Your car *WILL* get stolen!

[pappa_wolf]

one of the first things, I do on any car in my ownership, is to install a gsm alarm.
it costs a couple of hundred $, but it is worth it.
two years ago, some idiot, tried to steal my thunderbird. they got into the car, and my phone went of.
I called the police, and told them about the thieves. they told me, that there were no cars available, so I`d have to wait.
I told them never mind, I`ll just go and shoot them.
45 seconds later the carthieves were arrested, and I got a fine for threatning to kill. it was 2000,- kroner, but the damage were covered by the thieves, and the insurance.
had they gotten away with the car, the loss, would have been 15.000,- instead. so the fine was worth it.

the two thieves, told others, about me, and my "shotgun" so the car was never touched again, at least not in my ownership.

I have also worked as a "stolen property retriver", so "stealing" cars back, was a part of my work, often with the help, of the local police.

A wierd feeling to try and hotwire a car, and having a cop, giving you advice!

some of the hardest cars to get started, were the ones, with wierd connections.
in one older skoda, the car would not start, unless you had the radio on.
another opel, had to be in revers.
killswitches are gold, and one would not start, whatever i tried. until i realized that the battery had a built in kill switch.
the owner had to come out, and help us get the car back to the policestation!

the thoughest are the ones, with more than one option!!

 

[454muscle]

one of the first things, I do on any car in my ownership, is to install a gsm alarm.
it costs a couple of hundred $, but it is worth it.
two years ago, some idiot, tried to steal my thunderbird. they got into the car, and my phone went of.
I called the police, and told them about the thieves. they told me, that there were no cars available, so I`d have to wait.
I told them never mind, I`ll just go and shoot them.
45 seconds later the carthieves were arrested, and I got a fine for threatning to kill. it was 2000,- kroner, but the damage were covered by the thieves, and the insurance.
had they gotten away with the car, the loss, would have been 15.000,- instead. so the fine was worth it.

the two thieves, told others, about me, and my "shotgun" so the car was never touched again, at least not in my ownership.

I have also worked as a "stolen property retriver", so "stealing" cars back, was a part of my work, often with the help, of the local police.

A wierd feeling to try and hotwire a car, and having a cop, giving you advice!

some of the hardest cars to get started, were the ones, with wierd connections.
in one older skoda, the car would not start, unless you had the radio on.
another opel, had to be in revers.
killswitches are gold, and one would not start, whatever i tried. until i realized that the battery had a built in kill switch.
the owner had to come out, and help us get the car back to the policestation!

the thoughest are the ones, with more than one option!!

Very well said bro. Good advice, even better coming from the experience aspect. Thanks for contributing!

P.S. I've added a link to your post on my first post in this thread, and I've labelled you a former "vehicle retreival expert" hope you don't mind!

 

[JBreu]

There is a full spectrum Gbodies and Gbody owners on this forum. Some here own $500 rust buckets that use more oil than gas as a daily driver. Some here have full out dragg cars. Some here have some nice clean daily drivers. Some have some nice clean low mile show room condition cruise night cars. Some have full out customs.

We are all here for various reason. That's what makes furums like these great. We all have cool ideas to share, neat mods.
The main reasons some come is to find ways to improve their cars. To find like minded people to share thoughts and Ideas with. We are all working within our own budgets and realities. forums are a level field. Its a place were some can unload some old parts, and other can find needed parts.

This thread is about what we can do reduce the chances of our cars being the target of theft, and how each of us deals with that. I can see where a young member of the forum with an old tired G body that they like/love can be left in disbelief by the fact that a fellow forum member can drop a custom crate engine that worth more than a year's wages to some people into their cars. Some of the cars on this forum have paint and body work that is worth in the thousands and others have $30 rattle can sepcial. We are on the same forum and all of our advice and ideas are on the same level. We are not all playing in the same league, but that's what makes these forums special. We can't possibly all agree with each other, and if we did we would all have the same g body and all be looking for the same part.

People be a bit more open minded and tolerant.

To stay on topic the more we can do to prevent our cars from being stolen, and the more prepared we are with insurance the better we can sleep no matter what level you are at.

Well said and written

 

[454muscle]

There is a full spectrum Gbodies and Gbody owners on this forum. Some here own $500 rust buckets that use more oil than gas as a daily driver. Some here have full out dragg cars. Some here have some nice clean daily drivers. Some have some nice clean low mile show room condition cruise night cars. Some have full out customs.

We are all here for various reason. That's what makes furums like these great. We all have cool ideas to share, neat mods.
The main reasons some come is to find ways to improve their cars. To find like minded people to share thoughts and Ideas with. We are all working within our own budgets and realities. forums are a level field. Its a place were some can unload some old parts, and other can find needed parts.

This thread is about what we can do reduce the chances of our cars being the target of theft, and how each of us deals with that. I can see where a young member of the forum with an old tired G body that they like/love can be left in disbelief by the fact that a fellow forum member can drop a custom crate engine that worth more than a year's wages to some people into their cars. Some of the cars on this forum have paint and body work that is worth in the thousands and others have $30 rattle can sepcial. We are on the same forum and all of our advice and ideas are on the same level. We are not all playing in the same league, but that's what makes these forums special. We can't possibly all agree with each other, and if we did we would all have the same g body and all be looking for the same part.

People be a bit more open minded and tolerant.

To stay on topic the more we can do to prevent our cars from being stolen, and the more prepared we are with insurance the better we can sleep no matter what level you are at.

Well said and written

X2 on that. I should have mentioned that as well. Thanks buickestate for backing me and everyone up.

