Help! Car security advice needed!

[Sharon]

So, I am about to buy a mazda bongo, which I will be leaving parked on the street. But, I have been reading on forums that they are popular with thieves (in edinburgh at least!) so I have became a bit concerned about car crime.

What is the best way of keeping your car safe on the streets so it is still there when you get up in the morning?

I am thinking immobilisers, and like the idea of gps tracking, but know little about either and they do seem pricey! So I desperately need advice from car geeks.

What do i need to do? and where I could get something like these fitted in Glasgow?

[Dave]

Take out any valuable things that way if it does get nicked you only lose you vehicle which you claim back on your insurance, you then have an option of buying a new vehicle. If you immobilise it then it'll get wrecked by the would be thief, lumbering you with the hassle of mending it and possibly paying a premium on your insurance.

[BrigitDoon]

Slide the steering wheel off the splines at night and take it indoors with you. A bit fiddly and time consuming, I know, but unless matey has a Bongo steering wheel of his own, he's stuffed.

[Autolycus]

Isn't there a 21st century equivalent of taking the rotor arm out?

[Bing Buzby]

Agree with Dave.

If your car is targeted, not much you can or should do about it. However opportunists are a different story. I know most of these are obvious but my tips would be:

1. Don't buy the insurance on price alone, if you need a replacement car while yours is being used to toast marshmallows, it is worth paying a bit extra for.

2. In my opinon residential streets are better to park in, many a time I have parked in a busy 'shopping' street or car park to come back in the morning to find my car the only one left. It screams, "I was at the pub and now nowhere withing earshot." Also bad for casual passing vandalism.

3. Don't loose any sleep over it. I know it is difficult to become completely detached, but put it out of your mind and if the worst come to the worst see point 1.

Brigit

Aye, even less chance they also have a battery.

[BTJustice]

A hidden switch immobiliser is the easiest and cheapest way to foil a thief. I agree with Dave that the would be thief will damage a car trying to steal it but they will do a lot worse to it if they get it started and joy ride it round the streets.

Its also better to have a van needing a steering lock and plastic trim than no van at all.

Slowing them down increases the chances of them being caught so its still well worth fitting something that immobilises the engine.

Also, etch the glass with the reg number and put identifying marks on engine bits, spare wheel well, under the seats etc. That way if it goes missing and its ID gets changed you can say to the police "my van had a blob of purple paint on the starter motor" or "there is a postcard from Morcambe hidden in the drivers seat base".

There are simple ways to make your own tracker using a mobile phone hidden in the dash with a supply to the charger.

What age bongo and whats the camper layout?

Mostly, dont get too paranoid about it or you wont enjoy it. Make sue the insurance is correct for the van so you get a replacement and then make sure you get out and have fun with it.

Dave.

[hazy]

Remove the ignition fuse. Its a basic fix and the fuses should be named and located under the gloove box. Or you could buy a rottwieller and leave it in the car. Then again I have never seen a dog put out a fire.

[BTJustice]

, but unless matey has a Bongo steering wheel of his own, he's stuffed.

Or a set of mole grips. I drove a car in and out of the paint booth for about 6 months with just a set of grips attatched to the steering column.

[BrigitDoon]

Ah yes, forgot about the mole grips.

Hazy, you do not leave a Rottweiler in a car overnight unless the interior is made of nondestructium.

[hungryjoe]

So, I am about to buy a mazda bongo, which I will be leaving parked on the street. But, I have been reading on forums that they are popular with thieves (in edinburgh at least!) so I have became a bit concerned about car crime.

What is the best way of keeping your car safe on the streets so it is still there when you get up in the morning?

I am thinking immobilisers, and like the idea of gps tracking, but know little about either and they do seem pricey! So I desperately need advice from car geeks.

What do i need to do? and where I could get something like these fitted in Glasgow?

Any decent sparky can put in a discreet wee switch which cuts off power to the fuel pump/ignition/whatever. It's not hard to do.

[tommytank]

Sharon, the steering wheel removal may not be the easiest as you will no doubt have an airbag in the Bongo. Visual deterrents are the best, a good quality wheel lock that goes on the steering wheel works, but they are not infallible.

Disconnecting the coil pack in modern engines is as good as taking the rotor arm out. Trace the spark plug leads back to a box (coil pack) There will be a set of smaller wires (usually 4) on a plug that connects to this box. Unplug that and the car wont start. This wont work if its a diesel mind...

The other easy option is a makeshift immobiliser. Cut the kicker wire that goes from the ignition to the starter motor, and feed to a hidden switch in the car somewhere. When the switch is off the key will turn but nothing will happen. Usually good to hide this switch somewhere out of sight in the engine. A decent auto electrician can do this for you.