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Car Forum / BMW Cars / December 2006Keeping Convertables unlocked
I am going to have an alarm put into my Z4. I asked the owner what would prevent someone from cutting through the top, not setting off the alarm and trying to pull things out throught the hole. He suggested a radar sensor inside the car. As an alternative he suggested installing the alarm without the sensor, keeping anything out of sight (of course) and leaving the doors unlocked. He said convertable owners frequently do this to prevent damage to the car while "baiting" the thief into setting off the alarm. Anybody else hear of this? >I am going to have an alarm put into my Z4. I asked the owner what would >prevent someone from cutting through the top, not setting off the alarm and >trying to pull things out throught the hole. He suggested a radar sensor >inside the car. Or ultrasonic, but the problem with both is wind fluttering the soft top can set it off anyway. Movement sensor (ball on three spikes basically), which will be set off by someone climbing in is quite good, especially if sensitivity can be adjusted. On BMW's one press on the alarm sets it. Two quick presses disables the internal sensors (e.g. you want to leave a dog in and / or windows open). > As an alternative he suggested installing the alarm without the sensor, > keeping anything out of sight (of course) and leaving the doors unlocked. > He said convertable owners frequently do this to prevent damage to the car > while "baiting" the thief into setting off the alarm. Well I don't know about 'baiting', but my mate with a soft top used to leave it unlocked as any likely damage inside was likely to be less than a new top. > Anybody else hear of this? >.... leaving the doors unlocked. >He said convertable owners frequently do this.... > >Anybody else hear of this? Ummm, duh. Isn't it just common sense? Do you leave your valuable possessions sitting on the seat of your motorcycle, too? -- Larry (unlocked convertibles since 1964...) >>.... leaving the doors unlocked. >>He said convertable owners frequently do this.... [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > -- Larry (unlocked convertibles since 1964...) You missed the point. We are not dealing with super intelligent people here. Just be cause they don't see it doesn't mean they won't resist the temptation to go browsing. On my kit car (a sev7en clone) that does not have a windscreen - therefore no option for a roof, I fitted a microwave detector that is adjustable fitted to the alarm/imobiliser along with an adjustable shock sensor I have found it difficult to set and position the microwave detector so that it would go off if hands went near the handbrake or foot wells or under dash area but not go off at the crowds that usually gather to have a closer look when its parked up I think my main problem with it being over sensitive is because the interior is just bare polished alloy and shiny stainless - perhaps a carpeted more upholstered car would fare better with microwave sensors? the downside is of course that I tend to not set the alarm side as people always seem to want to have a good old look around it (and I don't like the idea of scaring responsible and interested people away from looking) as they make a pretty good deterrent and make finding the car much easier in car parks I have had a clock stolen that was Velcro stuck to the transmission tunnel the bit that made me really laugh is it was the cheapest crappiest digital clock - possibly from a pound shop I still search eBay to see if it turns up as a "very rare genuine Lotus 7 series 1 digital clock with alarm (backlight faulty)" clock now replaced with a nice backlit VDO analogue to match the other dials ;-) I think we have very dumb criminals round these parts.....LOL back on topic , - microwave motion detectors may work better in your car than it did for me - the one I got was very cheap (£18?) and I would suggest getting one that you could adjust the threshold levels on would be a good idea Regards Rob >I am going to have an alarm put into my Z4. I asked the owner what would >prevent someone from cutting through the top, not setting off the alarm and >trying to pull things out throught the hole. He suggested a radar sensor >inside the car. I think most of you mean "infrared" motion sensor rather than radar. That's what Porsche Boxsters (and other models) have. If you reach in, it'll go off. FloydR >As an alternative he suggested installing the alarm without the sensor, >keeping anything out of sight (of course) and leaving the doors unlocked. >He said convertable owners frequently do this to prevent damage to the car >while "baiting" the thief into setting off the alarm. > >Anybody else hear of this? Back when I had my old Fiat 124 convertible, I received similar advice from someone on my street with a Triumph. It makes sense, if you believe you can rely on the good graces of someone already prone to theft and property damage. Having known such people in my youth, I've got no such illusions. Odds are that when someone opens the car looking for valuables and doesn't find any, he'll take the airbag, floor mats, and both front seats if he's got the tools. We live in a world where people will key your car out of jealous, jump up and down on it out of boredom and slash your tires out of spite, and *those* people will consider themselves justified for reasons that are only marginally sane. Keep your top up, your car locked, and don't forget to pay your insurance premiums. epbrown -- "Everybody wants a normal life and a cool car; most people will settle for the car." Chris Titus 2003 BMW 325i Black/Black, 2003 BMW Z4 Black/Black >>As an alternative he suggested installing the alarm without the sensor, >>keeping anything out of sight (of course) and leaving the doors unlocked. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > doesn't find any, he'll take the airbag, floor mats, and both front > seats if he's got the tools. Even if the alarm is going off? I am thinking about setting the alarm AND leaving the doors unlocked. They would have to be very determined or incredibly stupid to browse through the car and, finding nothing, start pulling out what they could while the alarm is blaring. Rubbish! It's easier to put a window through than cutting the canvas. Leaving the doors unlocked is ridiculous and will possibly invalidate your insurance. >I am going to have an alarm put into my Z4. I asked the owner what would >prevent someone from cutting through the top, not setting off the alarm and [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Anybody else hear of this? > Rubbish! It's easier to put a window through than cutting the canvas. > Leaving the doors unlocked is ridiculous and will possibly invalidate your > insurance. The point is to set the alarm AND leave the doors unlocked. They open the door and the alarms sounds. The alarm will also sound if the top is cut. |
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