RYANS Super VR4 stolen!!!!! keep your eyes open!! (auckland)

[Gly]

hey guys, got a txt from ryan today and he's had his super stolen from a carpark.

silver super vr4,
no front canards,
twin ganador rear mufflers,
Evo 7 mags with 235/45 toyo proxies 4 (px4)

CNQ509

he's not sure when it was taken,
Between Tuesday evening and this morning (Saturday)

From Rydges hotel on federal street,
stolen from Sky city car park adjacent to the hotel.

see his gallery.... http://www.clubvr4.com/forum/vbpicgallery.php?do=view&g=493

[ILLEGAL]

oh boy!!!! no good!

[OnBoost!]

Dammm,they got him again!! Far out that sucks,I couldn't believe the thread title for a moment......

Will keep an eye out on my travels,was it taken this afternoon?

[Badger_01]

Oh man that sucks, I'll keep an eye out for it

[Ryan]

Thanks Carsten. I've now arrived back home.

I've no idea when the vehicle was taken. Suitably unimpressed. 2nd VR-4 to be taken from me in as many years. One of the reasons I left South Africa was because of crime... the type delivered at the cold end of a well known Soviet assault rifle. But I digress...

Strangely enough, I never ever had a car stolen ... or even broken into in Johannesburg. In fairness, I couldn't fault Rydges' handling of the event. To cut a long story short, I was down in Auckland on a work sponsored course (which I passed) and had my car valet parked by hotel staff.

I phoned ahead to check my car out at the prescribed time and when I arrived was surprised to find no car. They then "looked for it" (like it is a set of keys)... It is either there, or it isn't.

At the end of the day it's just gone. A really decent VR-4 too, one which Carsten and I had maintained. There wasn't a fluid or component on that vehicle that I'd not changed. It is a sad end to my VR-4 ownership because I'll not be getting another one.

[Nick Mann]

:sad3:

[Anderz]

aa that sucks, how can one have such bad luck. 2 vr-4:s stolen:( Hope they find it undamaged and catch the bastards

[Subaru ETA]

Ahhh *****rs! Sucks mate. I hope the insurance company get you fixed up with no hassle so you can get back on the road.

[Ryan]

Thanks everyone, have to say that the "non priority" helpline was anything but helpful... On hold for 10 minutes which I could understand for a once off but then, tried again... same story!

Moral of the story: do not park in public places. Do not expect a timely response from the authorities... They were Ssss hhh ithouse. With a capital **** HOUSE.

[Ryan]

And also... what now? What car now,,, can't be a VR-4 anymore, MMC itself is tainted. Am thinking E39 540i Motorsport.

[foxdie]

Erm, wtf, if you left the keys with a valet place surely they were responsible for it?? Take the basts to court!

[Ryan]

Erm, wtf, if you left the keys with a valet place surely they were responsible for it?? Take the basts to court!

Negative el Zorro. The old "fine print" on the back of the voucher which, incidentally, I did read - and clearly states " We accept no responsibility for...."

I am sure that work has a "process" in place for these sort of ... "events". Time will tell but I can't help but feel somewhat aggrieved...

[wintertidenz]

Oh man you have to be kidding me! That really sucks!

Did they still have the keys at the valet? If not, then I suspect they could get in big trouble for it.

Hoping that you get it back in one piece, or that insurance pays out.

[Nick Mann]

Daniel has raised a very good point there.

[Louis]

The valet park company will surely have to give you a detailed history of what happened once they received your vehicle. They must have a method statement and a proceedure for their staff to follow. So they should be able to to tell you when they received your car, who took the keys, who parked it, who locked it, what happened to the keys next, and how often you car was checked etc. also is there not cctv or security if it is a multistorey or a fenced compound?, how did they get the car out of the car park without the park ticket etc.
It may say they are not responsible for theft, but, they have to show you an itemised account of how they looked after your car and that they followed their method statement proceedure. If they can't show you that then they are at fault, not for the theft, but for the non implementation of their proceedure, which makes them liable.
If it can be shown that their proceedure was not followed, or if they cannot prove that their proceedure was followed, then they are a contributary factor to the theft of your vehicle.
(sorry for rant but I don't like this kind of "Oops!", "not our fault", attitude :( )
Hope you get sorted out.

[crazydriver81]

Good point Louis! As long as they have your car keys, they have an obligation to care for what's happening. Who has ensured, that nobody has taken the keys and took your car?

The clause "we are not liable in case..." is general terms bla bla. This cannot be applied to any happening. As long as they cannot document, what has happened during your car was under their control, they are suspect to have done something wrong. I'd go and ask a lawyer, what can be done here.

Ryan, I hope this gets sorted soon. And I hope you will get happy with a Beemer 540i...

[Badger_01]

Hmmm wonder if it was one of the employees that took it? Easy access of the keys and could of easily driven it away?

