"Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs" (yowen)
12/07/2016 at 09:57 • Filed to: None
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"Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs" (yowen)
12/07/2016 at 09:57 • Filed to: None | 0
| 33 |
Hi, Oppo friends. My girlfriend had her car stolen sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning. 2003 Impala LS (3.8l). The police found it last night in a seedy neighborhood that borders our neighborhood. We got it back with (so far) no obvious damage. The ignition isn’t visibly damaged, so we have no idea how the hell they stole it. She did note this morning on her way to work that the cruise no longer works.
(example picture of interior)
This story got huge attention in local news, she’s a teacher and a lot of her supplies were in it (and now gone), supplies she had bought with her own money. For a school in an economically challenged area. The outpouring of support has been amazing! We will be getting at least $500 from donors, maybe even $1000 (and also people donating school supplies). We’ll probably replace the supplies, buy some winter coats for a few kids that need them and pay the rental car bill.
They smoked in the car, it reeks. There was evidence of a few dime bags. They emptied the interior. But for some reason they still left the snow brush, one of their cd’s, a phone charger and my Leatherman (~$80 value).
A few question for you car experts:
I imagine I should have a mechanic look at it? Especially to correct the cruise control and anything else they may have done to be able to start the car.
Do any of you know how they might have gotten it started?
Do you guys have any recommendations for an inexpensive/effective way of deterring/preventing theft?
S65
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
12/07/2016 at 10:09 |
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Do you guys have any recommendations for an inexpensive/effective way of deterring/preventing theft?
MonkeePuzzle
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
12/07/2016 at 10:15 |
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no idea on starting it. and the smoking in the car thats the worst!!!
sucks about the supplies. my wife is also a teacher, I know how much of our own money goes into school gear. glad to hear of the outpouring of gifts.
E90M3
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
12/07/2016 at 10:16 |
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Do you guys have any recommendations for an inexpensive/effective way of deterring/preventing theft?
Fuel pump kill switch
LOREM IPSUM
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
12/07/2016 at 10:17 |
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Back in the day a lot of the honda folks would wire a relay inline with the fuel pump power lead and hide a switch to activate the relay somewhere in the car.
Even if thieves gained entry and smashed the column the car would starve for fuel and they wouldn’t get far at all.
Sure, the thief could try and locate the switch, but by the time they realize something is amiss they would have already tried cranking the car over, thus making noise and going nowhere. Chances are they won’t stick around to diagnose the issue any further.
As to the question of how they managed to steal your ladys car without popping the column, I’m not sure, but apparently “shaved keys” are a common method.
TheRealBicycleBuck
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
12/07/2016 at 10:21 |
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They may have used a key fob duplicator to steal it.
A manual kill switch would work to prevent future thefts.
Or you could just buy a car with a manual transmission.
http://jalopnik.com/5940410/once-again-car-thieves-thwarted-by-manual-transmission
crowmolly
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
12/07/2016 at 10:38 |
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No chance they towed it away?
As Du Volant
> S65
12/07/2016 at 10:41 |
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Actually I wouldn’t count on that. It can actually make the car EASIER to steal.
Use hacksaw to cut through rim of steering wheel (~15 seconds)
Slip Club off steering wheel, jam in between spokes to gain leverage, and lift to break steering lock (~2 seconds)
Use hammer and chisel/screwdriver to break off ignition lock, then turn ignition cylinder and drive away (~10 seconds)
The best deterrent to theft is keeping the car parked in a garage if you have one, or in a well-lighted and highly traveled area if you don’t.
haveacarortwoorthree2
> S65
12/07/2016 at 10:42 |
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Maybe poser thieves, which probably makes it a good enough investment. Had one of these on my Mustang some years ago, though. They sawed through the steering wheel to remove it — cops said it probably took them about 20 seconds (car was recovered, so we know how they did it). They also ripped out the alarm siren and left it laying in the parking space. That was not a good morning.
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S65
> As Du Volant
12/07/2016 at 10:42 |
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It’s a start, but if I lived in an area where car theft was prevalent I’d get a fuel pump kill switch
GUYMANDUDE
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
12/07/2016 at 10:50 |
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Don’t leave stuff in your car.
Pull the fuse for the fuel pump so they can’t start the car. I have a toggle switch in series with the neutral safety switch which is hidden.