 

[pappa_wolf]

one of the first things, I do on any car in my ownership, is to install a gsm alarm.
it costs a couple of hundred $, but it is worth it.
two years ago, some idiot, tried to steal my thunderbird. they got into the car, and my phone went of.
I called the police, and told them about the thieves. they told me, that there were no cars available, so I`d have to wait.
I told them never mind, I`ll just go and shoot them.
45 seconds later the carthieves were arrested, and I got a fine for threatning to kill. it was 2000,- kroner, but the damage were covered by the thieves, and the insurance.
had they gotten away with the car, the loss, would have been 15.000,- instead. so the fine was worth it.

the two thieves, told others, about me, and my "shotgun" so the car was never touched again, at least not in my ownership.

I have also worked as a "stolen property retriver", so "stealing" cars back, was a part of my work, often with the help, of the local police.

A wierd feeling to try and hotwire a car, and having a cop, giving you advice!

some of the hardest cars to get started, were the ones, with wierd connections.
in one older skoda, the car would not start, unless you had the radio on.
another opel, had to be in revers.
killswitches are gold, and one would not start, whatever i tried. until i realized that the battery had a built in kill switch.
the owner had to come out, and help us get the car back to the policestation!

the thoughest are the ones, with more than one option!!

Very well said bro. Good advice, even better coming from the experience aspect. Thanks for contributing!

P.S. I've added a link to your post on my first post in this thread, and I've labelled you a former "vehicle retreival expert" hope you don't mind!

I don`t mind.
it`s quite ok.

 

[MR442]

All ideas r good ..

But like said if they want it .

I did a construction job at a large mall. A co worker brought his 70 chevy 4x4 monster . HAd worked om it for 10 years . He had all hidden cut off switchs ,alarm,ect .

HE parked out at end of parking lot in view of job site. And as a joke he put a huge chain around a light post on front diff.

End of day he went out truck was turned around chain on rear diff locked . With a note I I really wanted it .

But anything can help.

 

[pappa_wolf]

one car in Randers in denmark, gave me a headace.
sjekked the battery, lots of power, would not start.
had the keys, still no reaction.
we tried for two days, and the owner was no help, (she was in the hospital, after a minor collision!)
at the end, I used a forklift, and put it on a flatbed.

three weeks later, the lady returned, and showed me the problem/solution.

a relay for the coil, and a weightsensitive switch in the seat, (she was BIIIG!)
A killswitch between the engine and body (ground!)
and the fact, that there were two keys, one for opening the steeringcolum, and one for starting the engine, located in a skrewhole, in the dash!

her husband, was a genious, and a gret mechanic. the funny part was, that a few pros, in police custody, had their try at the car as well. none of them succeeded, (we are talking real pros, here!)

I told her, and she laughed, said she had a standing bounty of 1000 dkr, if anyone could steal the car.

A few days later, I got a chek in the mail, with a note.

" You win, putting it on a flatbed, and driving it away, is stealing the car."

 

[CamaroAdam73]

The only way my car is getting stolen is with a TOW TRUCK. I've implemented allot of custom measures of security.

On top of that, I'm a computer technician, and I've done allot of electrical work under my dash. I WILL find my car if it walks away without me in it.

 

[454muscle]

The only way my car is getting stolen is with a TOW TRUCK. I've implemented allot of custom measures of security.

On top of that, I'm a computer technician, and I've done allot of electrical work under my dash. I WILL find my car if it walks away without me in it.

Nicely done. Custom work = most effective security. I've done the same to my own. The trunk and hood releases are hidden and not easily accessible among other things. Obviously you have a GPS tracking system -- care to divulge which one and what system it uses? If not please PM me. I need to set up a good system which doesn't rely on others.

 

[Turbo Regal]

I just stumbled upon this thread and wanted to add my 2 cents. I didn't read all the posts so if I cover something already covered please pardon me.

As pointed out, yes G bodys are really easy to steal. Thank you GM for the flaw in your design that allows this.

However as 454muscle posted in his first thread on all the anti-theft stuff you can do, remember this: no matter how many kill switches, column guards, etc. you put on, nothing stops a tow truck. Short of you standing next to the car with a cocked and loaded .45 aimed at the tow truck driver's temple.

Really all you can do is have an agreed on insurance policy with someone like Hagarty. That way if it is stolen at least you'll get the agreed on value of the car, provided it was stolen from your garage, and not stolen off the side of the street/parking lot b/c you chose to drive it to work/shopping that day.

Even if all you have is kill switches here's something else....I've heard of thieves that were able to get the car into neutral and though it wouldn't start or would but ran out of fuel (due to an electric fuel pump kill switch) the theieves would just use another vehicle to push it down the street. So much for the "kill switch" method.

Now for an alarm....if you run it off a remote batt hidden in the car and then hide all the wiring, it "might" work. I'd put if you can, a very loud ear piercing siren inside the car under the dash. This I would think would deter someone from wanting to sit inside for long. I doubt any thieves carry any ear plugs.

Time is of essence to a thief and I don't think many thieves carry an arsenal of tools like hammers, blowtorches, and such as someone mentioned. From my understanding, a screwdrver and maybe a hacksaw blade is about all that one carries.

The steadfast column lock is a good investment since it requires some heavy duty tools to remove it. I have a steadfast unit on my car. I's painted to match the interior and is hard to see at first glance.

There's another kind of column guard on the market that unlocks and locks with a key, is big and bulky and is easy to defeat. Avoid this one.

The club is a joke.

Pioneer used to make a detachable face stereo that had a built in alarm which would go off after about 10 seconds if you didn't start the car within the 10 sec. time frame or if you didn't install the face plate. The timer worked by the activation of the door switch for the dome lamp. I don't know how well these worked in theft deterrance. One model that comes to mind is the Pioneer DEH P77DH which is a din and a half that fits the stock GM opening in the dash.

Hopefully these are some ways in preventing theft of your G body.