truemagellen

I have never owned a nice car in my life until I picked up my 8 a few weeks ago. So I have never been concerned with security, or rather anything about the my cars until now.

I was thinking about loading up the car with many of the great electronics you all have been DIYing, but I am worried about theft.

If I have the Remote Shock Sensor Installed, and the put a locking mechanism on the hood...isn't it true it will be VERY difficult for someone to break in, disable the alarm...and then steal all the cool things I have been adding to the car?

But...if the hood can be opened...the battery can be disabled and then I'm screwed. I had a friend with a complex alarm system that had a backup battery hidden in the car that keeps the alarm blaring even after the thieves diable the main battery...

Well I don't know how to install a backup and probably it wont work with the factory alarm system...plus I would rather spend my money on cool stuff like subs, etc.

So...is there a way to modify the hood release latch in the car so that it requires a special key (preferably the key for my car)... or do I not have to worry as the factory alarm with shock sensor is more than adequate?

Thanks!

ps. (do I even need the Shock sensor)

Omicron

If a professional thief wants your car, or parts of your car, they WILL get it - regardless of what alarm system and security measures you take. For that matter even an amature can smash a window, ignore the alarm, and take things within about 60 seconds. Most people ignore car alarms, so 60 seconds is plenty in a relatively unwatched area.

See above.

Some of the better alarms come with battery backup. If it makes you feel better to have one, then go for it - get a professional alarm installed. They are generic enough that most any good auto electronics installer can put one in any car.

Well, it's cable actuated, so you could (in theory) either relocate it to the glove box (which is lockable with the car key) or hide it somewhere. But again, a pro can locate the cable, cut it and strip the end, then open the hood with a simple yank on the stripped end with a pair of pliers.

Shock sensor can't hurt, but again, any alarm is of limited value if you car is parked in an area where thieves can get 60 seconds with it.

Best things you can do, IMHO, is to park the car in "safe" areas if at all possible. Secondly, be stealthy in how you install your cool stuff. The more visible it is from outside the car, the bigger a target your car is. If you're after "wow factor" installs, you need to decide if this is worth it versus how much of a target it makes your car.

But speaking of targets - you need to be aware that no matter HOW stealthy you are in your installs, the RX-8 is an incredible target right now because it is so unique, sexy, and recognizable. So again, where you park is paramount.

Finally, if you want to put in the best of alarms, go for one that pages your cellular (or pager) if the alarm trips. Then you need to stay less than 60 seconds away from it, and be prepared to face trouble if the alarm ever goes off. Trouble possible in the form of a vanload of thieves.

So there are some points to ponder. Hope it helps!

truemagellen

that was an excellent response to my questions...I'll go for the stealthy installs and I live in Minnesota, so grand theft auto rarely happens...but smash and grab still does...

I think I'll go for the shock sensor and then if I start putting in not so stealthy stuff I'll tint the windows first and go nutz adding an alarm system.

Thanks again!

Sputnik

While it is true that if a capable thief wants something, they can get it. But not every punk out there is a capable pro. There are things that you can do which will increase the effort required, which will thwart more thieves. You have to consider what you have too. If it's not worth the effort, then they won't go after it, or will give up quicker. You think these thieves are in it because they are industrious and willing to work for something? For the most part, it is not. For a pro who is industrious, do you think he will risk it and waste effort on a simple pair of subs and an amp? I doubt it.

And the noise of an alarm is not worthless. Again, that noise will make most thieves nervous (those who it doesn't make nervous will probably not be wasting time with chump stuff like a little hot car stereo gear), so they won't spend as much time trying to get things out of your car. Yes, an alarm going off someplace like in a mall parking lot or garage is not going to attract much attention. But if that same alarm is in my quiet neighborhood, it will get attention. People won't be calling the cops as soon as it goes off, but it will annoy them enough that they'll look outside. And, if they have an alarm on their car, they will look out to make sure that it's not theirs. So again, that depends on where/when.

My point is, an alarm is not a bank vault (just like a radar detector doesn't guarantee that you won't get a ticket), but it is effective.

And again, that's if they want to take the time, and it will take awhile to find.

Another option would be to put a solenoid device on the cable somewhere, and turn the hood release lever into a switch. When the alarm is disabled, the hood release can activate the solenoid to release the hood. When the alarm is enabled, the hood release would simply activate the alarm.
I agree. This goes back to my point about how much of a threat there is on your car. Truemagellan mentioned that he wasn't even worried about an alarm with his other cars, which he felt wasn't a target for thieves. If there isn't anything to steal, no-one is going to bother, especially the pros who can get in, but won't waste their time. And, if someone is just curious as to what you may have in there, an alarm will be more apt to keeping them from "exploring".
I don't completely agree with that. An Rx8 is quite unique, easily recognizable, and grabs attention. But what is there on the car that people would want to steal? The wheels/tires are definitely a target. Another RX8 owner might want a Borla exhaust (or other RX8 specific aftermarket item), but the fact that RX8s are still rare (and somewhat expensive) there will be few people who would rather steal something like that instead of buying it themselves. The factory radio certainly isn't something that people would want. Even other cars with DIN sized factory radios are more of a target, because they can fit in other cars. That is not the case with the RX8/M6/M3 radios. The Nav would be very very difficult to get out of the car (even while hacking at stuff with a crowbar and whatnot), and then integrate into another system. But alot of people aren't going to know that, so it might be a target. Again, with it down, it is difficult (but not impossible) to identify a Nav car.
One of the things that you have to consider with an alarm like that is that pager system ranges are rather limited, and both pager and cellular based systems are affected by where the car is parked, and reception. For example, if the car is in a parking garage, pagers will practically be worthless, and cellular setups will be iffy. The other thing that you have to consider is that you will be paged/called for every false alarm. Yes, some alarms can be setup so that they'll only page/call when two sensors are activated, but is that what you want? You just have to setup the alarm so that it doesn't false often (it can be done).

The other thing to consider is if you are say in a mall, checking out the latest CDs, or in a movie, how long will it take you to run back to your car? Even if blaring alarms aren't getting much attention in the parking lot, theives won't spend too much time in the car.

As far as battery backups, they aren't hard to install at all. You can even setup a pair of 9-volt batteries to be effective.

---jps

Omicron

Thanks for jumping in here, Sputnik. You covered some more points I was planning, in retrospect, to go back and add.

wokuku

You might want to give this a try. Cheap and effective~

Omicron

Lol! :D

DreamWarrior

Battery backups are great...unless the theif finds where the horn is and cuts the power to it like they did to me...********!

devoid

Here's a thought my install shop gave me...while they could install the hood lock mechanism, they preferred not. They preferred to let the theif in the hood. The thinking:
1. If they want in, they're gonna get in, and F* up your hood big time to do it.
2. Getting under the hood won't help with a good alarm setup (Which I already have)
3. No alarm is inpenatrable, it's just a pain, and the best you can do is make it a royal pain!

Sputnik

I agree.

---jps

coldnoodle

There are types of hood pin that will require a key to unlock them.