Well it was fun while it lasted. I dropped the Fiesta off at We Buy Any Car this morning and 10 minutes later walked away with the full cash offer. No drama, no haggling, just one signature and it’s gone for 2.5k more than we paid for it a year ago.

Why? Well, you may have seen my stolen bikes thread. Long story short, it makes your stomach sink to watch cctv footage of 5 blokes walking towards your house and ripping your garage door off. I can’t have gangs of organised criminals coming to my house in the middle of the night looking for car keys and I haven’t slept properly since it happened.

So I decided to get the big orange target off my back. I’m actually gutted because I’ve given it away out of fear when the plan was to keep it forever. But, I live in a place where you can’t have nice things and I can’t afford to change that.

Don’t mind me, I’m just having a whinge. We’ve had an absolute shit sandwich of a week and this was the cherry on top.

Car haters rejoice. I’ll just go for a bike ride. Oh wait, I can’t.

🙁🙁🙁

Where do you live? What you replacing it with?

Is that Abbeydale Road?

I live close (too close) to Sheffield City centre and I’m not replacing it with anything. The Mrs recently bought an old Skoda Yeti which plays better with child seats and prams etc.

Is that Abbeydale Road?

Yeah dropped it off there this morning.

Think of the tidy profit. Top wheeler dealer skills 👍 Sounds like you’ve done yourself a favour.

Oh no sharky, still at least I was a moneymaker as opposed to my/other people’s experiences with wbac!

Sorry to hear it 🙁 More or less why I have an invisible grey subaru estate. Goes like stink but attracts no attention whatsoever, not from neds or thieves or police or insurance companies. But still I kind of miss my sheddy mondeo that I could park in downtown Kabul and it’d still get ignored.

That really sucks. The only silver lining is that £2.5k I guess.

The only silver lining is that £2.5k I guess.

What does JE James have in stock for £2.5k?

Oh no sharky, still at least I was a moneymaker as opposed to my/other people’s experiences with wbac!

Yeah I can’t complain. I only went on there out of curiosity when imagining how much grief a private sale would be. I was quite shocked at how high the number was. I thought it might be just to suck you in to a visit where they would start haggling and chipping you down. He just saw that it was a factory fresh car with 4k on the clock and got on with the paperwork.

After the finance is settled we’ll have a few quid. Usually that would be burning a whole in my pocket but there’s honestly nothing I want. I will remain vehicle-less for the foreseeable future.

What does JE James have in stock for £2.5k?

I’ve actually just been in there as that’s where both my bikes were from. I let them know what happened and asked them to keep an eye out. There’s not many bikes available but to be honest I’m not in a hurry to replace them.

Hopefully you’ll sleep better as a result of getting it offloaded @sharkattack. And hope you get a replacement bike sorted soon too and can put the week behind you. Things like that really test you though so wishing you some better luck soon 👍

That’s just it. We’ve had 3 months of sleep deprivation with our new bundle of joy and this week has just finished us off. The Mrs is an emotional wreck and I’m sick of stumbling around like a zombie. If they really want a 10 year old Skoda Yeti I hope they just take it without waking us up.

Until then the garage is completely empty and it’s not like I’ve got a sock drawer full of cash or Rolex’s. I’ve got zero valuables apart from this knackered old MacBook I’m typing on.

Might get a new bike when there’s some to choose from in winter 2023.

That’s awful that you’ve had to do that, but good work on the deal.

I WBACd our last velle and considering it’s head gasket was held together with sticky goo, managed to only lose a grand on it vs their initial offer.

I used to put the car key keys in the bedside cabinet but figured that if they really wanted them they’d come upstairs to get them and I’d rather not confront a gang of car thieves in my boxer shorts thank you. So they get left on the side in the kitchen now, out of site from outside but if anyone did want to break in they’d have no trouble finding them and hopefully leave straight after. Shit but a reflection on things now.

Anyway I don’t know you @sharkattack, but if you do get the itch to get out on a bike I’d happily go on a steady spin on Blackamoor with you and you can borrow one of my spare bikes if you like. So long as you’re neither 5ft or 6ft plus as all my bikes are mediums. PM me if you’re interested (bit poorly at the moment but hope to be fixed up soon)…

I used to put the car key keys in the bedside cabinet but figured that if they really wanted them they’d come upstairs to get them and I’d rather not confront a gang of car thieves in my boxer shorts thank you. 

