security

[hdizzle]

I just purchased a 2001 integra gsr, I know these are very high theft vehicles especially in California. So does anyone have any tips on how I can best secure my car and lower my chances of getting my new car stolen. My car also came with blades and apparently from what i've been told those are also a very hot item. I'm brand new to this so forgive me if anyone has answered these questions before.

thanks

[PrimeTimeV6]

Get an aftermarket alarm and don't park it in the ghetto. lol

[8695Beaters]

Actually nobody has answered this question before. Because nobody has asked it. In my opinion, the best piece of cheap security you can have is a quick-release steering wheel. Since the majority of car thieves drive away with the vehicle (as opposed to towing it), if there is no way to steer the car, there is no way for them to drive off with it. This is what I am doing to my own car, once I get the money to do so (paying off a big repair bill). Go onto ebay and find a quick-release hub and wheel set. It should cost you about $40 and shipping. The only downside is that you will lose your airbag (and it becomes slightly harder to use the turn signals. If you want to keep the airbag, find an alarm with an immobilizer in it. It will be expensive, but if the car is keyed to the fob, then nobody can start it without the key (almost all of today's OEM systems use this type of security). This is your best bet, but will cost a few hundred dollars. Take your pic.

[MugenEJ6AutoX]

I know your problem. I work alot of overnights at a local bar and have had my car broken into atleast 3 times. Ok for security I used a fuel cut-off switch. For about $100 most shops will install a simple switch on the fuel pump. You hide the switch somewhere and hit it when you park. When the 'bad' guys go to steal it, the car will turn over but will not start. You can also connect the switch to the starter its self and the car won't start inless you hit the switch. Its simple and effective. In my old civic I put some extra effort in and used my AC button as the switch. Since the car'd AC was stripped anyways, I find that hiding things in plain site works best. I even had a mechanic buddy of mine try to start it, he couldnt find the switch so it wouldn't start. As for the wheels, yes they are very hot items in the honda world, simple wheel locks should work. they just replace your stock lugs and won't come off without a key like mechanism.

[MugenEJ6AutoX]

P.S.- Take the face-plate off your stero if you can, the less a theif can make on your car, the less likely he'll steal it. So stay away from those aftermarket vinyls with brand names on them. Its like a sign post saying "look you can gut this one".

[8695Beaters]

Originally Posted by MugenEJ6AutoX

I know your problem. I work alot of overnights at a local bar and have had my car broken into atleast 3 times. Ok for security I used a fuel cut-off switch. For about $100 most shops will install a simple switch on the fuel pump. You hide the switch somewhere and hit it when you park. When the 'bad' guys go to steal it, the car will turn over but will not start. You can also connect the switch to the starter its self and the car won't start inless you hit the switch. Its simple and effective. In my old civic I put some extra effort in and used my AC button as the switch. Since the car'd AC was stripped anyways, I find that hiding things in plain site works best. I even had a mechanic buddy of mine try to start it, he couldnt find the switch so it wouldn't start. As for the wheels, yes they are very hot items in the honda world, simple wheel locks should work. they just replace your stock lugs and won't come off without a key like mechanism.

My dad's 1953 Morgan has a starter button from the factory. If you hit it, the starter will turn over, but nothing will happen. The hey just activates the ignition coil (it's carb'ed and has a mechanical fuel pump, so there is no fuel cut-off). Although he has an even better security system-the car runs pretty poorly, so even if you can get it started, it will take you at least 10 minutes tp drive off with it.

A cut-off would be a good idea. I think I'll do that one too (once I get a new wiring harness). And I agree with Mugen about the faceplate, stereos are hot items, but useless if there aren't any buttons to control them.

[MugenEJ6AutoX]

Yeah the nice thing about a cut-off switch is that it can't be turned off like an alarm. if you hide the switch well, theives won't be able to start it, and the only way to get around the switch is to pull apart the wiring harness and by-pass it. that is not an easy task for even a trained mechanic. let alone a guy trying to steal it in the dark, it'd take a long time under the hood and dash to find the switch wires and bypass them, time theives don't have.

A few good places to put the switch.... First in plain site, use a dash button you don't use [I used AC] and fab the stock switch to bypass the starter or fuel pump so car won't run without it engaged....under the dash is ok, but its the first place thieves look....however, if you have a locking glove box i'd stick it in there. when you park the car hit the switch and lock the glove box. presto its pretty much secure. those **** locking glove boxes are hard as hell to open even with a crow-bar.

P.S.- Cops use a system like this to catch car theives, they use a remote switch hopwever. The car is bait, it gets stolen they hit the switch [from patrol car] and the car stops with the theives locked inside...quite funny.

[dre5491]

I would also go with the trunk monkey. When they try to steal it have a monkey armed with a baseball bat pop out of the trunk and start beating the theif. Its quite useful really. Lol jk. But I like the idea of the fuel pump kill switch I would find a simple place in the console where you can just pop something up and hide it there. Theives wouldn't have the time to dig around the car looking for it. Plus most the time they might just think that somethings wrong with the car and walk off.

[MugenEJ6AutoX]

Yeah, that and cars are worth a hell of alot more undamaged. If they have to tear the thing apart to start it, its just ot worth it. That and how many times have we heard car alarms and just ignored them? I mean everyone does it, they go off so friggin much we're just like "shut it off" and we don't know if it was a theif or the owner that turned it off.
As far as I see it their are only two systems that really work, the first stops the car from ever being stolen [kill switch] the second finds your car after it has been stolen [GPS tracking]. And I don't have the cash to afford the GPS tracking.

[8695Beaters]

TRUNK MONKEY!!!!!!!!

I'm going for the quick-release. My stock wheel is terrible, and I've fallen in love with the idea since driving the SAE car. Plus it's easier to do than a kill-switch (at least for me, I don't have airbags).