Theft prevention
- Thread starter b8er1234
- Start date
+1 on this.
I'm wondering about trackers etc for when my new Cupra arrives, but as mentioned in another thread, if the scumbags are experienced and determined enough, the car is gone no matter what. But i think a good visual deterrent would be enough to make most move on.
Thing about the steering lock though is where do you keep the key? A lot of these cars are being stolen with keys and some people are getting seriously hurt whilst these *******s endeavour to get them. If they're willing to break into your house and confront the owners a steering lock isn't going to stop them it's just another key (if it's kept separately from the car keys) that they'll threaten you for until they get it. I looked at GAP insurance last night and I'm going to sort it at the weekend because it doesn't seem that you can stop them from taking it in most cases.
Clazzer you are correct mate.
If a professional team of car thieves want your car then they'll stop at nothing.
I know of numerous examples where people with desirable cars such as Audi RS4/M5 have been stolen using extreme violence. By that I mean kicking the door down at 0330 and threatening the owner with weapons.
It's a bad world we live in and whether we wish to take on the risk of owning a high performance car is a subjective one.
My answer however was based on the OP's question. A disklok is an excellent bit of kit. Looks the part and is a real b@stard to remove without keys. Ideal deterrent parked in a public place for sure.
If a professional team of car thieves want your car then they'll stop at nothing.
I know of numerous examples where people with desirable cars such as Audi RS4/M5 have been stolen using extreme violence. By that I mean kicking the door down at 0330 and threatening the owner with weapons.
It's a bad world we live in and whether we wish to take on the risk of owning a high performance car is a subjective one.
My answer however was based on the OP's question. A disklok is an excellent bit of kit. Looks the part and is a real b@stard to remove without keys. Ideal deterrent parked in a public place for sure.
Can make one if you want, I am just at refining it at the moment ready to install into my Leon replacement in Dec
drop us a PM would be really interested, my Cupra often sits at home for weeks now as got a daily (MK2 Golf TDI) that I use.
As Edd said diskloks are great when you're out and about. I had one on my Type R back in the day...showing my age now!
My concern in this day and age is that the type of theft that is more common involves keys from the owners houses and in those type of cases I'd personally prefer them to get the car with the minimum amount of stress and trauma to anyone in the house.
The sad truth is that the judicial system does very little to discourage this type of crime and the punishment is not a deterrent to the people that are willing to commit it. The police from what you read seem almost relaxed regarding theft and burglary. Maybe because they're so involved in catching us lot driving at 20mph above the speed limit where it appears the British judicial system more than makes up for its shortfalls concerning the other aforementioned crimes.
Sorry to go OT but the rise in car thefts recently boils my pi$$....rant over!
Edit: Nervermind, didn't realise they don't do the ECMS for the Mk3, which is a shame
For those without the APR map (MK2 it seems) and security features. I'd look at this to complement the disklok.
http://autowatch.co.uk/products/autowatch-immobiliser-systems/68-ghost-product
One of the best products on the market at present.
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Another vote for a disk lock...the people who take these cars more than likely scope them all out for god knows how long so know exactly where they are kept...if they come to yours and its got one of them on it, chances are they will move on to an easier target.
When I used to live in West Asia (the dangerous parts), where cars were usually taken at gunpoint, we had a GPS tracker fitted (bear in mind this was in 2000) in our $100k Honda Accord 2.0 150 PS VTec (yes 100k! due to 300% import tax on 2.0liter+ cars, and dad's company will only order 2.0 engines for his role, could have speced the Accord 1.8 140PS VTec to the max, and it would still be only 1/4 the price, $75k for 200 cc )
Anyway, if the car was disappearing out of certain city limits, they would give the owner a call for a request for the password so they don't immobilize the engine. Once my dad forgot to notify them he was going out past the edge of city limits to a scenic golf course for a company golf tournament, and mobile signal was patchy, and yes the engine did randomly die...oops...at least we knew it was working. Once they managed to call through engine could be restarted.
Not sure if they have this system here or not though. Or maybe due to legality etc.
) Anyway, if the car was disappearing out of certain city limits, they would give the owner a call for a request for the password so they don't immobilize the engine. Once my dad forgot to notify them he was going out past the edge of city limits to a scenic golf course for a company golf tournament, and mobile signal was patchy, and yes the engine did randomly die...oops...at least we knew it was working. Once they managed to call through engine could be restarted.
Not sure if they have this system here or not though. Or maybe due to legality etc.
This is the first important step to take, together with making sure you've got good home security.
If your car does get stolen and isn't recovered, if you've got GAP insurance, you won't be disadvantaged by your motor insurer settling the claim at the car's current market value rather than what you paid for it. GAP will pay the difference between these two figures.
Something like a disklock is useful deterrent, although it won't stop a determined thief breaking into your house and stealing (or demanding) the keys. It's not worth playing at being the hero and risk serious injury to yourself or your family by trying to stop a determined thief; a car can be replaced but a family member can't.
If my car was stolen, I don't think I'd want it back as I wouldn't know how it had been abused. It'd also be flagged as a stolen and recovered vehicle by the likes of HPI, which would be likely to have an impact on future value, when the time comes to sell.
My other half is ranting because , for the last two weeks , there have been two of West Midlands finest patrolling the bus lanes on the Lichfield Rd out of Brum just to catch any miscreants who, due to the roadworks on the A38M , may sneak into said bus lane. Despite the fact that there are bus lane cameras. Allegedly.
![[:@]](/forums/styles/seatcupra/oldforumsmileys/furious.gif "Furious [:@]")
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