TheSamba.com :: View topic - security issues...alarms steering wheel locks etc.

Sat Jul 30, 2005 4:07 pm

Hi all, so what's your favourite security/ anti theft thing ?

I've got no alarm yet or anything else besides the door locks and stock steering lock.

anyone use the club ? I've seen how fast you can cut through a steering wheel so I'm not so hip on that.

what about that thing that locks the pedals agenst the floor ?

and what's your favourite car alarm setup ?

I've had 3 cars stolen from me all common vehicles easy to sell parts off of, a GTI, a Golf, and a CRX.

now my other car, an intermechanicca speedster dosn't even have door locks, just a Berg locker shifter. nobody ever touches it for over ten years. my theory is thieves don't like wierd cars. so, I don't feel like the Crew Cab will be a MAJOR target. still, I want something. I hate the way peoples alarms go off all the time so I hesitate to go that rout. but I might like installing auto locks on it sometime.

anyway, what do you guys think on this issue ?

thanks :wink: :)

Sat Jul 30, 2005 4:37 pm

Where the heck do you live?
It just depends on how badly someone wants it. They could put it on a rollback.
A ignition disconnect switch?
I had a pioneer radio a few years ago that had a car alarm built in. You simply wired it to the door dome light switch and if you didn't start the car in so many seconds it let out a mind numbing shreik from the speakers. You can install the door puch button switches on your trunk, hood, and gas tank door(not applicable here but mentioned for versatility.

Sat Jul 30, 2005 5:20 pm

Hey Crankey, aren't you in Canada? You guys are supposed to have zero crime up there! The ignition switch on a vanagon is tougher for a thief to deal with than one of those hokey club things. If somebody wants it they just load it on a flatbed like the walrus said. The only thing I know of that would actually WORK is a lojack type of device. Thinking there ought to be a way to put in your own transmitter, like they use to track animals?

Sat Jul 30, 2005 8:01 pm

heh, I'm in seattle...actually, I can walk to the house of the people who own Starbucks coffie, it's a really ritzy neighborhood. I live in a very cheap basement apartment. the cars stolen were just 30-40 feet from where i was sitting watching TV, unless I was asleep by then.

I'd say only 1% of car thieves are big time flatbed types I'd guess they are after more expensive cars. I just want to stop the other 99% who bust the door lock and use a screwdriver jammed in the ignition. I kinda think the pedal lock thing and some kind of flashing led would be ok. I have the speedster in a coverd spot, but the truck is parked behind that.

people wander in all the time to look and comment on the speedster, or leave a buisness card to ask to buy it. but they don't mess with it.

when the thief comes in the night, I want him to see something hard to deal with and move on. I don't even want him to bust into the rig at all.

the GTI was stolen and striped, Golf was left on the dirt about 4 blocks away w/o it's wheels, CRX was a 3 week joy ride, when it was found there was 12 diferent hats (knit, baseball etc.)some winter gloves, pink lacy panties and other junk left in it, nothing taken really...it was stock but for an accura engine & trans.

Sat Jul 30, 2005 8:13 pm

:D If you are really nice to your vet, they willgive you one of those transponders .... you just pay the fee as if it were going in your dog... I have one in my Buell... A little cheaper that lo-jack, but it does not have the range ... Most of the time if your car or bike gets stolen, it is within 50 miles of your house. In my van I put in a Viper alarm. I also hate3 those alarms going off all night, so I hooked up evrything except the horn. It came with door lock interface, starter kill, and dome light timer(to keep dome light on for 30 seconds when alarm is turned on or off.

If you get an alarm, get a decent brand, so you can add options to it later. :twisted: :twisted:

Sun Jul 31, 2005 6:26 am

My favorite "security device" is installed on my car put I haven't had it put on the Westy yet. It's window tinting. Unless it's very sunny out you can't see into my car at all. My understanding is that most car theft is by addicts looking for sellable items in the car rather than the car it's self. So if they can't see what toys I've got in the car (I've got a lot in the Westy) hopefully they move to the next car were they can see the contents. Plus, the window tinting makes the car look and feel much cooler.

Sun Jul 31, 2005 10:18 pm

I am getting tint put in right now. But, never considered it a real security plus. It is for heat, as far as I am concerned.

Without given any secrets away, you have to make it hard to steal. You should not just put in an alarm and expect it to help much. A real thief knows exactly how those are generally wired. But once they think they have gotten past the alram and it still don't go; well now what, right? They will poke around until they find something. Right? Still not good enough? Well then what do you think they are going to do? EX: that second thing could be a latching relay that makes yet another horn sound. Etc, etc...Get the idea? Think outside the standard run of the mile alarm installition and it will be hard to drive your van away. Everything you do will make it just that much harder and take longer.

Now what do I do about the putz you insisted on tossing an egg at my newly painted van????? UGH....

Sun Jul 31, 2005 10:30 pm

heh, Eric, man I wish I had a kitty or a nice german shepard...my apartment is way too small...so, I don't have a regular vet

r39o, yeah, I agree...a basic alarm maybe nd a pedal lock...maybe yank a relay from the engine bay. ehh, shure makes it a hassel to get out in the morning :?