Keeping our cars safe from crooks

[nismo818]

Hi, recently there has been a spate of car thefts being highlighted in the forums. As such, someone here please give some valuable advice on alarms/immobilisers/club-locks?

For example, how many points of immobiliser do we need on our cars to make it really safe? I was told if I have a turbo timer on the car, I can only have a 1-pt immobiliser. Is that true?

As for steering wheel locks, are they of any use? I see the price range for these locks as low as $8 up to as high as $100. What's the difference?

[(B1) MR_fanny]

I was told if I have a turbo timer on the car, I can only have a 1-pt immobiliser. Is that true?

hmmm...interesting. can someone shed light on this. lets say someone has one of those turbotimer harnesses and an alarm installed, how easy would it be for a thief to just unplug the harness and rewire??

milti kill switches seem to be quite effective, though i still have to figure out how to do one exactly..lol

and as for the club locks, you do actually get what you pay for. some snap lik twigs in the right spot with the right amount of leverage. i personally still use a club lock as a visual deterent ontop of my alarm so it makes them think twice so they find another car that will take less time to nick.

[Zahos]

Well I have a turbo timer and a 3 pt immobiliser, and they work just fine together.

My alarm is designed for cars with turbo timers though.

In regards to hotwiring the car from harness, I don't know if you can. I don't know if there are any constant power wires down there.... but if there were, I'd assume it would be easier to figure out what each wire is for on the steering column.

[xRHETTx]

I use a clublock ($70 i think) as a visual deterrant, as well as a remote alarm immobiliser. I also have a 1 point keypad immobiliser which i got from jaycar for $60 which adds to the visual deterrant factor a bit i think.

I have a turbo timer too but i dont see how hotwiring the turbo timer would help someone steal the car. If i leave my car somewhere im not really worried about it getting stolen, im more worried about it being keyed or someone breaking into it.

[Downforce]

Usually if they can't break in and steal it, they will damage/vandalise it...

[Rochey]

Usually if they can't break in and steal it, they will damage/vandalise it...

which is wrong. if i caught anyone doing that to a skyline i would drop them with a kickbox to the head!

[Downforce]

which is wrong. if i caught anyone doing that to a skyline i would drop them with a kickbox to the head!

lol.. of course it's wrong, but do you think they give a shit about other people's property? highly unlikely since they are trying to steal it!

[Rochey]

lol.. of course it's wrong, but do you think they give a shit about other people's property? highly unlikely since they are trying to steal it!

yeh true. but they do care about their heads and if someone gvies em a kickbox to the head then maybe they will learn their lesson? prolly not but its a nice thought none the less..

:kick:

[(B1) MR_fanny]

speakin of kickbox to the head, seen the footage of that islander "the head hunter" on tv?? wow!!

anyways back on topic....anyone have links for me to make some kill switches??

[QuickR33Melb]

Some simple advice. Buy a heavy duty clublock and put it on backward so the lock is facing your instrument cluster. The most common way they are broken is with a screw welded onto the back of a hammer. They srew it into the lock and pull out the whole locking barrel. If you put the clublock on with the lock facing the instrument cluster this method of breaking them is impossible!

[Ronin]

You can always take a few needed fuses out. Hard to steal a car if you cant start it.

[rushs]

get a click-it clublock, immobiliser, alarm and pager... and never be more than 20m from your car... like ferni

[Downforce]

get a click-it clublock, immobiliser, alarm and pager... and never be more than 20m from your car... like ferni

Only 20 meters? my alarm pager gives me at least 400m

[CHAYSR]

I had an expensive clublock once. I went on holiday and forgot the key for it. (Whoops) So I called the RACV to come and cut it off my steering wheel. But instead he belted it with a massive hammer and it just popped off....

[Downforce]

Some simple advice.  Buy a heavy duty clublock and put it on backward so the lock is facing your instrument cluster.  The most common way they are broken is with a screw welded onto the back of a hammer.  They srew it into the lock and pull out the whole locking barrel.  If you put the clublock on with the lock facing the instrument cluster this method of breaking them is impossible!

Not all steering wheels can accomodate reversing the lock... as the airbag/centre of the wheel is in the way.

[rushs]

Only 20 meters? my alarm pager gives me at least 400m

prolly the same as ferni's BUT if you're 400m away, shitloads of damage could already be done by the time you respond to it and actually get to your car...

if you cant clearly read your plates, you're out of range

[mulldog33]

I HAVE AN APEXi SAFC2 AND ALL I DO IS UNPLUG IT AND TAKE IT WITH ME. ITS SMALL ENOUGH TO FIT IN YOUR POCKET.

THE CAR WONT START IF THEIR IS NO READING COMING FROM THE AFM!!!

STILL ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT IT GETTIN VANDALISED BUT. AS FROM PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES OF LEAVING IT PLACES IVE HAD AN ANARCHY SIGN KEYED INTO MY DRIVER DOOR AND SOME F#CKWIT TOOK TO MY BONNET WITH SANDPAPER OR SUMTHING. BOTH ON SEPERATE OCCASINS.

WAS NOT HAPPY

[AutoTrust]

The number one security measure is not to leave your car somewhere where it is prone to vandalism or too much foot traffic.

You can have the fanciest alarm money can buy and it won't stop a tow truck.

Multi point immobilizers are good but make sure you have good back up service to go with it as once it is out of warranty and you have a problem who do you think will pay for that?

What is more important, A turbo timer or a fuel pump kill circuit?

A club Lock is a good visual deterrant, it is also amazing that you can cut through the steering wheel itself to remove a lock with zero effort.

I would guess from my experience that 95% of alarm installs are badly fitted and would take a matter of minutes to bypass regardless of being all black wiring as they mostly go to the standard wiring on the ignition loom.

And with all that said if they cant steal it they will most likely break it.

Can any of you sit through a movie in a cinema with your pride and joy sitting in a car park?? NO, that's what drive ins are for.

When I am out shopping I will return to the car to check its OK if i am gone for longer than 30 odd minutes. If im gonna be longer that's what someone elses car is for.

Personally i think you should have a good alarm to operate your door locks and kill the starter motor and a transponder immobilizer to kill other non mentionable circuits for real security. more than 3 points is asking for trouble. any visual deterrant is good.

Are wheel clamps expensive?!!!

Mabe a nice steel cable to the nearest lamp post!!