WHATS OUR BEST DEFENSE (against theft)

[CURLY]

I've been reading alot lately about theft of our cars and wheels @$%&%&

So what do we do, to prevent it from happening or discouraging it in the first place ? I really do not want to lose my MAG.

If you have a good alarm or disabler or OTHER means of securing Lets talk about it !

Thanks, Jack PREVENTION IS THE BEST MEDICINE, RIGHT

[dformer]

Well IMO, you have diffrent options. If you live in a house, park it in the garage or install security cameras. There not epensive at all. If you catch them on camera you could eventually press chargers or sue. If you live in an apartment I would say have a damn good alarm. I have an autopage that has a 2 way pager, remote start, and all that good stuff. So even if they hot wire it, as soon as the put it in reverse it will die. They also have little wireless cameras the size of a nickel that you can install in your car. It comes with a dvr type recorder that you can have in your house. So even if they gut your car, you still have them on camera. There's many many options!

[Junior]

From all I've read, there is NO WAY to steal our cars without the proper and programmed key for that vehicle. That is, except for loading it on a flatbed trailer or towing it away somehow (which has happened). There is no way to start the car or talk to any of the electronics without the key.

As for the wheels...


EDIT: also, forget about turning the front wheels all the way to one side when you park, to prevent it being towed easily - there's no steering wheel lock on LXs. Maybe turn them all the way, and then buy THE CLUB. At least that would make it harder to lift the rear and tow it.

[Mr. iNCREDIBLE]

bottom line is no matter what kind of alarm or anti-theft system you have, if they want it bad enough they are going to take it..

deterrents are the best, but by no means 100%..

park in well lit areas
park in high traffic areas (that is don't park in the boone docks where no one will see or hear your alarm)

use wheel locks

best deterrent is a Steering wheel to brake pedal lock. like this: http://www.wolo-mfg.com/wb.htm Though not 100% it will slow them down, or better make them move on to a less difficult car.

all alarms can be bypassed
all kill switches can be bypassed

all it takes is a tow truck.

louder horns are a good think IMO, esp if you have to park on the street by your house.. getting a LOUD and different sounding horn makes you more aware of it being YOUR car if the Alarm goes off.

the problem with most alarms is they all sound the same, so you never know if it is yours..

also Mercury switches are a good thing IMO.. basically if the car is tipped and the mercury switch becomes un-level, the alarm goes off (think tow truck lifting car)


though the absolute BEST alarm I have ever seen was on a 1987 Toyota Mini Truck when I was in high school..

bed spring wired to a 750 CCA battery in the bed of the truck (with camper shell) and cross wired to the doors..

touch the truck anywhere when armed and you got one hell of a shock.......

[Mr. iNCREDIBLE]

From all I've read, there is NO WAY to steal our cars without the proper and programmed key for that vehicle. That is, except for loading it on a flatbed trailer or towing it away somehow (which has happened). There is no way to start the car or talk to any of the electronics without the key.

well as long as you don't install any type of aftermarket remote start system that statement is part true.

after market remote start systems use a bypass on the RFID system rendering it useless and making the car capable of being started without the proper key,


also keep in mind that it is RFID, if the crook is a pro, they can "capture" your RF signal and rebroadcast it with the right equuipment to unlock and start your car.

look at that kid that busted the Toyota/Lexus keyless car codes with a bluetooth laptop, and could walk up to ANY Toyota or Lexus with the touch handles and keyless ign, and unlock and start the car and drive off..


nothing is 100% full proof.

[Junior]

well as long as you don't install any type of aftermarket remote start system that statement is part true.

after market remote start systems use a bypass on the RFID system rendering it useless and making the car capable of being started without the proper key,

Aha. Didn't make that connection.

also keep in mind that it is RFID, if the crook is a pro, they can "capture" your RF signal and rebroadcast it with the right equuipment to unlock and start your car.

look at that kid that busted the Toyota/Lexus keyless car codes with a bluetooth laptop, and could walk up to ANY Toyota or Lexus with the touch handles and keyless ign, and unlock and start the car and drive off..

I thought that was bunk - at least in our case - something about a proximity sensor in the key's chipset (does it have a chipset? lol). I'll defer to you on this stuff, 'cause you know it a lot better than I do, but I thought it was proven that ours weren't able to be cracked this way...

nothing is 100% full proof.

I'm with you there!

[Mr. iNCREDIBLE]

I thought that was bunk - at least in our case - something about a proximity sensor in the key's chipset (does it have a chipset? lol). I'll defer to you on this stuff, 'cause you know it a lot better than I do, but I thought it was proven that ours weren't able to be cracked this way...

if it is a computer/software it can be cracked....

once the car is opened (and I can slim jim my 300 in under 10 seconds) then you are in the car and in the "proximity" of the RFID signal..

and since our horns are mounted in the front of the car behind the grill, a professional would cut the power to the horns, open the car and start it all under 1 min.. No Doubt in my mind about that...

I can get into my car that way in under 30 seconds, and I'd bet if I spent some time and money I could figure out how to crack the RFID...

nothing is UN-STEALABLE....

[moonstreaker]

A friend of mine in HS had 2 air horns wired to his alarm. One below the passanger seat and one above the gas tank.

[glhs837]

if it is a computer/software it can be cracked....

once the car is opened (and I can slim jim my 300 in under 10 seconds) then you are in the car and in the "proximity" of the RFID signal..

and since our horns are mounted in the front of the car behind the grill, a professional would cut the power to the horns, open the car and start it all under 1 min.. No Doubt in my mind about that...

I can get into my car that way in under 30 seconds, and I'd bet if I spent some time and money I could figure out how to crack the RFID...

nothing is UN-STEALABLE....

Not, not unstealable, just very hard.

1. The car wont talk to you unless your key is on its internal list of authorized keys.

2. Once it does talk to you, all it does is send a "kernel" which the computer chip in the key uses to generate a code, fresh every time, based on the VIN and a couple other pieces of data.


So, youd need to query a valid key for that car, then reverse engineer to algorithm used. Oh, and the key wont talk to you unless you ask it as the car.

[Big Jon]

Live in North Dakota & have good insurance.

[joeb1]

A 12 Gauge and 2 pit bulls.

[SeadooSandi]

[quote=Mr. iNCREDIBLE;1363724]

also Mercury switches are a good thing IMO.. basically if the car is tipped and the mercury switch becomes un-level, the alarm goes off (think tow truck lifting car)quote]

This is not fool-proof either because now a days they are putting the blocks underneath the car then cutting the valve stem. Car lowers down on to the blocks and then they remove the wheels.

[CURLY]

So far alot of good ideas ! but it sounds like no matter what you do if they want it bad enough they can get it ?

PREVENTION IS STILL THE BEST MEDICINE.

[miplank]

or you could get this alarm system

[Super T]

Not, not unstealable, just very hard.

1. The car wont talk to you unless your key is on its internal list of authorized keys.

2. Once it does talk to you, all it does is send a "kernel" which the computer chip in the key uses to generate a code, fresh every time, based on the VIN and a couple other pieces of data.


So, youd need to query a valid key for that car, then reverse engineer to algorithm used. Oh, and the key wont talk to you unless you ask it as the car.

I believe it was David Beckham... some famous dude... that had two BMW X5's stolen (or one stolen twice) using that method... if they can beat a Bimmer's security, they can sure as hell beat ours.