Leaving your car unlocked...

AJ · Postby AJ » Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:10 pm

yes apsilon, that's EXACTLY what i want to happen in the event they REALLY want the car...........because i don't want to try & explain to my insurance company why the thieves could take it away without breaking into it............funnily enough they frown on paying out money to someone who practically INVITES someone to steal their car :roll:

.....................locked doors, immobilisers & alarms only ever keep honest crooks out, if they want it, they'll take it one way or another.....but if 2 cars are parked in the same spot, one unlocked, the other locked up tight, which one do you reckon they'd have a go at????

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:14 pm

Thieves are OPPORTUNISTIC. You are giving them an opportunity by leaving it unlocked.

Now, what's your address and what time should I pop around?

apsilon · Postby **apsilon** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:23 pm

AJ wrote:yes apsilon, that's EXACTLY what i want to happen in the event they REALLY want the car...........because i don't want to try & explain to my insurance company why the thieves could take it away without breaking into it............funnily enough they frown on paying out money to someone who practically INVITES someone to steal their car .....................locked doors, immobilisers & alarms only ever keep honest crooks out, if they want it, they'll take it one way or another.....but if 2 cars are parked in the same spot, one unlocked, the other locked up tight, which one do you reckon they'd have a go at????

I think you're crediting these thieves with too much intelligence.

AJ · Postby AJ » Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:25 pm

i think you're underestimating their resourcefulness & native cunning.

apsilon · Postby **apsilon** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:31 pm

No I think bruce was right when he said they're opportunistic. It doesn't matter if a car's locked or not. Look at mine, it wasn't locked yet they still broke in. There were several other cars parked in the same area including my bosses new SL500 with the roof down yet they went for mine which had nothing visible in it (and in fact nothing in it at all other than a street directory).

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:31 pm

Your insurance company is going to be very suspicious when they find your car totally stripped and the door locks weren't forced.

apsilon · Postby **apsilon** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:32 pm

Maybe but on the old models it's easy to unzip the rear window from the outside anyway.

EDIT: For that matter I used to leave the rear window unzipped and down on hot days while parked as well. I would've left the roof down if I hadn't been so concerned about the sun fading everything and birds crapping on the seats.

AJ · Postby AJ » Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:36 pm

sounds to me like it's someone who knows you apsilon, & wanted to have a go at you.

apsilon · Postby **apsilon** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:44 pm

Possibly but I don't think so. Keying the car would've been easier and wouldn't have set off the alarm.

drifter · Postby **drifter** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:56 pm

I leave my top + windows down with the doors unlocked and the keys in the ignition. If thieves want to steal the car you can't stop them.... this way if they do, at least they wont break any locks or slash the roof :roll:

KIJIMA · Postby **KIJIMA** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 2:16 pm

AJ wrote:i think you're underestimating their resourcefulness & native cunning.

Like sitting on an internet forum and working out where all the people that admitted they leave their car open, live!

Dont supose you want to let everyone know where you keep your keys too?

AJ · Postby AJ » Mon Feb 26, 2007 2:52 pm

in my pocket big fella, wanna try ya luck????

Alex · Postby **Alex** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 4:24 pm

SuperMazdaKart wrote:
i myself just leave the glovebox/centre console/ashtray open & take the headunit face with me leaving the car locked.

same here

PUR157 wrote:is there any sort of hardtop security for our hardtop using MX5ers??
I've been driving around with the tin roof because of the crap weather down here... but if people break in anyway (through the window)... cant they just unclip and run (or... struggle) away with the roof??

They are worth quite a few pennies after all...

you can get locks for them that go over the top of the normal latches

G M Fude · Postby **G M Fude** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 6:43 pm

My MX-5 is insured comprehensively with Shannons. Their policy says:

\"We may refuse a claim if...

3. you do not at all times take reasonable care to:
- protect your vehicle against any initial or further loss or damage; and
- obey any laws or regulations that safeguard people or their property.\"

I think that's a fairly standard clause in most policies.

To me, this says that if the vehicle is left unlocked, your insurer may not pay up if it's damaged or stolen.

anko7990 · Postby **anko7990** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 8:09 pm

Leaving your car unlocked might be a little paranoid. Like others have said, why would you leave the car unlocked for opportunists to get inside and play with and destroy things, irrespective of whether theres anything to take.

Insurance is there so you can sleep at night.

No matter how much I love an MX5, if I was a thief with the time and inclination to tow a car away, I wouldnt be stealing a second hand NA or NB mx5 but rather something more expensive with wider appeal.