Prevent Your Vehicle from Theft

You go out to the parking lot, ready to leave and...... your car is gone! Stolen. Don't let this happen to you. Was it a brand new car? Did you leave the door unlocked? All these thoughts and more race through your head. The fact is that your car is gone, and you could have prevented it. Here are some ways how to do that.

There are many factors involving car security. I'm going to cover several factors.

Door Locks
Surprisingly, this is overlooked by a few people out there. It could be that the lock sticks and doesn't want to lock all the way. Maybe someone messed it up, or it's an old car. Some people will ignore this problem and keep reminding themselves to fix it later. This is not a good idea. The best thing to do is to get it fixed as soon as possible. Most car locks start off as small problem- either the door is slightly mis-aligned, the inside mechanisms are too loose, or a small part needs to be replaced. if you wait to fix it later on down the road, someone else is going to take advantage of that problem door lock, and take your car. It's best to get it fixed quick, before it gets worse. When that happens, you will have to pay more to get it fixed. So basically, make sure that your door locks work and to keep them locked at all times.

Car Glass
Those blasted thieves are getting bolder these days! Some will smash out door windows or even the little side one's. As a lover of cars, it hurts to see a car window all covered in duct tape....... (Anyways-), to combat this, you can install alarms that go off when any part of your car is jostled violently. When your glass is broken, the alarm will alert anyone nearby. The new ones are pretty high pitched, I doubt any thief wants their ears to burst from the noise. Besides that, it will get the attention of people nearby. It would be a good idea to inspect your car glass carefully to make sure that none of it is loose. You want your car to safe and sound.

Audio and CD players
This is main target for many, even if they don't take your vehicle. If you have new speakers, it is best not to advertise it to the whole world with stickers on your car indicating what you have. Keep a low profile. Don't put any stickers on your car that have to do with speakers or any type of audio. When you install your speakers, they usually come with new grill kits, right? These kits are usually a silver color, and from the outside are clearly visible. This is like a signal for luring thieves. To fight this, try to use your old speaker grill kits if possible. Or spray paint the new grill kits with a color that closely matches the color of the surrounding material. This way, the thieves will take a look, and think that there is nothing of worth to take! Most new CD receivers have a detachable face that you can take off. This is a good thing to have, because when you look in the vehicle, all you see is a black rectangular area. You cant tell if it's a high end stereo and moreover, you can't tell what brand you have. If you have a remote that comes with it, it's best to hide it out of plain view. This can tip off to thieves that you might have something of value.

Various Electronics
Most folks have GPS, car radars, MP3 players and so forth. You would be surprised as to how many car drivers actually just leave this stuff in plain view. While it may be a little hassle to hide these electronics out of site, would you rather have these things all the time, rather than to just by them, only for them to be stolen? It's just common sense. New cars nowadays have so many compartments, cubby holes, and areas where you can put things. Some vehicles have a huge storage area right between the seats, with 12 volt outlets and speaker jacks. This way, you don't have to unplug anything at all.

Security Systems
The latest vehicle alarm systems have a voice that say things to you if you touch the car even a little bit. If the thief still attempts to take your vehicle, the security system will shut down the whole car. They will not be able to open the door, or even start the car. Nice, eh? The slightly bad news is that this security system is not cheap, and thieves always seem to find ways around security systems sometimes, so its not foolproof. There is also another type of car alarm you can get installed that comes with a visual alert system. It's the size of a car remote, but it has indicators on it that tell you which door is being opened, or if car glass is being broken. Another good system, but not cheap. Thinking about getting the good ol' Club? It may look sturdy, but there are a few ways around it. Some car thieves just saw parts off of the steering wheel and chuck the Club to one side. Some people install the Club straight across their cars' steering wheel. How effective is that? While a bright red Club is clearly visible on the steering wheel, it can still be driven! The best, effective way the install a Club on your steering wheel is to make sure the long handle part is touching your front windshield. At a diagonal angle, with the other end pointing down towards the middle of the front seats. This way, you cant steer with the Club on. There is also another lock you can get for you car too. It's red like the Club, but this lock actually locks your brake pedal. It's made in such a way that it clamps down your pedal, so you really can't go anywhere. Best of all it is very tough to saw through or smash through! It is called The Unbreakable AutoLock.

Bluff Your Way Out
Some vehicle alarms systems come with a little red or blue light that sits on the dashboard. This is an indicator to thieves that your alarm system is on. Or.............. is it? Most people think that the best car alarm systems come with this feature. This is actually to your advantage, because all you have to do is get the light installed. This will deter many thieves from taking your vehicle. Place security alarm stickers on the outside glass of your car. Some will think twice about breaking into your car.

Be Aware
You should try to park your car nearby, never park it far away or in a secluded area. This lessens the chance of it being unattended for a long time.

Don't Be Flashy
If you have chrome plated license plate covers, chances are your vehicle is worth being a target. Why? Anything that is shiny or bright attracts attention, good and bad. The same goes for wheel rims. If you have huge, aluminum or chrome rims, you are a target. They can easily be taken and sold quickly. It's best to get toned-down wheels rims if you really want new ones. To prevent them from being taken, install new lug nuts that come with a special bit you have to insert to take them off. This key fits in an area right on the lug nuts- without it your wheels can't go anywhere.

Some Things You Can't Change.........
Unfortunately, foreign vehicles and trucks have a higher chance of being stolen. Even if it's older, it's still a target. Some things you can't change, but by taking extra precautions you have a better chance of your vehicle not getting stolen.