[low_vr4]

Pricks! The car had an alarm i take it?

[wintertidenz]

From memory yes Ryan had an alarm fitted. And the CCTV should at least show it being stolen.

One of my friends had a car stolen a while back from the CBD, an Integra Type R - they rammed the gates with a stolen car, got into his and ripped out the immobilizer then drove it away. Never saw it again either :( just shows you what extremes they are willing to go to to take a car!

[low_vr4]

If they have stripped it, (hopefully joy riders) little do they know the community we have here across NZ that will know when these parts pop up. Keep an eye out on auction sites, car forums etc

[wintertidenz]

Unfortunately Mike, that didn't help when his last car got stripped - the leather interior appeared on TradeMe and I don't think the police ever did anything to recover it, or were too slow.

[low_vr4]

His previous car wasn't a Super vr-4, super parts don't commonly get traded around.

[Ryan]

Realistically, there are not many parts that are absolutely unique to Supers anyway. My previous car's interior as well as my rear strut brace - of which there were less than five in the country, all featured on TardMe.

Even when something features on the site, one can't necessarily prove that it came from their car.

[ILLEGAL]

yup i like e39's.. very very cool.

[aboo]

Gutted for you Ryan:(. Hope everything gets sorted for you.

[BillHardy]

Thats a real bummer Ryan,as prev said,the valet comp bear responsibility for the care of the car whilst in their possesion,threaten to sue and see what their response is

[Ryan]

Well there isn't much point getting excited with the hotel because it clearly states on the parking ticket that they "accept no responsibility", blah blah blah. They have been really good to me so far, short of getting my car back they have pretty much bent over backwards to assist.

Insurance company said that it would take two weeks to see if the car turns up, if not then they'd write it off as unrecoverable. My dealings with them so far have been good, just hope that they don't make the claim process too drawn out.

Oh and Dan - they still have the key, it is being couriered up to me... I forgot to take it in my haste to leave.

[Oblivion]

WTF thats so disappointing to hear, thieving scum like that should be castrated! Fingers crossed it turns up all in one piece.

[OnBoost!]

So was there no CCTV footage in the area were it was stolen? Most of the hotels I have stayed at in auckland city have had visible cameras.

[Ryan]

Yes there will be footage but obviously they need to spend some time reviewing it because we don't know specifically when it was stolen as I was there for a few days. That said though I've just put a deposit down on a 540i Motorsport and will be taking a look at it on Wednesday.

Linky: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=427636824

[Gly]

pics? link??

dont think its premature??? whats your insurance said?

[Ryan]

Not really, regardless of what happens with insurance (and I see no reason why they shouldn't pay out), I am over VR-4's.

[Gly]

if its recovered, you may get a fixed car rather than a pay out.

[Ryan]

Then it will be sold. (You have a PM).

[thfelipeth]

Then it will be sold. (You have a PM). man that sucks to hear. mine was stolen a couple of years ago. luckily was just a joy ride. found it 2 days later and still have it. hope it turns up Ryan. nice bmw you're looking at though lol

[Badger_01]

Very nice beamer. 8 airbags? thats a bit of a overkill isn't it? lol

[SEAN-NZ]

i would think underkill, if you know what i mean

[horndog]

Well there isn't much point getting excited with the hotel because it clearly states on the parking ticket that they "accept no responsibility", blah blah blah.

I dont know if its the same in NZ as in the UK, but just because a company writes something in their own terms and conditions it doesent overide statutory rights, - It may be a way for you to look at keeping a clean insurance history - cheaper renewal on the BMW?

[Louis]

Slightly off topic here, sorry.

When this kind of thing happens, is it possible to have a photo of the stolen car and some info on when where etc, and any identifying features, parts etc on the home page, or banner, so that people visiting the site, (who are potentially looking to buy cars or parts!) see that a car has been stolen and more people are aware, just a thought.

[kiteman]

Really sorry to read this Ryan, and hopefully you'll get sorted soon.
I see by your profile, you're with CVR4 5 years exactly, with over 6500 posts.
Your intended move to BMW will be a loss to the club,for sure.
I hope you'll keep in touch regularly.
Tommie

[Ryan]

Thanks Tommie... yes, it's amazing how quickly the time (and Legnums) have flown by. I'll be sure to stick around. I have met a lot of good folks off of this club, some of which I am happy to call friends. The amount of automotive knowledge in general on this site is quite substantial and accordingly, I think that I'll be sticking around.

[Wodjno]

:furious4:Thieving Bar Stewards
Hoe it comes back soon.. And in 1 piece also..


Wodj

[Ryan]

Just been comparing the E39 BMW to VR-4. Interestingly they are similar sizes - the measurements I assume are for the Galant (wiki-wiki):

It's also almost exactly the same dimensions as Legnum.

