Best anti-theft strategies for Yaris without engine immobilizer?

[rtom]

Last week I got a 3-door LB with only the convenience package, which means no engine immobilizer.

Car theft is not unknown in the area where I work, so I'm thinking about adding on something to at least deter a would-be thief.

I know that if they really want in, they'll get in -- but in terms of deterrence, what strategies give you the best bang for the buck? It would be nice to consider both cheap as well as pricier options.

I'll start with the good ol' steering wheel club and choosing a good parking spot.

[fearturtle44]

Cheapest items are: keeping doors locked, hide IPOD, GPS, Phone, etc., put several cheap alarm security magnets on windows, more expensive are the legalize tint to help folks not see inside, steering wheel club (as mentioned). As well as actual car alarm.

Kevin

[shakurov]

Fuel cut-off switch? Not sure if it may void the warranty on any parts though..a friend of mine had one on his 240

[KCALB SIRAY]

Front seat:

http://www.superpuppiesforyou.com/en/images/Rottweiler.jpg

[CTScott]

A 2-way alarm (since no one pays attention to other people's car alarms) with decent range would be a decent choice for a pricier option. A hidden starter or fuel pump cut-off switch would be a much cheaper option.

It also depends on how vehicles are typically stolen around that area. If they snatch them with a flatbed, instead of breaking in and driving them away, then any kind of a cut-off would be worthless.

[hatchbackkid82]

Your crazy Mike!!!! That won't work put this guy in the backseat and watch what happens when they get in:laugh:

[QUOTE=KCALB SIRAY;428930]Front seat:

[talnlnky]

put a cardboard cutout of Chuck Norris in the passenger seat, not even China's armed forces could steal your ride then.


really... nobody jacks a yaris... there's not that many of them, so the parts aren't that valuable (compare to civic or camry)... so you only have to worry about busted windows and stolen bags & parking money.

Keep your interior clean of garbage & gear and you don't have to worry.

[Ryu]

Put steering wheel lock PLUS brake pedal lock (the one linked from brake pedal to steering wheel). Theft will be less interested to steal a car with 2 lock and find easier target instead.

[Black Yaris]

trunk monkey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8avOiTUcD4Y

[YarisSedan]

One of those dummy led flashing lights.

[taracor]

I just go out of my way to park next to a Corvette or BMW, good all around since people who own a 'vette or BMW are less likely to ding my doors and those cars look more attractive to thieves, I'd hope.

[Kimmy]

Cheapest items are: keeping doors locked, hide IPOD, GPS, Phone, etc., put several cheap alarm security magnets on windows, more expensive are the legalize tint to help folks not see inside, steering wheel club (as mentioned). As well as actual car alarm.

Kevin

thats the best thing you can do, dont forget to lock your doors, put your steering wheel in lock, park to someone that looks like they have expensive things inside, hide everything as possible we have so many compartments not that hard to hide anything lol, and buy tint got mine for $120 cant see a thing! :thumbup:

[Shroomster]

get the wind up key for the roof....

[Zaphod]

I just go out of my way to park next to a Corvette or BMW, good all around since people who own a 'vette or BMW are less likely to ding my doors and those cars look more attractive to thieves, I'd hope.

This is good advice.

I also generally keep it clean and unlocked too, something I learned while driving a Jeep with a soft top which you can pretty easily unzip to get into anyway.

The way I figure it, if you see something you like take it. Just don't break my windows :)

[Shroomster]

I just go out of my way to park next to a Corvette or BMW, good all around since people who own a 'vette or BMW are less likely to ding my doors and those cars look more attractive to thieves, I'd hope.

This is good advice.

I also generally keep it clean and unlocked too, something I learned while driving a Jeep with a soft top which you can pretty easily unzip to get into anyway.

The way I figure it, if you see something you like take it. Just don't break my windows :)



I'm going to disagree with you guys because of a few reasons:
1. the thief is going to take whatever car they are looking for (be it sports/luxury or econo NONE OF US KNOW)

2. The high end cars have more security features (not always but usually they do)

3. The driver of the BMW or whatever is probably thinking the opposite of you ("stupid little econobox, my dinged quarter panel from their car door costs as much as their car")

I might seem slighted/jilted, but I don't trust anyone.


Park with your windows up and your locks locked. There is no true theft deterrent that will 100% work EVERYTIME ALL THE TIME. if someone wants your stuff/car they will find a way to get it.

