[Z06] how hard is it to steal our cars?
10-01-2015, 04:39 AM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
how hard is it to steal our cars?
Kind of shocked tonight. GF's 2008 MKX was stolen in broad daylight 100yd from our hotel balcony in San Diego. Got me wondering about my own cars' vulnerabilities...
I know my '00 camaro has a feature where if the door is unlocked, and ~10 or 15sec passes without ignition turning on, the car alarm sounds.. But I'm confused if my c5z has this feature?
What alarm functions are built into c5z?
I know my '00 camaro has a feature where if the door is unlocked, and ~10 or 15sec passes without ignition turning on, the car alarm sounds.. But I'm confused if my c5z has this feature?
What alarm functions are built into c5z?
10-01-2015, 04:49 PM
#2
Race Director
next to none. very easy to steal and most have the column lock bybass already done
install a hidden fuel cutoff switch if you want to be safe, also install gps tracking
if you leave the car somewhere you're worried about trip the fuel pump switch, unless they tow it no thief is going to spend half an hour searching for the switch if they even realize that's what it is
install a hidden fuel cutoff switch if you want to be safe, also install gps tracking
if you leave the car somewhere you're worried about trip the fuel pump switch, unless they tow it no thief is going to spend half an hour searching for the switch if they even realize that's what it is
10-02-2015, 03:02 AM
#3
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Not a bad idea..
How hard would it be to install a hidden clutch sensor kill switch?
Car senses clutch is depressed to start.. Won't start without sensing clutch depressed. I figure if I could pick off the line to the sensor and leave it open circuit (or ground it, whatever it ends up needing to act like clutch pedal not to floor) and that would defeat a thief fairly easily?
How hard do you think this would be to implement
How hard would it be to install a hidden clutch sensor kill switch?
Car senses clutch is depressed to start.. Won't start without sensing clutch depressed. I figure if I could pick off the line to the sensor and leave it open circuit (or ground it, whatever it ends up needing to act like clutch pedal not to floor) and that would defeat a thief fairly easily?
How hard do you think this would be to implement
10-02-2015, 08:36 AM
#4
Melting Slicks
Not a bad idea..
How hard would it be to install a hidden clutch sensor kill switch?
Car senses clutch is depressed to start.. Won't start without sensing clutch depressed. I figure if I could pick off the line to the sensor and leave it open circuit (or ground it, whatever it ends up needing to act like clutch pedal not to floor) and that would defeat a thief fairly easily?
How hard do you think this would be to implement
How hard would it be to install a hidden clutch sensor kill switch?
Car senses clutch is depressed to start.. Won't start without sensing clutch depressed. I figure if I could pick off the line to the sensor and leave it open circuit (or ground it, whatever it ends up needing to act like clutch pedal not to floor) and that would defeat a thief fairly easily?
How hard do you think this would be to implement
10-02-2015, 09:36 AM
#5
Drifting
Conceptually, this is very easy to do, but I had a very hard time doing it. I think it's because it was so dark behind the clutch pedal and especially "hard" because I only had one chance for success.
It's been a 3 years so my memory ain't vivid, but I remember having only about 1" of wire available to cut so I could splice in the switch. As I recall something prevented stripping back the OEM harness to allow more access. Anyway, with so little wire exposed AND cut in half, it was hard to hold the wire and fit the butt connector over the end, never mind having enough room to solder (which I would have preferred). Making this even more complicated--my trifocal eyesight is miserable close up. If the butt connector was installed poorly, there was not enough wire to cut and attempt it again. THAT I'm sure of; it made me itch all over, but fortunately I was successful on the first attempt on both sides of the splice.
I went to the electronics store and bought a keyed off switch. I routed the wiring under the knee bolster (lower dash panel) and under the console to the armrest. I removed the armrest lock and installed the keyed off-switch in its' place. Obviously I can't lock the armrest anymore, but there's nothing valuable ever in it. To make it less obvious to a cursory examination, I glued a strip of scrap plastic to the underside of the hole in the armrest where the latch would normally fit through. This way, the mechanism of the keyed switch can't be seen where normally the mechanism of the armrest lock could be seen.
If you use a keyed off-switch in your set up, BE SURE TO HAVE TWO EXTRA KEYS MADE. Store one in the trunk somewhere hidden for that time when you lose your keys (this assumes you've also got a spare car key stored someplace on the car as a backup so's you can get to your trunk). Keep the 2nd spare switch key at home somewhere so you can have it mailed to you if you didn't store one in the car
. Hey, I'm just thinkin' of "worst-case" scenarios...unless you wanna pay for a locksmith. Praise my gods I've never had a need for the spare. Yet.
It's been a 3 years so my memory ain't vivid, but I remember having only about 1" of wire available to cut so I could splice in the switch. As I recall something prevented stripping back the OEM harness to allow more access. Anyway, with so little wire exposed AND cut in half, it was hard to hold the wire and fit the butt connector over the end, never mind having enough room to solder (which I would have preferred). Making this even more complicated--my trifocal eyesight is miserable close up. If the butt connector was installed poorly, there was not enough wire to cut and attempt it again. THAT I'm sure of; it made me itch all over, but fortunately I was successful on the first attempt on both sides of the splice.