LENGTH:

BMW - 4775mm
MMC - 4680mm

WIDTH:

BMW - 1800mm
MMC - 1760mm

HEIGHT:

BMW - 1415mm
MMC - 1420mm

FUEL:

BMW - 70L
MMC - 60L

Both also had 16" wheels as standard from factory, however the Motorsport versions are fitted with 17" wheels.

[Adie]

Dude that blows! I can't believe it happened again!

I do like the BMW though, and hope this one works out better of you.

[Ryan]

Well, unfortunately as nice as it appeared on the surface, the BMW did not pass the pre-purchase inspection conducted by a BMW specialist. The faults included:

* Only one key (can cut other keys but car will not start without the electronic fob which needs to be coded in Germany ~$500)
* Driver's electro chromatic mirror glass - wasn't too worried about this but just the lens itself is ~$900
* NAV Radio and TV Jap spec (NTSC) and won't work on NZ frequency (also not too worried about this)
* Front and rear window mouldings perished (minor cosmetic defect, again not too worried)
* Windscreen washers don't work and fluid cap broken (annoying)
* No tools in toolkit
* Spare tyre (which was also a fullsize Motorsport wheel) hold down missing (how it passed a WOF with this?)
* Original battery - should be replaced (could cause alternator damage)
* Headlight adjusters in both headlights broken (about $900)

I was fine with this until...

* Rocker covers, timing covers, VANOS actuator seals AND power steering leaking oil - EEEEEEEK! (I could see underneath on the hoist that the engine guard was covered in oil.
* All ABS speed sensor cables (the shrouds) perished on all four hubs
* Knocking noise L/H steering tie-rod / centre track rod area - requires investigation
* Thermostat (mapped cooling) housing leaking from plug

PLUS

Numerous stored fault codes - further investigation required.

The real thing that annoyed with me this was the way the car yard (who shall remain nameless) tried to brush off these faults as "cosmetic" and their attitude was completely condescending, continued to try and pressure me into a sale and generally treated me as if I knew absolutely nothing about cars. Granted, I'm not an expert - which is why I undertook this PPI and I'd much rather trust the opinion of an expert who isn't trying to sell me anything, than some sneaky salesman with "$ $" signs in his eyes.

In fairness to them they were prepared to remedy some of these faults but I did not trust that they would be remedied correctly (I would have had it re-inspected anyway) but after chatting with The Expert again later and learning the costs of some of the more expensive items (e.g. timing chain replacement on V8 = $5000), I felt quite vindicated in my decision to walk away.

That said, they are fantastic cars - comfortable, smooth, a little hesitant when pulling away slowly but once the power comes on it is delivered in a nice long smooth kick. Of course the sound itself is also appealing. I might have bought it had the car had less faults - I had expected there to be some issues but mainly it was their attitude which pissed me off. There is no way that I'm returning to that branch.

Think the 540i idea is now discarded, not quite sure what to look at now really... Evo still appeals.

[Badger_01]

Oh thats a bummer Ryan, hopefully you find something that you want and doesnt need repairing :)

[Subaru ETA]

Was the car complied? With some of those faults mentioned there is no way in hell it should have been and the compliance centre would end up footing the bill.

[crazydriver81]

Not good Ryan. Hope you will find a good example.

Engine seals, cooling (esp. radiator cracks) and front suspension are the critical points here. Further you should consider regular brake changes, due to the weight of that car... And don't be annoyed by failure codes. Even the electric steering column adjustment will set such codes, even if it's still working fine. :(

[Kenneth]

Good to see that your effort in getting expert advice paid off for you, good job :thumbsup:

[Ryan]

Not good Ryan. Hope you will find a good example.

Engine seals, cooling (esp. radiator cracks) and front suspension are the critical points here. Further you should consider regular brake changes, due to the weight of that car... And don't be annoyed by failure codes. Even the electric steering column adjustment will set such codes, even if it's still working fine. :(

Yes he did mention that the error codes (which appeared to be phantom ones) could either not have been cleared properly in Japan or that someone without the proper equipment tried to read the ECU.

Dave: Yes the car was "complied" and even had a current WOF!

[Subaru ETA]

That's just shocking! Power steering leak is an instant fail!

The unsecured spare is a bit of grey area tho. Because it is a sedan it can't be launched into the back of someones head in an accident. I would of thought it would have been picked up on tho

[adamvortex]

Really sorry to hear your bad news ryan! I feel so mad about it, what would you do to get hold of them?
I hope it all turns out good for you in the end bud, but honestly a beemer?

[Ryan]

...but honestly a beemer?

Long term fantasy of mine having grown up surrounded by them as a kid and parental ownership. Like I said earlier, it felt really *really* good to drive and can see why they are so desirable. Very (needlessly) complicated cars though.

