Auto Anti-Theft Recommendations

bcwsrt · June 30

As a few of you know, my wife's vehicle was stolen while at AXPONA this year. Not from the host hotel, but another one nearby. For nearly nine years, we took the car anywhere we wanted to and never had an issue, but I finally ran out of luck this past April. It was recovered and I am still working on getting repairs completed, but it has been an enormous PITA all the way around that I hope never to repeat.

Probably the majority of my Mopar vehicles would be considered prime targets by the low-life thieves who are making their way even to downstate IL these days, but I can't bring myself to drive a more "ordinary," less desirable unit. So ...

What anti-theft solutions do you guys have experience with and would recommend a look at? I am hearing good things about https://www.iglausa.com and https://www.ravelco.com, though I prefer the more seamless and less obvious integration of the IGLA unit quite a bit better.

Thoughts on either of those, or others?

Nesmith98 · June 30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h4joX0iF9A

machone · June 30

Hidden fuel pump kill switch

Willow · June 30

Ultimate best option is a kill switch.

ken brydson · June 30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW8iAVwt_Yc

msg · June 30

^^^ that was the best.

I've been using Magnavolt, but Trunk Monkey seems more entertaining.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7U4ZYOBzEEs

OleBoot · June 30

I've found it helps to have a carp car.

sucks2beme · June 30

The big issue is they will still bust your glass to get in.
No stopping that.

xschop · June 30

Drive a hoopty.

VR3 · June 30

Alarms and security systems just keep the honest folks out.

If someone wants it, it's probably going to be taken.

A great example are the locks on your house. In the construction biz, we have to drill out locks pretty regularly.

Your standard lock set at home depot can be drilled out in under a minute. I particular the kwikset locks, I can literally drill them out so fast I could do it before you reached for your keys.

Now schlage will slow you down maybe 5 minutes.

Medeco locks will completely stop a lock pick or drill out but even then if someone wants in your house they could use a battering ram or break a window. Even if you installed the security film on your windows and did absolutely everything in your power to fortify your house, I assure you there's a way in!

A saw zaw to the roof will have a human size hole cut in no time!

I guess my point is, while security and locks and this that and the other will slow a thief down... Where there's a will... Theres definitely a way.

You just have to decide how much you want to deal with on a regular basis to help slow down the attempts.

I saw on Facebook a guy literally used a grinder and cut the metal around a set of head lights on a car to steal the lights.

There's no boundaries for people like you are trying to stop!

Gardenstater · July 1

I seem to remember some system where you have 2 kill switches located in easy to get at but still fairly inconspicuous locations, and you have to press them both within a couple seconds of each other or else the car will not start.

Willow · July 1

sucks2beme wrote: »

The big issue is they will still bust your glass to get in.
No stopping that.

Toronto police suggest to keep your doors unlocked so they don't need to smash the glass.

pitdogg2 · July 1

In Brian's case it literally was joy riders. The real thieves bring car haulers, no switches will stop that.

xschop · July 1

pitdogg2 wrote: »

In Brian's case it literally was joy riders. The real thieves bring car haulers, no switches will stop that.

Inactivated safety switch perhaps?

msg · July 1

pitdogg2 wrote: »

In Brian's case it literally was joy riders. The real thieves bring car haulers, no switches will stop that.

I still can't believe they went Mopar, though.

msg · July 1

Willow wrote: »

sucks2beme wrote: »

The big issue is they will still bust your glass to get in.
No stopping that.

Toronto police suggest to keep your doors unlocked so they don't need to smash the glass.

And put stickers on the windows to say "please try door before breaking glass."

txcoastal1 · July 1

That settles it the killer monkey is the only way to go

msg · July 1

In all seriousness, this is a sucky experience to go through. I've had it happen four times in my life so far. In three cases, the vehicle was unlocked, parked in quiet areas you wouldn't expect intrusion. Those instances likely would not have suffered break-ins. I opened the opportunity by leaving the vehicles unlocked.

Last time was the worst. A year after I bought my first brand new car, a pos broke my driver side window to get in at our office. Car was never right again. Crappy shop work. The amount of damage incurred from that 30 seconds of entitlement to a mostly empty backpack likely mistaken for a laptop bag blew my mind. Damage to door panel, seat, interior and exterior paint, dash damage.

