Anti-theft?

[Diabando]

We have all heard about the immobiliser, and all sorts of hi-tech anti-theft systems that are supposed to protect your car, but what about some simple solutions?

My father owned a VK Commodore, which was stolen 3 times and used in thefts, then dumped, undamaged, ready for the police to ring my father to come and pick it up. It was a t-bar auto, which was the type that you press the top and bottom sections together to change gear. He put a small padlock inbetween the two sections whenever he parked the car, and bingo...the car was never stolen again! (although they did alot of damage trying).

So - who has some more simple solutions?

[Sparky]

Good topic Diabando!

My 1972 Mk1 Escort has a battery isolator cut into the battery cable, with the switch hidden somewhere on the car. The benefits are that [1] the idiot thief will assume the battery is flat and give up, and [2] if I have any electrical gremlins, I can disconnect the battery from inside the car in a second.

My second device is a little more complicated, but also has two facets. It's a brake line-lock; the type used by drag racers to hold the front wheels for 'Marcus' type burnouts!! When I park the car up, I depress the brake pedal, activate the lock and hold the front brakes, and the very clever thief (Well, he did get past the battery isolator!) will find the car won't move. Hah!! It also doubles as an effective way of holding the car on a steep incline with all four wheels locked. (It's rear wheel drive.)

My third is remote central locking linked to an electronic voltage-sensing alarm, and with the external door lock barrels deactivated.
They can't get in the car because the doors won't open due to deadlocks, but if they do (by smashing a window) the cabin pressure sensor and voltage sensors will activate.

Finally, I have an immobiliser that not only kills the ignition voltage supply, but also the starter solenoid feed, the headlights (as most thefts occur at night) and the electric fuel pump supply feed.

...And in addition to the above, I keep it in a garage and my dog sits and watches the driveway for intruders 24 hours a day!!

They ain't getting my car!!

[Sharky]

The guy at the driving school told us that the best way to keep your car from being stolen and that didn't cost a dime was to remove the main cable from the distribuitor (or alternator......I don't know for sure how do you call that in english) when you were going to leave your car. As a result anyone who tried to start up the car would have a very nasty surprise........however........you should be careful when doing that because my dad once told me that a friend of a friend died because he was fiddling around with those cables and got electrocuted. However, I think that the guy was probably doing that when the car was running and the cables probably had the plastic insulator damaged.

[Ray Bell]

Never heard of anyone being harmed by the electricity in any part of a car, but anything's possible, I suppose...

My car has a secret ignition isolating switch, but I don't think that's enough if the car's particularly good. I like the variety in Sparky's car, but what does all that cost?

Maybe I should just get a Doberman?

[elephino]

My car has an alarm and immobiliser.

If it is a professional thief, they will get the car anyway. HSV had supposedly the best security system of any Australian built car and better than a large number of others. How did they get around it? They picked it up, took it away and worked on it in peace and quiet.

[Sparky]

Originally posted by Ray Bell
I like the variety in Sparky's car, but what does all that cost?

It's not as bad as you'd expect, Ray:

[1] Battery isolator £7.00 and 1 hour to fit
[2] Brake line-lock £27.00 and 2 hours to fit
[3] Remote central locking and electronic voltage-sensing alarm £275 fitted or £175 and 5 hours to install
[4] Deadlocks £14.00 and 3 hours to install
[5] Ignition immobiliser, with additional circuit cut-out £34.00 and 4-7 hours to install, depending on resoursefulness of expected thieves!!

I have 'invested' the best part of £3500 and countless hours in the car, so £250-odd spent protecting it is good value. (Luckily I am able to install all those goodies myself, otherwise factor in 15 to 18 hours of labour; still probably not much more than the cost of the parts to be installed.)
As Elephino says, if the toe-rag who's after your prized possession really wants it, he'll have it. The idea is to make things as difficult as possible for him so he gives up and goes home.

[KC]

I don't think you have to worry much about getting elctrocuted unless your cars staring system still uses a ignition coil to boost the power of the battery. Those things will nail you bad.

My car has a passive alarm system and I also use a club or immobilizer on the steering. I also own a Glock 9mm for dealing with those who try to get around these two deterents.

[bella]

well, my grandad's old escort (he lives in salford) got nicked 3 times, put on bricks about 50 times, got trashed by a runaway milkfloat (no, really), and now lives in peace in a warehouse.

my car, well, it has a remote central locking thing, which has a little red flashing light, apparently no alarm, but an immobiliser. the fact it's a 316 is deterrant enough... *everyone* knows a 1.6 litre engine in a heffalump of a car is just not enough...

[Izzy]

Get a k-rap car that no one wants. I've always found that works for me

[Airhead]

Originally posted by Diabando

My father owned a VK Commodore, which was stolen 3 times and used in thefts, then dumped, undamaged, ready for the police to ring my father to come and pick it up. So - who has some more simple solutions?

Diababy,

Christ the thieves in Vicbloodytoria must be desparate. I'd rather walk! I have a modicum of pride after all.

Bet your Dad was ****ed when the car came back

[Diabando]

Muffy, Muffy, tsk tsk tsk

The incidents I was talking about happened many years ago, when the VK was actually new!

If Dad still had the car now, and someone stole it, you bet he would be p@#$$ed off if he got it back!!!

And, the only way my car could be stolen, is if someone had a tray truck or a crane...and even those are not possible given our driveway. I sleep well at night.

Then when I look at what I just typed - I would almost bet I will be here soon, telling you my car got stolen - Murphy's Law

[DAVID PATERSON]

Sparky, how sad is ithat we licve in a world where all of that becomes necessary. I better not sstart in how these little basterds should be raised right to live and let live and respect other people's property and rights. If i do, you'll all think Liz is in auistralia and has nicked my ciomputer.

I've probably got the best system, I have a company car and if it gets stolen my boss will buy me a new one. How good's that?

As for the Datsun, i'm just banking on the fact that it's such a ***** to start, they'll give up and take off, before i arrive with my cricket bat and change their minds. I live in a street full of cardigan wearing Magna and Camry drivers, so if i hear twin Webers cough, I know they're mine.