So I've started up an SR4A game with my old Pathfinder group (wanted to introduce them to something that wasn't D&D and Shadowrun was the game I felt they'd be next most likely to find a group for should they leave town) and in the process of prepping my notes for their first real run, it's occurred to me none of their characters own a car. Now, this is partly my fault as the GM for not recommending someone have a Bulldog stashed in a garage somewhere, but they all wanted to spend every last Nuyen on cyberware, so [shrug]. I figured I'd prepare them the option of stealing the target's car as a getaway vehicle on top of whatever they find in his house in the event they don't acquire some other means of personal transport.

Leafing through the CRB and my splats, though, I haven't been able to find rules relating to stealing cars and my Google Fu has only turned up answers and references for SR5. I've considered cobbling together a carjacking system using rules for things like maglocks, hacking, and spoofing, but I foresee this being a rather...inelegant solution. So, I bring the topic to you: did I miss a section on boosting cars somewhere? If not, do you lot have any preferred houserules for it?

I'd be remiss if I didn't note the campaign takes place in 2055, so wireless wizardry won't be an option.

they can also hire a Rigger who have vehicles...

True enough, but it's always good to cover one's bases, neh?

short version, it's pretty much just a regular hack. most cars won't even have much in the way of security, if there is any IC at all it probably just sends out the equivalent of a distress singal.

Street Knowledge: Bus Schedule.

You might check out the older threads that address SedanRun ™:

http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?showtopic=40900
http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?showtopic=40921
http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?showtopic=41015

If none of the characters are riggers and don't have Sixth World Knowledge (Vehicles and Drones) they probably won't realise that the GridGuide / GridLink is showing the victim's insurance company exactly where they're driving that stolen property. Transponder chips were wireless even before SR4 and it's much more economical to own and run a vehicle powered by the roads (and therefore limited to driving within GridLinked city limits) than to get something noisy, smelly and dirty that burns fossilised snails. The NPCs who opt for a more go-anywhere kind of vehicle are likely to have insurance for their investment (both traditional insurance and also immobiliser, tracker, electrocution car alarm, autowindows and sleep-gas cannisters, etc.) with a pre-programmed autopilot destination should the occupant(s) fail to authenticate. If the team picks the fanciest car on the street, it's likely rigger-adapted and has manual controls removed to accommodate mods, in which case they'll be jacking into the vehicle to even see the AR dashboard.

eh, some of those things, yes. but active defenses on random vehicles just because they're a bit more expensive? that's just silly. more likely sure, but we're probably talking one in eight thousand compared to one in ten thousand or something like that. now, if you want to steal a security vehicle, sure, those things might have active defenses. but random cars used for normal things? who's gonna spend thousands of nuyen for that?

also, i can't imagine why it would take a dedicated rigger or vehicle knowledge to know that a vehicle would be broadcasting its location. in SR4, EVERYTHING broadcasts its location. unless you have unaware in appropriate skills, it is reasonable to presume that you know the same systems you use to track down where you left your keys or to let you know that you've only got 3 krillburgers left in the freezer can be used in the exact same way for a vehicle.