Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 10:57:18 -0500
Reply-To: Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject: Re: do vanagons ever get stolen???
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
I hate to play the devils advocate on this but here goes.
#1) I have an Oldsmobile Wagon, thieves tried to steal it, the surge pump
on the QuadraJet required quite a bit of pumping to get a first start in
the AM (also suspect plugs in bowl leaking). The thieves broke the
steering column but couldn't start the car. They broke several windows
before they left the scene. In total about $1200.00 in repairs with the
column and windows.
#2) You need to protect your van in any way you see fit but those alarm
systems are just ignored by everyone.
I can site 200 examples but I won't.
If thieves attempt to steal your van and can't get it you can expect
almost anything from your door being left open to a burned out van as
someone else mentioned.
I have my ignition hooked to the seat belt warning circuit and you have
to have your seat belt connected before you can start the van.
I hope this is some help in making your decision.
Stan Wilder
83 Air Cooled Westfalia
On Sat, 17 Aug 2002 10:49:26 -0400 "G. Matthew Bulley"
<gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM> writes:
> "when they were unable to steal it, they set fire to it instead in
> frustration."
>
> Well how do we know they set fire to it out of frustration? Maybe
> they
> were going to burn it all along. Or maybe they wanted to cover
> their
> tracks. Or maybe they like the sight of a vehicle catching fire. Or
> maybe all that spilled gasoline was an accident, and the lit match
> was
> another accident. Who knows.
>
> More to the point of theft deterrents. Three paths I have not
> employed,
> but are fairly novel and predictably effective.
>
> 1. Bumper stickers
> 2. 40kv personal protection pocket zapper-incapacitation wired
> into
> seat/steering column
> 3. Interior screamers
>
> Let's talk about each.
>
> Thieves hate bumper stickers, particularly cars that are plastered
> with
> them. My carpenter has a 4 year old Jeep Cherokee that has probably
> 50
> bumper stickers on it. The back end, and back side windows are
> covered.
> No one would steal this thing, it looks like a POS, plus the cops
> could
> find this vehicle instantly. He never locks it. Cheap deterrent.
>
> AS for the zapper, I thought of this after seeing a story about
> cabbies
> in NYC who were quietly having those 40kv personal protection
> zappers
> wired into the seat cushions in the back seat, with a driver's foot
> switch to activate it (in case of robbery/physical danger to the
> driver). The story was looking at the safety/legality issues (which
> they
> didn't answer). But my though was a theft deterrent system that is
> in
> the driver's seat cushion, and steering wheel.
>
> If someone doesn't have the right code, or doesn't have the
> transmitter
> and tries to start/maneuver the vehicle, the seat and steering
> column
> administer a mild shock for a moment or two. Repeated attempts
> gradually
> increase the intensity and duration of the shock until it reaches
> 10,000
> kilojoules, which causes fibrillation, brain death, and thief gets a
> one
> way ticket to St. Pete's desk.
>
> Okay, so maybe it doesn't get that strong, but there aren't many of
> us
> who can stand to hold on to a harmless electric cattle fence, so
> this
> seat thing should be safe enough. Someone try it, and let us all
> know.
>
> Interior Screamers. These tiny, 135 db high-pitched siren devices
> will
> drive you batty. Some say they can be defeated by earplugs, but not
> really. If you mounted 3 inside your Vanagon, the thief would have
> to be
> stone deaf to be able to bear more than a moment or two in the van.
> If
> he stayed longer, he *would be* stone deaf.
>
> Developing business and guiding change since 1996,
>
> G. Matthew Bulley
> Bulley-Hewlett
> Marketing & Communications
> Business: www.bulley-hewlett.com
> AIM = IExplain4u
> Phone: +1.919.658.1278
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On
> Behalf
> Of 80 Westy Pokey
> Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2002 9:54 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: do vanagons ever get stolen???
>
> This is a no win situation. Thieves broke into a co-worker
> of mine's truck and when they were unable to steal it, they
> set fire to it instead in frustration.
>
> Aparently the same holds true of Contral Park NYC. A recent
> news story (I can7t remember where) said that the rule of
> thumb is you carry at least $20 with you at all times or
> face a severe beating from the annoyed robber who's time you
> just "wasted".
>
> Better to get an "agreed value" policy with your insurance
> company. If the vehicle is stolen or written off you will
> know in advance what the value of your vehicle will be. You
> will face higher premiums monthly but there will be no
> surprises if you have a claim.
>
> In Ontario I think the "agreed value" policies are
> called "19A riders". I imagine most Canadian Provinces and
> US States have similar products available.
>
> Thanks,
> Chris
>
> ---- Original message ----
> >Date: Fri, 16 Aug 2002 22:59:29 -0400
> >From: John Tomljenovic <zadar72@YAHOO.COM>
> >Subject: Re: do vanagons ever get stolen???
> >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >
> >yeh, the lowballing of insurance companies sometimes makes
> me
> >hesitate putting so much work in my "Elsa". Oh, what would
> I do if she
> >ever got stolen. And so the kill switch idea gets me
> thinking, But not
> >just a battery and starter, but also the fuel, ignition.
> By the time the
> >thief figures to start the thing he will give up.
> Everything would be
> >remotely operated by some code. Does anyone know of some
> >companies who manufacture this kind of stuff? I imagine
> my odds of
> >the vanagon getting stolen in the US might be rare, but if
> I do a south
> >american trip? This would be necessary.
> >
> >
> >Johnny t
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >On Fri, 16 Aug 2002 17:09:59 -0700, Phil S. <
> >napszeerf@YAHOO.COM> wrote:
> >
> >>And the sad part is, insurance companys hardly see
> >>much value in Vanagons....even Vanagons WITH receipts
> >>of mods/upgrades and photos.
> >>
> >>Anyone ever install a hidden kill switch?....a cheap
> >>easy anti-theft mod indeed.
> >>
> >>Heres some nice kill switches, scroll down to the
> >>bottom one:
> >>http://www.magnumforceracing.com/
> >flaming_river_battery_switches.asp
> >>
> >>Phil Stanhope 84' Westy
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>--- Jim Arnott <jrasite@EONI.COM> wrote:
> >>> Yeah... A couple had their Diesel Westy disappear up
> >>> in Vancouver, BC
> >>> last winter. And there was the one over in Italy.
> >>> The Super Westy...
> >>>
> >>> That's just off the top of my head. So, yeah, they
> >>> walk away too.
> >>>
> >>> Jim
> >>>
> >>> JordanVw@AOL.COM wrote:
> >>> > a friend of mine just had his vw cabriolet stolen
> >>> yesterday morning.. and
> >>> > that brought me to thinking - do people even steal
> >>> vanagons? i mean, ive
> >>> > been on this list from back in the old Lenti days
> >>> and ive never seen "someone
> >>> > stole my vanagon!" posting... yes, alot of
> >>> vanagons get broken into by
> >>> > crackheads who want to root thru the westy
> >>> cabinets or take a stereo for some
> >>> > quick money, but has anyone ever heard of a whole
> >>> vanagon being stolen?
> >>> > seriously, i doubt if the average car thief would
> >>> want to be caught ever
> >>> > stealing one..
> >>> >
> >>> > the vanagon's boxy and ungainly looks and pitifal
> >>> performance is all the
> >>> > theft deterrant you'll ever need.. :<) kinda like
> >>> stealing a Yugo..
> >>> >
> >>> > chris
> >>> >
> >>> > .
> >>> >
> >>
> >>
> >>__________________________________________________
> >>Do You Yahoo!?
> >>HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs
> >>http://www.hotjobs.com
>
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