59 replies to this topic

[dj226]

hiya everyone, ive recently bought myself a 1999 Mini Cooper sports pack.

now ive heard now from so many people, if its word of mouth, in a magazine, mini forum, friend of a friend, that classic minis are been stolen!
I'm guessing its because there now really are a classic! and a great fun car!

this really does worry me! even though i do garage my Mini, i now and then dont have it garaged. and bassically a thief will steal from anywhere!

Now i thought of an idea of maybe having a fuel cut if switch of which you the owner only knows of its whereabouts. basically a switch. maybe in cabin area, or else where, not in a obvious place.

if a thief did start the mini, it would only move a few hundred yards if that. as the fuel wudnt be goin through, for all he knows, its ran out of fuel!

Think this is a good idea?

[2lrminivan]

hiya everyone, ive recently bought myself a 1999 Mini Cooper sports pack.

now ive heard now from so many people, if its word of mouth, in a magazine, mini forum, friend of a friend, that classic minis are been stolen!
I'm guessing its because there now really are a classic! and a great fun car!

this really does worry me! even though i do garage my Mini, i now and then dont have it garaged. and bassically a thief will steal from anywhere!

Now i thought of an idea of maybe having a fuel cut if switch of which you the owner only knows of its whereabouts. basically a switch. maybe in cabin area, or else where, not in a obvious place.

if a thief did start the mini, it would only move a few hundred yards if that. as the fuel wudnt be goin through, for all he knows, its ran out of fuel!

Think this is a good idea?

good idea mate but its a very old idea only takes 5 mins to find a switch in a mini
best bet is a Tracker/alarm

Andy

[The_Mistro]

already been done many times!

[ukcooper]

1999 cooper should have alarm and a immobilizer, i'd live with that.

Flue cut of switch may stop kids but if it's wanted nothing much can stop the | m .

[Teapot]

I believe the MO these days is to push it into a covered wagon & whizz off to the docks for export. Or maybe to a secluded barn to whip out all the unidentifiable nice bits (turbo, wheels etc).

Sometimes it's joyriders but not very often I'm afraid.

[Dan]

You have an MPi Mini so the fuel pump will only run if the alarm tells it that it can anyway. When you have a car that will comfortably fit inside the back of a luton Transit and which is light enough to be lifted up on a small tail lift with maybe 3 people holding up the back as it rises, there's little you can do to stop it being nicked by someone determined.

[mike.]

Its sad to say, but one of the best things you can do is get an agreed value insurance policy. So if your car is nicked, you'll get a payout from your insurance thats worth having.

[Cerberus]

You have an MPi Mini so the fuel pump will only run if the alarm tells it that it can anyway. When you have a car that will comfortably fit inside the back of a luton Transit and which is light enough to be lifted up on a small tail lift with maybe 3 people holding up the back as it rises, there's little you can do to stop it being nicked by someone determined.

So filling the car with bags of cement might be the answer,

[The_Mistro]

i always thought the best thing you can do in a garage is to have a huge bolt blasted into the floor (a lot of bikers i know have had this done) with an eye on the bolt, and chain the mini to the floor! obv this isnt handy if its a daily drive! as it would become a bit annoying, espec on cold winters days when the chain is so cold your hands stick to it, but always been an idea!

[E.L.M.O]

There is no one thing that will stop them. Every anti theft device or method has its kryptonite, may it be bolt cutters, GPS -tracker blockers that can be bought for as little as £30 etc

No defence or device is absolute against thieves. So the only thing you can do is all of it. Fuel cut off switches, battery cut off switches, trackers, alarms, steering locks or removable steering wheel, gear and handbrake lock, Clamp if leaving it for long periods (or even over night if you really want to go to those extremes... Im considering a wheel clamp while it is in the garage)

[mk3cortina]

ive got a motorcycle chain lock that is uncroppable, the only way to cut it would be with an angle grinder, and i think that would get my attention. cant remember the name of the company but the chain and lock combo is around £200+, its form a company in newcastle.

[mab01uk]

It won't stop anyone taking your Mini but you can locate it..It's a lot less expensive than a Tracker and a GPS won't work in tunnels or buildings but mobile phones do.
1. Buy a cheap mobile phone ( You can get one for £10.00 ) buy a sim with £10.00 on it make one call and register it
2. Buy a car charger.
3. Wire the charger to a permanent live.
4. Hide the phone under the dash somewhere (not so easy on a Mini) and fix it securely then connect the charger to the phone secure with a cable tie.
5. Switch the phone on and leave it on. If ever the car gets stolen, or you simply want to check up on your cars location, just look up its location online & either pass on the details to your local police - or go sort it yourself. Even if they disconnect the car battery the mobile will still be on until the battery runs down..... That could be over a week.

6. Join this........ http://www.traceamobile.co.uk/
Trace A Mobile Official Website - Mobile Phone Tracking, Find A Mobile, Free Registration, Lost Phone.
There are quite a few web sites, which for a small fee, will track down a mobile phone signal to within 150 metres - just google ' mobile phone tracking '

Or http://www.childlocate.co.uk/

http://www.findyourchild.net/

You will be able to track the car at all times. If you have a smart phone you could use that to track it...........

Edited from this previous thread:
http://www.theminifo...l=phone tracker

[dhende84]

I know it doesn't stop someone picking up your car or breaking a window, but the old screwdriver through the door trick could be solved by a door lock shield as per most modern cars. Still leaves the issue of being able to take out the lock, but its something. Central locking and eliminate the key lock in the door handle perhaps... would need to leave a key for the boot lock to get at the battery in the event of a power failure I suppose. Just a (rambling) thought...

[Dan]

As I believe I said before regarding phone tracking of a car, if you don't make a call on a PAYG SIM or top it up for 6 months they may well disconnect it. Nothing is as easy as it seems.

[E.L.M.O]

As I believe I said before regarding phone tracking of a car, if you don't make a call on a PAYG SIM or top it up for 6 months they may well disconnect it. Nothing is as easy as it seems.

Do you have to make a call on it, or can you simply just phone it? If the phone rings, I wonder if thats enough to count....? Because you could just phone it every so once it a while.