My bird IS the word
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
12/07/2016 at 11:04 |
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It’s real easy to install a killswitch with older cars with a distributor, I’m not sure what it would require on a modern car but outside of that none of the other methods(club, pedal lock) have proven very effective.
JKER
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
12/07/2016 at 11:10 |
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Well damn, you must be in GR! Saw this on the local news, glad you got the car back.
Takuro Spirit
> TheRealBicycleBuck
12/07/2016 at 11:16 |
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Manual is always the answer.
Tazio, Count Fouroff
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
12/07/2016 at 11:19 |
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You can take the fuel pump relay with you — true, takes an extra step to remove and plug back in, but it’s quick if the relay is easy to reach — I used to do this to keep anyone from being able to drive the car away (E36 BMW)
Wagon, semi manual, not brown, turbo because volvo
> LOREM IPSUM
12/07/2016 at 11:33 |
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I have recently seen something of a modern twist on that. They take a magnetic switch and wire it in line to the ignition. You hide the switch behind the dash and have a magnetic fob on your keyring to activate the switch. Bonus: no more dangly keys.
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LOREM IPSUM
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
12/07/2016 at 11:56 |
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The “Unbreakable Auto Lock” is a pretty great device as well. You attach it to your brake or clutch pedal and it locks the pedal out so it cannot be depressed.
Since the lock is basically on the floor of the car it would put a thief in an extremely compromising position if they decided to try and defeat it. Also since the brake and clutch pedals are exceedingly strong it is pretty much impossible for someone to saw through the pedal assembly itself like they would to defeat a steering wheel lock.
The only real downside imo is that it’s kind of an inconvenience to attach, but assuming you are vigilant they won’t be stealing your car unless they’re equipped with a tow truck or they’re confident they can lay there sawing away at the autolock without being discovered.
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Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
> TheRealBicycleBuck
12/07/2016 at 12:01 |
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I WISH I could convince my girlfriend to get a manual transmission.
Where should I look for a manual kill switch?
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Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
> Wagon, semi manual, not brown, turbo because volvo
12/07/2016 at 12:01 |
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ooooh I like that!
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Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
> MonkeePuzzle
12/07/2016 at 12:03 |
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Yes the gifts are a great help! It’s insane how much of our time and money goes into things a school SHOULD be providing.
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Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
> JKER
12/07/2016 at 12:07 |
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Yes that’s us! We are glad to have it back too! It’s amazing the amount of attention this got. I’m happy it did, at least there was a silver lining in all this. I know there are good people out there, but to have them personally reach out to you is reassuring that there is hope in this world, haha and we will be able to do good things for her students.
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Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
> LOREM IPSUM
12/07/2016 at 12:09 |
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Seems like a good idea, I’d prefer to have something a bit more straight forward for her though.
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Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
> E90M3
12/07/2016 at 12:09 |
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Are these easy to install on an ‘03 Impala?
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Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
> GUYMANDUDE
12/07/2016 at 12:10 |
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What does having it in series with the neutral safety switch accomplish? Another layer of protection?
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Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
> crowmolly
12/07/2016 at 12:11 |
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Say what?
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Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
> Tazio, Count Fouroff
12/07/2016 at 12:11 |
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wiring a hidden switch to that may be easier for her... Think that would be a good idea?
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TheRealBicycleBuck
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
12/07/2016 at 12:13 |
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On Google, of course!
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crowmolly
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
12/07/2016 at 12:35 |
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Didn’t start the car. Just pulled up in a truck and dragged it away.
punkgoose17
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
12/07/2016 at 13:23 |
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For getting the smell out I would try scrubbing baking soda into the carpets and other fabrics. Clean all plastic and vinyl surfaces with dish soap and water, then vacuum all the baking soda out. Finally, spray it with Fabreeze.
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E90M3
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
12/07/2016 at 13:29 |
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Not sure if it’s easy, but it should be effective.
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GUYMANDUDE
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
12/07/2016 at 13:50 |
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When it’s off, it doesn’t think it’s in park so it won’t start. Neutral safety switch is an on/off. I have a manual disconnect so it won’t turn over.
Phatboyphil
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
12/07/2016 at 14:15 |
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I did that for my Integra. No one’s tried to steal it yet though. I’d do anyway though.
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Phatboyphil
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
12/07/2016 at 14:19 |
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Just to add to what I said. My kill switch is on the starter so if it cuts out while driving, somehow, it won’t kill the engine.
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Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
> Phatboyphil
12/07/2016 at 15:31 |
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ah that’s a good idea.