Honda Car Forum

Hi,
I had my '98 Civic EX stolen thursday night. The cops told me, based on
the number of Honda's stolen in my neighborhood in the past month, that
I should expect to never see it again. OK, so I'm starting over,
probably buying a similar late 90's Civic or Accord. I realize that if
they really want it, they'll get it no matter what I do, but what are
my best bets in terms of physical deterrents? I'm going to use some
sort of a Club-like device to lock the steering wheel and brake pedal,
but I am looking for another layer beyond that. I've heard about
"engine immobilizers" but I'm not having much luck finding any
aftermarket products of that type. I know I could do a kill switch but
I've been told that these are easy bypassed and don't do much (if
anything) to prevent hotwiring. Any advice is greatly appreciated. If
it makes any difference, I am located in the S.F. Bay Area (in case you
have specific vendor recommendations).

Thanks.

pbrinkleyrogers@hotmail.com wrote:
> Hi,
> I had my '98 Civic EX stolen thursday night. The cops told me, based on
> the number of Honda's stolen in my neighborhood in the past month, that
> I should expect to never see it again. OK, so I'm starting over,
> probably buying a similar late 90's Civic or Accord. I realize that if
> they really want it, they'll get it no matter what I do, but what are
> my best bets in terms of physical deterrents?

seriously... get something no one would want to steal. not a POS, but
just something that isnt easily riced out. like a late80s/early 90s
civic wagovan 4 door hatch, or accord wagon. toyota echo? paseo?

something you can just have basic liability on, so you can save your
money until you can move into a better neighborhood.

why keep beating yourself in the face with a 2x4?

imleaning toward a scion xa, with a 1.5 ltr engine, factory alarm,
factory stereo. who knows... that might be a good target, but since its
based on the echo, i sure hope not. the xb is popular, the xa isnt.

physical deterrent? keep it stock, with an alarm and a hidden kill
switch for the fuel pump.

In article <SElod.70042$V41.66978@attbi_s52>,
mikein562athotmail@hotmail.com says...
> I realize that if
> > they really want it, they'll get it no matter what I do, but what are
> > my best bets in terms of physical deterrents?
>
>
get a silent alarm system that sends a signal to a beeper you keep on
your person. You should have a good 10 minutes after the first beeper
to grab the glock and do a head shot, but be sure the guy is IN the car.
Good luck. It's called tough love. And sometimes these creeps just gotta
pay a high price. Before you do the head shot, yell at him, I LOVE YOU!
Check with the local cops, but I think it is all legal if he is in the
car. Kill these creeps, then they can't operate any more. Is it any big
loss? Hell no.

john wrote:
> In article <SElod.70042$V41.66978@attbi_s52>,
> mikein562athotmail@hotmail.com says...
>
>> I realize that if
>>
>>>they really want it, they'll get it no matter what I do, but what are
>>>my best bets in terms of physical deterrents?
>>
>>
> get a silent alarm system that sends a signal to a beeper you keep on
> your person. You should have a good 10 minutes after the first beeper
> to grab the glock and do a head shot, but be sure the guy is IN the car.
> Good luck. It's called tough love. And sometimes these creeps just gotta
> pay a high price. Before you do the head shot, yell at him, I LOVE YOU!
> Check with the local cops, but I think it is all legal if he is in the
> car. Kill these creeps, then they can't operate any more. Is it any big
> loss? Hell no.


agreed, but i think thats only legal in texas

john wrote:
> In article <SElod.70042$V41.66978@attbi_s52>,
> mikein562athotmail@hotmail.com says...
>
>> I realize that if
>>
>>>they really want it, they'll get it no matter what I do, but what are
>>>my best bets in terms of physical deterrents?
>>
>>
> get a silent alarm system that sends a signal to a beeper you keep on
> your person. You should have a good 10 minutes after the first beeper
> to grab the glock and do a head shot, but be sure the guy is IN the car.
> Good luck. It's called tough love. And sometimes these creeps just gotta
> pay a high price. Before you do the head shot, yell at him, I LOVE YOU!
> Check with the local cops, but I think it is all legal if he is in the
> car. Kill these creeps, then they can't operate any more. Is it any big
> loss? Hell no.

==================

Hey, John . . . Show some respect . . . Please put a CAPITAL 'G' on
GLOCK, OK?

Thanks,

'Curly'

"SoCalMike" <mikein562athotmail@hotmail.com> wrote in message

>keep it stock, with an alarm and a hidden kill switch for the fuel pump.

Car stalls when switch fails. Instead, toggle switch ground (no more
than 6-amp) to (-) coil primary.

Rick

Get some attitude...5-7 sounds much better...

motsco_ _ wrote:

> Hey, John . . . Show some respect . . . Please put a CAPITAL 'G' on
> GLOCK, OK?
>
> Thanks,
>
> 'Curly'

I haven't read the other posts here so maybe this was addressed already.
First of all, I would hope that your not one of those people that likes to
advertise everything that is in his/her car. ie, putting in a nice Alpine
system and then putting a 4 foot wide ALPINE sticker on the window in bright
colors. Also any loud ass big coffee can mufflers, cool wheels etc are just
advertising to "STEAL ME FOR PARTS PLEASE." This doesn't mean you have to
drive a POS car but keep it on the down-low for lack of a better 80's term.
A combination of things is best for your car.

