Alright - so the title of my thread sucks *** down to business. My car was broken into - all details in this thread https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-discussion-3/violated-so-violated-100391/


Now once I get my car back I alread have a list of things to do to (try) and help deter any more crimes against my car.

1) Tint job, im a tint noob but apparently in texas I can get 25% tint on the sides and anything I want in the back

2) Getting my key codes changed on my car such that the valet key will not work anymore. (i WISH i had the $1000 to redo the door tumblers and ignition switch but alas I dont so the best alternative I got is to redo the codes such that they cant start the car up.

3) (obviously) keep nothing of value in my car. The only exception would be my V1 radar detector but everytime I leave the car that will be taken down and locked in the glove box.

4) put car cover on every single nite before bed - rain, sleet or snow...

Here are some things im considering (please give your input on this)

*5) Getting one of those "The Club" things for my car - yes it might sound a bit ghey but if gheyness slows down a theif a little longer i dont mind the extra 15 seconds and slight gheyness.

*6) As reccommended by a good guy on the forums here - taking out the fuse for the fuel pump or one of the electrical systems essential to starting the car? Might seem a bit off but in a way it would be like a kill switch only YOU know about?

*7) Getting the alarm shock sensor upgrade for my car from mazda... ive read good and bad things (how its either hyper sensitive or not sensitive at all) but it seems cheap and easy. Thoughts?


I wish I had the money to go out and get LoJack and a really nice Clifford Alarm system but thats not in the cards at the moment.... too much $$$ and im going to be trying to recover from all this stuff for at least a month or two.

I know that any of the things I mentioned will not stop a theif cold, and that any theif that wants my car or whats inside of it WILL get into unless I sit outside by my car 24/7 with my SigPro .40. All the above mentioned things are pretty much useless to a professional with a flatbed or anything

Any and all thoughs reccomendations are reccomended.

Cheers,
Jeff

 

1. Don't leave anything visible in your car that might tempt any thief or vandal.
2. Don't leave anything in your trunk, glove box, or storage areas that you would not want stolen. Take it with you.
3. Get the shock sensor from one of the cheaper online Mazda dealers or part specialists and follow the DIY thread.
4. LoJack if you think it is worth the cost. The insurance discount does not seem to be more than 10% though.
5. If you get a Club like anti-theft device, get the one that locks the pedals and steering column. From what I have read, those are more difficult to remove then the one that fits across the steering wheel.

Hope that helps. Theft and vandalism sucks. I have been a victim of both.

 

I used to have "The Club," but I think the Diskloc, from England, is much better. (I know, I know… neither will stop a determined thief—but The Club will slow down a potential thief a little, and the Diskloc will slow him down a little longer):

http://www.disklok.com/

 

That looks to be much better than the across the steering wheel club thing. It's like a tire boot for the steering wheel.

 

thanks!

 

I feel the reason most "smash and dash" crooks hit cars is because they can see something inside worth taking.
#1 Rule ,,,LEAVE NOTHING OF VALUE IN YOUR CAR.
#2 Rule ,,,LEAVE NOTHING OF VALUE IN YOUR CAR.

 

Club, Lojack, etc., even if they work, won't prevent what happened to you. They didn't take the car, just smashed in and took your stuff. The thieves were probably sitting in the parking lot waiting for someone to put stuff in their car and go back inside.

Besides tinting, putting stuff in the trunk, etc., never put something in your car and then walk away. I did that (sort of) once and when I got back to the car my valuables (laptop bag and camera bag) were gone from the trunk. The only damage to the car was that the key no longer worked in the driver's side door. Happened on a well-lit main drag, too.

If I'm at a mall or some other public place and have a load of stuff to put in the car but need to go back inside, I'll pull out and re-park someplace out of sight of the original spot. Might be a little paranoid, but I've been through the same ordeal you have. Laptop gone, three weeks since the last backup, briefcase gone along with all the accumulated essentials that were in it. Irreplacable photos were gone along with my camera gear.

Ken

 

i jus dont have door handles lol

 

Or you could do what I do...hire a 12 foot gorilla to sit by your car and pee on any people within 20 feet

 

I wish i could pee 1.6X my body lenght.

 

8.) Keep an attack dog in the car at all times.

In response to 5, if I were a thief and I saw the club in a car I'd just think the owner was too dumb or cheap to buy an alarm and be more likely to break into a car with the club than one without.

 

I read your original thread when you posted it. That just plain hurts...I have to agree with the majority ,simply dont leave anything of value in your car, but do the tint.. I dont know what year your car is, but mines and 06 with a keyless entry, credit card, and once you have yours recoded, your in the clear. Correct me if Im wrong, but If that key fob isnt within a foot of the ignition switch, it wont turn over, or at least mine wont..I can put my fob in the car door slot, and open the door and it wont turn over. If it doesnt turn over, then you cant turn the wheels, to straighten it up to be towed straight on a flatbed. The power steering is electronic..turn your wheels inward when you park. They are not gonnna try to get it from the front, and cant get it from the back because the back wheels will hit the curb...the ABSOLUTE best way to stop any criminal is to THINK like one. Ask any Cop, they will tell you the same thing.

 

I still think this is the best:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee3L9BQQ4Gs

Old stuff, but I'm so tempted to do that... Is it legal?

 

before i even clicked on the link i KNEW it was going to be the trunk monkey... i just knew.

 

I'm not familiar with the 06's but I do agree on the steering wheel lock thing and turning the wheels 100% in. Problem is (assuming the worst) that they have my valet key and i get it recoded, they would still be able to gain access to the car and sit in it and as far as I know they would be able to insert the valet key and TURN the ingition cylinder but wouldnt be able to start the engine due to a mismatched code on the key vs the car. The only thing I have to fear after getting my car and keys recoded is them using the valet key to get inside the car put it in neutral and do whatever to it (biggest fear is typing a rope to it and towing it off or something)

 

My take is this: for the amount of money you'll spend on these three things, you could get an excellent aftermarket alarm which would do much more. The Club is worthless. Not sure about the Disklock mentioned above, but The Club is too easy for somebody to defeat. The OEM shock sensors are ok, but aftermarket are WAY better.

I spent $750 on my Viper alarm with proximity sensors, shock sensors, engine disabling (fuel-cutoff), and remote start. Granted you don't need remote start (though I gotta say it's great to have with the Renesis' need for warm-ups and to be able to reach oeprating temp before shutdown), but if you shop around, you should be able to find a similar deal. Also realize that when buying an alarm, the newest alarm that they're charging premium $$$ for isn't neccessarily much better than a 2 or 3 year-old alarm that's at a discount. Compare the features.