Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

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bassman1
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Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by bassman1 »

Hi ,i have read with some alarm the stolen vehicles section and whilst it is easy to get paranoid i was wondering what you all recommend as a deterrent , I have already fitted a 'TOAD' immobiliser which cuts the circuit at several vital points , has an arming plug that supposedly cannot be duplicated and its highly thatcham rated , i have visible TOAD stickers on the windows but casual thieves are probably too stupid to read the stickers and i wondered whether a euro clamp for the wheel rims or disclock for the steering wheel would be visible belt and braces worthy of purchase , i am leaning toward the euro clamp for ease of stowage but its probably not as visible as a disclock steering wheel device , just interested to see what you all find the most convenient and are there any disadvantages i haven't considered.....locking wheel nuts anyone ?
bmcecosse
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Re: Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by bmcecosse »

The wiring of a Minor is so simple that a 10 year old will circumvent your 'toad' in 20 seconds...... a secret switch is the answer to prevent the car being driven away more than 100 yds. . But as a visible deterrent - you won't beat a large/angry/hungry/slavering dog inside the car..... :lol:
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PaulTubby
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Re: Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by PaulTubby »

I use a large disklok on my minor, large size fits both the three spoke wire steering wheel and later two spoke. I also use one of these (medium size) on my wifes Mg Metro ...



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brand-New-Dis ... 51b172c7ed


vehicle security, the unique award winning Disklok has a long and proven history of outstanding performance, tried and tested against would-be car thieves and professional security testers

If they see one of these fitted I think they will just walk on by and try another, alas I would get a secret switch also as Roy suggests. Sadly this is all a must even more so currently.... :roll:
bassman1
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Re: Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by bassman1 »

Not so , the control box is hidden in such a position that you have to rip certain parts of the car apart to find it i reckon 20-45 minutes at best even if you know where it is , and the wiring very very well concealed so as not to even look as though it has anything retro fitted at all , just looks like standard wiring you'd need to be an eagle eyed car leccy to spot it and be looking for it in the first place , a car that takes longer than 5 minutes to start will not be nicked according to stats, its like having several cut out switches , i wont say exactly how many ,a seriously impressive piece of kit , i doubt it would be so highly rated if it was cerap , but i do take your point about the slavering dog can you get one that nods benignly in the back window during the day, come to think of it i could leave the missus in the motor , my mates have already christened her 'The Beast of Bold street' .... all joking apart its not a mint motor but i'd be gutted to lose it .
bassman1
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Re: Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by bassman1 »

thanks for that PT, so its Disklock 1 Euroclamp 0 after half an hours play , blimey they look a seriously big piece of kit where do you stow it ?
PaulTubby
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Re: Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by PaulTubby »

bassman1 wrote:thanks for that PT, so its Disklock 1 Euroclamp 0 after half an hours play , blimey they look a seriously big piece of kit where do you stow it ?
Passenger footwell :) perfect fit, or in the back ... they are heavy and awkward to lift over our shoulder thou so for me its passenger footwell, you can still use the passenger seat also!
kennatt
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Re: Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by kennatt »

bassman1 wrote:Not so , the control box is hidden in such a position that you have to rip certain parts of the car apart to find it i reckon 20-45 minutes at best even if you know where it is , and the wiring very very well concealed so as not to even look as though it has anything retro fitted at all , just looks like standard wiring you'd need to be an eagle eyed car leccy to spot it and be looking for it in the first place , a car that takes longer than 5 minutes to start will not be nicked according to stats, its like having several cut out switches , .
Bet I could start it within 1 minute with two lengths of wire and a starting handle,or pushstart. But yes some spotty T........T,could be put off,but then they probably wouldn't want to joy ride a moggy,more interested in a hot hatch.Anyone really wanting to steal a moggy for cloning or spares,will know where the wires and starting handle goes.One hidden switch for me at a couple of pounds to deter any daft joy rider
bassman1
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Re: Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by bassman1 »

:D they'll have fun trying to start mine with a starting handle , i used to have a series of hidden cutout switches on a dutton phaeton i built in the early 1980's , it took a fair bit of thinking out but worked a treat, not much fun in the pouring rain trying to set em though , i'm impressed with my current system even if you find and bypass the one circuit then you still have others to bypass to make it the car run ,end of the day its just about slowing em down , my brother in law had his landy discovery stolen from off his drive in solihull west midlands about 12months ago brand new , a neighbour further down the road saw two blokes driving away with it on an unmarked pick up truck by the time the polizei turned up it was long gone and never found , so a professional thief is going to be difficult to stop . quite depressing really . i had an idea about a second inner bonnet / engine cover might work to stop casuals from tinkering with the electrics , maybe something that hinges up underneath the existing bonnet when not in use a slightly smaller shaped second skin that locks down onto the front of the radiator housing and the out bonnet just drops over as per normal , that might have them scratching their heads on how to get past it quietly .
kevin s
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Re: Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by kevin s »

Immbolisers are a waste of time, a length of wire between the coil and battery and bridge out the starter solenoid with a ring spanner and away you go.

