Vehicle Securiy

What vehicle security (anti-theft) measures are used by residents lakeside to curb car theft? Which ones work.

a steering wheel bar & don't leave anything tempting in your car.

[quote="frkshnwa"] What vehicle security (anti-theft) measures are used by residents lakeside to curb car theft? Which ones work.[/quote]

* Never buy or rent a residence without secure interior gated parking. NEVER!
* Never park in the street when at all avoidable and, if you do so, park in an area with lots of foot traffic if possible.
* Always, when possiblle, park in an attended public parking lot. If you do so on a recurring basis befriend the attendant and give him a modest tip on occasion so he remembers you. If parking on the street where car wash guys are offering to wash you car for modest sums (say, up to $45 Pesos or so) of money, have your car washed while you are going about your business and that dude will be watching your car like a hawk. Alternatively, if your car does not need washing, ask the guy to watch your car and tell him you´ll pay him a modest sum upon your return.

The worst incident that happened to me over ten years living here was when I parked in the street in one of Guadalajara´s most exclusive neighborhoods rather that park in the pay lot at Plaza Mexico. I was visiting a doctor for a few minutes and when I returned, both exterior rear view mirrors had been ripped off. Mexican insurance does not cover something like that. I saved, maybe, $5 Pesos by parking in the steeet and those two rear view mirrors cost me $7,000 Pesos to replace. I could have gone down to the nearby thieves´ market and bought back my own rear view mirrors for substantially less money but didn´t feel it was worth it.

We have never used that steering wheel locking bar and wouldn´t but to each his/her own.

Our car is now eight years old so I´m thinking of dropping theft insurance which is quite expensive here in Mexico and only includes total theft - not theft of belongings in the vehicle. Payment for total theft is limited to discounted commercial value and God knows what that will be or even if they will pay since insurance companies are bigger thieves than car thieves.

We drive a Ford minivan which Kathy considers to be a large shopping cart during our trips to Mexico and she is dedicated to filling every inch of space within the vehicle. It has very dark tinted windows that make it somewhat impossible to see inside. We do use a steering wheel lock bar and make every effort to park in private parking lots in towns or cities, secure parking lots at hotels, obvious spots on busy streets and avoid side streets or streets that are not well lighted at night. As the Dawg mentioned, parking lot attendants or cash wash guys can be a real security measure if they know they will receive a propina. From our experience car alarms are mostly useless because people just consider them to be a nuisance and tend to ignore them.

In over ten years of driving in Mexico, our most serious theft was loose change from the ashtray of our former Mexico car (a convertible with the top down) parked directly in front of what is now Ajijic Tango.

In downtown GDL public parking lots are the only way to go IMO.When they stole my tailgate I did go to the thieves market around the 5 de febrero colonia and paid 1500 pesos for it, they asked what color I wanted I told them I'd buy my old one back so it would match but was told it had already been sold,they offered to have a ring welded on to the hinge so it wouldn't happen again for 200 pesos,I took them up on it and had the mirrors and taillights secured as well.Sort of ironic having the thieves provide protection against future theft.I do use a steering wheel lock.
Chris

CG's approach of picking parking spots carefully is ours as well and a very good primary preventive. We have locking hub nuts on our wheels and spare. And we drive a plain vanila 6 year old Honda CRV.

Three other things that I just thought of: 1) we have security screws on our NM rear plate as they tend to be popular to steal, 2) we have a souvenir front plate since the Federales and other police tend to look twice at a vehicle without a front plate & 3) we stash our GPS and Sirius Satellite radio when parking.

My side mirrors would be of no interest to thieves. We hit a cow with the drivers side one years ago and never got it fixed. It's held on with Duct tape. No other bit would be worth stealing either because the paint is falling off everywhere.
I love my car, and drive it with pride. The worse it looks the better I feel. Future plans include having the worst looking car in the entire area, it's a worthwhile goal and just about within grasp.

Security screws for license plate is a great idea. Where do you find those? Think Autozone will have them? I'm gonna go see my brother in San Clemente and could pick those up while there.

I bought mine at Auto Zone in Albuquerque and have seen them at virtually any auto parts store I have been in. You can make your own by grinding off the slots after installation. The ones that I purchased at Auto Zone have a special key and who knows where that is these days? Fact is that if they really want your plates, they can get them off but this does slow them down.

Excellent, thanks! Appreciate it mucho. Trouble with grinding off the slots is you gotta get them out at some point. I have a special key for my tires locked away with the jack and tools, easy to keep it there.

frkshnwa wrote: What vehicle security (anti-theft) measures are used by residents lakeside to curb car theft? Which ones work.

I drive a beater!
gm

Mainecoons wrote:CG's approach of picking parking spots carefully is ours as well and a very good primary preventive. We have locking hub nuts on our wheels and spare. And we drive a plain vanila 6 year old Honda CRV.

I thought it was blue?

The bar on the steering wheel is for older cars that don't have computer
chips in the keys that talk to the car. The other purpose for the bar on
the steering wheel is to lock up the airbag. Airbags and Cat converters
are hot items to steal. I also suggest the locking lugnuts and a lock on
your spare tire under your pickup truck or tailgate. To be really careful
remove your wipers when parked also. Hmmm this is getting out of
hand and becoming ridiculous but needed?

Z

frkshnwa wrote: What vehicle security (anti-theft) measures are used by residents lakeside to curb car theft? Which ones work.

Door Locks....

Zed:

Could you explain your comment about vehicles with chips in the key?

