oscar2k23

I have a 2000 honda civic si that I just purchased yesterday. Last night someone tried to break in and take it. I am looking for the best way to keep a thief from taking my car. I am considiring installing an alarm system but people say thats not the best way. What do you guys suggest I get?

Tragedy

iTrader: (10)

A good alarm is a good idea. It can alert you to the slightest of bumps on your car depending on the model.

If that just isnt enough, you can submit an application for a "new" model security alarm system at skynet...

kcari

iTrader: (5)

the nail that sticks out will get hammered. dont draw attention to yourself. perhaps replace ur steering wheel with a quick release?

TRIZ

iTrader: (14)

Get CCTV system on it.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

you have prolly the most stolen civic ever made. only solution is to block it in on all four sides with walls and cars so they dont drive or tow it. they will be back to steal it 100%

speedfoos

iTrader: (17)

I would move to a better neighborhood and get a garage.

bigaudiofanatic

No stickers, turn the volume down way before you get somewhere, do not show off your stereo to everyone "that is the worst thing you can do even if you know the person he could tell someone else who you do not know", a good alarm system is your first defense against getting jacked, also do not post pics of your setup on myspace or any other none private site.

04 Honda Civic

iTrader: (2)

Vehicle Tracking system, 2 way pager alarm, cutoff switch, vehicle wheel locks

ratjaw

leave the car door open at night and just post up some where with a sniper

DeX

1. Run a webcam out your window on your car 24 hours and have it record to your computer. It's not hard, there's a program called Capture that'll do it for you, I use it in my car with a computer mounted in the trunk.

2. Don't show your stereo to anyone. Whenever I have passengers (friends of friends) in my car (my old car), I turn down the stereo. And if they catch some bass and ask what's in it, I tell them it's all stock, nothing in it. And turn it down 2 streets before I get home so nobody in the area knows. Sure it's nice to show off but this way I'll still be showing mine off while someone else is showing yours off.

3. 2 way pager alarm with fuel cutoff. The only reason I still have my car is because I got paged one night and when I went to check out my car, there was a guy in it. He disabled the siren so he would have been able to sit there and work on it all night had I not had a pager that alerted me.

4. Tinted windows so nobody see what you have.

5. Quick release steering wheel. If there's no wheel, they can't drive anywhere.

6. Garage is the best. Not a parking garage, that's a thief's wet dream, I mean your house garage. Parking garages just keep them warm while they steal your car.

7. A sticker saying there's an alarm on the car. Not the model of alarm, they'll just Google how to bypass it, just say an alarm.

8. Flashing LED. There were monthly breakins in the parkade at my building and of all the cars that got broken into over and over, mine never got touched once. My car's clean, heavily modified, shiny wheels, and they never touched it nor any other car with a flashing LED in the parkade.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

all great hints. the pager is iffy because it only works if youre near the car and can run fast, and if they dont have a gun (or if you have a gun i guess lol). i must agree on the flashing led being almost the best tho. make sure its very visible like on the door panel by the lock switch. another one to add is disconnect your power door lock switch. this can mean the difference between a thief getting inside in 10 seconds or 10 minutes. and disable the "auto lock" feature of the alarm so there is almost no chance of locking yourself out. if you do get locked out tho, youre gonna be in for a long ordeal of the locksmith coming and picking your lock cylinder and possibly having to buy a new locking mechanism. its extremely hard to get in a car without power lock switch. ofcourse i guess they can always break the window, but that draws way too much attention and then they cant steal the car and drive with broken window. so they really try to avoid breaking windows unless they just want some junk inside like radio or cds. my car is completely empty aside from a $200 stereo that i take the face off and leave it in the locked trunk with no way in except a remote popper or a key thru the rear folding seats. tinted windows can make thieves think theres valuable stuff in the car. its better if they can peek in and see that theres nothing of value inside.

DeX

Locksmiths don't pick the cylinder anymore, they go under the window. If you stick a piece of properly shaped metal down between the window and the moulding, go under the window, then up on the other side, you can use a hook on the end to pull the manual lock up. My old roommate locked herself out of her car, waited an hour for the locksmith while the car was running and he had it open within 30 seconds of getting there doing this.

I know it can be done on ours because I parked my car downtown a month ago and when I came back to it later that night the alarm chirped to let me know it had gone off while I was away. The moulding was bent as if someone stuck a coat hanger in there and the lock was scratched like someone was trying to pull it up with a metal hook. They must have gotten the door open and bolted when the alarm went off.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

i guess i should be glad my driver door lock mechanism is jammed a bit and takes alot of force to pull it up manually. didnt know they could go under the window. is there a way around that?

DeX

Don't think so unless you attach something to the bottom of the window like a metal curtain. But then it won't go down into the door all the way because of whatever you put on the bottom. I don't worry about it, just take all the precautions I can and let the law handle the rest.

bachlava7

I use a clutch lock (that can also be used on the brake pedal). It's virtually impossible to steal one of these since nothing can be cut easily and since it's in such a tight spot to get to.