http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnough...EnoughNews

Interesting.... if you've been handed the keys to a car for a test drive and then don't come back for 3000km, is it actually a theft?  

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I think you will find that quite a few cars disappear on test drives - a long time ago I used to do a little moonlighting for a company that reclaimed cars that had been "borrowed" from dealers' stock. It was interesting work and I was always amazed at the people who undertook this sort of crime - not your average street crims by a long way. Also was amazed at how lax some dealers were in allowing folks to drive off with really very expensive cars without worrying about it. I'm talking top spec Mercs and BM's here, not Fiestas and Focus's. It was a nice little earner too as the insurance companies were quite happy to pay even 10% of the value of the car to get it back! It's not a job I would want today with so many folks wandering round with guns etc in their cars. 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
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slightly different situation, but my local AUDI dealer experienced a drive off in a RS4 last year - saleswoman was in the drivers seat as he pulled up at some traffic lights - a guy at the side of the road opened the door and dragged her out - he then jumped in and the car was gone.

I've never been let out on a test drive on my own! Maybe being a Northern Monkey had something to do with it!

Oh hang on, I had a 24hr test drive in a Saab 93 Aero before I bought the Bimmer.

I remember spending most of the time at the petrol pumps. I seem to recall averaging about 18mpg.

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Kaine wrote:

slightly different situation, but my local AUDI dealer experienced a drive off in a RS4 last year - saleswoman was in the drivers seat as he pulled up at some traffic lights - a guy at the side of the road opened the door and dragged her out - he then jumped in and the car was gone.

A chappy I know used to work at a local VW dealer. One day he was serving a customer just after some guys had asked for the keys to a Golf GTI so they could look round it. Next thing he knew, it was speeding off the forecourt. Him and the customer jumped into another GTI and gave chase. The customer phoned the police but before they had chance to get there the Golf they were chasing had ran out of fuel

Always makes me laugh thinking of 2 Golf GTIs racing through the centre of Oswestry, VW salesman chasing young chavs, and it ending with them running out of fuel  2002 Discovery Adventurer LE
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Here in Holland, they put tracking devices into 'test'-cars nowadays.
Before the car is handed over to the testdriver, they put a 'portable' tracking device into the car.
When the testdrive is over, they take it out again

...could they not just throw it out of the window?

'Now please don't touch this sir, this is a portable tracking device and if it's removed from the car we won't be able to find you...'  Runner up - 2009 Best Avatar Award
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06 RRS TDV6 HSE, Java/Ebony, PTI, Running Boards, Privacy, S/C Grille/Vents, Stormers, Tasmods - GONE - (

Supertrotter wrote:

...could they not just throw it out of the window?

'Now please don't touch this sir, this is a portable tracking device and if it's removed from the car we won't be able to find you...'

It's hidden, just like any other (permanent) Tracking Device So it does take a lot of time for the dealership, when you want to take a car for a Test Drive

We had one in the D2 so we always knew where it was
It was very helpful in keeping track and with a "Geo-fence" if it strayed out of (or into) a pre defined area then it would SMS me, I could also txt it back to tell it to disable the vehicle, and all in a package smaller than a packet of cigarettes. Sons of dogs come hither and get flesh
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RRS-NL wrote:

It's hidden, just like any other (permanent) Tracking Device So it does take a lot of time for the dealership, when you want to take a car for a Test Drive

Probably because of the cost of taking it back off when the purchaser doesn't want a tracker................. 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

Maybe but if it's there then why wouldn't you have it? RRS TDV6 Gone but still around
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Coz it's so darned expensive to keep up the subs and certainly up here we don't even get a discount on insurance for having one fitted to the car. 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

I had one on my Alpina never got round to having it activated though RRS TDV6 Gone but still around
SL55 AMG
760Li Alpina
BMW 535D M Sport
BMW X6 XDrive35D
BMW 320D Coupe M Sport
And A Van For Rex!

WINNER - 2008's Idler Of The Year
WINNER - 2008's Comedian Of The Year
WINNER - 2008's Funniest Incident

I love boobies i love boobies i love boobies cuz i'm a big kid now! (Come on everybody sing with me you know the words!)

So a really useful investment then Jay!
I suppose the insurers only say it has to be fitted, they don't require it to be activated........................ 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW