Unofficial Master General Car Security Thread (theft deterrent ideas, all makes)

[oil pan 4]

The oldest theft deterrent is still one of the best.
A hidden and secret kill switch that is easilly accessed by the driver.

You can kill the fuel pump, ignition, automatic transmission unlock solenoid, anything.
The systems and complexity of the kill switch or switches is limited by the vehicles systems and your own creativity.

If you want it to work it has to be original. If you have a shop do it crooks will know to look for it.

My theft deterrent is my lithium iron phosphate batteries. I pull them when the vehicle is parked. Plus my diesels glow plug switch is kind of hidden.

[Simonas]

That one was so obvious I didn't mention is. The problem is that anything can be hot-wired.

[Fat Charlie]

My anti theft system is called a clutch interlock switch. It's not hidden; the lever is right next to the brake pedal, but short of a flatbed today's kids aren't taking my car anywhere.

[D.O.G.]

Here's a reply from a similar thread Car Security on the Datsun Z site that I frequent.

[quote author=Retro Z link=topic=13962.msg147262#msg147262 date=1392787720]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQbH...e_gdata_player

I was thinking of most of the above eg alarm, club lock etc. But have decided i will design some kind of quick release removable gear stick and leave it parked in gear.

Or a chain/wire cable bolted to the tunnel/seatbelt mount which clips to the shifter to hold it in 4th or reverse etc. And another chain or cable to lock the seat in the reclined foward position.Not entirely theft proof, but would give the person a hard time along with the other security measures.
[/quote]

I like his idea of locking or removing the gear shifter.
The flame throwers may not pass our annual safety check though.

[War_Wagon]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I used to take the coil wire with me if I was leaving it parked for a while.

This works, unless the guy is smart enough to pull one of the spark plug leads off and use it for a coil wire, then drive away minus 1 cylinder firing. Or so I have heard.

The only car I have ever lost to theft was a '93 Chrysler New Yorker. Ugly as sin, it got stolen because some local kids wanted to make it to the liquor store before it closed and they didn't have time to walk there. Any car can get stolen, doesn't matter how ugly it is, just depends on how bad someone needs a ride. And if someone wants your car, it doesn't matter what you do, they will get it. The best you can hope to do is make it a less appealing target than the car parked behind it. Things like steering wheel clubs, while useless, are at least good for this. Same with flashing LEDs etc. But, if they really want your car, it's going to go. There are guys in town here that use tow trucks with fake towing company logos on the doors, they even hit the yellow flashing rooftop lights when they are hooking up, just to look extra legit in case your neighbors are looking out the windows.

There was a guy here years ago with a 5.0 Mustang that he took to car shows etc, and he didn't have a garage, so he 1. had a steering wheel club that had a crazy tazer built into the end of it, so if you didn't know it was there and you grabbed the club you got 50000 volts as a reminder not to do it again. 2. He kept the car chained to his house. As in an actual huge gauge chain around the rear axle, then around a concrete filled steel pipe he had put in his driveway. As far as I know, that car never got stolen, though that would be a lot of work every morning getting that thing ready to drive to work!

[Xist]

Oil pan, we talk about kill switches periodically regarding EOC, but somehow, in this thread with its aggressive protection theme, somehow it sounded more like an automated trunk monkey. Your phone alerts you that your car was moved, you hit the "kill" button, and there is one less car thief, but hopefully an organ donor.

War Wagon, as I caught up with the latest messages, I was thinking the same thing that you wrote, if they really want your car, they will take it, but the easiest thing is to make your car less attractive in the first place, which I really think is a theme here.

Your neighbors have new cars and you have a Metro or Festiva. Your neighbors have oversized rims and you have a boat tail. Your neighbors have expensive stereos and you have election signs duct-taped to your car. Your car is pretty safe.

I just ecomod so that nobody steals my car!

[JasonG]

I use two methods:
The truck is the combination of "who would steal that" with "touch it and get your head blown off" look.
The VW nobody messes with due to the immobilizer, no chip and the car stalls after 2 seconds, the radio only works when connected to that dash's computer. You've got to love technology

[deejaaa]

I like the kill switch idea. I will put one on the IP wire and put a hidden switch somewhere, or, put it in plain sight.

[some_other_dave]

Originally Posted by JasonG

The VW nobody messes with due to the immobilizer, no chip and the car stalls after 2 seconds ...

I had a VW once that was like that. Except that there was no chip; it was an air-cooled Bug and stalled all the time on its own...

-soD

[yoyoyoda]

Originally Posted by some_other_dave

I had a VW once that was like that. Except that there was no chip; it was an air-cooled Bug and stalled all the time on its own...

-soD

That sounds like a great idea actually, some form of method of turning off one of the injectors so it runs like a tin tool box of full of paint cans.

Might need 2 or more cylinders to make it run so rough it just conks out.

Kind of like a possum playing dead, but for cars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE3-GGE5Ato