I went to the electronics store and bought a keyed off switch. I routed the wiring under the knee bolster (lower dash panel) and under the console to the armrest. I removed the armrest lock and installed the keyed off-switch in its' place. Obviously I can't lock the armrest anymore, but there's nothing valuable ever in it. To make it less obvious to a cursory examination, I glued a strip of scrap plastic to the underside of the hole in the armrest where the latch would normally fit through. This way, the mechanism of the keyed switch can't be seen where normally the mechanism of the armrest lock could be seen.
If you use a keyed off-switch in your set up, BE SURE TO HAVE TWO EXTRA KEYS MADE. Store one in the trunk somewhere hidden for that time when you lose your keys (this assumes you've also got a spare car key stored someplace on the car as a backup so's you can get to your trunk). Keep the 2nd spare switch key at home somewhere so you can have it mailed to you if you didn't store one in the car
. Hey, I'm just thinkin' of "worst-case" scenarios...unless you wanna pay for a locksmith. Praise my gods I've never had a need for the spare. Yet.
10-03-2015, 06:48 PM
#10
Race Director
Not a bad idea..
How hard would it be to install a hidden clutch sensor kill switch?
Car senses clutch is depressed to start.. Won't start without sensing clutch depressed. I figure if I could pick off the line to the sensor and leave it open circuit (or ground it, whatever it ends up needing to act like clutch pedal not to floor) and that would defeat a thief fairly easily?
How hard do you think this would be to implement
How hard would it be to install a hidden clutch sensor kill switch?
Car senses clutch is depressed to start.. Won't start without sensing clutch depressed. I figure if I could pick off the line to the sensor and leave it open circuit (or ground it, whatever it ends up needing to act like clutch pedal not to floor) and that would defeat a thief fairly easily?
How hard do you think this would be to implement
but, very easy. the clutch switch is easy to get to and all you would have to do is wire a toggle to it
the whole idea is to slow a thief down, if you rarely need this feature i would bring along a blown fuse and install it in the fuel pump socket. even if a thief is bright enough to look at the fuel pump fuses they most likely won't be testing them, a glance to see if one is missing is probably as far as they would go. you don't even need a switch, just change out the fuses while you are in a motel
Last edited by racebum; 10-03-2015 at 06:50 PM.
10-04-2015, 12:45 PM
#11
Team Owner
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If a thief wants your car, he will take it.
10-05-2015, 12:46 PM
#12
Melting Slicks
While it is true that a thief will steal if he wants it bad enough, they typically want to dine and dash so to speak. They figure (correctly) that if it takes 10 minutes of effing around to get it go then there's a good chance they will get caught.
If they do all of their stuff and the car doesn't start they are going to think that they have a problem with the key code and the VATS system. While they might be able to try different codes and try to start the engine they may not and by the time they try all the codes and then realize that there is something else they will be there for more than 15 minutes. At that point they may even figure out that there is a hidden switch or something that they will need to do or push to get it to start. More than likely they're going to get the heck out of Dodge (or Chevy as the case may be) before they get caught.
If this is happening in a parking lot or some other public place they sure as heck don't want to start opening the hood and calling attention to themselves looking for a way to get it started. More than likely they'll just move on.
BTW for a professional with the proper tools it's not that difficult to steal a car, but without key codes the amateur is pretty much out of the trade. That's why they took to car jacking, cars were too hard to steal because without the keys there wasn't much chance to get it moving.
The thieves you watch out for are the ones in tow trucks and flat beds that will scoop up a car and just drive away with it.
If they do all of their stuff and the car doesn't start they are going to think that they have a problem with the key code and the VATS system. While they might be able to try different codes and try to start the engine they may not and by the time they try all the codes and then realize that there is something else they will be there for more than 15 minutes. At that point they may even figure out that there is a hidden switch or something that they will need to do or push to get it to start. More than likely they're going to get the heck out of Dodge (or Chevy as the case may be) before they get caught.
If this is happening in a parking lot or some other public place they sure as heck don't want to start opening the hood and calling attention to themselves looking for a way to get it started. More than likely they'll just move on.
BTW for a professional with the proper tools it's not that difficult to steal a car, but without key codes the amateur is pretty much out of the trade. That's why they took to car jacking, cars were too hard to steal because without the keys there wasn't much chance to get it moving.
The thieves you watch out for are the ones in tow trucks and flat beds that will scoop up a car and just drive away with it.
10-06-2015, 03:40 PM
#13
Burning Brakes
I had a Facking IDIOT try to use the lighter method to either steal or at least break into my car. Theres now a small burn mark on my door handle.
This isn't a Saturn Dummy.
This isn't a Saturn Dummy.
