Should I worry about security?

[rbeech]

Now that my car is back on the road, I'm curious what security precautions I should take. Has anyone had a car stolen? Does any thief care about a 32yr old 'fancy Volkswagen'?

It has no steering lock, no wheel locks, no alarm etc. While my car is quite valuable to me, it's monetary value is probably less than 75% of the cars that would be beside me in a parking lot.

Anyway, just curious how paranoid I should be. I'm actually more worried about a door ding than theft. Will my Club do any good?

Thanks,
Ron
69 911E

[Jack Olsen]

For about $90, you can get a fair amount of peace of mind with one of those new pager alarm things. If the car is moved or tampered with and you're within a quarter mile (which is usually the case, if you've driven the car somewhere), the thing will let you know immediately that something's up. From that point, hopefully, your response will be prudent and legal.

------------------
Jack Olsen
My Rennlist home page • My Pelican Gallery page • My Porsche Owners Gallery page

[Jens Wendorff]

As an easy fix, you can buy a steering wheel lock for about 20$. This at least indicates that you are an owner who takes care.
For leaving the car over night, pull the fuel pump relay or install a "kill switch" in a hidden area.

But nothing unfortunately can prevent violation etc.

Jens

[SteveStromberg]

Install a Sharp Barbed rod on a flat base under the seat when you park the car. See the movie The Pawn Broker. When the Scum hops in your car they will get Impaled in the ass with the sharp barbed rod .Steve

[campbellcj]

Originally posted by SteveStromberg:
Install a Sharp Barbed rod on a flat base under the seat when you park the car. See the movie The Pawn Broker. When the Scum hops in your car they will get Impaled in the ass with the sharp barbed rod .Steve

OOOUCH!!! Lord help you if you ever stumble out the car in a pre-coffee daze and plop down into the seat without removing the "weapon"!!!

[MRM]

I recently attended the one week National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) Advanced Academy where we spent one day on vehicle theft. I later asked the instructor later about the theft risk to 911s, specifically 1980s and earlier. He said that they are not technically diffcult to steal, the ignition lock mechanism is very similar to a Japanese car, but that there is a limited market for stolen 911s, and therefore limited risk for theft.

The value to a hot or chopped 911 is not that great compared to a Camry or some very common car and so the pros tend not to steal them unless they can be exported whole or are stolen on order.

The short answer is that there is nothing you can do to keep a determined pro from getting a flatbed or helicopter and taking your car, but this is fairly unlikely at best. There just isn't the incentive for them to do it unless your car is worth huge bucks. Newer 911s have an almost fool proof ignition cut off device that takes more than an ordinary pro to defeat. Just the oddities of a 911 are enough to defeat most joy riders and The Club or cheap fuel cut off will take care of almost all the rest.

I drive an 84 Cab with the top off almost all the time. I take the radio out, leave the top down and show that there's nothing in the car whenever I park it in public. I've never had any problem. (In all one year of ownership.) Use your common sense and maintain good insurance and you'll be fine.

Whenever I go into a less than savory part of town my wife asks the usual "what if" questions. I tell her that I am careful, take precations, use common sense and am insured for the rest. I think this is the best attiude. Good luck.


------------------
MRM 1984 Carrera Cab Eurospec

[This message has been edited by MRM (edited 06-28-2001).]

[rstoll]

I simply pay State Farm and they worry about it for me.

------------------
Robert Stoll
83 SC
83 944

[RoninLB]

Iam very concerned about theft. I spoke to a 30 year NY city auto squad vet and he told me to get a device that kills the car after the thief is driving away. The thief works fast, very fast and when the car dies, lights flashing, horn blowing, he's out of there fast. I use Clifford's BLACK JAX, I did install. I found out what the routine install is, then did something different. I figured thief knows about the system and ways to defeat a routine install. I keep a routine system for him to get through. Then two back up systems. He does this for a living, he knows one thing. LO-JACK may work if the cops dont have anything else to do.

[rbeech]

Thanks for the replies. I haven't had an alarm on a car in 20 years. I live in a rural mountain town in SoCal and have no worries about it in my garage here. It is when I go to the 'big city' that I am concerned.

I like the idea of a fuel pump cutoff. I know the barbed rod idea would only come back to bite me in the ass, literally. I kind of think along the lines that MRM had, that my car isn't a popular car to steal. I'm not too worried about the original Blaupunkt AM/FM/SW being stolen either.

Anyway, thanks for the thoughts.

Ron
69 911E