That’s exactly right. All of our keys are hanging inside the front door to avoid this. On this occasion they came through the garage door as it’s obviously the weak link. They triggered the alarm but grabbed my bikes on the way out.

Anyway I don’t know you @sharkattack, but if you do get the itch to get out on a bike I’d happily go on a steady spin on Blackamoor with you and you can borrow one of my spare bikes if you like

That’s a very, very kind offer. Unfortunately I’m 6’2″ which is partly the reason why one of my missing bikes is a Geometron.

I know exactly how you feel and did the same thing when I got my Forester back. The guys came back 4 times over 2 separate days, even the police chased them off!

They just parked around the corner and waited for them to drive off before finishing my exhaust off.

Got it replaced via the insurance as they were practically impossible to get unless going direct through Subaru. I kept it at work in the warehouse till it sold.

Shame really because I’ll be looking for something fun in 12 months time and I’m specifically discounting certain cars because they’ll attract too much unwanted attention sat on the main road.

What a drag, OP – hope the premium can take some of the edge off. Can’t make up for the worry tho 🙁

We’ve had 3 months of sleep deprivation with our new bundle of joy and this week has just finished us off. The Mrs is an emotional wreck and I’m sick of stumbling around like a zombie.

You’re not alone on this point either. I’ve been there, many others have too. Ours is nearly 3 years old now, she’s no better at sleeping but we’re more used to dealing with it! For some stupid reason we decided to do it again and so now I’ve got a 2 month old strapped to my chest as I write this.

I share this as encouragement – you’re on a difficult journey with the new one but you’ll get the hang of it. You’ve had a tough week but it sounds like you’ve been really proactive about moving things forward, well done.

Kids do get easier, mine are 6 (in 2 weeks), 4 tomorrow and 14 months… I still remember how hard our first was and feel for you dude, and for your wife some beat yourself up about any decisions at the moment, just so what your must do to survive!

It really is a horrid feeling, getting stuff nicked and thinking that sometimes you just can’t stop it. In reality that’s the case for most of us and we have to make ourselves less of a target than sometime else nearby. If that can’t be done by better security then it means getting rid of the blingier/interesting things.

Hope your Little’un starts to sleep better and you and your wife soon start to feel better.

Thanks, we’ll be fine. I really can’t complain about the little fella. He’s healthy and happy and he’s only given us the one big scare so far. The problem is that nothing prepares you for the first few weeks! The constant, round the clock attention really wiped us out. I don’t know where the Mrs gets the energy, she’s become a new woman.

I know exactly how you feel and did the same thing when I got my Forester back. The guys came back 4 times over 2 separate days, even the police chased them off!

I spent most of last night looking at Impreza’s! That’s what I wanted before we bought the Fiesta but we still needed a commuter car. I’m absolutely not buying one though. I’m going to enjoy having nothing to worry about or spend money on for a while.

Sorry to hear that, I had no idea they were that big a target for thieves.

Utterly shit they took your bikes. I’d probably rather have my car nicked then lose my bikes

Kids do get easier, mine are 6 (in 2 weeks), 4 tomorrow and 14 months…

I’m not sure easier is the right word – different maybe.

Ours are 17 and 14…..I hear the first 18 years are the worst.

A friend of mine has a very high performance Audi, he’s always been a car enthusiast, but the stress he gets sometimes owning it can be a nightmare.
From having a previous car stolen he now has high security composite doors and all his accessible windows have laminated security glass in, his garage has a high security roller shutter on it and alarmed etc. Even when they have the keys though they can’t start it unless they know the secret code to type in which uses all the buttons and controls to enter (can’t remember what the system is called, you might have to press the aircon button, signal left, radio button 3 twice etc before it will start).
He lives in a nice area too. He’s not being paranoid, just protecting his family and following what other owners like him have done.

Some people might say “well he shouldn’t have such a show off car”. No, the issue is other people wanting stuff for nothing and doing anything to steal it, that’s the problem.

Some people might say “well he shouldn’t have such a show off car”. No, the issue is other people wanting stuff for nothing and doing anything to steal it, that’s the problem.

