I'm mad as hell...

[lowsquare]

Got up this morning to find this...

They ripped off my CD player rifled through my glove box took a bunch of little pieces, sunglasses, goggles, my map light. Why did they have to rip the heater tube up to the dash? I know they were just looking for stuff to pawn quickly for their drug money...but I feel violated!

Do I dare install another radio / CD player? I live in a patio home with a carport only...so locking away at night in a garage isn't in the near future.

I don't usually lock up cause I don't want the top knifed... what to do? Thanks for letting me vent...
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PRAISE THE LOWERED.
1973 THING

[TLW54]

That is the pits.! I would remount a radio/player. 2 options: 1. the cheapest that will fill your needs or one with removable face plate and can't be used without it.( you could post instructions on how best to steal it without damaging you Thing!) Second would be to replace it and camp out and wait for the idiots to return. (12 ga in hand of course.) Any way if they are caught that Sheriff Joe can get ahold of them! Good luck.

[bucko]

Unless you have a starving pit bull to leave in the vehicle at night, and/or the replacement radio unit is not completely removable (not just the faceplate; those can be had online for cheap), I would not re-install another unit. Those scumbags will most likely be back, as our Things are easy entry targets.

Sucks for sure.
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Current VW drives: 1984 Westfalia

Past VW drives: 1967 Beetle, 1973 Beetle, 1977 Bus, 1971 Military Type 181

[spaeth]

I lost 2 stereos to thieves in my Thing. My insurance company wouldn't cover it since the doors weren't locked. I tried to explain them that I saved them money since the top wasn't damaged but they didn't go for it. I installed a electrical outlet that was controlled by a motion sensor. I plugged in two full banks of flourescent lights and a radio. Anytime someone comes in my carport the lights come on and the cheap radio comes on. I haven't lost anything since. The really bright light combined with the sound seems to scare them away and it goes off before they can even get close to the car. It feels like crap to have stuff stolen.

hope this helps,
Craig

[lostinbaja]

Must you have a CD player? What is wrong with an FM stereo that nodody wants? The FM radio has been in my Thing for 34 years and nobody has ever bothered it, and it has spent it's share of nights on the street in downtown Chicago.
_________________
Jerry...
If it's being towed, it must be a trailer!
"Vee Grow Too Soon Oldt Und Too Late Schmardt"
RIP Morgan

My photos
http://www.manxgallery.org/gallery/album92

[surfarii]

Tweakers Suck !

I know that violated feeling all to well . I'm bummed for you.
We have a huge Ice problem over here on the islands.
a common bumper sticker reads
Cook Rice Not Ice

You can hook an Ipod up to an amp you hide under the hood and remove it when you leave the vehicle. I wish i would have done it since I don't listen to the radio anyways and I don't use cd's in the car since I don't like leaving them in it.
I like the motion sensor and bright light idea.

John

[bmwloco]

That simply blows. I'm really sorry. Getting ripped off always hurts.

Now, as to what to do...

I have a cheap $26 delivered (www.amazon.com) Dual Am/Fm/Cassette with a line out port on the front face. I plug in my iPod Shuffle and have great tunes, no skip, no bump, and no CD case to worry about.

I have it mounted through a single hole in the back into the luggage area, secured by a bolt. It really doesn't matter though - no on wants a cheap radio.

The speakers are made for quick release. I can pull them quickly as they're mounted with Velcro and put them in the boot. It takes less than a minute to secure the entire setup.

Again, sorry about getting ripped off.

[lowsquare]

I like the motion sensor - lights & radio idea. My wife wants me to put up a camera... maybe I'll do both. They didn't mess with the Jag. It has a CD player in plain sight... course it also has a solid top, roll-up windows and locked doors. The THING is just too easy to get in to.

I heard about a guy that put a silent alarm in his car that would ring to his pager. He would then go out with a baseball bat and catch the perp unaware...

Big dog and / or lots of lights and sound may be the ticket.
_________________
PRAISE THE LOWERED.
1973 THING

[GSD_Master]

Here is what you need

Nobody is getting near this CD player.

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Is that the new Hummer!

