Theft

Being a new Porsche owner, theft is on my mind ...does anyone have any stories / experiences they can share ? are they any suggestions for extra precautions / systems that would deter or prevent theft. Thanks !

Theft of what, the car? That would pretty much require a tow truck. I think most "thieves" go after the easier "steals".

A couple of rules I live by: Don't park in a bad neighborhood and antagonize the kids loitering at the corner of the street. Don't leave your car running when you run into the store for some "Diet Coke." Don't act like a schmuck in public - in particular if you're about to walk away from your car in a public lot. Don't get a vanity plate that says "STOLEN" especially if you plan on doing any of the above. I'm sure there are others. All jokes aside, just use common sense. I'm not aware of any special deterrents that will keep a pro away from a car if they really want it. If you're really concerned you should look into LoJack or a similar system. Other than that there's not much out of the ordinary which you undoubtedly know that you can do to protect your new love. Most importantly, enjoy it! -Eric

I have insurance. Besides, I can't imagine it would be easy to hot-wire a Porsche. Most car thieves are going to go for the easier cars. If they are good enough to get the 996 running then I can't imagine any alarm system would make a difference.

What kind of car are you thinking about stealing?

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Maybe not a tow truck, but how about a flower pot ? http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/...55959920071206

Ahhhh, well in that case you need something with more power:

Good point Nick: I NEVER have my keys left out on a hanging rack by the door, or in a bowl on a side table. Someone breaks into your house and they get all the keys to the cars sitting right outside ready for them to drive off in. I hide them all thru the house instead. And then can't remember where I hid them. Lol! But at least my cars won't get stolen as easily if the house is broken into.

Back in the late 70's I drove a 1976 911S and I was very paranoid that it would be stolen when I parked it on the street in Chicago. I used to take the wire from the coil to the distributor off whenever I parked it. Figured no one could drive it away even if they got in it.

Modern cars (particularly high-end cars) are quite difficult to steal. Also, the market for stolen Porsche parts isn't worth the effort most of the time.

Park in a garage? Hire a good looking chick to sit in your car when at work?

Someone pulling your door lock and popping the ignition in the dead of night is going to be a rare event. The concern would be a carjack or the intercept for your keys. Situation awareness is your first defense followed by a working knowledge of your local statute covering self defense, the proper tool for such event and the willingness to implement said tool.

These are tough cars to steal but If someone is going to steal it... well they are going to steal it. Use common sense and thats what insurance is for. 996 is a replaceable car. I lost one Porsche to theft many years ago, it was an well modified 87 951. They found it trashed in Newark, NJ ... damn shame.

12 years ago I had a beautiful 98' 993 cab stolen from 3 levels down in a very tight subterranean garage (only 8 units) in Westwood. My condo was right above the garage door/gate but we didn't hear a thing. Figured they must have somehow disconnected the immobolizer, popped the ignition, and pushed it up to ground level with at least 4 guys. Prrobaby a flat bed from there but no way a truck could get down to the 3rd. level. Found it stripped a week later in Compton. Cops thought a body shop since the drivetrain was there but that was about all they left... A few years after that I valet'd my 993 TT at a well known B.Hills restaurant. When they brought it back the glove box was open but I didn't think much of it at the time. Later that night someone popped the door and ignition locks but couldn't start it as I had the very visable kill switch turned off. The opened the trunk and tried to wire around the electric kill switch finally giving up and leaving. All they had to do was flip the switch 45 degress which is what I did in the AM before I even noticed the popped door lock lying on the floor. As I was slowly realizing what had hapened smoke started coming out from under the hood so I fliiped the kill switch back off and grabbed the extingusiher from its mount on the floor. They had shorted out the kill switch wires which caused the fire when I flipped it on. Easy to extinguish and it was back up and running shortly thereafter. Morons....

^ another reason I do not like valet. I park at self park and lock places. My wife hates it when I do it but I drop her off at the restaurant entrance and then find a parking spot if available.

Crap! Just when I was getting over my fear of IMS failure I read this to learn my car could get stolen too! I'm going to have to refill my Valium.

