Professional thieves
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 856
Likes: 0
From: Kansas City, Missouri
As wheelMA1 said, if they want it bad enough they will get it, but remember sometimes the professionals will tow it as fast as driving it away. A few things to think about, you could buy a Club as a visual deterrent, always turn your front wheels one way or the other, and set the parking brake. Now I will tell you that I've seen many recovered stolen autos that had Clubs, but they were in the back seat where the owners left them! Kill switches can be easily installed and don't have to be fancy. I had one on my 79 Hurst Olds and it was in the open (looked like a fog light switch), they broke the window and the column, but couldn't get it started. 
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,513
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From: La Tech University, La
I am essentailly going ot have a switch board once my mustang in built, have fuel kill switches, have switches that kill elec power to starter, have one that kills it tto the coil, have switches that wont allow lights and all to work, have switches that even turn of the ability to use brakes, and will probably come up with plenty more, have one that if not in the right position the horn continuosly goes off, and have one that probably sprays some type of chemicle at whoever is in the driver seat. And all of these switches are going to be set in differant positions, that you will just have to have memorized in order to get it started....I am paranoid about my babies, and it sucks. But I wont let some two-bit thief take in 5 minutes what I have been working on for years to get.
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,958
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From: Southern NH
I know you said no alarms.
But when I was shooping around, I saw some pretty good ones.
I was impressed with the one that had a remote pager, that beeps you and calls your cell phone, when your vehicle was touched. It even tells you exactly what part of the vehicle is being violated. The set up has remote starter, keyless entry, and remote window opening, along with the touch sensors, alarm and pager. It wasn't cheap. Basic model was $675 installed, and another couple of hundred to have a separate battery installed inside the vehicle.
And how about that new Lo-jack system that has the GPS signal with theft notification call to your cell phone?
But when I was shooping around, I saw some pretty good ones.
I was impressed with the one that had a remote pager, that beeps you and calls your cell phone, when your vehicle was touched. It even tells you exactly what part of the vehicle is being violated. The set up has remote starter, keyless entry, and remote window opening, along with the touch sensors, alarm and pager. It wasn't cheap. Basic model was $675 installed, and another couple of hundred to have a separate battery installed inside the vehicle.
And how about that new Lo-jack system that has the GPS signal with theft notification call to your cell phone?
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,174
Likes: 0
From: Near Wamego KS
Frankly I wouldn't want my vehicle back once it had been stolen. Hence the term "Drive it like you stole it". I know of two people who got their cars back more or less intact (both 60's Mustangs), both ended up replacing the engine within a year of them being stolen.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,513
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From: La Tech University, La
try removing the rotor every time you park it and are not going to be able to keep a constnt eye on it. takes all of five seconds and 
no matter how good they are, it aint gonna start up without replacing it.
no matter how good they are, it aint gonna start up without replacing it.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,162
Likes: 1
From: House Springs, MO
I'm trying to think of a way to keep it from being driven off, and a quick-release method of removing the ignition module sounds like it would work. Or else a quick-release battery cable, or any other essential part the the vehicle can't operate without.
As for the towed-off, I can't think of anything. Maybe some way to chain the front wheels together? Some kind of wheel-boot, like they give you if you get too many parking tickets? Oh, and some kind of obscenely loud car alarm. And on the really extreme end, make the car blow up if someone atempts to tow it off. Kinda like an off-camber switch turned on when the car isn't running that triggers 10 lbs. of C4. Or some other really annoying thing like that. 10 gallons of used diesel oil to be released if it tries to get hauled off. Sure, they might get it, but you can always follow the trail of soot-soiled oil.
As for the towed-off, I can't think of anything. Maybe some way to chain the front wheels together? Some kind of wheel-boot, like they give you if you get too many parking tickets? Oh, and some kind of obscenely loud car alarm. And on the really extreme end, make the car blow up if someone atempts to tow it off. Kinda like an off-camber switch turned on when the car isn't running that triggers 10 lbs. of C4. Or some other really annoying thing like that. 10 gallons of used diesel oil to be released if it tries to get hauled off. Sure, they might get it, but you can always follow the trail of soot-soiled oil.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 179
Likes: 0
From: Central Virginia
I was reading this thread about professional thieves. Couldn’t help but think about my recent experience with the local Ford dealer. I have a ’96 Ranger with a 2.3L engine that suffered a broken timing belt. The Ford dealer quoted $960 to replace the timing belt. I ended up buying the belt at NAPA for $40 and replacing it myself. It took me one day to replace the belt. A couple of weeks latter I was visiting an independent mechanic and I was complaining about what seemed to be Ford’s excessive labor charge. The mechanic showed me in his flat rate manual that a mechanic is allowed three hours to replace a timing belt in a 2.3. The math is easy, Ford is charging $300 an hour for their labor. They are probably paying the mechanic about $20 per hour. Talk about professional thieves!!
Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,221
Likes: 3
I don't know what combination of alarm/lo-jack/kill switch(es) I'm gonna try to use when I get my truck, but I'll definitely have to be creative. I just couldn't stand the thought of getting a $40,000+ truck stolen while I'm asleep or something. Wait, I could always sleep in the truck w/ my Model 870... hmm...
We need to come up with some real creative stuff, fellas (and lady). Clever starter kills that aren't too obvious, etc. But how to keep them from towing it away?
BTW... anyone know what Lo-Jacks cost?
We need to come up with some real creative stuff, fellas (and lady). Clever starter kills that aren't too obvious, etc. But how to keep them from towing it away?
BTW... anyone know what Lo-Jacks cost?
Super Moderator
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 8,547
Likes: 6
From: MA
They make terminals that bolt onto one of the battery posts (then the lead is attached to said terminal), that after the **** is turned, the circuit is broken, and the truck cannot be started. I forget where I saw them, but I will look around. How many thieves you think will pop the hood to diagnose?
Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,221
Likes: 3
That sounds like a great idea... a switch of some kind under the hood. The only problem I see is that if someone REALLY wants your truck, they'll probably scope it out for a bit, watching you, don't you think? If they see you get out and pop the hood every time you leave your truck, they'd probably figure it out. Same if you wired a starter kill to your blinker or lights or something - they'd see that every time you go to start it you put on your headlights or blinker or something like that... Darn those thieves!!! We just need to think of something very creative and very hard to figure out...