[Towel Rail]

That sucks, lowsquare. Hopefully, one of the great ideas posted on this thread works better for you!
_________________
1974 Thing -- under the knife
1967 Beetle -- spring/summer/fall driver
1996 Subaru OBW (EJ22, 5-speed, AWD) -- winter car, 3-seasons "don't feel like biking today" car

049 > 070 > 053 > 009

[Pinky]

I mounted a cheap amp in the trunk with a toggle on/off switch in the cab and ran a line into the cab as well that an Ipod plugs into. When I'd leave the car I'd pull the Ipod and leave the line in the glovebox. Out of sight out of mind...

[Skorzeny's G Ride]

Im with Pinky. I have been debating what kind of stereo to put in my 181 and Im thinking i should go with what i already have in my truck. I have a pioneer with an MP3 plug. I hate carrying Cd's because eventually they get scratched. You can get a decent radio for cheap that just has an ipod plug in and like Pink said hide the wire in the glove. I do that with my truck and take the MP3 inside. Helps save cd's and Creative labs always has good deals on MP3's that are very user friendly. Creative labs even has a cool new MP3 that doesn't need a computer to download songs. It comes with the option of recording songs from a cd player or stereo or downloading from a computer. Pretty cool.

I totally feel for you. I had a stereo set stolen a few years ago.

Well at least you have several ideas to work with.
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...70 type 181
...59 Beetle
...62 beetle baja (new)

[npconnor]

If I were you I would slap a FM sterio in and use an FP transmittor and sync your MP3 player with it so you can listen YOUR songs whileyou drive. Then at the end of the day- take it out.

Then again, I don't even have a radio in my car- so maybe I shouldn't be "talking".
_________________
'73 Thing
Austin Air-coolers Gang

[Skorzeny's G Ride]

that is another good option too but there aren't many good transmitters out there. I've went through 4 and the only decent one was an IRIVER transmitter. Of course it still had the volume problems and the sound quality was reduced by 25 percent but it wasn't that bad. You will need to make sure your lighter plug works though.

From using both personally i prefer the MP3 plug in.
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...70 type 181
...59 Beetle
...62 beetle baja (new)

[lowsquare]

I've ordered this AM FM radio that bmwloco talked about in an old thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=232905&highlight=radio

Will use my MP3 player and take it in at night. I quit listening to CD's anyway because I didn't want them to be getting scratched. Hopefully the tweakers won't want a cheap $30 radio.

The hassle I went through today was getting my locking lugnuts removed and replaced... because they stole the locking tool from inside the glovebox. I guess I need to hide the new tool... got to keep it in the car incase of a flat... I'll hide it in the boot area. I'm still a little pissed...
_________________
PRAISE THE LOWERED.
1973 THING

[FreakCitySF]

Wait is that a original style glove box door? Those idiots didnt know what they were really missing out on! hehe

[RHD Notch]

Getting ripped off sucks! What a horrible feeling it leaves you with We just had our home burglarized and our 77 Bronco stolen by some POS tweakers. I think you've chosen the right route...a cheeseball stereo that you can play your MP3 through and maybe you can put it on a slide mount for easy removal...Oh, and p/u one of those bumper stickers that reads, "Nothing in this car is worth your LIFE!"
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[saddlesore1]

In my boat I put a 200 watt amp (hidden) and were the RCA jacks came out to the deck I adapted a headphone jack (all from Radio Shack) and used my Ipod. No one ever knew there stereo in it.

Good Luck

[15 windowdelux]

Its been awhile but my house got broken into, and the burgler loaded my thing up with everything he was stealing. Home stereo, speaker, dvd,vhs player, cable box, kitchen stuff, valuables, even beer from the fridge was in the car. He was going to take the car also. It was in the garage with the keys in the ignition. I came home and scared him out the patio door he came in, but he must have been ready to leave cause the beer was still cold. He cut the passenger window plastic out to load the car. Too stupid to open the door and take the window out. They caught him later after several other breakins. He confessed to breaking into my house, and that he had come back 2 days later and tried again( found a knife wedged into the patio door) because he thought I had really neat shit( his words). They didn't tell me if he was really going to take the car, but I guess they could have added GTA to the charges. He even took a half empty bottle of tobasco sauce.
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My last fortune cookie said:
"A short saying oft contains much wisdom."
Why is it all I can think about now is George
Carlin's "Seven words you can't say on television"????

[Van-go108]