[taracor]

Well, that's just it, if they hit my car with their door, they'll scratch their door, which costs as much as my car, so I'm assuming they'll try to avoid that. I've driven a Corolla with a broken lock for a while, and the only thing that ever happened theft-wise was someone took my hat. It was pretty weird, but better than taking the whole car.

[JBIZZ]

Park in well lit areas & don't leave valuables in plain sight.

[wooverstone8]

Park in well lit areas & don't leave valuables in plain sight.

+1

[eht13]

trunk monkey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8avOiTUcD4Y

Yup, the one at 1:50 was what I was thinking. :laugh:

[scape]

tint, hide expensive things from view, take off suctioncupped items for long parkings/bad areas, lock doors, and just have insurance. most likely the car will be broken into and something stolen

[JBougie]

This is good advice.

I also generally keep it clean and unlocked too, something I learned while driving a Jeep with a soft top which you can pretty easily unzip to get into anyway.

The way I figure it, if you see something you like take it. Just don't break my windows :)

I know quite a few car thieves (I am a criminal justice major and do a lot of volunteer work in the field) and a thief will break into a Toyota before a Corvette if they are simply looking to steal stereos/change/whatever is laying around. Why? Because they are the ones less likely to have a really good security system. So parking next to a Mercedes, BMW, Audi, etc. will not actually stop them from breaking in.

Keeping everything out of sight or locked in the trunk is a good idea- if a thief doesn't see anything (and I literally keep everything out of site even with my tinted windows, back in school I knew kids who would bust out a window for a pack of cigarettes) they probably aren't going to waste the time breaking in.

[JBougie]

Front seat:

http://www.superpuppiesforyou.com/en/images/Rottweiler.jpg

LOL as soon as I read the post title I thought 'get a pitbull' - that worked for me ... I had my pitbull (God, I miss her) ride shotgun with me everywhere I went and I would leave the windows cracked and the doors unlocked. No one ever dared to come near that car when she was in it, and she was afraid of her own shadow and only wanted to lick everyone she came in contact with. But, the stigma was enough to keep people away :bellyroll:

[joey666701]

i have a car alarm... it came with the car... but even with the car alarm i hide everything... and keep it clean... and yea parking next to BMW and what not doesnt work...

[doginmyyaris]

As the name implied, other then to and from work, there was always a big black lab mutt sittin' in the back....with all the windows all the way down (watch the heat, people!)

Alas, after 17 1/2 years (!) I had to give my best friend an overdose of morphine IV after he shattered a very arthritic shoulder. :cry:

Back on topic...instead of a living theft deterrent, I now use an AUTOTASER. Made by the same "Taser" people that make the guns, and no longer on the market, it's "the club" with a "kick"!! Positioned over my DVD/stereo, that too becomes too painful to mess with.

....but I'd take the mutt-deterrent over the electronic-deterrent, anyday......

[severous01]

as far as ppl breakin in, there's no real way to deter them. even if you post 'security alarm installed' all over the thing they're still going to do it.

as far as stealing 'the car', you can install a switch somewhere hidden, or use one that's already available. you can cut the relay wire to the starter, run it into a switch, and run it back to itself in a big loop. so essentially, you have two switches to close the starter relay instead of just the key switch.

now, an easy way to do this is to either use the window switch (i like the up position cuz noone ever really hits up when it's rolled up), and another is going to be a hidden toe switch like old school.....really old school hi-beam switches located near the dead pedal on the firewall. hit the switch with the toe, roll key to start and bam...started.

[yannis-b]

GPS tracker? Well, it won't prevent them from stealing the car but it's not a bad investment.

[why?]

i always wanted to use a nuclear bomb. It really wouldn't be practical, but i figured if the thief realized everyone in a 20 mile square radius would die if they tried to break in, they just wouldn't.

Or you could always make it look like a piece of junk on the outside, cover it with bumper stickers and the like, and no one would take a second look at it.

I agree that if someone really wants it, they will figure out a way to steal it. But 99% of theifs are the dumb ones not really looking for any specific car to steal.

That autotaser sounds right up my alley. Fry the peoples that try to take anything in your car.

[Zaphod]

As the name implied, other then to and from work, there was always a big black lab mutt sittin' in the back....with all the windows all the way down (watch the heat, people!)

