Vehicle immobiliser

Looking for a bit of advice around engine immobilisers.
Daughters about to start uni and will be parking a car on the streets of Auckland.
Compounding the problem is her car was just listed as the most stolen car in Auckland, and we only got her 3rd party as full insurance was the same value as the car…
So if it gets flogged, it’s gone. So I’m thinking I should get an immobiliser of some kind fitted.
Just to make it a bit harder for any thieving lowlife who wants to go joyriding.

I see lots of alarms have a form of engine immobilisation, I’m not that fussed on an alarm just something that won’t allow the engine to start.

Look forward to hearing your clever ideas.
Cheers Mike

A hidden switch is probably the simplest.

I recommend a Doberman, although a Rottweiler has the benefit of a better alarm. :D
More seriously, a plate that covers the pedals with a high security padlock surpasses the skills of all but the most determined thieves.
Something like the Phofu.
Attachment 269149
Only thing is it isn't very visible so will deter someone who has already broken into the car, which means damage to locks or windows not covered by insurance.

surely any competent Auto Electrician could fit a hidden switch -suggest passenger side if possible less chance they would look there - and a sign in window - vehicle alarmed and disabled

Electrical cut off switch hidden somewhere, perhaps a fuel cut off switch as well, both switches need to be placed correctly. I can have a complete stranger or someone in my vehicle and I can flick them on or off without giving their locations away.

I take it its a mazda demio? If its an auto a switch to disable the starter will do, cutting the fuel is good extra insurance. I just pull the fuel pump relay but not really what your daughter probably wants to stuff around doing.

Kill switch to regulator IIRC
cheap toggle switch just under the change in carpet layer near the handbrake worked for me, could flick it on without anyone noticing

The other idea that worked well for me was a battery box from jaycar with a slide switch on the top stashed in the coin tray or some small place up the front - wires running from there to a blue LED wired to slow flash, I slipped the wires up the side of the dash by the drivers door and had the LED poking out just above the dash from the outside as you see it
Turn it on when you leave the car

Have a chat to Benny at Garage 5 in AKL. I am not sure where in Auckland he is though. He was fitting imobilisers and fuel stoppers to MX5s that are getting stolen by joyriders a lot down here. One of the ones I looked at ,you can text it and it shuts off the fuel and wont restart until you text it back on....



Or buy a cheap hack type car that no one would want to steal....

We have a Toyota Aqua, with key so not built-in immobilizer (car theft isn't really a thing in Japan) - is that the same as your daughter's? Takes about 10 seconds or less to break it and steal one. Paid $350 for a budget car alarm with immobiliser, but also use a bright red steering wheel lock. Most thefts for joy riding are kids, and if they see a steering wheel lock, they will look for easier pickings... The alarm stickers on the windows and blinking light are also part of the deterrent.

fitting a switch etc will do nothing to mitigate assholes wrecking your ignition and pulling half the dash out in the process to a point where fixing it would make you wish you just paid for insurance to start with

What he said... you want to try and deter the buggers from breaking in in the first place - hence visible deterrent such as a steering wheel lock and alarm stickers, blinking light. The place I went to was fitting around 30 alarms a week to Aquas (up there with the Demios for theft). The mostly fit the more expensive alarms with glass break sensors, etc. But I figured what's the point? Once they break a window, half the damage is done (and our insurance policy has no excess on glass at least). Next thing they will do is open a door, alarm will go off anyway...

Buy a manual
2/3rds population can't drive one these days

Trunk Monkey!? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AidA...urbanAutoGroup

Other than that - cut the the +ive wire to the starter solenoid and wire it back to a switch, hidden somewhere is cab. It's a piece of piss 5 minute job and even if they pull the ignition a 12V DC signal won't reach the starter/solenoid so it won't go. Most young hoons can't be arsed or have the knowledge to hotwire off the battery after the ignition is pulled, so it's a basic, cheap immobilser.

other than that - buy a manual geared car.

