Ever been ripped off/much?

[larrybuck]

Out of the blue, I got home Sat. night to receive a message to call officer
----- at a town 20 miles from me.

I get the news that 1 of my 2 cars stored at a mini storage was plundered.
I ask which car? Not the Monza! Sales appointment set for Monday.

No, it's my poor Quantum wagon, still awaiting a diesel transplant.
When I was forced to move a few weeks ago, this was the safest choice that was affordable for me.

I know I still won't get to that project for a while, so I put 4 jackstands in place, just barely up to relieve suspension/wheel bearings...the like.

It would have taken a very sharp eye to notice the car raised up at all, as a tarp is over to guard against any potential sunroof leak. I half buried small blocks of wood under the tires in the gravel to make it look like the tires were touching.


Anyway, the officer said that the owner of the storage place caught sight
of 4 guys working on my car, and he chased them off/called police.
He ran them off before the 4th wheel/tire was pulled. The 3rd. was lying by
the fence. He has that secured for me until he is open to see me on Monday.

The police caught the 4 guys smoking dope about 5 miles away in possession
of the other 2 tire/wheels in their car. I was told that 1 of the 4 ( probably
their gang leader) guys has a VERY serious wrap sheet.

I was told to wait until Monday, when their goods department is open for retrievals.

My 1st thought was: " I wonder WHERE the lug nuts are?"

I would have thought that mid '80's stock light weight VW wheels would be
pretty boring to today's kids; but I guess I'm wrong.


I thought it safer there with a monthly 4 digit gate code, than at my Dad's where tree limbs in the wind break off, denting cars. Sigh!


My 1st car was broken into ('67 Chevelle) to attempt stealing the 8 track player. It had a security bar padlocked far under the dash. They mangled the face up, and left my driver's door slightly open, (2door HT)

Later on, I stored some cars at a fenced off yard only open during business hrs. run by the local garbage company. I had a complete '32 Ford 5 window
coupe body, and a fiberglass frontend for a '55 Chevy just walk away!

I then had to sell a black on black '57 Chevy 2HT Belair less eng/trans that I had intended to keep for life, just to get it out of there, not to be stolen.
Only paid $200. for it in early '70's.

Then there was the aftermarket shifter taken out of my $500. '68 Camaro.

One gets a little tired of this!


So on Monday, I'll be carrying my very heavy but nice floorjack in the CRX
(bad tank mpg you know) on a 40 mile round trip, and wondering if I'll
have to buy lugnuts!!??!!

[mcrews]

Had a new 1984 VW quantum Wolfsberg edition.
Parked 10 feet from my bedroom window in my townhome.
broke the window and stole my factory radio.

[Frank Lee]

Odd that you started this topic Larry as today for some unknown reason I was ruminating about stuff that's been stolen from me: bicycles, car break-in, a new GPS I was going to give to my Dad, tools, books, and what-not. Kinda put me in a funk for a while.

[larrybuck]

Sorry about the funk, but you and I are still alive; to talk about it!

My CRX has taken at least 4 minor top sized dings from tree branches falling, but like scars on our bodies, it reveals the chapters in our lives.

I'm trying to be upbeat about this. I dream of later on, replacing parts of the CRX body
to look like a different car, much as I had thought before of doing w that tiny Honda 600 coupe that I no longer have.

Quality wise, the CRX is 1,000 times the car the 600 was, great handling, mpg...
just got to keep chin up, and believe that we can help to make our future better
than what it has been.
W/o hope; none of us would get out of bed!

[larrybuck]

Monday update: All of the lugnut/studs were in nice piles near each wheelwell!

So the baby got all her shoes back on today!

[larrybuck]

mcrews!
Did you ever drive your Quantum enough distance wise to get irritated by the off center steering wheel?

It would seem that one could make some kind of collar to offset the wheel itself , so it would be squared up.

My current one is a Wolfsberg Edition also. I like the cargo hider in the back!

[mcrews]

it's been a while .... 15 yrs.....

It came with the 2.2litr 5cylindar from the audi 5000.
It had conti tires. I wore them out in 15,000 miles.
I really liked that car!!
Cant remember the steering wheel.....sorry.

[larrybuck]

That is the same dead motor in mine now.

I've had some people tell me that the 5 spd. in it now won't work w a VW 1.6,
others have told me that it will, but the ratios of final drive might be mixed up,
and thereby inefficient, or at the least; clumsy gearing.

I thought my previous one handled great; hard to believe it was a wagon!

[darcane]

Had someone break into my truck and steal the ECU for my fuel injection. It was an aftermarket EFI and the ECU looked kinda like an amp. They left the speakers that were sitting on the floor waiting to be installed...

More recently, I had a 2001 ZX6R. I had it parked in front of my garage ready to ride. But, I had to take the truck instead of the bike and when I got home, it was gone.

[euromodder]

I've had my previous car vandalized many times, and broken into once - nothing gone, as there was nothing in it.