Motors Universal Car alarm

Hi,

I've just brought my car to Uni, it's parked in the Hall car park which is fairly well lit, and there are (apparently!) security guards. However one person has had their scooter stolen already.

It doesn't have an alarm or anything. Like, the rear lock can be opened with a screwdriver, no central locking - any door is just opened (pull hard enough!) and you can drive it (looking at the rest of the car I can't imagine the ignition key is hard to bypass).

Are there any aftermarket alarm products that I could quickly fit so it at least makes a lot of noise in case of nickage?

I intend on buying a steering wheel lock very soon, but I'd ideally want something a bit more active!

I'm in the Bristol area

profqwerty

 

Cheap as chips, makes a lot of noise:
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/7402539/Trail/searchtext>CAR+ALARM.htm

*May annoy neighbours during sensitivity tuning

 

Just walk into any car/ electronics store and they can help you out. but from the sound of it I have to ask, is the alarm going to be worth more than the car?

 

Wheel clamp.

Might be able to break in, but won't be going anywhere with it.

Probably cheaper than a decent alarm :B

 

You could wire in an ignition cut-off switch and hide it somewhere, cost you about £1

 

Which car is it? If its a petrol I find the best thing to do is remove something from the car that'll stop it starting, usually the dizzy cap or king lead will suffice. Rather than fit an alarm on the vehicle that'll only annoy those close by, can you find something that can be triggered by the car to sound an alarm in your room? Using the two together you'll be able to catch/scare them off without alerting them, if they try to take the car.

 

Not much help but my buddy lost the bolt that holds in the gear shifter to his old Mazda truck. Whenever he parks somewhere, he can just take the shifter with him

I would remote wire in an ignition line switch. Hide it somewhere and the robber will get discouraged from not getting it to start and flee. I'm usually more worried about the stuff in my car rather than the car itself.

 

when i had an xr3i i found that toad alarms worked very well. You must be willing to pay the price, but highly recommended. I know some can come to your work/home and fit'it for around £100

 

There's nothing in the car worth nicking, but I really really don't need the car itself "disappearing". I do like the idea of removing something or a switch...it's a Diesel so what would you recommend? I'm not toooo keen on cutting up wires in the harness though tbh.

How do diesels turn off anyway? I remember an old tractor we had, you had to pull out a lever to make the engine stop, "turning off the ignition" made no difference

It is parked in a student car park near the sleeping bit so I suppose having an alarm go off in the night would probably do more damagae than good!

 

Everybody ignores alarms these days, only worth having if you can hear it and recognise it for yours.

Get a very obvious (big yellow) steering wheel lock and/or road wheel clamp, it persuades a thief to go for an easier target.

 

Diesels turn off when you cut the fuel, if they're not running on their own oil. I'd modify the engine earth strap for quick removal to stop it starting, or get a snap-off steering wheel boss so that you can take the wheel with you when you leave it unattended.

 

chrisb2e9 is right to ask: is the car even worth stealing?

Anyway, cpemma is right. Simply slap on a wheelclamp or steering lock. Visual deterrent makes them pick a more attractive target.

 

I got a cheap car alarm off ebay (£20) for my old cavalier took me about 3 hours to fit and made a hell of a noise.

Pretty much the same as this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-REMOTE-CAR-ALARM-BOOT-RELEASE-REMOTE-CENTRAL-LOCKING_W0QQitemZ150302137235QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item150302137235&_trkparms=72%3A1301|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

 

Forget a stearing wheel lock - worthless as they're a piece of piss to get off. And a cheap alarm isn't worth having unless you intend on sitting at the ready to chase someone off who tries to nick it. Chances are if it's cheap it's very easy to disconnect. You're wasting your money on an alarm unless it's properly fitted and has an immobilizer.

If you want a cheap way of deterring thieves and basically making your car unnickable, then I would get a Mul-T-Lock gearstick lock. You can pick them up for £20-ish quid including postage off the Bay. I've sold two myself from old cars, both went for about that much anyway... Believe me, it is impossible to get one off once fitted. Van drivers use them cos they are seriously heavy duty.

 

That gear thing is a good idea...the car's worth about £5-4k looking at similars on fleabay / autotrader, just old

 

what is your car? make/model?

Car alarms in student halls are just annoying as everyone bumps into cars coming back from nights out and well alarms go off, and eventually turns into a 'boy who cries wolf' situation. if your leaving it for a few days just disconnect the battery, as no car thief is going to piss around with that, plus a big fat stop lock for the steering wheel, yeah a little effort and there ripped off, but the sight of one just makes you moan at the task. Dont get a rachet one, there crap.

get one of these:



I've had one for the last 8 years, even tho the door has been forced once or twice, they soon give up, when they actually look in the car.

 

Uh, I'd rather not say in case someone's trying to find it now!

I think steering lock is the simplest way then, just need to find somewhere local

Thanks!

 

Another alternative is to clamp your own car.

 

dude, just take your battery off, or rewire an unused switch to turn on and off the electrics.

 

remove the ignition fuse is another quick disabling method, if like my car the fuse box is just under the steering wheel, then its piss easy.