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Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

A hidden switch is probably the simplest.

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Exactly what saved one of our cars!

You just have to remember to turn it to ‘off’ every time you leave the car

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Originally Posted by stumpys

Trunk Monkey!? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AidA...urbanAutoGroup

Other than that - cut the the +ive wire to the starter solenoid and wire it back to a switch, hidden somewhere is cab. It's a piece of piss 5 minute job and even if they pull the ignition a 12V DC signal won't reach the starter/solenoid so it won't go. Most young hoons can't be arsed or have the knowledge to hotwire off the battery after the ignition is pulled, so it's a basic, cheap immobilser.

other than that - buy a manual geared car.

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This is a great idea but instead of using a on/off switch to activate the starter solenoid use a momentary switch ie you have to press the switch and turn the key to start it.
Use some imagination and you could hide the momentary switch on the floor so you press on it with your foot

But one of these imobiliser switches won't discourage someone from breaking in, the steering wheel lock is the best idea for that

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/c...2?bof=BzYW6VCy

Thanks for all the advice. Yes it’s an Aqua. God knows why you’d steal one…
I like the idea of the kill switch. I’ll sort that out, already have the steering lock, so hopefully the combination of the two will prevent it going missing.
Have a AirTag stashed in the back too, so we can hopefully track it, if it should go missing.

Cheers fella’s.
M

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Originally Posted by Lauries Hut

Thanks for all the advice. Yes it’s an Aqua. God knows why you’d steal one…
I like the idea of the kill switch. I’ll sort that out, already have the steering lock, so hopefully the combination of the two will prevent it going missing.
Have a AirTag stashed in the back too, so we can hopefully track it, if it should go missing.

Cheers fella’s.
M

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I dont know if it is related or not...but if you look at the list of the most commonly stolen cars and compare it to the list of cars that you start with in Gran Turismo (latest versions...) there is a very close correlation....

In Gran turismo the most powerful car you can get when you first start is a second hand Aqua....The Demio is in there too.....There are clearly much bigger / faster cars in the game but you start with a very small budget and there are not many cars in that range...

Best one I ever seen as a 10inch filleting knife jammed under neath the seat with the tip not protruding.
What a bloody mess that made.
Bet the little prick never theived again.

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Originally Posted by Shearer

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/c...2?bof=BzYW6VCy

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Hell that's cheap

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Originally Posted by HILLBILLYHUNTERS

Hell that's cheap

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Probably not very strong but thieves are by nature lazy. It's a visible deterrent to make them look elsewhere.

So I’m gonna be that guy but just get full cover, by the time you pay for the window ( the cunts always smash the quarter glass which is the dearest to replace) and all the plastic they smash you are no better off , and you also get something back if she crashes it

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Originally Posted by Boner

Best one I ever seen as a 10inch filleting knife jammed under neath the seat with the tip not protruding.
What a bloody mess that made.
Bet the little prick never theived again.

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Good idea but the fuked up thing about it is some piece of shit breaks into your car and gets injured and youll probably be the one that gets done.

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Originally Posted by blip

Good idea but the fuked up thing about it is some piece of shit breaks into your car and gets injured and youll probably be the one that gets done.

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Saw one where they fitted the alarm itself under the dashboard somewhere ...120db inside the car is bloody annoying...if you get a dual oscilating siren it can cause issues in the ears resulting in dizzyness and nausea.....

he also had a strobe light in the dash in font of the driver that would point towards the windscreen....A - it was visible for bloody miles...if you could see the car- you could see the flash....and B- the reflection off the inside of the windscreen towards the driver was enough that all you could see was green blobs for an hour or so......especially at night- no way you could drive it....

It was an older car and to be brutal, it was not one that was likely to be broken into even wthout the aarm (it loooked like a rusty piece of crap..) but he wanted to see if it would work as an alarm / deterent.....