25 replies to this topic

[Ethel]

You did very well to get a scene of crime guy out, a deterrent is what you need if you do want your car attacked. For a quick, free anti theft device take your rotor arm with you.

[JohnGordon]

You could fit a battery islolater in the boot, will total immobilize the electrics, and as the advantage of the boot being lockable.

Doesn't stop the determined thief from breaking in the car or towing it away though

but what theif would tow the car away, honestly?!

erm... pikey?

with a horse??

Well round here they've moved on a bit! they come in hiab's now, sling a chain through each window and lift it on to the back of the wagon!

whats a hiab lol??

it's basically a flat bed wagon with a crane just behind the cab

[MGMT]

You could fit a battery islolater in the boot, will total immobilize the electrics, and as the advantage of the boot being lockable.

Doesn't stop the determined thief from breaking in the car or towing it away though

but what theif would tow the car away, honestly?!

erm... pikey?

with a horse??

Well round here they've moved on a bit! they come in hiab's now, sling a chain through each window and lift it on to the back of the wagon!

whats a hiab lol??

it's basically a flat bed wagon with a crane just behind the cab

oh right haha that would make stealing things easier then! I dont know how they can afford to run vehicles!

[haz]

my mini is sorn (and has been 14 months), i like to keep the engine turning over from time to time so I dont want it to be impossible to start but i do worry about it being stolen when im out at work... besides removing the steering wheel (quick release) I also remove the coil which iv mounted with a jubalee clip for ease of use, only takes a minute! I'm going to MJ with the new engine tho so I'm going to have to think of another cunning plan just incase the theif carrys a spare mini steering wheel... I live near liverpool lol

[stormintrooper]

wheel clamp may be a bit of a fuss and a pain to find one small enough for a mini wheel...but if a theif tried to remove it people would kinda realise something was up...i personaly intend on gettin one and one of thos long things u wedge between your steering wheel so they can't turn it....not a problem for me just yet thoughy as henry doesnt have the engine back in him yet

[rozzer1275]

theres a lot of works for those people

I have had cars broken into and one stolen then recovered,

any car without an alarm/imobliser is so easy all you need is a screw driver, my feista was stolen so they could drive 2 miles to a night club!!
stearing locks are easy to get round.
god they must have been thick.

1. leave nothing in the car, no alarm will stop little s*** breaking into your car for a few cigarette cards/jumper/stick on LCD clock. I have known cab drivers who keep the car empty and the doors unlocked over night.

2. get an imobliser with a flashing red light etc, its not much good without a flashing light they will still break into it and then give up when it won't start.

even if it just disconects the coil and turns a light on the dash (yer it could be bumped or bypassed but most of them are thick)

[bcjames]

My favourite deterrents are fitting a 12v LED in the ashtray thingy, and removing the rotor from the diz. Other than that its the standard in 1st head on to a wall and steering lock engaged.

Oh, and leave the car totally empty, cd player face off, and if you have one, leave the glove box empty and open to minimise the curiosity factor.

Im glad that aside the annoyance, your mini is safe

[Sammy D]

Stupidly easy to unfortunately.

I can start mine from under the bonnet without even going inside the car.

Steering locks can be picked and seem pretty easy to get off from what I saw on the telly a while ago. Even wheel clamps come off pretty easy.

If a serious thief wants your car, they will have it no matter what.

A snap off steering wheel seems like a good idea, or if your parking somewhere really dodgey, remove something from the ignition like the rotor arm.

Luckily my car is a total mission to start and only I know the secrets to get it running from cold.

[bcjames]

Luckily my car is a total mission to start and only I know the secrets to get it running from cold.

This is the other great think us mini owners can rely on! Even my mini owning friends can't start mine particularly easily.

[rozzer1275]

as with most cars the standard steering lock is donkey doos one hard yank on the steering wheel and there gone

[1984mini25]

I can start mine from under the bonnet without even going inside the car.

Although extremely useful for when the starter solenoid packs in.

And if you do have an alarm or get one fitted and have any extra power cables off the fuse box or siren under the bonnet, make sure you have a pop switch on the bonnet, that way you can’t just simply open the bonnet undetected snip a couple of wires disabling the alarm and carry on with nicking it without being noticed.

You can also get a device, which is a modified batter clamp with a knob you unscrew and remove to disconnect the battery but without removing the clamp. They then have a small bypass fuse to keep power to things like the radio, clock, alarm etc that need a preferment live, but because the fuse ratting is quite low as soon as the ignition is turned to crank over the engine the current draw blows the fuse meaning the engine cannot be started.