All is not lost though - I have a cunning plan in the pipeline and we'll see if it comes to fruition on Saturday ;)

[kiteman]

Well done on going down the PPI route.
Many folk wouldn't be bothered and end up with a nightmare of a car.
I've noticed the term WOF used before from guys down your way, what does it mean precisely.

[Subaru ETA]

Warrant of Fitness. Much like you MOT. New cars up to 5 years old get it annually. Cars older then this it is 6 monthly.

[Ryan]

So much for Skycity's much vaunted "surveillance" system... a blind man could possibly conduct better surveillance of an open space. Received a letter from the police today basically saying:

"We have followed all the lines of enquiry that we could find but without success" [gee, what else is new?]

"There is a possibility that further which may help the enquiry will be in the future from forensic tests, location of missing property, information gained from other enquiries or similar matters" [doubt it]

"Until then we will not be making more enquiries in this case" [Ja, probably got more important things to do like... keep the road toll down Easier to sit on one's arse with a radar gun than doing some actual proper investigative work.?]

[OnBoost!]

Yeah,that sounds about right,translated that really says" Sorry but we cannot be bothered to investigate this further".

[Subaru ETA]

Sound much like when my brother had dealings with the police.

Someone didn't give way to him at a round a bout. My brother gave him a toot, as you do.

Later on my brother parked his car at West City mall and was walking from the carpark to the shops when a car pulled up behind him, a guy came running out of the car and punch him in the back of the head. Dazed he then got choked out and beat around the head. Then the fuk wit said "if I see you on the road again I'm going to knife you". Some others broke it up and the guy jumped in his car and took off. All this happened in front of at least 3 security cameras.

Now I would of thought that this kind of assault was quite serious - apparently not. The police said that they didn't have time to look at the footage and that my brother should have got the rego number (he was missing one of the numbers)

When he said "I'm sorry I was trying to not get my teeth knocked out and couldn't see the rego" the cop answered "stop getting smart, we have better things to do".

Makes you wonder what the point is of cameras!

[Ryan]

Or police for that matter. I remember you telling this story once (I think when my last car was stolen?)... *sigh*

[Ryan]

:guitarist Resistance... is futile ;)

[scott.mohekey]

Got another vr4 lined up then?

[Gly]

all i have to say is.....

welcome back to vr4 ownership

:)

ill let Ryan fill you in on the rest in his own time :D

should be on his way home from auckland soon

[wintertidenz]

I knew he couldn't resist :P welcome back to VR4s Ryan!

[scott.mohekey]

Hahaha.. that's awesome!

[thfelipeth]

haha awesome to hear. im guessing vr4 won the battle. glad to hear (unofficially) ;)

[Ryan]

Hey everyone. Yes, I decided (hoped) that I'll be third time lucky. Some of you will remember this car. It used to belong to a member called You See (Uc). It has a range of cool modifications which you can view of you click on his profile. I am very happy with it, manual and riding on Tein's is such a pleasure!

Absolutely knackered now, it has been a long day - Carsten and I flushed the cooling system, changed the oil, modified front reg plate to fit (thanks again dude) but here are a couple of pictures:

5151851519

It's current security features will be augmented in the very near future - possibly a purchase of an SS storm trooper to guard it... :p

[crazydriver81]

Congrats Ryan! I will send you some KSK-troops from the Germany army to help you securing this beauty... All the best dude!!!

[foxdie]

Yeah I was gonna say Ryan, welcome back to VR-4 ownership (again), but do yourself a favour and fit a goddam decent anti-theft device AND a tracker :P

[Badger_01]

Haha nice, the dealer guy took me for a spin in that, its awesome, enjoy it Ryan :)

[MarkSanne]

Looks very good! lovely tint on the windows too. Not too dark.

[miller]

Now that looks lovely!

[Ryan]

Congrats Ryan! I will send you some KSK-troops from the Germany army to help you securing this beauty... All the best dude!!!

Ja that might be better... I think an SS trooper would be somewhat feeble by now :p

@ Foxdie: Thanks, new security measures are in the pipeline. Might include driving around with four wheel clamps, a steering lock, a KSK guard and a TrunkMonkey

@ Mark / Mike: Yes, the tint is nice and tasteful without looking too "mobster". The previous owner thankfully took good care of his car :)

[wintertidenz]

Wow what a nice example, loving the black.

I agree with Jason - fit a GPS tracker, and see if you can get fitted one of the smoke systems - when the cabin is compromised, it fills up with smoke.

I'll send you a PM about something else as well that I may have in the pipeline for my own car, and I can build one for you if you like.

[kiteman]

Fabulous looking car, welcome back, if you were ever really gone.

[low_vr4]

Awesome news! Nice looking car too

[Zitchu]

Man that sucks about your last car, I absolutely HATE thieves, some prick who decideds they deserve something more than the owner who has worked hard for it.