Agreed, but I thought the issue was fast cars being nicked to be used in robberies / other crimes. I’m sure its one of the reasons Golf R’s were one of the most stolen cars. They are fast, relatively easy to drive and you get get 4 / 5 crims in one. They also blend in with other traffic pretty easily – you could say the same for a lot of fast Audi’s too

Even when they have the keys though they can’t start it unless they know the secret code to type in which uses all the buttons and controls to enter (can’t remember what the system is called, you might have to press the aircon button, signal left, radio button 3 twice etc before it will start).

Sounds like the Ghost immobiliser I had fitted. Even if they’d found the keys and started the engine it wouldn’t have moved off the drive.

his garage has a high security roller shutter on it and alarmed etc

A much stronger garage door is the first thing I’m planning to buy. I knew our door was a bit flimsy but I didn’t realise how easy it would be to open. I almost always back the car or van right up against it so there’s no way to squeeze in but with us coming and going from the hospital all week I hadn’t bothered to block it.

You slip up once and you get cleaned out.

Sounds like the Ghost immobiliser I had fitted. Even if they’d found the keys and started the engine it wouldn’t have moved off the drive.

Doesn’t this just give them even more incentive to enter the house and beat 7 bells out of the owner and force them to start it?

I’ve got an ’07 Civic Type R so not as desirable as a nice shiny new ST but I keep expecting the CAT to be gone one morning! Originals CATS are fetching £700+.

Doesn’t this just give them even more incentive to enter the house and beat 7 bells out of the owner and force them to start it?

My thoughts exactly, if they want it that much a little GBH isn’t likely to stop them in getting it.

You slip up once and you get cleaned out.

Grim, but it does seem like they spotted the change in situation and acted on it swiftly 🙁

Really sorry to hear your situation Sharkattach. But without trying to be negative. Are you sure they weren’t there primarily for the bikes not the car? If they were there for the car why did they break into the garage?

I’ve got some nice cars but I’ve always avoided the high profile and frequently stolen hot hatch/SUV/estates from Audi RS/BWN M /Merc AMG. I feel your pain since I know too many people who have been robbed for their cars (and of course their bikes too).

Really feel for you sharkattack. I am going though something similar, and have been for a few years since I got a bike stolen from this property. We have had lots of issues with youths, and it continues to this day. I hate where I live. I’m very close to moving out, just to help my mental health. I hope you can find some peace with it all in the end.

Really sorry to hear your situation Sharkattach. But without trying to be negative. Are you sure they weren’t there primarily for the bikes not the car? If they were there for the car why did they break into the garage?

It’s just an assumption really. We live in a quiet crescent off the main road with not a lot of passing traffic. The garage door has never been left open, the bikes have never been on display, I’ve never been followed etc. There’s basically never anyone around apart from people who live there.

I think they probably went for the garage door because they knew how easy it would be. I imagine they have experience of such things and they knew it would take a few seconds.

Really feel for you sharkattack. I am going though something similar, and have been for a few years since I got a bike stolen from this property. We have had lots of issues with youths, and it continues to this day. I hate where I live. I’m very close to moving out, just to help my mental health. I hope you can find some peace with it all in the end.

That’s a bummer isn’t it, it can really ruin your quality of life. I can’t complain too much as it’s still the quietest place I’ve ever lived. There hasn’t been a lot of trouble and I sincerely hope this an isolated incident so we can get back to enjoying our first home.

It’s just an assumption really. We live in a quiet crescent off the main road with not a lot of passing traffic. The garage door has never been left open, the bikes have never been on display, I’ve never been followed etc. There’s basically never anyone around apart from people who live there.

As an ex S2 resident, it took the hedge and trees to be trimmed in a garden that backed on to ours, for the flats nearby to be able to see into our garden.

Within a week our end of garden, hidden from road, down a ginnel and across two neighbours gardens shed had been broken into and three nice bikes taken.

According to the police when we were there, there were youngsters working as ‘spotters’ – tell big mate that No.90 has a nice bike and you get a £5 if it is true….The kids would literally roam the street on bikes and often follow people, they would ‘loose a football’ and go looking, or often get into flats or high places and nosey at what they could see from the stairwell. In our situation the police knew the local flat stairwell was a hangout place, and suggested it was someone saw me put the bike away one day.

it can really ruin your quality of life

Very much so. When you can’t relax in your own home, that really has an impact.