Just looking for what others have gone for here. I've heard a lot of talk recently about gangs and thieves going round housing estates up and down the country with frequency sensors identifying cards that use keyless entry. Then they program one of their keys to use this frequency and bam, they drive of with your car and your car hasn't got a clue (neither have you)

Firstly do people think this is actually something to be concerned about?

Secondly, it seems to me that it's a relatively straight forward decision to encrypt the frequency and equip the car with some validation software so it will only recognize the actual keys. Is this already in play or are manufacturers missing it?

Thirdly, is it worth it for £400???

Worth it, yes... I won't have a car without it now. Worried about theft? No. Rather they take it that way instead of forcing entry into your home to get the keys

Snet with speeling mistkaes from my phoen

I really wanted KESSY but in the end decided it was one option too far.

I have it and wouldn't take it as a choice. Its OK, but I don't at all in any way feel even slightly inconvenienced when I have to use our other car that has a key. Infact, its bloody annoying when I'm washing the car. I have to put the keys away from the car or it just locks and unlocks constantly, or beeps like crazy if I put the keys inside.

 

With a standard key, you need an electronic token and a mechanical token to start a car. With KESSY you only need the electronic one. Seems a step backwards for security, no matter how you try and turn it.

A step backwards in security for sure. Try walking round a KESSY car to make sure all the doors have locked by pulling the door handles. 

Regarding the security - nowadays the thieves are well-equipped anyway and if someone really wants your car, they'll take it no matter what. The equipment necessary to crack the communications is probably too expensive to waste time on a Škoda, better take a VW or Audi.

It was first on my list as I've had renaults with it since 2001 wornt buy a car with out it

Regarding the security - nowadays the thieves are well-equipped anyway and if someone really wants your car, they'll take it no matter what. The equipment necessary to crack the communications is probably too expensive to waste time on a Škoda, better take a VW or Audi.

So, I take it you don't bother locking your car at all because anyone who want it or something inside it will just get it anyway. The objective isn't to make it impossible to steal, just harder than it is worth. The majority of theft is of the easiest targets. KESSY just makes it easier and there's no doubt about that. Any security you can put into a wireless system can also be applied to a standard key, which will always on top of that have the added step of having to defeat the mechanical lock.

The way I understand this works is they have to be within range of your key to intercept the signal and rebroadcast it to a relay device near your car. The car then unlocks and they use the OBD port with a VCDS like system to program a blank key to be able to actually drive off with your car after just unlocking it. Not all cars will do this, VAG are unfortunately ones that can

If you have KESSY you will know how close your key has to be to the car to make contact. These are very short range devices. They rely on people keeping their key next to a door or window and not noticing someone snooping.

Not impossible but not as straightforward as it first seems, especially if you don't keep your keys next to a door or window. Have to admit if someone is close enough to my place to get my key signal i may not have to feed my dogs for a while

So, I take it you don't bother locking your car at all because anyone who want it or something inside it will just get it anyway. The objective isn't to make it impossible to steal, just harder than it is worth. The majority of theft is of the easiest targets. KESSY just makes it easier and there's no doubt about that. Any security you can put into a wireless system can also be applied to a standard key, which will always on top of that have the added step of having to defeat the mechanical lock.

Don't take my words out of the context. As you said - the objective is to make it harder to steal than it's worth. And as I said - the equipment to break these kinds of encrypted communications is too expensive to "waste" on a Škoda. The easiest thing to break is the mechanical key. If the thief already has the tools to break KESSY, they won't have any problem whatsoever getting past the physical lock and the software that communicates with the in-key chip.

 

The main thing with any kinds of locks is to secure yourself against joyriders (they tend to take older cars you can start up just by connecting some wires) and random car thieves who take the cars they can start up and get away with easily. These guys can't take cars with digital locks fast enough, remote-only or remote+physical. You cannot secure yourself with factory equipment against professional and organized crooks. To be honest, professional car thieves may even take the car without starting it - I know cases where the car was just towed away, loaded on a lorry and gone forever. The only thing that may help you is that if KESSY is broken, it's more profitable to steal VAG cars that cost more than a Škoda.

I had it on my Focus I had before the Octavia. I liked it, but don't miss it. It's not worth the £400 IMO.

I've got it due go children and arm loads of stuff! Works well. Shame it only covers the front doors. As others have said, a pain when washing the car or trying the door handles with the key in range. There is some perverse feeling though stroking the door handle to lock it. I don't get out much! :-)

I think the KESSY system works very well like people say it come into its own with kids and when you got a lot of stuff in your hands the car washing thing is a pain but it's a big deal as to security it's as safe as the next car if there going to take it they will

Worth it, yes... I won't have a car without it now. Worried about theft? No. Rather they take it that way instead of forcing entry into your home to get the keys

 

Good point

I don't really see how Kessy is different to a remote key fob when it comes to the security of opening the doors.

I'm sure both involve the same rotating algorithms for security so I don't see any difference between pressing the button on the remote & pulling the handle.

 

For starting the car, perhaps the mechanical key is a slight reduction in security but all cars now have an imobiliser which is a completely separate system than the remote locking.

It has a different transponder in the key to the remote locking function.

For the petty thief, even if you could gain entry to the car, overriding the imobiliser would be another level of security before you could start the car.

 

Having said that, I'm quite sure if someone wants to steal your car, there will be people with the tools or know-how to do it.

As others have said, its more common that they will just tow your car away & then replace the locks & electronic control units at their lesiure somewhere else.

Nothing agaist Skoda but these kinds of thieves would be more interested in top-end cars.

To answer the original question, is Kessy worth €400 extra?

I think so & I would definately have it again.