On a lighter note, welcome to the Galant world :)

[FNFAST VR4]

Hey Ryan, glad to see you bought another VR4, although I have been tempted by a 540 or two also!

[Subaru ETA]

That car goes hard Ryan, nice choice.

Does it still have the launch control and flat shift set up on it?

[Oblivion]

Nice! :) Something like this for security? http://www.snitch.co.nz/index.html

[Ryan]

That car goes hard Ryan, nice choice.

Does it still have the launch control and flat shift set up on it?

Cheers, it does go well - fully enjoying being manual again although the heavy on/off type clutch takes a wee bit of getting used to but I think that I have sorted it now. Just got to work on smoothing out the high speed shifts :) Wife already hates the car because the suspension is quite stiff and a combination of bumpy roads and her well developed chest area... it is quieter than either of my last two cars.

[Nick Mann]

Wife already hates the car because the suspension is quite stiff and a combination of bumpy roads and her well developed chest area...

/ttiwwop

:D

Hope you get to keep this one until YOU decide it is time to change.....

[Subaru ETA]

FYI for those wondering, Uc was the owner of the car until Jan this year. Makes you wonder what happened to him. I thought he fell off the radar because he had sold it and got a GT-R as that is what he said he was going to do last time I spoke to him

[TAR]

So glad you got something you are happy with. Having stuff stolen makes you feel crap, but this is helps.

The car looks really good, I hope you enjoy it.

:happy:

[low_vr4]

What engine mods does it have?

[Gly]

stock motor and turbos,

twin external 38mm waste gates (plumbed into the exhaust)
full custom pipe work, separate intakes and filter for each turbo.
Link ECU with a Map tune done by Garry capper 200kw atw
cat-back exhaust system
walbro pump

boost, oil temp, oil pressure & water temp gauges.

Tein HA coil overs (damper and height adjustment)
evo 9 mags
evo 6 brembos (custom painted black with white brembo emblems)

recaro interior. momo steering wheel,
35% window tints
hi-vis dash.

[low_vr4]

YES, twin externals! need to sort someone who can do mine

[CANDEE]

YES, twin externals! need to sort someone who can do mine
STM, Jr's, Shred, the list goes on who can do it..

[CANDEE]

I saw this just after my work car ended up in the skycity carpark in aucks.. Sad to see that that leggie has gone from you, but as always you seem to come back with a better vr. :) At least this one has the right rear end on it.. ;)

[adamvortex]

Nice 1 ryan! car is looking very tastey hope you enjoy it,and lets just hope the robbing bankers crash and die in the nicked one

[sampsulo]

ek is jammer vir jou meneer...glad to see you have another vr4....nice mods too....

[MarkSanne]

pas op! ze weten waar je huis woont! With 2 cars stolen already, be prepared I'd say!

[sampsulo]

Lol. Pasop vir die...... Lol. Ai this language is fascinating. Hey moët net a tjostie vat. He'll Protect your car.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[funkstardelux]

thats a nice car ..:)

[Ryan]

Received a phone call at 0535 my time from Henderson police (west Auckland) and they have located my vehicle being driven by some scrote with false plates which they have obviously arrested - this factoid pleases me very much.

My plates were also seen on another car earlier but for some reason they never notified me of this. Anyway - he says that it is driveable and it appears that all they've done is pull the ignition barrel. Mmm, no telling how they've thrashed it though.

Will wait till office hours and then call my insurance and see what they want to do with it.

[CANDEE]

Thats two in a row that have been stolen and recovered Ryan. :) Be interesting to see what the insurance does though..

[aboo]

Great news Ryan/yes

[ex-derv]

well, thats something I suppose. Pleased for you in some ways but gutted in others. Will your insurance cover any mechanical damage that might show up later?

[Ryan]

well, thats something I suppose. Pleased for you in some ways but gutted in others. Will your insurance cover any mechanical damage that might show up later?

Only time will tell I'm afraid... still have another hour or before they (insurance) hit the office.

[Gly]

well, thats something I suppose. Pleased for you in some ways but gutted in others. Will your insurance cover any mechanical damage that might show up later?

doubt it..... only if you can prove its a result of the theft.... which would be next to impossible.

best of luck ryan... if you need temp storage here in auck's let me know

[Ryan]

Thanks mate, soon there will be more of my cars there than yours! :p

[Ryan]

UPDATE: Insurance are going to (hopefully) get it released from the police station which would save me a trip down there. They've indicated that if I'm selling it, they will pay to put it on a flat-bed up here but won't repair it.

That doesn't seem right?

[Subaru ETA]

I would of thought that they would have to repair it, that's what insurance is for! Which insurance co is it?

I suppose the other thing is, what are you intentions, would you sell it as is?

[Ryan]

It seems I've misunderstood (or they've given me the wrong information) - they will assess it and if it is repairable, they will send it back here. If it's not, they will give it to Turner's to auction.