I think the dealership body shop caused greater damage with the repairs. Wound up with a creaky dash, paint marred seatback leather, and a wonky column switch. I was disgusted for years. Should just have sold the car, but it was the last year in the body style I liked, and extremely low mileage. I was so disgusted that I stopped properly caring for it because it would annoy me so much how it would never be right again.

I like it almost better now that it's not perfect, because now I don't have to worry about jacklegs messing it up.

The lesson here is, "Never have nice stuff."

billbillw · July 1

I've only had one issue in 38 years of driving. Shortly after moving to Atlanta in 1996, someone broke the window of my Acura Integra and stole my ancient Motorola flip phone (with the big heavy battery). I wasn't even using the phone much because it was roaming full time in Atlanta. Those who are old enough, remember the days before nationwide roaming. The service (from Michigan) had a few months of contract left so I was just letting it run-out. They left my slide out out Sony CD head-unit (still rare at that time) and my collection of CDs. They didn't try to take the rust bucket (it was an '88 model from the rust belt). It was the phone they were after. The real annoying thing was my windows were tinted and the replacement tint didn't really match.

engie490 · July 1

bcwsrt · July 1

msg wrote: »

pitdogg2 wrote: »

In Brian's case it literally was joy riders. The real thieves bring car haulers, no switches will stop that.

I still can't believe they went Mopar, though.

Shut up, Scott!

msg · July 1

Lolol I was wondering what took so long! Hahaha

halen · July 1

engie490 wrote: »

What in Zeus name is this device? Hehehehe

bcwsrt · July 1

msg wrote: »

Lolol I was wondering what took so long! Hahaha

First time I was logged on today!

They went in through the sunroof on mine. Took a knife to the sunshade and dropped in. Glass literally everywhere, including inside the glovebox 🤷‍♂️, on the inside. Cut several wiring harnesses out so they couldn’t be tracked with the Uconnect. Tried to pry the bezel off around the center display and scratched the he ll out of the bezel and the leather padded dash. Bent and scratched the underside of the front fascia up and ripped part of the fender well liner off the fascia. Among other things.

It’s a 9 year-old vehicle, so I should have more of an attitude like you do where I, or in this case, my wife, should be able to enjoy it more and not have to worry so much about it, but it was friggin’ MINT before this happened, despite the age and only 58,**** miles.

The interior is mostly back together (the radio bezel has been discontinued already) and it seems to drive fine, so I’m gonna see how this fascia repair turns out and see how I feel about it then, while I watch eBay or somewhere for a bezel. I agree with you on everything except “never have nice stuff.” Just ain’t there … yet. Feels too much like giving in. But … it hasn’t happened to me four times, either.

Thanks for everyone’s discussion on this!

pitdogg2 · July 1

Oh YEA! It was a bitchen ride fo'sure. I enjoyed my ride in it up and back last year.

msg · July 2

To answer your question B - I haven't heard if either of those systems. I think any time I've ever added anything extra, security-wise, it's always just been the old fashioned try to add a deterrent to avoid break-in, not vehicle theft, so they were pretty basic.

I just remembered another instance of vandalism and parts theft. Smh. Dirtbags.

sucks2beme · July 2

I had someone use a big screwdriver to break the passenger side
Lock assembly on my f150. The lock cylinder is sitting in a plastic
housing. So if you apply enough pressure the plastic breaks and
the whole thing rotates, opening the door. They made off with my
aftermarket stereo. I guess the thieves made a habit of hitting up
that Best Buy parking lot after dark. The cops did a report on my
truck and four others that night. You'd think they would stake the
place out if it was happening over and over.

txcoastal1 · July 7

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hGk8LFVp7xk?feature=share

Kex · July 7

Some of the dealers in SoCal use KARR for the vehicles on their lots. I have no idea if it’s any good. I’m also thinking that they are incentivized to sell the new owner on a subscription for the product since it’s already installed.

What about LoJack, which is probably what KARR is trying to emulate?

Maybe for basic peace of mind hide an AirTag or a Tile tracker in the vehicle? At least you should be able to track your vehicle’s location.

msg · July 7

https://youtu.be/JhpxaVsmMYM?si=AgAn4-qog9RT11ap

msg · July 7

Kex wrote: »

Some of the dealers in SoCal use KARR for the vehicles on their lots. I have no idea if it’s any good.

KARR was bad.

Auto Anti-Theft Recommendations

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