The steering wheel club is a minor deterant. The steering wheel/brake lock
is better. An alarm with ignition, starter and fuel pump circuit kill is a
great idea. If the car is stolen by being towed, which some thiefs do, then
the only thing that will save you is the LOJAK or LOJACK device which is
about $700 installed and helps the cops locate your car after it is
stolen....via signals given off by this hidden device.


How you mount your stuff is important also if you do it yourself. For
example I have by alarm module mounted to the floor with tamper proof screws
from inside the box under my passenger seat. The wires then go out through
flexible metal tubing secured to the floor, and other metal parts with
tamper proof fasteners. The wires under the dash are somewhat protected by
a metal plate underneath. The hood release on this 96 accord has been moved
from the normal position and routed through the center of the car. It is
accessible by removing the center cup holder and pulling the cable easily.
This way if somebody decides to do the quick bash the window and reach in
and release the hood to cut the alarm speaker wires they will be in for a
little surprise. My Mustang GT convertible I bought years ago also had a
hidden alarm module and 3/8 inch hardened steel chain holding down the front
hood with a Masterlock. Not impervious just a little more of a pain in the
butt for would be thieves.

I also never advertise anything on my car. No stickers of ANY kind no
matter what. This keeps people from taking revenge on my car if they don't
like something that I do.



<pbrinkleyrogers@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1101095820.500481.30700@c13g2000cwb.googlegro ups.com...
> Hi,
> I had my '98 Civic EX stolen thursday night. The cops told me, based on
> the number of Honda's stolen in my neighborhood in the past month, that
> I should expect to never see it again. OK, so I'm starting over,
> probably buying a similar late 90's Civic or Accord. I realize that if
> they really want it, they'll get it no matter what I do, but what are
> my best bets in terms of physical deterrents? I'm going to use some
> sort of a Club-like device to lock the steering wheel and brake pedal,
> but I am looking for another layer beyond that. I've heard about
> "engine immobilizers" but I'm not having much luck finding any
> aftermarket products of that type. I know I could do a kill switch but
> I've been told that these are easy bypassed and don't do much (if
> anything) to prevent hotwiring. Any advice is greatly appreciated. If
> it makes any difference, I am located in the S.F. Bay Area (in case you
> have specific vendor recommendations).
>
> Thanks.
>

"computernewby" <somewhereovethe@rainbow.com> wrote in message news:YdKdnS9hxeWyHz7cRVn-qA@comcast.com...

> The steering wheel/brake lock is better.

I've heard hacksaws theives drive or start without need for brakes.

>An alarm with ignition... and
>fuel pump circuit kill is a great idea.

How would you prevent stalling while cruising?

"Burt Squareman" <catnip4sale@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<1101307332.TRgoU0+AZA43jeA60I1djA@bubbanews> ...
> "computernewby" <somewhereovethe@rainbow.com> wrote in message news:YdKdnS9hxeWyHz7cRVn-qA@comcast.com...
>
> > The steering wheel/brake lock is better.
>
> I've heard hacksaws theives drive or start without need for brakes.
>
> >An alarm with ignition... and
> >fuel pump circuit kill is a great idea.
>
> How would you prevent stalling while cruising?

By not using radio trash parts!
A good toggle switch not likely to fail.
I have Cutlet-Hammer switches that are at least 30 years old.
And I have never had a good quality toggle switch fail.
No the microfancy swithces, with the flattened paddle shapped
levers are junk.
Good quality alarm switches, like those sold by Ademco, get turned
off and on once a day, 5 or 6 days a week for decades with no problems.
I used to do allamrs on the side, and most of the 50+ systems that I
installed 3 years ago are still going strong. I have updated many of the
controllers, door switches(magnetic switches seem to be designed to fail)
but the only lock I replaced was due to thhe owner lossing some keys.
And I have 2 friends that are in the alarm business full time.
While many newwer systems are going keypad, they are much less reliable
then key switches. I have wokred in the electronic field for 35 years,
and replaced many defective parts. And inspite of the large number of devices
that use toggle switches, the only ones I have had to replace are the mini
style. Go to an reputable industriel sparts outlet. By a good quality DPDT
switch and wire it so both internal switches are in parallel. And be prepared
to keep moving it to each new car/truck you buy for as long as you plan to drive.
Full sized switches are very good.
Mini/micro sized switches will fail. Soon.
Don't use relays. While good ones will work fine, you will be adding
more "things" to fail. The simpler a circuit, the more less there is to fail.

As to shorting out the primary of the ignition coil, BAD idea.
Honda OEM ignitors and coils are too delicate and expensive.
A you stand a very good chance of frying the ignition coil.
Terry