't work, as every security expert will tell you. That and the fact that their online store requires the use of Google Pay (hell will freeze over before I use that ).

Sounds to me like the Google Pay aspect is why you haven't ordered yet.

The security is not merely by obscurity in the traditional sense. First of all, the thing is purposefully bright red, right? Removal is both physically obscure AND the concept is well off the beaten path. I'm sure the removal method will get out there sooner than later (and then there will be even more comments by folks who have never tried it trying to convince everybody that it won't work), but I'm not gonna be the one who spills the beans. What's the point? To satisfy the folks who aren't buying it??

 

[EVnut]

Game over... welcome to Silicon Valley. This product will be mass produced and available on Alibaba and EBay in a few months...

That little sound you heard was one more bit of future innovation dying.

 

[Eno Deb]

What's the point? To satisfy the folks who aren't buying it??

If it's as effective as you say, there is no harm in disclosing how it works and more people who don't like buying a pig in a poke (including me) might consider getting it. Not saying you should spill the beans; they should ...

 

[voip-ninja]

It is amazingly difficult to remove (without the "trick"), and the "tool" is included. But it's best to keep the removal a bit of a mystery. It is not straight forward, nor is it obvious. And it won't make much sense unless you have the part in hand. And even when you know the "trick" it still takes some concentration and dexterity to remove. This isn't something that's going to happen quickly, one-handed through a broken window. Trust me on that.

For you as an owner who doesn't want to damage the car it is difficult to remove. For a thief who doesn't give a crap what they do to your car it will take about 10 seconds to pry it out with a small flat bladed screw driver, they don't give a care about the damage this will cause.

This device might deter some thieves initially who will break the window and by stymied by the delay this causes. I expect that it won't take long before they know they can easily defeat it with a small pry bar and sufficient leverage and if anything it might encourage them since they might assume the owner has something of value "locked" behind it.

 

[EVnut]

Oh no! The pitchforks!

I've said my bit. I own this product and appreciate it for what it is. I'm well aware of the desire to offer conjecture, and everybody is welcome to their opinions. And my seat backs are locked redundantly because I know the limitations of all the devices that I'm using.

Cheers.

 

[laudbrian]

I've used a visual indicator like this: https://youtu.be/kogvx43coqY since my rear window was broken 11 days after ownership back in August in Oakland and I'm still paranoid. Been still parking on the street in the same area every week now and haven't had any problems (knock on wood). Paired with the blinking LED for the rear windows, Sentry mode and w/ rear seats down I feel more confident now parking around these parts. Sad it's come down to this but with what I have in place should be enough visual warning for the perps to skip to the next easier target, good luck to all moving forward and stay vigilant.