Some Recent information I have heard suggest that the Cat 1 alarm systems and trackers fitted as standard to STI8 (or indeed any car)etc just means that it takes about 2 minutes to get your car pinched instead of 1 minute and that includes disabling the tracker.

It seems that its just like any other security device, its just a deterrent and doesn't stop people nicking your pride and joy it just slows them down a bit.

However, even if they don't disable the tracker and you get your pride and joy back completely intact, it doesn't matter as its not worth f@ck all anyway, as it will be stamped on the records as 'stolen and recovered' and no dealer will touch it unless you pay them to take it away.

In addition, hands up who takes any notice when they hear a car alarm going off, anyone....

Even if you could keep one eye on your car 24 hours a day a wrap it up in cotton wool, there are some hardcore toe rags out there who will just stick a gun in your ear and take the keys anyway.

I think I am quite lucky, in the past I have had about 8 different cars and not one of them was nicked, yet everyone I know has had at least 1 car nicked in their lifetime

So, I agree it all adds up to a deterrent, but at the end of the day whats the point?

 

Like you say, if someone wants it badly enough they'll have it, but that doesn't mean you should leave it unlocked in the street with the keys in the ignition.

If you take steps over and above what others are doing, then you'll be safer. I'm sure most thieves would rather spend 1 minute than 2 stealing a car.

 

I've got a £60 steering lock from Halfords, apparently professional car thieves with any tool available to the general public i.e. drills, hammers from B&Q etc, couldn’t get it off within 5 minutes, so hopefully with a cat 1, tracker and steering lock it will take 7 minutes plus which is hopefully too much hassle for the thieving f*ckers who deserve to have all the internal organs removed IMO

 

whats even more annoying is when u catch these b@st@ards trying to get into your motor, if u take the law into your own hands, (i.e. kick the **** out of them) who do u think gets done by the coppers!?!

yep, u guessed it

 

My dad's mate had his Evo nicked the other day. I now know how they bypassed the CAT 1 - and boy was it easy. Alarmingly, i expect they could use this method for most cars and most alarms!!!

Andy

 

The best deterrent to most thieves is a home made hidden switch that immobilises the car. Most decent thieves can get round most immobilisers in a minute or two. I aint a car thief but when my immobiliser went wrong it took me five minutes to nick my own car and thats without damaging it...

A home made cut off switch on the other hand which will be completely unique can take ages to locate. I'm no expert, but thats what I've been told.

 

Sidhead, what make of cat 1 was it?

 

Anyone with a bit of knowledge can bypass the cat1 alarms, I don't know if its wise posting the info here but the criminals know it already so if you know then you can defend yourself....

They can rip out the front grill and pop the bonnet by pulling the release cable, they have used a metal ruler etc to press the bonnet alarm or they cut/ground the alarm wire to disable it. Then they have peace and quiet to rip out the siren & push the car onto a low loader or bypass the immobiliser and drive it off.

so what can you do ?

Reinforce behind the grill, perhaps sheet metal bolted infront of the bonnet release wire.
Move the alarm wire, and if poss fit two bonnet alarm switches so they will trigger one thinking they have disabled the other. All standard factory alarms generally have switches in the same places but aftermarket ones are usually different so take a bit longer to work out.

Moderators if you believe this info is a bit much then amend it, but otherwise it might mean we can guard against this type of very common attack

 

My diplock seemed the best idea - if you've locked it into reverse then it's not going anywhere without the keys.

Also requires less food than an alsation

Baz

 

Make sure that any alarm has two sirens so that when they rip one out the other goes off? Battery backed of course.

But the fact that they now car jack or attack you in your home for the keys either prove that the alarms are not that easy to bypass or shows how little risk of getting caught by the Police is for that sort of crime and therefore worth the risk.

 

Dan - in the OWNERS MANUAL of my old Pug it told you how to get the bonnet open using the grill method you described. It was aparently a safety feature.

 

Im gonna get one of those Key Pad ignition starter things.. so you have to type in your pin code before you can ingage the ignition..

Any one got one???

They any good??

cheers!

 

A few years ago I had one of those yellow bar things that goes through the wheel so that it cant be turned past the A pliiar. They cut the steering wheel with bolt cutters. My £90 immobiliser stumped them and they left the car. A wheel with an air bag was big money to replace.

 

Just get a clifford concept 600.

I still don't know of a car that has been stolen with one of these things on. The only way is to hook it up to a wintch and drag it into the back of a sound deadened waggon.

Even the 'gun in yer face' thing isn't effective as the black jax takes car of it. Its caught me out a few times on some of my cars.....hehe. Embarasing when your car stops dead in the middle of the road with the siren blazing.

 

I dont know the make of alarm.

The basic gist was ripping out the indicators and shorting the connections to **** over the alarm. They were then left in peace to bump start/ jump start it off another car.

Andy