Worried....how do u protect ur z from being stolen

[bemmerguy714]

Ok. i;'m very worried now. DoctorMuffn had his z stolen not to far from where i work/live/go to school. Now i've already put alot of money into my z like most people on this site have as well. I'm also collecting a very massive sound system. So if mine was to "dissapear" I would not be very happy. I also heard that zs are very easy to steal.

What have you guys done to prevent this from happening to you? What kind of potection are you guys with? What alarm works best? PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!!! I have to get me one before the car starts to really start looking like a car again.

[Ed]

There are alarm systems then there are alarm systems. Most of them have features that are designed to work with modern cars. The only feature that would be worth anything on our cars is the shock sensor. The ignition cut off is useless. Anyone that has a basic understanding of these old engines can start the car in 40 seconds. A slim jim or coat hanger, 4 feet of wire and a screw driver, bam, gone in 60 seconds.

How many alarms do you hear in the middle of the night? What do you do? Ignore it or run to investigate?

I'm not trying to advertise for anyone here or discredit any alarm systems. But there is only one system that I've heard that will recover your car in about 20 minutes. Lojack.

[theianmonster]

I'm most definately putting an alarm in my Z. I'm also going to be installing a kill-switch, so I can disable the car when not in use. I'm also going to be shaving off all of the key holes on the car, everything will open by remote.

- Ian

[EScanlon]

Sadly, if they want it bad enough, they'll literally come and pick it up and put it on the back of a truck and off they go. Years ago, my group of friends went out and between all of us, we lifted this guys VW Bug and carried it 150 feet onto the golf green at the country club. So, a boom truck would have no problems picking up a Z and carting it off.

The key I think, is to determine the amount of "DETERRANCE" that you need to put into the car.

If you're parking it on the street, remove the steering wheel and turn the tires to the stops one side or the other. Simply remove your horn button and remove the nut holding the steering wheel onto the splined shaft and take the steering wheel inside with you. When you replace the wheel, the nut need only be tight enough to not let the steering wheel slide on the splined shaft. Yes, it's a PITA but it's better than having your car stolen.

A car alarm, unfortunately, has become an ignorable sound in parts of the country, so swap the horn it actuates to one of those musical air horns.

As long as your alarm is NOT going off every other night, or often enough to inure your neighbors to the sound of "La Cucaracha" going off incessantly and loudly at 3:00am, you WILL get someone to look. Whereas for the "Standard" Alarm tone, they'd just roll over and cover their ears.

If you have the money, buy a Car Boot. You know, those nasty things that some cities use to prevent you from moving your car once you've been "booted". Again a PITA, but maybe it would do the trick.

Personally, I would opt for a car alarm that immediately released some form of nerve agent to immobilize the thief, but that would dissipate after a bit. That way the thief is disposed of, and you still have your car. I used to love the idea of J Bond's Theft Deterrent System that he used on the Lotus in "For Your Eyes Only", but then you're out the car as well, so I've thought up this idea instead.

Biggest setback with this system is finding a commercial source for the nerve agent although some of the hair coloring solutions around could serve as substitutes.

Anyone else with other ideas?

Enrique

[KDMatt]

I used to love the idea of J Bond's Theft Deterrent System that he used on the Lotus in "For Your Eyes Only", but then you're out the car as well, so I've thought up this idea instead.

I'm sort of partial to the one Bond had in "Tomorrow Never Dies." If you touch the car you get a powerful electric shock. Hey, it's kinda hard to steal if you can't even stand to touch it! :squareeye

A killswitch sounds like a good plan, but like it's been said already, nothing is as good (or cheap these days) as a good, loud alarm to let passersby know that the person jerking around with the car is not its owner.

A starter immobilizer probably can't be too bad an idea either.

[LanceM]

The best thing I have found is to leave it half taken apart in a locked garage, I've had it that way for about 20 years and nobody has stolen it yet

Other than that Enrique has the bases covered, no matter what you do if they want it bad enough they will get it.

First thing though is I think you need to deside who you are trying to keep from stealing it, pros who want to strip it, or joyriders. Pros you might as well forget, it's going on a truck and is gone, joyriders on the other hand are looking for a ride and a thrill, making things a PIA is a good deturent, a fuel cut off preferably electric is a good choice, it allows the car to start and for them to drive away, about a block before it quits at a light or the middle of the street. Being the hold up for traffic in a stolen car typically causes joy riders to bail and go looking for another ride.

Another thing is to make the car less apealing to the bad guys, unless it is hidden a mega sound system is just an invite. Remember good doors and glass for these cars is getting harder to find all of the time, slap in a $50 stereo and leave the doors unlocked, nothing worth stealing then anyway....

Then there is the nerve gas thing, I'm liking that idea

[ChrisA]

A 65 pound female boxer in the hatch and a 85 pound male boxer in the passenger seat!! Just kidding.....I like the nerve gas option too! I have a battery disconnect switch hidden in the car.

Chris

[=Resurected280=]

A quick release steering wheel is a good one even if you just hide it under the seat after you disconnect it, just the fact that the wheel isnt there will deter most non-professional car jackers, dont know if they make such a thing for Z's though.

[Gee]

If I'm parking it for a while I'll take the rotor out of the distributor and put it in my pocket. Unless the thief has the correct rotor or a flatbed truck, I figure there's not much chance for them..

[Fun_in_my_z]

If you park on the street in town where there are alot of cars really close by then they wouldnt have room to get a truck in position to load your car up. As for joy riders...well intraduce them to my good freinds smith and wesson

[240ZX]

Put a sign in the window that reads....."I'm an EOD specialist and my Z is equipped with a remote delayed detonation security system!!! You have been officially warned! Are you feeling lucky today?"

[bemmerguy714]

Most of these "security systems" are pretty funny but seriously thou. What if it happened to ur z? Idk about u guys but i dont want something to happen.

Here are a few questions for u guys.

- Does anyone have Lojack? Will it work on our cars?

- Shock sensors are good but i dont want it going off all the time. Especially when i have 3 12"s in the back.

- About the removable steering wheel, do they come for 240z? Who sells them? Ebay? MSA? VB? I got to look around. If anyones done it that would be great.

- i like the kill switch idea. Very nice. HAs any one done this on they're z? U got a pic? How hard is it to install?

- ED=Why are ignition cutoffs usless?

- theianmonster. We think alike. If it was'nt for my dad i would definitally go with no keyholes. That what i'm going to do with my future 3 series

- EScanlon- I do love the idea of the "La Cucaracha" going off. That would be so funny.

About the nerve gas/poisons/self detonation bombs, i would probobly set them up wrong or something and have them go off on me. So yeah that idea is dead for me. Funny but no. :laugh:

Thanks guys. HOPE WE NEVER HAVE TO USE THIS STUFF