Theft deterant. What do you use? Options

[90quattrocoupe]

I use kill switches. One on the 914, one on the Audi, one on the VW Fox and one on the Ford Van. Mostly kill switches to the ECUs.

Greg W.

[RolinkHaus]

Best theft device

[Rand]

Just pull your rotor from the dizzy. Or take away the coil wire. So many people go through so much unneeeded effort and expense. It is embarrassing.

[ClayPerrine]

After my stolen 914 ordeal a few years back, i'm a happy subscriber to the hidden switch PLUS hidden tracking device methods.

The hidden switch will make it hard for someone to just drive off with your car, however, in my case the thieves came prepared with a trailer and just pulled it right out of the driveway.

That's where the tracking device comes in. It'll run for many hours on its own backup battery (if the main one is disconnected) and it'll phone home with its current GPS location allowing you to track the car.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

Get a cheap prepaid cell phone. Load a "mommy tracker" program on it, the kind used to track kids. Then wire it into the electrical system so the battery stays charged.

If your car disappears, just pull up the mommy tracker program, and you know right where it is. I suggested this to a co-worker who had a 67 mustang fastback. One day he came out and found his 'stang was gone. He panicked, and forgot all about the program until I reminded him. The car was parked in Oak Cliff in Dallas. We drove out there at lunch and stole it back.

I have thought about a taser in the seat, but if I forget to disable it, then I would taser myself right in the @ss. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[thelogo]

Lo tech solution

Takes a brave man to overcome this security system

[shane]

[mepstein]

Lo tech solution

Takes a brave man to overcome this security system

Yes, German is the prefered breed for this kind of work.

[Rand]

Lo tech solution

Takes a brave man to overcome this security system

Wow. That's something.

[Front yard mechanic]

I leave a note on the seat that says "bait car take your chances" I just hope they can read (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[Chris914n6]

Lo tech solution

Takes a brave man to overcome this security system

Easily disabled with a tennis ball (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)

[UROpartsman]

For cars with an electric fuel pump, a kill switch in the fuel pump circuit is always good.

If parking a car that uses blade fuses for a while (airport, etc), make a dummy fuse by drilling through the fusible wire portion. Then replace the EFI/coil/fuel/etc fuse with the dummy fuse while parked. A smart thief who is familiar with the car might look for a kill switch or missing fuse when the car doesn't start, but won't probably won't think to pull all the fuses looking for a bad one.

[thelogo]

I always thought most 914s were stolen
By means other then driving them away

(Flatbed)

[jd74914]

Lo tech solution

Takes a brave man to overcome this security system

Yes, German is the prefered breed for this kind of work.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) I'd say more stupidity than bravery. At least in the case of my shepard. I'm 100% sure he'd lay his life on the line for us [especially my wife] without hesitation.

A homeless looking dude came up behind me at a gas station a few weeks ago and literally turned and sprinted away across the street when his teeth came out. We had a good laugh. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[jd74914]

After my stolen 914 ordeal a few years back, i'm a happy subscriber to the hidden switch PLUS hidden tracking device methods.

The hidden switch will make it hard for someone to just drive off with your car, however, in my case the thieves came prepared with a trailer and just pulled it right out of the driveway.

That's where the tracking device comes in. It'll run for many hours on its own backup battery (if the main one is disconnected) and it'll phone home with its current GPS location allowing you to track the car.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

Get a cheap prepaid cell phone. Load a "mommy tracker" program on it, the kind used to track kids. Then wire it into the electrical system so the battery stays charged.

If your car disappears, just pull up the mommy tracker program, and you know right where it is. I suggested this to a co-worker who had a 67 mustang fastback. One day he came out and found his 'stang was gone. He panicked, and forgot all about the program until I reminded him. The car was parked in Oak Cliff in Dallas. We drove out there at lunch and stole it back.

These are definitely the best ideas. Everyone I know who has ever had a car stolen has been via tow, not hot-wire, etc. Guess that just means they were more targeted thefts than random but still, tracking is so easy and relatively fool-proof.

[bretth]

I thought of an very impractical but interesting theft deterrent today. My daily driver was in storage while I was moving to a new home. When I got it back, it now smells of mold inside. So I put a ozone generator inside the car this afternoon while it was sitting in my driveway. Problem is that I had to leave the key in the ignition so that I could run the heater fan to circulate the ozone through the vents. At first I was concerned about leaving the car unlocked with the keys inside but then I realized that the lung burning ozone would have sent a potential thief running for fresh air.

[Rand]

thankfully no one targets 914s these days, usually hondas and toyotas. The easiest thing to do if someone is trying to drive it away is to pull the distributor rotor. If someone is trying to tow it away, lock the steering wheel in full turn lock, that would make it hard to pull onto a flat bed

You are very wrong on this point. Many 914s are targets. Just ask our admin.
Pull the rotor.

[Maltese Falcon]

If this question was asked about 120 years ago;

[Triaddave]

Removable steering wheel, also helps tall or big drivers get in or out. I like the "lock it in a turn" post too.

[PanelBilly]

An old cell phone hidden in it. Might get taken but I can trace it myself.

[914bub]

I use a grounded rotor,drilled from the bottom. I know people think other people don't walk around with 914 ignition rotors in hand but if targeting an event with several 914's around it wouldn't surprise me if they did. If you've ever chased a grounded rotor problem it can have you scratching your head. The fake vacuum line/coil wire is another one. Crimp wire ends on your hose for authenticity! My favorite "kill switch" is the cigarette lighter trick. Use the cigarette lighter for the ground leg on a relay to control what your killing power to. I haven't used that one in years and it might not be ideal these days given the number of chargers used in lighters these days but it sure is decret.