Police are equally frustrating - insurance was transferred around and apparently nobody knew about it, it wasn't there and then they found it but it hadn't been booked into forensics and that it shouldn't been there and should have been towed to a tow-yard etc etc etc.

What a cock-up - quite busy at work as well.

[scott.mohekey]

Surely you have the option of buying it back instead of it going to Turners? I know you may not have the time or inclination. But you can make a fair bit of money back if you decide to part it out.

[Ryan]

Surely you have the option of buying it back instead of it going to Turners? I know you may not have the time or inclination. But you can make a fair bit of money back if you decide to part it out.

I'll need to see what they say, parting it out is not an option as I do not have the space, time or inclination to park a car in the hopes that someone might buy some bits and pieces of it.

[Gly]

yep,

you'll either get a repaired car, or a pay out from the insurance.

what evers cheaper for them, you dont get much/any choice in that matter

and if its like the cops say, it sounds like you'll end up with a car to sell.

[scott.mohekey]

I'll need to see what they say, parting it out is not an option as I do not have the space, time or inclination to park a car in the hopes that someone might buy some bits and pieces of it.

I agree with everything you're saying, however all you really need is the inclination. It was all I had when I wrote of my red VR4, but I was able to part it out and make a heap of money back thanks to Adam lending me the use of his off street parking, and helping me dismantle it in his spare time between classes. I guess it comes down to a bit of luck really.

[Ryan]

I really don't have the time or space to take a car apart Scott. I already have a potentially interested party who may possibly take it off my hands, subject to negotiations.

[Badger_01]

Oh thats awesome, about time they found it lol

[Ryan]

Still waiting to hear back from assessor... Jeez these people really know how NOT to communicate.

[Ryan]

The day keeps getting better. Just received a call from the hotel that I stayed at, who were contacted by SkyCity... Sky's surveillance team spotted the same two people who were seen in the car park when my car was stolen, entering the carpark on Friday.

Police called, both arrested. Investigations continue.

Edit: Assessor called, as I suspected, the news isn't great. There is significant panel damage all down the right hand side of the vehicle. The front right hand panel has sustained damage from where they appear to have tried to jimmy the door. Right rear has sustained damage from them driving into something. Rear bumper and tailgate has been damaged.

Rear spoiler and Cusco rear strut brace have been removed - these will no doubt appear on TradeMe at some stage. :sad3: The Recaros are still there and he says that it seems clean inside and doesn't smell as if anything "untoward" has happened in there...

Apart from some unwashed miscreant driving my car of course /pan

[Badger_01]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/car-parts-accessories/mitsubishi/suspension/auction-452441708.htm

Could this be it?

[OnBoost!]

That's great they found it. Hope those thieves get done. Just let me know if you need a hand,I live in west auckland and could store it temporarily if needed.

[Ryan]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/car-parts-accessories/mitsubishi/suspension/auction-452441708.htm

Could this be it?

If my Super VR-4 rear wing had to appear in his listings then I would be very suspicious!

[Badger_01]

Yeah definitely, I just thought it might be the account is selling heaps of different pieces and theres been heaps of high performance cars stolen in Auckland lately

[low_vr4]

STM, Jr's, Shred, the list goes on who can do it..

Oh i have quotes etc, just need to choose who im going to go with. Looking like STM, shred are crap

[wintertidenz]

Ryan - I live less than two minutes from Turners Penrose if you want to keep it here. I can also put it in the garage for you as it's currently empty.

Someone is home all day as well, so it won't get stolen again :P

Good news in getting it back at least though!

[wintertidenz]

If my Super VR-4 rear wing had to appear in his listings then I would be very suspicious!

Who wants to ask Quinton for a silver Super VR-4 wing? :P

[Gly]

make sure insurance replace the wing with the SUPER one and not a stock one,
they will be very surprised at the price of replacement from mitsi on that!

[Subaru ETA]

Yup that alone will probably write it off lol

[SEAN-NZ]

what are those wings worth?

[Gly]

last time i asked, 1 side skirt from a super from mitsi was 1200$+gst and that was 2-3 years back

[CANDEE]

Call up a Mitsi dealer and quote part MM800411 - AIR SPOILER,RR which is the super rear spoiler...

[pbaron]

I've got a used one I will sell for $500, I will even throw in a pair of genuine front splitters with it:)

[Ryan]

Call up a Mitsi dealer and quote part MM800411 - AIR SPOILER,RR which is the super rear spoiler...

"Invalid part number" according to MMC Whangarei.

[crazydriver81]

"Invalid part number" according to MMC Whangarei.

They have to contact Mitsi Japan to get a quote... Same here in Germany. It takes roughly one week to receive a quote and you need to forward the chassis number of the specific car.

[Ryan]

I see, thanks Stefan.

[Adie]

That is great news dude I'm glad you got it back, and can't wait to see the new galant in the flesh!!

