Steering Wheels

[Guest Dredd]

Has anyone experience of quick release steering wheels? It seems a logical thing for anti theft device. Also whilst I'm on the subject, my insurance company has suggested I fit a thatcham grade 2 alarm... any views?

[Guest Ant]

This one came up a couple of weeks back. Try searching for it. I remember writing how a friend of mine with a westfield is constantly wandering around with a steering wheel in his hand ... and how you lose the steering lock once the wheel is removed.

 

Someone else was promoting the benefits of them.

 

Ant

[Guest Mr Pid]

I think they are a very good idea, after all how can you steal a car and drive it away if it has no steering wheel?!

 

Im going to get a thatcham cat 2 immob, mainly for piece of mind, and it does save a bit on insurance. Currently looking at an alarm with remote starting as well- that is always loads of fun for people passing parked cars!

 

Stu

[Guest Twoscoops]

I wouldn't advise the remote starting.....I investigated this and its okay for automatics as you can't start the car unless its in neutral, but could be quite dangerous if you leave the car in gear....or worst still if someone else does...!!!

[Guest Mr Pid]

All the decent alarms wont let you start it in gear - i used to have loads of fun in my old cossie, turning the lights on and off and switching the engine on.

 

Im not sure how it works, but i could never start it - you can also lock the car and set the alarm and walk away with the engine running letting the turbo cool down for a couple of minutes, and it would then switch itself off! clever eh!

 

Nvere used this out and about though only on my drive way- didnt fancy the consequences if it went wrong!

 

Stu

[Guest morty]

Twoscoops you're right,

 

Just looked on the Clifford website, and that says should only be fitted to automatics, and needs the cabin to be a locked space when the engine is started, so windows up doors locked. Having said that, a colleague of mine has the intellistart fitted to his manual 106, but still needs cabin to be locked up.

 

It looks to have some good benefits though like keeping battery charged when left for a period of time and stopping engine freezing in winter, activated by set paramaters.

 

I'd still be wary putting it in a hood though!

 

Morty

[Joel]

I'm assuming the business end of an immobilisor goes under the bonnet, so would you have to have a lockable bonnet?

 

How has everyone else done it, I just have rubber catches at the moment?

[Big Jim]

One of the biggest problem area's with kitcars is the bloody wiring, why you lot want to make it even more of a problem defies logic! In my time with the owners club, as far as I'm aware, there has only ever been 3 reported cars stolen. They do tend to stand out a bit, even Plod can see it's not another Nova!

If you go to one of the 'kitcar friendly' type insurances, I've never been asked yet about an alarm. Don't go to TESCO, they want one on your bloody trolley!! :angry:

[Guest daveg]

Stu

 

I am surprised you being a lawyer...but as far as I know its an offence to leave a car with the engine running

 

I remember a PC trying to nice someone...he was on his radio asking a Sargent "what can I nick this guy for", the reply was nick him for leaving his engine running

 

So, starting a car without being in control i.e via remote is iffy

 

Dave

[Guest Dredd]

It was Roadsure Insurance that asked for the alarm due to the estimated value of the car when built. Now I am brand new to this, and I am awaiting delivery of my SuperSpec, but I assumed the value would be the cost of the kit plus a bit?

 

Perhaps someone can give me guidance. Mind you it seems the mention of 'SuperSpec' provokes that tumbleweed moment!

[Guest Mr Pid]

Of course i cant condone breaking the law, but im sure i can find a way to get away with it!

 

Stu

[Guest morty]

Mr P

 

Surely if it was on your drive, that would be private property. Is it still an offence to leave your engine running unattended on private land? I can't see that it would be or surely turbo timers and such like would have been outlawed long ago

 

Morty

[Guest Brynjon]

Just to add a little bit on the bit about leaving your engine running. The offence is called quitting. This occurs when 1/ you leave the car with the engine running without anyone being in the vehicle able to drive/stop the car. Leaving little Johnny sat in his child seat does not count as someone able to drive.

2/ Leaving the car untethered of handbrake leaving it able to trundle down the road without anyone being in the car as above.

 

There are times when looking under the 'hood' you might not be in the car and the engine is running - not quitting - unless plod is particularly short of performance indicators. Don't blame plod but Tony Blair and his cronies. Plod are now left searching for figures in order to keep the many many quangos sorted for stuff to look at. Plod would rather be locking burglars up and stuff rather than quitting offences - unless of course they are that way inclined in or out of the job.

 

IMHO anyway.

 

Please ensure everything is well oiled - including yourselves

 

Regards - Bryn

[Guest Mr Pid]

Brynjon absolutely right,

 

Private land is as it states private land and they cant touch you - even such places a mcdonalds car parks is private land and unless you are committing an arrestable offence you can sit there with no lights working, engine running, illegal number plates and ,until you drive back onto public highway, they just have to sit and wait!

 

Talking about plods performance numbers- A stupid plod tried to have me for "incorrectly placed" number plates on my old cossie whilst on my drive and i was tinkering with it- i gave him an earful and sent him on his way. :angry:

 

The other day my little bro was at work and some idiot started shooting at him with an air pistol and his car leaving windows smashed and holes in panels- 30 minutes later plod turned up and said "no real harm done, at least he's ok" didn't even want to take it any further-good job i was at work or i would have shot plod!

 

All seems a bit backward to me?!

 

Back to alarms - if you know of a frindly installer you can get him ito install it so as you dont need to have everything locked up (just so long as the alarm thinks it is all locked up) this enables you to "quit" the car without leaving the keys in ignition-which is the main factor plod uses if prosecuting for quiting a vehicle and doing you for drink driving.

 

There was a chap last winter who started his car on the road outside his house to let it warm up and defrost the windows and got done for "quitting" - pathetic isnt it.

 

Stu

[Guest Battery Bill]

My Mate in Canada has got a Ford Granada (American spec) and it has the facility to remotely start the car so in the snowy weather he can just point out of his office and "broom" its all warm as toast and defrosted when he gets there. It does not unlock the car so thats all he has to do when he gets to his car.

Shows how crap our laws are don't it?

 

PS Me and Joey were thinking about remote starting, or at least a remote plipper that turns on the ignition and then a starter button, but Mr SVA at Nottingham said it would not be suitable