Security measures for the car

[Guest]

Finally purchased my car. Now I need to go about putting some security measures into it. It's 2003, and it's NZ New, so I'm confident about the factory security that it comes with, but I'm thinking maybe it needs additional accessories. Let me know what you think of these:

Tilt sensor: Supposedly this is good if the thieves try to just tow your car. But does a tow truck HAVE to tilt your car? Can they not just tow it without lifting it?

Ultrasonic sensor: AVS site says that Subaru windows can be removed intact. I wouldn't want a thief to have all day to disable the security system, but not sure how useful or helpful this really is.

SMS messaging: Contacts my mobile any time the alarm goes off. Seems only useful when combined with the tilt sensor and/or ultrasonic sensor, at which point, isn't it better to just get a GPS tracker?

GPS tracking: Screw additional security measures (and hope they don't find the tracker), and it should be fine.

Any advice or inputs from people that have experience with any of these products would be great!

Think any of these are worth the price tag? For several months I'll be living in a place where the car will have to be parked outside. We have a long, somewhat hidden driveway, and the gates get locked up at night (but of course the chain can just be cut off if the thieves want it that badly). Also got a dog that usually barks when people come around. My job requires me to park the car at an outdoor shopping centre, where there's lots of pedestrian traffic, but when it gets late (7-8pm) there aren't many people around. Aside from those, the car will never be left alone for too long.

[Guest]

Congrats on the purchase.

I don't know if you can add any of those items (apart from GPS tracking) to the factory alarm. You'll be looking at adding an alarm and therefore disabling/bypassing the factory alarm.

No matter how a tow truck is towing a car, the car has to be tilted up to some degree so a tilt sensor should detect it.

Ultrasonics can be quite good but you have to close all windows before arming it and I'm not sure if a gust of wind can get through the vents in the Legacy's to set it off (used to in my old Falcon, I had to set the car to recirculate when getting out).

SMS messaging would be quite good in your situation I expect and at $460-odd for the addon to an AVS alarm it seems pretty cost effective. GPS tracking is the ultimate it you want to recover the vehicle but at $1000 + $20 a month, it ain't cheap!

Re where you're living, I doubt you need to worry about parking it there. It is a nice 'out of the way' part of town and the car wouldn't be very visible from the road.

[Guest keltik]

Just get good insurance, unless you happen to like your car or have something unique. The cost of an insurance deductible/excess is usually close to that of a good alarm. Plus when someone breaks your cars window and ignition barrel, an alarm will make a lot of noise whereas insurance will pay to get it fixed.

Just something to think about.

A few months ago my car was parked outside a house in a generally good area. Its not alarmed or immobilised, just has a "Protected by something" sticker on the window. It was parked between an altezza with an alarm and a flashing light, and a piece of crap 1989 Nissan bluebird. The thief ignored my car and the altezza and tried to steal the bluebird twice, two nights in one week. The second night my car wasnt even locked.

At least once a week ill hear a car alarm going off for a few minutes, I dont know if its someone trying to steal one or just one thats set too sensitive to shocks. Either way it goes off and nobody cares....except when it happens at 2am, then they still dont care they just get angry.

Moral of the story - get a sticker. Or an immobiliser and a sticker. Learn to stash valuables out of sight and learn to park smart in lit areas.

The only time i can think of an alarm being worth its weight is if your car gets broken into more than once per year. All of the insurance companies ive talked to (State, AMI, Tower, Click, NAC) will offer a discount if you have an immobiliser, none of them offer any discount for any kind of alarm - that kinda tells you something.

Note to theifs out there - please steal my car. It needs a new wof and 2nd gear is kinda broken, but im sure you can do something with it.

[subiv5]

Yea I agree, If you are going to spend $1000 + on a super duper alarm it seems a little stupid.

If some one tries to steal your car with the flash alarm, pretty sure they will damage the car in the proccess so even if they don't get away with the car you will still have to claim on insurance to get it fixed. (excess will be the same either way).

With the GPS thingy, I don't know about anyone else but when your car gets stolen and then recovered a couple of days later its never the same. Some times I thinks its almost better to lose it completely and start again with a new one. Only positive is that there is a chance they could catch the theives.

If you are sensible about where you park and don't have big flashy accessories like cromes and huge guages then I would doubt you would have any problems

Good insurance helps to

What part of the country are you in?

[wrx_lou]

 keltik said:

At least once a week ill hear a car alarm going off for a few minutes, I dont know if its someone trying to steal one or just one thats set too sensitive to shocks. Either way it goes off and nobody cares....except when it happens at 2am, then they still dont care they just get angry.

exactly! how often do you hear someones alarm going off and ring the cops?? more likely you just sit there thinking 'turn you f-ing alarm off au!' Not saying they arent a deterent, but if someone wants it, it aint gonna stop them.

[nztintin]

i have ultrasonics in my car as the only sensor, they work well as long as you don't have major temp variations or windows down... but at least cats don't set it off!

[smokn4]

have you considered a really thick chain??

when i was looking at getting a sti i come across one chained to a lampost ;D , hardcase was a damn nice one too.