Security

yoda · Post by **yoda** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 11:00 pm

Hi

What do people use in terms of security devices on their cars, either for insurance purposes or just to deter thieves? I am not that keen on an alarm as it will drain the battery.

Was wondering what people's views were of either an immobiliser or tracker? Is the immobiliser more intrusive? Have people had issues with either in relation to these cars?

Thanks

gridgway · Post by **gridgway** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 11:15 pm

I was an early adopter of the mtrack tracker. I've not had to use it to track a car, but I am a big fan of the concept, the unit and the company and their customer service!

http://www.mtrackonline.co.uk/home.html

Several people on here have got them now I think.

Graham

Lightweight_911 · Post by **Lightweight_911** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 7:54 am

The only 'deterents' I've ever used on any of my cars have been 'old school' - battery cut-off switch (with removeable 'key'), fuel shut-off valve (at back of engine compt), etc - plus occasionally removing rotor arm.

Bertroex · Post by **Bertroex** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 11:52 am

There is currently a spade of Porsche thefts going on in the Benelux. Apparently the car is removed using a flatbed truck with a HIAB crane lifting the car up. Very quickly the car is transferred into a container on a lorry and the lorry starts driving. Any GSM signal or tracker signal is unreliable. Some thieves steal the car with signal scramblers on board.

If they can't get the car in that way, houses get broken into and a gun put on your head asking you for the paperwork and the keys.

Porsche owners have resorted to leaving the keys on the kitchen top downstairs in the hope that car jackers would spare a family trauma.

There was this chap with a 3.2 SSE convertible very close to where I used to live, who heard his car starting. He stormed out and jumped onto the bonnet. They stopped, drove over him and continued their way. He was lucky to survive but needless to say, it wasn't a pretty experience.

Please, especially with regards to the DDK european trip, HAVE YOUR AGREED VALUATION AND INSURANCES FULLY IN ORDER. Paperwork somewhere safe, copies of all documents in seperate locations, NEVER have your home address details or house keys in the car if you can, and keep your mobile and wallet on you all the time. If the car gets carjacked, you at least can make a call and book a hotel. Have a spare set of housekeys somewhere else, and possibly take the route itenerary off the public section of DDK. Its ever so easy to do a mass crime if all the work is nicely laid out close to the /Dutch/french/german border.

If it goes, it goes. Be prepared to let the car go if it means you/your loved ones are safe and healthy.

I have an immobiliser, a battery cut off switch, im installing a tracker beofre going to Belgium, a steering wheel lock and all that nonsense but you know what? They can fookin have it for all I care if it means I dont have to live in fear.

best regards,

Bert

left4dead · Post by **left4dead** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 12:06 pm

That's a very sobering post, Bert, with some very sage advice. Thank you.

I had a bit of a strange incident a couple of Sunday's ago when filling the Landy up at the petrol station at Fiveways on the A20 at around 22:00 hours.

A guy in a white van pulled across and parked up in front of me whilst I was filling up and said "that's a clean one, mate" 'thanks' I said and continued filling. "I take those" he said. 'Take them?' I said, 'take them where?' "you know, take them. If I were to see that parked up somewhere I'd take that, I take them all the time....". 'Oh', I said, trying to work out where this was going "If I were you I'd make sure you're very careful where you park that up, that's my advice to you....". My dog was going mental at him at this point and he then walked away and got back in his van and drove off. I kept an eye out for him and made sure he didn't fall in behind me and follow me home. Can't for the life of me work out whether he was being 'neighbourly' or threatening! Left me feeling a little insecure, I have to say...

dean1057 · Post by **dean1057** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 12:58 pm

I use one of these which you can unscrew and put in your pocket
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Richbrook-DIS ... 1c1e5e48ff

Great for winter too as the battery lasts ages between top ups.

yoda · Post by **yoda** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 1:17 pm

Thanks all for the feedback - some sobering thoughts indeed. All gets a bit scary if you think about it too much.

Battery cut off seems like a good idea for battery life as well as security and I like the tracker device. Will do some more investigating n the mean time.

Regards

Gary71 · Post by **Gary71** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 1:27 pm

With most moderns I wouldn't want them back. But my 911 is different. Strangely the insurance was not interested either way about a tracker, so they are just for you!

After mikes 911 was lifted from the side of the road last year many of us had a bit of a security reality check.

I also disable the car by various means if I have to leave it anywhere like a hotel car park.

hot66 · Post by **hot66** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 1:33 pm

if it's being lifted ... doesn't matter what security you have. If someone wants it enough, they'll take it.

Opportunists are the only ones that would be prevented .... & I'm sure most of those would rather take a Focus RS etc than an old 911 with a few drips of oil under it

My worry when leaving the car isn't it being nicked, but of it being damaged ( which a lot of the time can be more hassle to sort than if the car had just vanished ! )

Drmark · Post by **Drmark** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 1:43 pm

Mine lives in a open fronted garage so I dropped a telescopic Rhino security post into the ground behind it. Nothing short of a small bomb could move it - and if they come with bombs they can have the bl**dy car!

stuby · Post by **stuby** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 9:02 pm

Just a thought.... perhaps not mentioning what security devices we have on an open forum is a good idea ??? After all, you never know who's trawling the net.....

Stu

hot66 · Post by **hot66** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 9:31 pm

we can move this to members only area if you all want ?

gridgway · Post by **gridgway** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 10:27 pm

Grenoble39 · Post by **Grenoble39** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 10:39 pm

Scary subject. Was anybody able to get the registration number of the guy in the white van?

Helen · Post by **Helen** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 4:35 pm

i think you can worry about these things too much sometimes...i know i can.

eg last year when we drove to Austria for Porsche Parade. we made sure we only stopped at hotels with on site secure parking which we usually had to pay extra for.
on the way home when we stopped at our last hotel in Germany we (well when i say we i mean i) were dismayed to find secure parking ment parked in the road outside the hotel which was right next to a city school & playground

we managed to swop rooms so we had this view all night

i didn't get much sleep that night