Good quality Steering wheel locks or wheel clamps are about the best option.
bmcecosse
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Re: Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by bmcecosse »

Hmm - I'm sure I posted again on this thread - and it has disappeared.....
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bassman1
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Re: Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by bassman1 »

o.k so you have the engine cranking over , but it still won't start ,and it wont , well it might but not for more than a few seconds , what do you check next and by now you have possibly woken the family rottweiller cranking the engine over , and its coughing and dying , the clock is ticking and you have to figure why it wont tick over :wink:
kevin s
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Re: Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by kevin s »

As long as you leave the original wire connected 12v from the battery to the live terminal on the coil also feeds the fuel pump, it will run fine. ( this is how we started ours without the key)
bassman1
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Re: Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by bassman1 »

without giving the game away you'd have to run oa lot more separate wires ,but by then the alarm will have kicked in ,the rottweiller will have eaten its way through the front door and just tucked into your leg as an entree, all joking apart nothing will prevent a serious attempt . so it looks like disklock is favourite so far , the missus doesn't sound too keen on it cluttering up the motor (as well as frightening most of my mates i think she's a bit ocd) :wink: ....and i'm a dead man when she reads this later
lowride stepside
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Re: Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by lowride stepside »

Hot wire , take out one fuse and wedge it between where the two fuse clips ,starts on the solenoid button and everything works , to disable the ignition you need a switch wired between the coil and the dizzy ,wire it into the little switch that turns the speedo lights off .
poacher traps are good fun ,fire blank black powder shot gun cartridges . Got one for my dad after his garage was broken into ,luckily they didn't take his Norton . But he has filled his pants a few times forgetting to unhook it before swinging the door wide open.
speed not tweed
kennatt
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Re: Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by kennatt »

STOP why are we giving away this info,its an open forum,thats why I said two wires and a push start,not how to fit the wires.
But lets not get to carried away,minors are NOT the target of joy riders,too slow and no street cred,amongst the spotty nose picking brigade,so the likelyhood of yours being stolen is very low. Better off spending all the money on mechanical upgrades and refurbs,just enjoy the moggies and forget about the low lives,they will not be that interested.I guarantee that if there were a moggie, an astra or a fiesta parked next to each other,the moggies would be that last target.
blues2rock
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Re: Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by blues2rock »

I take the view that:

Visible deterrents like steering locks etcetera are likely to dissuade the casual thief who is just looking for a ride home or a jaunt.

Secret switches and immobilisers don't put him off but he may cause damage to glass and ignition switch/wiring before moving on to an easier target.

A 'proper' thief who targets your car to break for spares, or to 'ring' using a scrap Minor's ID, or simply to take to a scrapyard for the £100 or so he can get as scrap value is difficult to gaurd against. He will take your car easily without starting it, needing to steer it, or even gaining entry to the interior. He can do it at night or during the day, even in a busy car park. Five minutes after arriving he is driving off with your car on the back of his breakdown truck. If it's during the day he will have his flashing amber lamps on and both he and his mate (always two) will have hi-vis vests.
He will be a little more discrete if taking from your driveway at night, but if there is no physical barrier he can take it.

So for me it's a visible deterrent and a secret switch, combined with being very aware of where I leave my car. At home the Minor lives in the garage which is on the house alarm. The euroboxes live on the drive but are easily replaced!

If no garage suggest trying to 'box it in' with euroboxes or if that is impossible a motorcycle style ground anchor and chain round the back axle, but don't forget it!
Mr Angry from Maldon
bassman1
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Re: Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by bassman1 »

cheers for the input B2R , see you are a fellow musician too , i'm with a blues old style rock band doing pub gigs at the moment ,but putting together a funk / rock outfit with female front singer , all old farts trying to be kids again :wink:
Tiny
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Re: Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by Tiny »

I agree with the above.
Have something visible like a crook lock to put off the opportunist

But if a thief wants your car they will get it one way or another - Hence when possible lock it in the garage out of sight

A lot of Motor-home owners fit a fold up security post on the drive, but again its not a fail safe just another obstacle
Another good device is a garage door defender, a metal stopper that fits in front of the up and over garage door that prevents Mr professional thief from using brute force to fold your garage door up, they are available from any of the big motorcycle accessory dealers.
bassman1
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Re: Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by bassman1 »

fortunately i store mine in a specialised secure compound so have no worries for overnight parking, the more desirable cars next to mine are more likely to get nabbed :wink: i was thinking of the wheel clamp as its easier to stow , but its less visible at ground level most folks tend to see whats at eye level first , the disklock is probably favourite from what i've read so far, its really more of a fail safe precaution when we're out and about , i thought it a good idea to get to know other peoples experiences about these matters before i plunge in and spend another £100ish
DaisyMayFozz
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Re: Minor security whats the best visible deterrent

Post by DaisyMayFozz »

bassman1 wrote:without giving the game away you'd have to run oa lot more separate wires ,but by then the alarm will have kicked in ,the rottweiller will have eaten its way through the front door and just tucked into your leg as an entree, all joking apart nothing will prevent a serious attempt . so it looks like disklock is favourite so far , the missus doesn't sound too keen on it cluttering up the motor (as well as frightening most of my mates i think she's a bit ocd) :wink: ....and i'm a dead man when she reads this later
I think I just died of laughter hahaha :lol: :lol: :lol:

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