Security Systems - Sophisticated or Simple?

[Jack K]

My insurance company would not insure my car unless it was fitted with, at least, a passive arming immobiliser which disables:
1. The fuel pump
2. The starter motor, and
3. Ignition

Some companies here insist on even more sophisticated systems - like a "Quicktrack" or "Carcom" monitoring system so that, if the car is stolen, they know exactly where it is at any time.

I've read an opinion that the simple visible steering wheel lock is the way to go.

What do you think?

[Bill Douglas]

Hi Jack. I've alway been a bit suspicous of the alarms that disable everything. I tend to think of alarms as being unreliable and when some crummy bit of electronics decides to switch off my fuel pump and so on it really pisses me off. But, if you have to do so to actually get insurance....

The tracker type systems are marvelous but more $$$.

[bell]

just go with a basic alarm with a starter kill (this simply runs the starter wire from the key cylinder through a relay) and it'll give them what they want.
if you have power door locks you can add keyless entry and eliminate the risk of scratching up the door handle from the key.
i personally like DEI alarms (viper/sidewinder/etc) they're simple and bulletproof.

[Wayne 962]

Poor mans alarm system: take the DME relay with you when you leave. It's located under the passenger seat, and the car ain't goin' nowhere without either it, or a flatbed tow truck.

In a bad neighborhood, I always pull the red fuel pump relay out of my 911SC.

Really, the only way to get the car then is with a tow truck. Most thieves don't carry a fuel pump relay with them...

-Wayne

I take the steering wheel with me. That's effective!

[HawgRyder]

If those are passive systems....what do you consider agressive?
Does CZ gas count?
How about 90K volts on the metal surfaces?
Or maybe a nice big ugly spike that comes up through the seat?
Darn....just when you think of something "nice" for those pesky car thieves....the police frown on you!
Oh well....switch for the fuel pump, another for the ignition, maybe one for the starter..or just use a hidden starter button.
Bob

[jpachard]

I keep my 110lb. Rottweiler in the passenger seat when I'm parking in dodgy neighborhoods. She just fits in the Recaro SPG and is at a perfect height for her to put her nose out the window and get all the smells

Cheers, James

[jjforland]

I have a question for all the paint-shop professionals. I'm wondering what you guys think about my paint product set-up.

I just purchased all the paint products needed to paint my 76 911. I'm not going original on it because the paint-code is Talbot yellow, and don't wish for my 911 to look like a school bus. (no offense to anybody) Basically my question is will the following combination of products work well on this car, and are there any special considerations I need to make to be successfull on this job. Here is the combination:

1. 2 Qts of PPG Deltron 200 Midnight Black. (DBC 9300 - A BMW color).

2. 1 Gallon of PPG High Solids Polyurethane Clear

3. 1 Gallon of PPG Hot Temperature Reducer

4. 1 Qt of PPG High-Solids Urethane Hardner

5. 1 Gallon of PPG-Omni 2K Urethane Surfacer

6. 1 Qt of PPG-Omni Fast Primer/hardner

Is there anything I left out? Any general tips? Thanks!

[jjforland]

Sorry guys...I meant for that post to be somewhere else!

[bell]

passive refers the the system being able to arm itself, insurance companies don't think we'll remember to arm our babies.
all aftermarket alarms are programable to be active (manually armed) or passive (arms it'self after the door is shut).
the DME relay is the best way but insurance companies don't consider that "secure".

[cab83_750]

Was it not Reggie Jackson who had a 6K alarm and the car was still stolen?

About the steering wheel 'gorilla/bar' lock? Yeah, they can't cut the bar, but by cutting the actual wheel, the bar just slides out.

Funny......

The doctor was ready to go home and on his way to his car, his reserve parking was visibly empty. He was about 100 feet away and he knew the car was stolen. He ran anyway to his parking space. Guess what he found? The car thief left the steering wheel "with the bar still in place" in the middle of the Dr.'s parking space.

[Dana_Drury]

Jack,

Are you going with Shannon's?

I would get a Quiktrack fitted to your car if I were you, at the moment I think they are $2000 AUD and then $199 or something a year. That gives you an alarm, 6 point immobiliser and satellite tracking with 15 minute reponse.

Else get a Brandt alarm, they are about $600 installed from memory, again an excellent alarm system that more insurance companies are happy with.

When I spoke to the guy at Shannons and mentioned about fitting a quiktrack he sounded like a kid in a candy store, and if you have the money its well worth it.

I think that the steering wheel lock is a good "deterant" to casual theft or amatuer theives that look for cars that don't seem to have any protection, getting a Porsche would be a bonus for them.

Unfortunately, most people that steal Porsches are professional theives...

[bell]

having been in car security/audio for 11 years there is one thing i learned years ago, if they want it, they'll get it.
which is the main reason NOT to skimp on insurance (not saying you are).
clubs are a joke, i read an article where "the club" actually saved a lady's car from being stolen.............a thief approached the lady when she was getting ready to drive away and tried to carjack her.......she then proceeded to beat the living crap out of the guy with "the club".

[Jack K]

Hi Dana

I tried Shannon's and their quote was pretty good. I decided to go with MB Prestige who provided the lowest quote. My previous '82 Targa was insured with them as well.

Both firms issue "Approved Security Systems" that they would accept and also list acceptable systems from these firms that the car must be fitted with before they will cover the car. At the low end of the money scale, Brant is one with their base model priced at A$395. Cobra is another with their base model at A$299. Both these systems provide 3 point passive arming but no audible alarm. At these prices, I believe that MB Prestige subsidizes the amounts to keep them low.

I decided on the Cobra 3 point passive arming and went one step up and included for keyless entry - but still no alarm. I figured that an alarm is not going to do much other than make a noise which no one seems to take much notice of anyway. I mean, if they brake a window or force a door, the damage is done. Either way, [I am assured by the installers] the car cannot be started.

Bell, I enjoyed your story abt how a car was "saved" by the lady beating the thief with the "steering wheel club"! I'm beginning to think that a combo of James' 110lb. Rottweiler in the passenger seat wielding a steering wheel club is the way to go !!!

[GSpreeman]

When I was a kid my father drove a milk truck a few times a week to pick up extra money. Every night kids would break into the truck and take home dairy supplies for their entire neighborhoods. Since we were in the middle of nowhere in Nebraska and the owner didn't have tons of cash, he wired the truck with a 110. The thefts stopped but some months later someone else decided it would be a good way to get "free" stuff. Unfortunately, it was lashing down rain and the kid turned into a 120 lb. light bulb.

[bell]

Originally posted by GSpreeman
Unfortunately, it was lashing down rain and the kid turned into a 120 lb. light bulb.

that's terrible he turned to theft, sounds like he was a "bright" kid