36 replies to this topic

[minimarco]

i opened my lock with the key going in upside down... was kinda scared

[Many Minis Make 1]

Now you know why Mr Bean Had paddlock on his mini.......

[abboz3]

got myself a bargain at the birmingham MOC show today, a new boot lid lock for the new cooper project.

looking through our goodies tonight, i was messing with the lock (which seems to be brand new) and wondered if the origional keys for the car would fit. it would be nice to have the one key opening the doors and the boot

got the keys for the car and to my amazement the new lock has exactly the same key numbers as the origional locks

now, either i have just had a very rare stroke of good luck

or...

the keys for all the locks on minis have a very limited number range and most of us could probably get into each others cars

does anyone know anything about now many different keys there are out there ????

the latter is true i reckon, cause at mini club we used to joke around andmove peoples cars out of about 10 people at least one person hd a key to open a mini!

[rosewhite]

i can open mine with just about any key on my keyring!

not the most secure vehicle!

[blacktulip]

get this... belindas keys open mine but mine dont open hers lol

[backstreetclassics]

ive got a willy lock on my mini and theres nuffin left in there so im not 2 botherd if peps can open it lol

[Jimi30]

I used to be able to mine with anything rigid that would fit into the lock even the smallest amount...ie my finger nail lol. Must say I'd prefer thieves to be able to just open my door than damage it with a crow bar or something, A mate of mines door was absolutely wrecked by theives trying to pry it open and they just knicked his ipod, but did god know how much damage...

[DivineMisfit]

My fuel cuts out if someone steals it
Central locking is the way to go.

[Spannermonkey6464]

on my First mini I found out from a friend that my doors would unlock with a penny!! when he left his jacket in and couldnt get hold of my just went ahead and got it himself

My current mini is alarmed and immobilized

[DivineMisfit]

This thread scares me. Perhaps smoothing the boot and getting door poppers seems like a great investment.

[mycoolmini04]

i work in a master locksmiths doing an apprenticeship and we have a board of fs keys for the mini locks which were made by union a very popular lock make.
their is a fair few differen't keys about 100 estimate. but the problem is that the locks were made with only 4 to 5 wafers in the barrel and their wasn't enough cut variants
only about 4 different cut depths so jiggling the keys about can get you into alot of differen't mini's.

but the mini's that open with upside down keys etc is due to the lock being to worn out and the locks were made cheap so theyre not a quality lock at all.
same goes for the ignition barrel it has alot more security than the door locks but once it wears out then its easy to open without the original key.

look into adding alarm etc or as some people do add a deadlock at the bottom of your door, also their is a place that make replacement barrels for the mini lock,
instead of a wafer style lock you can buy a tubular style adding alot more security unless you have a tubular pick lol
cant remember who does them though.

wow i have blabbed on lol!!!!!


hope this solves the lock mystery!

oli

[THE ANORAK]

wow, scary stuff. the keys for the car and the new lock do have the same number on them so i guess that was a bit of luck, but thinking about it i have also opened my door with the key upside down

and no Dan, I'm not an anorak on keys

[taffy1967]

same goes for the ignition barrel it has alot more security than the door locks but once it wears out then its easy to open without the original key.

Yes and I can remember how dismayed I was that my friend was able to turn on the ignition of my first Mini (Tahiti Blue 75' MKIII Mini 1000), with the key for his MKI Fiesta!

Still I guess it's worth considering the fact that most would-be car thieves wouldn't carry a key quite as small as that for a Mini and whoever tried to lever the door open on my friends Mini and then just smashed the door glass instead certainly didn't.

That happened in 1994 in broad daylight whilst 3 Minis (mine and several friends) parked in a pay & display car park in Porthcawl (our local seaside town).

So the key is to park responsibly (even though we did) and don't attract too much attention (Minis parked together do though). They went for my one friends Mini because his stereo was on show. Where as my Mainstream Cooper had security code stickers on the glass and thankfully put them off.

[GW]

I'm buying an alarm.......

and new locks.....

and laminating my glass.....

and getting a battery cut out....

and hiding my stereo...

and anything else i can think of....but first i'm trying my MG keys....

Edited by Small Bore Racer, 19 June 2007 - 04:43 PM.

[nmt_oli]

i think i may disconnect my locks, and use a remote central locking kit instead. Im getting perspex windows, so that should sort things out unless the central locking breaks.