VW Vortex - Volkswagen Forum banner
Cancel
Create thread New Garage Forums

Let's help me with vehicle security, please.

Jump to Latest
1 - 20 of 39 Posts
E

Ermegerd

· Banned
Joined
·
5,509 Posts
Discussion starter · #1 · (Edited)
I've been blowing a good percentage of me earnings on my cars and it's time I cut back and some some change. I've decided to put my vw cabriolet parked in the city streets of Queens NY.

I live in a pretty quiet neighborhood and almost every family owns at least two vehicles; this place is a geographical oddity, don't ask. I've had my fair share of issues with theft with previous cabriolets I've owned (cut top/ screwdriver in boot lock) so I want bulletproof suggestions. Not opinions and suggestions on the most awesomest alarm kit you just purchased. I need actual facts where your car was safe from theft due to your clever installs.

Some nights my cabby will be parked a couple of blocks away. How would you protect your vehicle with a convertible top? I've been contemplating air horns as replacements for alarm sirens.


Don't tell me to lower it; it's my dd



 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#7 · (Edited)
Never lock a convertible. Leave the doors unlocked and window cracked.

My living in NYC routine for my car was

1.remove faceplate from stereo.
2.make sure there is nothing, I mean nothing visable outside. No pens, no McDonalds bags, no anti freeze nothing.
3.flip my fuel pump kill switch.
4.install "the club"
5.activate my viper 2 way alarm
6.sell my car and take the train after it was broken into/towed/scratched up by asshats that park by braile.
7.spend my life on the N&R trains.
 
#8 ·
HI SPEED said:
Never lock a convertible. Leave the doors unlocked and window cracked.
Click to expand...
That's what I did and it worked. People may very well have opened the car and gone in, but I never knew. Doors were always closed when I returned. Meanwhile, there was nothing that could be taken (if you don't count the seatbelts or entirely undesirable radio).

On my BMW I leave it open when the weather's nice. You could cut the seats and pour paint on the interior and it would still cost less to repair than buying a new top.
 
Discussion starter · #10 · (Edited)
The car itself means the world to me. But not enough to have the M6 parked in the streets.

I was asking for good advice on alarms that work. I will obviously run longer wires to the brain and stash it someplace impenetrable for at least a few minutes. I'm a light sleeper so that helps. Also thinking of cutoff switches but i'm not sure about that.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#12 ·
FV-QR

If you are going the alarm route, then I always liked extending the harness and mounting it somewhere that it would be difficult to get to. I also liked to use the included cut-out relay on the fuel pump circuit instead of the ignition. That way, hotwiring the car wouldn't get you very far anyway. In my old Civic Si, I also added a backup battery and stashed the whole thing behind the B-pillar trim.

Since that car though, I haven't even bothered to install an alarm in any of my other cars. They can only do so much, you know? But if garage is absolutely not an option, then it is certainly a good thing to have.
 
#13 ·
Just make sure you aren't wearing your sisters jeans if you have to run after it.

Seriously though, I'd pray someone would steal that.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
Discussion starter · #15 · (Edited)
^^:laugh: ... dick. A lot of people don't get why I drive a cabriolet. But they are hella fun to drive and i've never had a problem with mine for the 5 years i've owned it. This happens to be my third and hopefully my final cabriolet. I'm done with mk1 mk2 vw's after this one.




redshift said:
I also liked to use the included cut-out relay on the fuel pump circuit instead of the ignition. That way, hotwiring the car wouldn't get you very far anyway. In my old Civic Si, I also added a backup battery and stashed the whole thing behind the B-pillar trim.
Click to expand...

This is a good one. And I have a secondary battery for the system stashed in the wheel well. It's gonna be a pita, but I can somehow cut the welds under the amps and access it again.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#16 ·
Ermegerd said:
This is a good one. And I have a secondary battery for the system stashed in the wheel well. It's gonna be a pita, but I can somehow cut the welds under the amps and access it again.
Click to expand...
I used a small 12v 2Ah AGM battery tucked inside the car, just so you couldn't access the battery or feed wiring at all without already being inside the car and removing interior trim pieces.

It's all coming back to me now. :) I also split the siren circuit and fed two hidden sirens - one on each side of the car in the void behind the fender just ahead of the A-pillar.

I'm really glad I never actually locked myself out of that car -- it would have been really annoying to have to break into. :laugh:
 
Discussion starter · #17 ·
^ Man, I think that would actually be more than enough security for a 2 block radius maximum. I was thnking about purchasing two alarms but I think you advice is a bit more down to earth and cheaper :):beer:
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#18 ·
I street park in Brooklyn, honestly if you have a car that gets attention it's going to attract thieves.

Best thing is not to be bumping your system a few blocks from your house. Remove the door pins and put LEDs in their place with a central lock setup that deadbolts the car. Cabriolets from this era you just pulled the window out a little bit and used a plastic fork to pop the lock button up.

I don't know anyone who got their top cut unless it was done by morons or vandals. Dropping a window is easier and attracts way less attention. Having two alarms doesn't do much against some jag off with a box cutter.
 
Discussion starter · #19 ·
^ yeah I know it's super easy. I previously had a 92' triple white cabriolet/karmann edition, and they cut the top on that. I used to live in a high rise (26th floor) and by the time i heard the alarm and ran down, the top was already cut. They work in pairs and they jet when they saw me running with a bat.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#20 ·
Ermegerd said:
^ Man, I think that would actually be more than enough security for a 2 block radius maximum. I was thnking about purchasing two alarms but I think you advice is a bit more down to earth and cheaper :):beer:
Click to expand...
Installing $1000 worth of alarms on a car worth $2000?

Just get rid of the thing and get a better car.

You could do the remove-ignition relay trick, but that's about all I got. Not really worth doing insane stuff to protect a car that "worthless".
 
1 - 20 of 39 Posts
About this Discussion
38 Replies
23 Participants
Last post:
Giovanni
VW Vortex - Volkswagen Forum
posts
85M
members
1.5M
Since
2001
A forum community dedicated to all Volkswagen owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, builds, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, new releases, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
The Car Lounge Golf IV & Jetta IV Golf III & Jetta III Golf II & Jetta II Golf IV/Jetta IV Parts