*Please note this is a work in progress*
Due to all the recent thefts, I feel this post may be needed... This post is where you can post some basic ideas/questions about general car safety...
First and foremost, you and ONLY you should know what measures you've taken to add safety to your car! This includes locations to hidden kill switches, the alarm brain location, and yes even alarm brand and model!
Second, if you post a tip for someone, make sure you do not give specifics about YOUR setup... If someone knows where you kill switch is mounted, or where ppls favorite places to hide them are, they arent really hidden anymore are they?
Preface:
The idea here is not to make your car theft proof... This is IMPOSSIBLE... You will NEVER make your car 100% theft proof! The idea is to put as many things in the way as possible... A theif is not going to waste much time committing a crime when they know your just a few yards away sleeping in your bed, or inside a store and could return any minute... So every second a theif takes to disable as many obstacles in their way is a greater chance for you that they will give up and run off leaving your car alone...
Other good articles/websites on car security (which Ill probably refference later on aswell):
http://www.honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1794938
http://causeforalarm.thecarthing.com/index.html
http://www.the12volt.com/carsecurity/carsecurity.asp
1. Alarms:
Adding alarm is argueably one of the best and more effificient means for car safety... Its best to go with a known brand name... Viper, Clifford, and Python are some of the best (they are all made my DEI or Directed Electronics Inc)... They all have varying models with different features... If you want power door locks, they have those too... I highly reccomend an alarm with a starter kill and 2 way radio... This way when your out and about, if the alarm goes off you have a better way of knowing since the alarm will page you (not always the case if your inside a building with alot of walls)... There is also certain measures these known brands take to ensure your code (when you arm and dissarm your alarm) doesnt get snatched from some third party... They generate a random number each time, and the alarm and brain can remain in sync...
As well as installing an alarm I suggest you also install a few additional sensors and things (if your alarm dosnt already come with them)... Such as a tilt sensor (if someone tried to tow your car or jack it up to steal your wheels itll go off), a glass break sensor, a proximity sensor (so when someone even gets near your baby itll pick them up!), ect... You will also want to install a battery backup, incase someone cuts power to your main battery the alarm will still sound! And last but not least, multiple sirens for the same reason (should they cut the siren)...
Here are some great resources with alarm install info...
How to install an alarm in a civic **with pics and vids**
http://causeforalarm.thecarthing.com/index.html
http://www.howstuffworks.com/car-alarm.htm
2. Kill Switchs:
Kill switches are a cheap, yet VERY effective method to secure your car... Sometimes even more effective than an alarm... Theres been many stories of theives getting passed an alarm only not being able to steal the car since they couldnt get it to start since it had a kill switch...
The idea to a kill switch is it cuts off power to any number of important things your car needs to start and/or run... For example the fuel pump, the starter signal, or even in some Hondas the clutch safety petal... Theres others, but these are the most common...
With a kill switch you add a relay and a switch inline of your fuel pump (or which ever circuit you want to disable) and when you flip this switch it allows you to start the car... This is why its VERY IMPORTANT to HIDE THE SWITCH! In a VERY good location! If a theif finds it, its all over!
There are some very good write ups on this matter... So here are a few links:
http://www.the12volt.com/relays/page2.asp
http://causeforalarm.thecarthing.com/howto.html
How-to Install Fuel Kill Switch
http://www.honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1194912
3. Removable steering wheels:
Another effective method, is a removable steering wheel... This is pretty self explanatory... Its a hub you buy, that allows you to remove your wheel and take it with you wherever you go... The downside is you have to log it around all the time... Another down side is anyone with that hub can install their wheel in your car and drive it... But now they do make a locking mechanism that allows you to just carry a key with you instead of the wheel, and prevents someone from just using another wheel...
Links and writeups:
http://www.jdmuniverse.com/forums/sh...345#post834345
4. Lo-Jack and GPS systems:
These systems are a decent way to keep track of your car should it get stolen... But it dosnt really do much as far as preventing a theft... The theory is you install one in your car and the cops can track it to wherever the theives took it... The problem with this is a handful of theives can strip down an entire car in a few hours... So if your car is stolen at night while your asleep, by the time you wake up to find your car missing its already stripped down... Not too say its not good too have... But its not something Id install by itself and feel safe...
There is an interesting alternative to paying for cost of low jack, its a "home made" method that uses a cell phone, a home computer, and the internet to help your track the whereabouts of your car... Its definately worth taking a look...
Security Idea
(more soon too come... Feel free too add a reply with some tips)