If you're that worried about auto theft, I recommend the Ravelco system. Makes the car virtually impossible to steal (short of just hoisting the car onto a flatbed). http://www.ravelco.com/

When I am parking in a touchy neighborhood, I like to pour a little used motor oil (which brand does not matter - let's not get into that here) on the ground under the bell housing and leave a note on the windshield that says: "Walked over to Flat Six Innovations for an IMS kit; Be right back."

Great feedback team, I have learned a lot ! Looks likes the key is the biggest opportunity for a thief. here is an interesting key swap method that has been used after a test drive at a dealership. http://www.geekologie.com/2011/10/th...ng-the-old.php

No... trunk monkey You Tube

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I Agree, the CEL would come on anyway. Also you could leave a note saying this car is subject to have potential IMS/RMS problems at any time.

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You are one funny person, sir. Chuckle.

I personally found out a few weeks ago the best anti-theft device for a Porsche. Some jack *** broke my driver's side window, saw it was a Triptonic and ran for the hills. Guy didn't steal a thing and left a nice brand new Craftsman wrench on the passenger seat. I would have kept it but the cops took it for fingerprinting and evidence.

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Wow, that sucks. I hope only the window was damaged.

I have found that just by putting on "The Club" steering wheel lock, that this deters thieves to just go and look for an easier target. Unless someone really wants your particular car, it's a great deterrent to go along with the factory alarm.

15 years ago i parked my 1983 911sc cabriolet in downtown portland overnight. next morning was shocked to see someone had kicked in my door. huge dent on drivers door...real bummer. sneaker mark was clear as daylight. i will never park my p-car overnight on the street again. garage only.

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was this around 2005/2006? I saw the post in the old ninja website, but never knew the ending of it. Sounds strange those guys would have an interest in old p-car, it sucks

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Where can i get one of those !

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Nah, I think it was around 1997 or so... I guess the car was not all that old than

Without a key you can't do anything. I am worried about my wheels if anything. I just changed out the bolts for studs. I love it when my wife freaks out that I don't lock the doors of our Cayenne or if I leave the car running while refueling. I am a Porsche tech but she STILL doesn't believe me and thinks that some one is going to "hot wire it" LOL or the car is going to explode...fml

I was talking with a local member a few months ago while picking up a part I bought from him, his 997 Turbo was stolen right from his driveway, however the thief had it easy as they took his keys hung on the wall in the kitchen which has a window facing the street, they broke in through the window, took the keys and drove the car away.

There have been a couple of threads where lister's cars have been stolen. The first I remember reading was on the Canadian forum where a member's home was broken into at night while he, his wife and children were sleeping and the thieves found the keys to his 997 and his wife's Cayenne. Both vehicles where then driven out of his garage. Not sure how the thieves bypassed his home alarm, but this seems to be (or was) a common MO of car thieves here in Toronto as I personally know 3 families who have had their cars removed from their driveways after the thieves got ahold of their keys. There is another long thread on the GT3 forum were a lister's car was stolen from a Las Vegas hotel parking structure. In that case the if I recall correctly the thief had a device that was able to override the immobilizer and simply then drove the car out of the hotel parking area. It's a good read with images of the thief from the hotel coming and going (w/ car) from the hotel property and the sad ending of a burned out wreck of a once nice GT3. Or they can try You Tube

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That video is wild.

Just make sure you get the Frunk Monkey if you are using it for your 996.

No Porsche on the list http://www.insurancejournal.com/news.../03/209303.htm but thats not to say you shouldnt be aware of your surroundings. NY insurance rates are pretty high for a reason but full coverage on my F150 has gone up since I owned it (no tickets clean record). Guess the theory of "part" value and popularity of the vehicle is what makes someone want to steal your car. But hey, if I was a kid that was looking for some trouble (or didnt care if i got in trouble) I could be tempted to take a car I would "never be able to afford on my own" for a little test drive! Heck, I drive my 996 like I stole it! (Just not in NYC traffic of course! LOL)

As soon as I bought my car, I had a local talented installer install (a) Directed Electronics 504m tilt sensor, and (b) Stinger Doubleguard shock sensor (also by Directed Electronics), both as add-on s to the factory alarm system. Directed Electronics is the maker of Viper alarm systems ( www.directed.com ). The shock sensor will go off if the car is bumped or a window is broken. The tilt sensor will sound the alarm is the car is raised by a tow truck or if someone puts a jack underneath to steal the wheels.