[Ryan]

That is great news dude I'm glad you got it back, and can't wait to see the new galant in the flesh!!

Thanks, the new Galant is great except some ****wit has gone and scratched my rear bumper. Quite minor but enough to piss me off. :| It might be a while before you see it, I don't live in Auckland anymore.

[thfelipeth]

glad to hear you got the leggie back. best of luck with whatever you do with it ;)

[thfelipeth]

that galant looms awesome. saw it a few weeks back on tm. abit off topic here. whats the advantage of having wastegates?

[Ryan]

whats the advantage of having wastegates?

wiki: A wastegate is a valve that diverts exhaust gases away from the turbine wheel in a turbocharged engine system. Diversion of exhaust gases regulates the turbine speed, which in turn regulates the rotating speed of the compressor. The primary function of the wastegate is to regulate the maximum boost pressure in turbocharger systems, to protect the engine and the turbocharger.

[Ryan]

Well insurance have written the car off as being too expensive to repair. I've elected to just get paid out rather than buy the car back.

[Gly]

that galant looms awesome. saw it a few weeks back on tm. abit off topic here. whats the advantage of having wastegates?

we have wastegates as factory they are part of the factory turbo housing.

externals in theory should allow for better boost control.
but in our case there so small (turbos) it was impossible to get a better result with them,

it was really for look at me factor at the time, as they were originally setup as external dumping.


and i see no really point in them with standard turbos

[thfelipeth]

we have wastegates as factory they are part of the factory turbo housing.

externals in theory should allow for better boost control.
but in our case there so small (turbos) it was impossible to get a better result with them,

it was really for look at me factor at the time, as they were originally setup as external dumping.
r

and i see no really point in them with standard turbos

sweet. good to know.. wont persue that mod unless i go abit bigger. thanks carsten

[SEAN-NZ]

Gly, do you mean it just vents the exhaust to atmo? guess it wouldnt get a wof with that? easy enough to plumb it back in?

[Adie]

Thanks, the new Galant is great except some ****wit has gone and scratched my rear bumper. Quite minor but enough to piss me off. :| It might be a while before you see it, I don't live in Auckland anymore.

I know but one day hopefully.
Also the fact I'm off to UK for 3 months in 8 weeks.
When I get back I'll be working 4 weeks on, 2 weeks off in Papua New Guinea (of all places!) for the next year.

[SEAN-NZ]

I know but one day hopefully.
Also the fact I'm off to UK for 3 months in 8 weeks.
When I get back I'll be working 4 weeks on, 2 weeks off in Papua New Guinea (of all places!) for the next year.

what you doing over there? in Papua New Guinea, just wandering because my dad works on a tuna boat, thinking works those kinds of weeks too

[Atik]

Well insurance have written the car off as being too expensive to repair. I've elected to just get paid out rather than buy the car back.

Thats a shame Ryan, but understandable. Typically, what does the insurance company do with this 'wreck' now they have it?

[wintertidenz]

They sell it at auction.

[Ryan]

Thats a shame Ryan, but understandable. Typically, what does the insurance company do with this 'wreck' now they have it?

Hey Atik, yes what Dan said. Well, this chapter has finally closed - insurance are paying out the dough. Obviously nowhere near what it was worth (to me) but better than not having insurance!!! :D

Thanks for all the messages of sympathy / support, hopefully this run of shyte luck ends with the Galant.

[Zitchu]

Can't say I know of ANYONE, who has had 2 cars stolen, and both recovered. Lucky and unlucky it seems.

[Ryan]

The news gets a little bit better. Received another call from the police today. The person who they arrested driving my car has been remanded in custody since they caught him and is appearing before the courts tomorrow. The police are going to call me on Wednesday to let me know how it went. Hopefully he gets sent down for a decent amount of time.

[low_vr4]

Your lucky with updates from the police. We haven't had one call from them since last friday.

[Ryan]

Your lucky with updates from the police. We haven't had one call from them since last friday.

Might be to your benefit to chase them up...

[karlous54]

http://www.turners.co.nz/Damaged/Pages/Vehicle-Images.aspx?RefID=988698&imgpage=1

Any idea what this might go for ?

[OnBoost!]

^That looks like Ryan's recovered one........

[Ryan]

^That looks like Ryan's recovered one........

WTF??? That is indeed mine but it looks nothing like they described it??? Feel quite angry now, I can't see most of the damage that they described in any of the pictures.

If anyone does buy it, every single fluid in that car has been changed recently. AYC, rear diff, transfer case, coolant. Most recently (six-eight weeks ago) the ATF and power steering fluid. Cambelt was done at 103 000km, have replaced power steering and ALT belts, new spark plugs etc. It also has an after market ATF cooler and a HKS panel filter.

Oh it also has newish Toyo PX4 Proxes - only done about 15 000km too.

