Subaru's one of many vulnerable to hacking

Not a problem for the early Forester, L-Series, Lib or Brumby owners.
They either A. don't have central locking or immobilizer or B. aren't OBD II complaint. The best someone will get out of my Foz computer is the engine temp or an error code.

... or they could smash the window, push it down the street and by-pass the stock immobilizer, rewire the barrell and off they go. Not like it would be worth it when you could steal a commodore just as easily and look hell cool and go twice as quick. So I think most of our family wagons are safe :lol:

Also don't have a GPS as I got a good old street directory map :D

Taza
 
Its only the in built GPS.

This article has nothing to do with old cars only new ones with all the fancy new wireless stuff.
 
From what I've seen on other sites, it actually even has nothing to do with Subarus. What has been hacked is an aftermarket alarm or remote start system. It just so happened that they picked a Subaru that was equipped with it to do the hacking and story-telling..
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Darkanion said:
From what I've seen on other sites, it actually even has nothing to do with Subarus. What has been hacked is an aftermarket alarm or remote start system. It just so happened that they picked a Subaru that was equipped with it to do the hacking and story-telling..
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I read it as hacking the system that comes as stock in the outback.
 
I also believe that you need some piece of high tech equipment that is not authorised for civilian use to begin with. That and it's worth $10k from what I understand.

Another reason why I stick with the older cars apart from the fact that I know my L series inside and out!

Cheers

Bennie
 
I'm not sure older cars are a safe haven. Years ago a mate had an HQ Holden and he could break into his own car with a paddle pop stick. With a bit of wear on the ignition key and barrel I found that my dad's VK Commodore key would open the door locks of the HQ and start the car- as would most Holden keys. So he went and designed a whole new security system for the HQ- removing the external keyholes, shielding all the mechanisms, using micro switches for external entry to switch solenoids- as well as solenoids to the main latch so you could open the door from inside the car using either the shielded standard set up or a press a button. This was years ahead of its time- way before any manufacturer got close and even today it has features new cars don't. That was 20 years ago and still someone found a way of getting into the car- but they did not steal it. His mistake was parking it on the street- someone obviously spent a lot of time sussing it out. Guess there is a message there too
 
Rally said:
I'm not sure older cars are a safe haven.
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Nothing is safe - just that my car isn't tied up with a pot load of my money compared to a new vehicle. It's always disheartening to have your vehicle stolen, old, new, paddock basher... There's no two ways about that.

The difference is that someone has to physically be at my car to get into it, these guys walk up to it and drive away like they own it - that can be the difference between someone noticing dodgy activity or not.

All of this said, I do love my subi and would be shattered if anything happened to it! I'm 100% sure I'm not alone on this one!

Cheers

Bennie
 
If they want it bad enough, they'll steal it.. It doesn't matter how old or new.. If they want it bad enough, they'll take it.

Remote starting a car does not mean that they have overridden the Pass-key (or whatever Subaru calls it) system that will let the engine KEEP running, after they put it into drive and try to go somewhere.. I've seen vehicles that have been remote started and someone tried to drive off in them (after finding ways around the fact that you have to have the key in the ignition, in the "on" position to take the car out of park.. and to release the steering wheel lock mechanism).. You go a few feet and the car dies..

I'm not saying there aren't ways around that. There are. But, remote start makes a car no more vulnerable to theft than a car without remote start.. It's just more easily sensationalized by the media, especially when they leave details out..
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Darkanion said:
If they want it bad enough, they'll steal it.. It doesn't matter how old or new.. If they want it bad enough, they'll take it.
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Exactly.

Many years ago (before i even liked subaru's) a bloke at work had his STi stolen from his locked garage which was directly underneath his bedroom. Gauranteed it was already pre-sold or had a planned rebirth well before it was taken. It's going to be difficult to stop professionals.

I think the most important people to stop are the dead-beat joy riders. They're not going to f around with a car thats got a proper immobiliser, they'll move on to a commo or falcon. Frameless windows don't help the plight of a subaru.

I bought a GLF coupe a few weeks ago with buggered door lock barrels, i found a company that does secure replacements using a barrel key and two lock mechanisms in each barrel. More of a deterrant than anything though.
 
Venom said:
Frameless windows don't help the plight of a subaru.
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That is one thing I like about the current generation Outbacks, frames around the windows.

I get what you're saying, though. I've had cars that had frameless windows and it was kind of handy, if you ever locked your keys in the car.. The downside was that it was also handy anytime someone else wanted to get into the car. :lol:
 
Darkanion said:
That is one thing I like about the current generation Outbacks, frames around the windows.
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Hehehe... This is one HUGE dislike on the new models. Frameless windows are awesome and to me an essential part of what a subaru is. They're loosing their identity I reckon.

As for pinching a car there's alway the good old flat bed/tilt tray truck to move it with to a secluded location to do a through job on it...

My uncle's farm got done over in a night, a 6 tonne bulldozer went missing and hasn't been seen since. Not cool.

Cheers

Bennie
 
Im with you all the way Bennie.

Im not fond on the latest generation Subarus at all. To start they aren't boxy like they have been for the past 30+years, the interior styling is horrible, the only one to have a low range of any sorts is the N/A petrol Forester, thats it! Even the new petrol N/A engines aren't fuel efficient like the old ones plus they are getting heavier and pillars around the windows.... who the hell would want that! They are just like any other ordinary car now :(

They are slowly going away from the 4x4 - soft roader- to road car thing. Like the L-Series and Brumby's are 4x4 with a locking centre diff, then AWD with a centre LSD which does ok offroad and now with the coupe that they are bringing out with Toyota might even be RWD. really! is going on Subaru!!!!

But I will say that my mother is getting the new Impreza early next year and I can't wait to drive it but there are little things like the frames around the windows that are just going to sh*t me off :(

Taza
 
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The one improvement I would make to my 05 Outback would be to have frameless rear windows which actually wind all the way down.
However in general I agree - I wouldn't consider anything after the 05-08 Outback, and even then the transmission needs rebuilding with decent low ratio gears.
And cant wait for the 'Taza' locking rear diff! :twisted:
 
Barry said:
The one improvement I would make to my 05 Outback would be to have frameless rear windows which actually wind all the way down.
However in general I agree - I wouldn't consider anything after the 05-08 Outback, and even then the transmission needs rebuilding with decent low ratio gears.
And cant wait for the 'Taza' locking rear diff! :twisted:
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I wish my rear windows went more than half way down too :(

The rear locker is coming along kinda. Tomorrow at work I can get a hold of a Windows XP machine and should be able to recover my harddrive.
 
I don't like the idea of the Subi's having framed windows now either :sadbanana:But it looks like it's something we're going to have to live with :bcool:

taza said:
I wish my rear windows went more than half way down too :(
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Me too, but I think you'll find they it's for a safety reason :iconwink: as a lot of modern cars, (of various makes & models) are also the same :)

Regards
Mr Turbo
 
El_Freddo said:
Hehehe... This is one HUGE dislike on the new models. Frameless windows are awesome and to me an essential part of what a subaru is.
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I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one... To me, the essential parts of what makes a Subaru a Subaru is the ground clearance (at least on the Forester and Outback) and the AWD system. I could care less that they don't have frameless windows anymore.. And I'd rather have better aerodynamics and MPG than a boxy shape.
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In the past, I've had a vehicle or two that had frameless windows and they tend to want to "suck out" when you're traveling at higher speeds in strong crosswinds. I'd much prefer having a channel and frame for the windows to be parked in..
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