Things are definitely getting worse. Apparently 3 vehicles were stolen last night in SJC. Two cars and a motorcycle. Guess leaving my beater outside as a deterrent is no longer working anyhow, so the cars are now going in the garage.

CheenaGringo wrote:Zed:

Could you explain your comment about vehicles with chips in the key?

In the old days (10 years or older depending on make model etc etc) a key was just a key. If you put the key in and it turned the little tumblers or whatever is in a
lock it moved and you could start the car. Stealing a car like this is easy and the bar on the wheel slows em down. Today ANY car key has a little computer gizmo
inside the key that talks to the car. Without the right little electronic handshake between Key and car it will not start even if you break the ignition lock and cross
the wires like you see people doing on TV on the crime shows. So in the old days they smashed your ignition lock with a slide hammer, reach in the column and connect
some wires to start the car and drove off. Today a big truck comes up and steals the whole car using various methods to load it up and bye bye. Steering column bar
does offer some protection for your steering wheel airbag.

Z

Making sure you rent a Casa with gated parking makes a lot of since to me. The place we have rented in March does have that. Thanks also for the good information about parking in Guadalajara in secured lots....makes a lot of sense. We will be buying a Jeep Wrangler hardtop probably newer than 2004 after we get down and will make sure it has the passive security system on it (coded ignition keys). I will probably get a peddle lock also. thanks for the ideas.

What about kill switches? I was told that it runs around ten bucks and can be anywhere in the car.

That is the only thing I've thought about. My car is a waiting target, I guess. I park on the street (my parking area inside is not long enough) and don't have a steering bar. I have an alarm (does anyone even pay attention to those anymore), a chipped key, and 9 dogs that go nuts if anyone so much as looks at the car, but a neighbor told me about the kill switch and I thought it might be a good idea so that once they strip my car, I can still be the only one to start it...haha.

SusieSunshine wrote:What about kill switches? I was told that it runs around ten bucks and can be anywhere in the car.

That is the only thing I've thought about. My car is a waiting target, I guess. I park on the street (my parking area inside is not long enough) and don't have a steering bar. I have an alarm (does anyone even pay attention to those anymore), a chipped key, and 9 dogs that go nuts if anyone so much as looks at the car, but a neighbor told me about the kill switch and I thought it might be a good idea so that once they strip my car, I can still be the only one to start it...haha.

Problem with the " Kill Switch " is by the time they get to it... your window is all over the ground and your vehicles interior, your ignition switch is ripped out, your steering column is smashed to bits, and your dash board is in the back seat....

I always liked those blinky little blue lights that tell someone that there is an alarm in vehicle...that alone usually works...
Of course, you'll probably loose your window to kids who want to hear the neat siren go off....

hockables wrote:

SusieSunshine wrote:What about kill switches? I was told that it runs around ten bucks and can be anywhere in the car.

That is the only thing I've thought about. My car is a waiting target, I guess. I park on the street (my parking area inside is not long enough) and don't have a steering bar. I have an alarm (does anyone even pay attention to those anymore), a chipped key, and 9 dogs that go nuts if anyone so much as looks at the car, but a neighbor told me about the kill switch and I thought it might be a good idea so that once they strip my car, I can still be the only one to start it...haha.

Problem with the " Kill Switch " is by the time they get to it... your window is all over the ground and your vehicles interior, your ignition switch is ripped out, your steering column is smashed to bits, and your dash board is in the back seat....

I always liked those blinky little blue lights that tell someone that there is an alarm in vehicle...that alone usually works...
Of course, you'll probably loose your window to kids who want to hear the neat siren go off....

Hey! I've got one of those, except in red! I don't know if mine would go off if they broke the windshield...it's never been tested, but I didn't want it to be one of those that goes off nonstop so it is not set to be sensitive at all; however, if someone touches the door handles it goes off. My landlord pee'd all over it and the alarm never went off until he touched the door handle.

[quote="SusieSunshine"]

hockables wrote:

SusieSunshine wrote:What about kill switches? I was told that it runs around ten bucks and can be anywhere in the car.

That is the only thing I've thought about. My car is a waiting target, I guess. I park on the street (my parking area inside is not long enough) and don't have a steering bar. I have an alarm (does anyone even pay attention to those anymore), a chipped key, and 9 dogs that go nuts if anyone so much as looks at the car, but a neighbor told me about the kill switch and I thought it might be a good idea so that once they strip my car, I can still be the only one to start it...haha.

Problem with the " Kill Switch " is by the time they get to it... your window is all over the ground and your vehicles interior, your ignition switch is ripped out, your steering column is smashed to bits, and your dash board is in the back seat....

I always liked those blinky little blue lights that tell someone that there is an alarm in vehicle...that alone usually works...
Of course, you'll probably loose your window to kids who want to hear the neat siren go off....

Hey! I've got one of those, except in red! I don't know if mine would go off if they broke the windshield...it's never been tested, but I didn't want it to be one of those that goes off nonstop so it is not set to be sensitive at all; however, if someone touches the door handles it goes off. My landlord pee'd all over it and the alarm never went off until he touched the door handle.

Your Landlord Pissed All Over Your Car?? thatz cold man !!

I found it amusing! I was on here before about some of the crap they pulled, but they were complete asshats and almost drove me completely insane! My neighbor called the police because we all saw it...and the police laughed, too.

SusieSunshine wrote:I found it amusing! I was on here before about some of the crap they pulled, but they were complete asshats and almost drove me completely insane! My neighbor called the police because we all saw it...and the police laughed, too.

U shoulda got him to at least do the headlights!!