http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRNVxHPJ0hM

But on a serious note, a GPS locator hidden in the vehicle is the only way to go!

 

A car that is wanted by thieves will be stolen. Period.

A car alarm that goes off when you're not around is useless. No one pays attention to car alarms (when's the last time YOU ran outside when you heard an alarm that DID NOT sound like yours?).

All kill switches can be defeated and certainly ungaraged cars can be towed. Many times, thieves that just want your car parts will break whatever they need to and rip off (no pun intended) everything in a matter of minutes.

A gun does not prevent thieves unless you plan to watch your car 24/7 or sleep in the backseat or trunk. Furthermore, who wants the legal complications of having shot a car thief who was not threatening your life? There's a lot of bravado in this regard but is it REALLY worth the trouble to possibly kill, maim, injure a person along with the risk of retaliation from his/her friends and/or legal complications? Do you REALLY want to live your life thinking of your car 24/7 and how to protect it? There are better things to do with your spare time. (btw, not against gun ownership; just saying it does NOTHING to prevent car theft)

Your best bet is something like LoJack or any other GPS locating device. But then again, do you still want your car back after someone's taken it?

After trying to protect a couple of my last previous vehicles, there are 2 conclusions that have allowed me to breathe easier and save money in my pocket:

1) A garage is the best deterrent. If you do not have a garage, then you will always run the risk of some type of vehicle/part theft. In high school, my friends would target apartment complexes as super easy locations...

2) I don't spend money on alarms, LoJack, The Club, kill switches, etc. I remember to lock my car, not leave valuables in plain sight and I let it be. If it's taken, it's taken. I can replace it because I have gap insurance (if needed) and I carry good insurance.

It's a healthier way to live; I watch movies at the mall and not look at my cell every minute wondering if my car's being stolen (having owned one of those alarms that calls/texts your cell if the car is moved before). It's just a car, and a $30,000 car at that. It's not a Ferrari.

Don't own something that you would "die" if someone stole it. Nothing is worth that in life.

 

I disagree, if you park outside your house at night and it goes off your going to get up and go look vs not having one and realizing the theft right before you go to work. Also there are 2 way remotes that will sound an alarm off on your fob up to a mile away so if you park at the mall or walmart you will still be warned. Also even if people ignore a car alarm going off its human nature to at least look in the direction of the alarm which in most cases is enough to deter a would be theft.

 

That would only be true if the car thief trying to steal your car is a) too slow and b) has no idea how to get past a car alarm. I believe the fact that almost 2 million vehicles are stolen in the US per year (FBI statistics) indicates that crooks have some knowledge of getting past car alarms (though not all stolen cars have alarms, of course some of them do).

If you don't have a garage, that means you park on the street or in an open parking slot ala apartments and condominium. So that leaves what, 50, 100, 200, 300 feet at least of distance between you and your car? And every time your car alarm rings because a cat pooped on it, a soccer ball from the brat next door hits it, a loud exhaust sets it off you're doing what? Running like a bat out of hell dropping whatever you're doing (sleeping, having sex, cooking, pooping, peeing, ironing, vaccuuming, babysitting, etc.) chasing after your car? Not a great way to live life so much, at least for me.

If a thief has targeted your car, there is almost nothing you can do to stop him/her. Car alarms deter no one because thieves already assume you have an alarm if it's a recent model year. Trust me, there are plenty of work arounds car alarms--it's almost a racket.

Oh and LOL about being a mile away at Walmart. That's exactly my point--so you're going to RUN one mile to save your car that is probably going off on a false alarm (pun intended)? Then what would you do? Jump on the roof ala Hollywood action star and take the thief down? Even a cop would tell you that's not worth it for their own vehicles.

 

Fittest your blowing this way out of proportion. Someone isent going to run to their car every time it goes off. And car alarms do help stopping the armature crooks. My friend got his 240sx stolen. Found it a few days later with a blown tranny on the side of some train tracks. Put a Viper alarm on it with the 2 way lcd remote and it has caught some people trying to take his car since. Now he dosent run to his car every time the proxy sensor goes off.

 

@Fittest
Sounds like you had a $hitty alarm and got your pu$$y hurt some how and your taking out your anger here. If at cat jumped on your car and set it off you have it WAY too sensitive, these things are adjustable. I would hope my alarm went off if a kid kicked his ball into my car so I can go make sure it does not happened again instead of realizing later I had a million dents instead of just one. Your reasons for not having an alarm are weak at best.

 

my gf has a 4 lb chihuahua we call La Diabla...anytime we drive into a shady neighborhood we bring her and leave her in the car...so far no problems...

 

Lots of good advice in here. I won't comment since I know thieves browse evom and I don't want to give them any pointers


To the OP, I'm curious to know what area it was stolen from along with the shop you think they followed you from (you can pm the info to me if you don't want it posted).

It's pretty sad.. Evo's are becoming the new hondas in south fl. I sold my honda because I was always paranoid and now I'm in the same boat again.

 

LOL if someone took any of my cars I'd just buy a new one and hope it isn't recovered. I'd consider the car "dirty" at that point. That's the power of not being in debt and having money in the bank my friend.

An alarm is for your sense of security and yes, does stop amateurs. And if your car is being targeted by amateurs, then you don't have a garage. I won't go into the hypocrisy (and stupidity) of buying $30,000 cars but can't afford a garage.

I don't care about alarms because they don't stop real thieves from taking your car. And if you're driving your Evo to parts of your city that it could be stolen from, then you've made a bad decision purchasing that automobile.

Stay in your part of the town (or country for that matter). Cars are cars. An Evo is not so special it needs to be that protected.

 

Do you have a stock evo?? There are some people who have a lot of money invested into their cars and insurance won't cover the additional items. Let's say someone steals their car.. yea they get paid for the value of the vehicle but they are **** out of luck with the 10k or more worth of parts that they had on it.

As far as owning a 30,000 car and not having a garage being stupid is a pretty STUPID comment. There are people who live in condos and houses that do not have garages, does that mean they are at fault if some **** head low life decides to come and steal their car?

I agree with the 'dirty' part but I would rather find my vehicle and sell it than to let a pos thief benefit from having it.