I'm actually quite pissed off, livid in fact - the way the assessor put it to me on the phone was that it was pretty badly damaged. From what I can see, that car looks quite salvageable. /bat

[Subaru ETA]

Looks like there is bugger all wrong with it! I would be pissed to!

[Badger_01]

And didnt they say that the rear strut brace was gone? Whereas in the pictures its there

[scott.mohekey]

Do you think they might be trying to profit off you? I.e. pay out X, sell it for >X.

[low_vr4]

Wait..yours was a write off?

[Ryan]

Well, I've sent off a rather spicy email to Autosure asking them to account for these discrepancies.


Wait..yours was a write off?

Yes

[low_vr4]

I'm completely f**ked then. All i can see is a dent in the front bumper and the spoiler missing. What a load of crap

[Oggie]

good god!!! when soem asshat reversed into my STR causing 5g worth of damage. I was almost certain they was gonna write it off.. certainly had more visual damage than yours bud...

I say buy it back at auction. fix it..

[Subaru ETA]

I would love to see the response Ryan!

I was expected the thing to be completely ****ed! They haven't even attempted to take the stereo! Plus the strut brace is still there!

Makes you wonder if the assessor even looked at it.....

[Ryan]

You and I both Dave. I mean, I was happy with the pay out and I'm really happy with the new car but jeez... talk about distorting the facts!

[Badger_01]

Looks like all it would need is a new ignition barrel, rear wing and a little bit of panel beating and she'll be sweet as

[OnBoost!]

WTF??? That is indeed mine but it looks nothing like they described it??? Feel quite angry now, I can't see most of the damage that they described in any of the pictures.

If anyone does buy it, every single fluid in that car has been changed recently. AYC, rear diff, transfer case, coolant. Most recently (six-eight weeks ago) the ATF and power steering fluid. Cambelt was done at 103 000km, have replaced power steering and ALT belts, new spark plugs etc. It also has an after market ATF cooler and a HKS panel filter.

Oh it also has newish Toyo PX4 Proxes - only done about 15 000km too.

I'm actually quite pissed off, livid in fact - the way the assessor put it to me on the phone was that it was pretty badly damaged. From what I can see, that car looks quite salvageable. /bat

Oh yeah I was sure it was yours,all I can see is a missing front bumber,a few dents,and missing spoiler,definitely not a write off,seems a bit dodgy too me!!

You should have a right to get it back,as you were told there was damage that clearly isn't there.

[karlous54]

WTF??? That is indeed mine but it looks nothing like they described it??? Feel quite angry now, I can't see most of the damage that they described in any of the pictures.

If anyone does buy it, every single fluid in that car has been changed recently. AYC, rear diff, transfer case, coolant. Most recently (six-eight weeks ago) the ATF and power steering fluid. Cambelt was done at 103 000km, have replaced power steering and ALT belts, new spark plugs etc. It also has an after market ATF cooler and a HKS panel filter.

Oh it also has newish Toyo PX4 Proxes - only done about 15 000km too.

I'm actually quite pissed off, livid in fact - the way the assessor put it to me on the phone was that it was pretty badly damaged. From what I can see, that car looks quite salvageable. /bat

Take it you still have the alarm remotes and keys on you ?

Did they offer you a buy back price at any stage ?

[Gly]

Are the recaros missing? Can't tell from the pic's

[adamvortex]

fook me ryan thats not bad damage at all, it makes me think that the insurance company will pay you off, then send your car to auction with the reserve price they paid you,so they wont lose a penny?
but i do feel for you bro with all the agro you have had to go thru, lets just hope thats the last of your car theft problems and i wish you all the best with your new motor!
big ups for staying with the mighty 3 diamonds!

[CANDEE]

Are the recaros missing? Can't tell from the pic's
They are still there...

[Ryan]

Well they got back to me today and I must say that I was very happy with their understanding and detailed response. They provided me with the photographs which they had taken of the car in the police yard, as well as a detailed quote from a repairer(s) to undertake the repair work.

Basically the repair bill was going to be $6000 so can see why it has been written off. The damage is a lot worse than the Turners pictures would suggest.

[KiwiTT]

Apologies for missing this thread ... been off the site for a while. I feel sorry for your loss, but that Galant is a keeper ;)

Glad you stayed in a VR-4. As you now know it is very hard to replace. I will very likely still have mine after 10 years ... only about 18 months to go for that target.

I still walk up to it and smile ... :D

[purple_guana]

Excellent news ryan, now get a gps with immobiliser and a pitbull. double security=D. ur new VR4 black or dark purple? wat a sexy beast it is. just don't let mr valet man park it for you again. ignition barrel may be gone but dont surprise me if mr valet man copied key to give to mate to steal it then rip ignition barrel out to make it look like it was geniune theft to prevent him been held accountable.