Alas, after 17 1/2 years (!) I had to give my best friend an overdose of morphine IV after he shattered a very arthritic shoulder. :cry:

Back on topic...instead of a living theft deterrent, I now use an AUTOTASER. Made by the same "Taser" people that make the guns, and no longer on the market, it's "the club" with a "kick"!! Positioned over my DVD/stereo, that too becomes too painful to mess with.

....but I'd take the mutt-deterrent over the electronic-deterrent, anyday......
Aren't black labs generally too friendly for guard duty? I know my beagle isn't any kind of deterrent :smile:

Sorry about your dog though ...

The AUTOTASER thing reminds me of a friend. He kept getting his car broken into for his radio and he was just really getting tired of it. So when he installed his next radio, he strategically placed razor blades under the stereo.

You know it worked too, and there's always evidence an attempt however messy to clean up :wink: He used to keep his doors unlocked, and some idiot still broke his window, poor guy.

[Zaphod]

I know quite a few car thieves (I am a criminal justice major and do a lot of volunteer work in the field) and a thief will break into a Toyota before a Corvette if they are simply looking to steal stereos/change/whatever is laying around. Why? Because they are the ones less likely to have a really good security system. So parking next to a Mercedes, BMW, Audi, etc. will not actually stop them from breaking in.

Keeping everything out of sight or locked in the trunk is a good idea- if a thief doesn't see anything (and I literally keep everything out of site even with my tinted windows, back in school I knew kids who would bust out a window for a pack of cigarettes) they probably aren't going to waste the time breaking in.
I don't know, I'd run with the top down on the TJ near constantly and I never got it stolen. But I did keep a club on the steering wheel in questionable areas and it was a manual transmission.

Good thieves are just going to use a tow truck anyway and they aren't going to steal a Yaris when there's a BMW right next to it. Of course most idiots are going to pass on a car with a MT and a club. And usually even the most cross eyed drug addict is going pass on breaking the window on a car with nothing in it (I have actually physically seen the exception to this rule in action once ).

That's why I usually leave the doors unlocked, in hopes that they don't break the window to find out there's nothing in there. In neighborhoods where the Yaris is a coveted vehicle because everyone knows the crack dealer down the street will cap you if you try to steal his ride ... well I generally try to avoid, but if I have to I lock everything and pray to Jesus :laugh:

[MUSKOKA800]

Last week I got a 3-door LB with only the convenience package, which means no engine immobilizer.

Car theft is not unknown in the area where I work, so I'm thinking about adding on something to at least deter a would-be thief.

I know that if they really want in, they'll get in -- but in terms of deterrence, what strategies give you the best bang for the buck? It would be nice to consider both cheap as well as pricier options.

I'll start with the good ol' steering wheel club and choosing a good parking spot.

Take all the usual procautions and park beside a Civic SiR (Canada's #1 stolen car several years running).

[HTM Yaris]

A few years ago a guy tried to steal my Evo at a gas station . He didn't realize that when you release the e-brake in a car equipped with a turbo timer that the engine will cut off . It was funny to see him reach for the ignition to find no keys . Even funnier was the look on his face when I brandished my 1911 . You would be surprised at how fast someone can run when a 45 is pulled out .

On a side note , a turbo timer is great when you want to warm your car up during the winter . You can set the timer for say 10 minutes , pull the key out , then go back inside without having to worry about someone jacking your car while you brush your teeth or whatever .

[TEHxFALLEN V1.2]

1. become a gangbanger.

2. work your way up the ranks until you're a hardened criminal.

3. tote a gat on your belt.

4. if you aren't feared enough by now, proceed to step 5.

5. bust a cap in that would-be, car stealing thief.

[Greenthunder]

If you have GPS or any kind of aftermarket electronics either put them in your trunk or a back pack, or take them inside with you if possible. I used to work as a security officer and that is one of the first things I would tell people when they asked about possible break-ins. Park in well lit areas, and as close to the building you are going into. That will help deter a potential theif a little bit, but I've seen thieves break into cars in broad daylight. Heck people tried to steal a catalytic converter off a car in one lot in broad daylight too! You can only do so much to deter a thief though, if they want what you have they'll find a way to steal it. Even if its pocket change they'll take that too.

[Crims0n5]

Have you considered a brake lock? you slip it over the brake or clutch pedal and it stops it from being depressed. Unless they have a tow truck it would be hard to steal.

[Crims0n5]

Put steering wheel lock PLUS brake pedal lock (the one linked from brake pedal to steering wheel). Theft will be less interested to steal a car with 2 lock and find easier target instead.

you could still cut through the steering wheel and slip off both locks