Car security for new car

nantucket66 · 19 Jan 2020 at 22:21

Just bought a Mercedes A35, due in about 4 months.

Obviously a desirable car and I'm wondering about aftermarket security.

I currently have a GLA and both keys are kept in pouches, the A35 keys apparently turn off after 10 minutes of inactivity, does that make the pouches irrelevant? Guess it can't hurt to keep the keys in them?

Should I do anything else to secure the car, we live in a quiet street, but no off road parking, the car will be parked outside the house under a streetlight.

Disklok, pedal lock, ghost immoboliser? All 3 overkill? CCTV covering car?

I realise if they want it they will probably get it but if I can put them off for long enough to move on......thoughts

muon · 19 Jan 2020 at 22:57

I wouldn't park it right outside your house. If they can't figure out who it belongs to you'll be fine.

But anyway the risk is low.

nantucket66 · 19 Jan 2020 at 23:02

muon said:
I wouldn't park it right outside your house. If they can't figure out who it belongs to you'll be fine.

But anyway the risk is low.

Easy enough to park a couple of doors down either side, no neighbour issues and the car will always be visible.

NVP · 20 Jan 2020 at 08:32

If you're that concerned fit a bright yellow steering lock. That should be enough to deter most.

But I'd just leave it as is, it's all insured.

233 · 20 Jan 2020 at 08:35

Decent insurance provider

a determined thief will always get it you here all sorted of stories worst being a guy getting dragged out his bed to hand over his keys while a Scrooge held a kettle of boiling water over his daughters head

Decent insurance protected no claims and don’t worry about it

jsmoke · 20 Jan 2020 at 08:43

Just take a park plug out each night.

Dis86 · 20 Jan 2020 at 09:01

nantucket66 said:
Obviously a desirable car.

Obviously. Wait...meh.

A2BDriver · 20 Jan 2020 at 18:14

Maybe a tracker, killswitch?

Journey · 20 Jan 2020 at 18:26

Got some decent GAP insurance?

nantucket66 · 20 Jan 2020 at 19:15

Protected no claims is sorted and I will be getting GAP insurance as well, never done it before. Any recommendations? Mercedes quote was about £730, admiral quoted £400

At the minute I'm thinking a disklok and maybe a ghost and obviously insurance.

Journey · 20 Jan 2020 at 19:23

nantucket66 said:
Protected no claims is sorted and I will be getting GAP insurance as well, never done it before. Any recommendations? Mercedes quote was about £730, admiral quoted £400

Is it PCP or PCH? Also what is the term over?

I've used several firms before, tried to avoid paying over £150 for 2-3 years. If it is new check your insurance, as they should cover the full first year, although if it is PCH and you put a large deposit I'd be tempted to get one that covers the deposit as well, since you'd not get that back should it get stolen.

Mcnumpty2323 · 20 Jan 2020 at 19:25

Think ghost 2 is out
Around £400 Mark and seem some with free tracker too
Though if it's foolproof
Why do you need a tracker
Unless someone steals your car with a tow truck lol

bainbridge · 20 Jan 2020 at 19:33

muon said:
I wouldn't park it right outside your house. If they can't figure out who it belongs to you'll be fine.

But anyway the risk is low.

It's a sad state of affairs when one can't safely park outside one's own home

nantucket66 · 20 Jan 2020 at 20:30

Journey said:
Is it PCP or PCH? Also what is the term over?

I've used several firms before, tried to avoid paying over £150 for 2-3 years. If it is new check your insurance, as they should cover the full first year, although if it is PCH and you put a large deposit I'd be tempted to get one that covers the deposit as well, since you'd not get that back should it get stolen.

It's PCP over 4 years. Will check insurance, car not due until mid-May so no major panic.

GAP quote was actually £309.00 over the 4 years based on RRP price of the car, the example it gave was

£20K car on PCP written off after 2 years.
Insurance values car at £10K and pays this amount out.
Replacement car of equivalent model is now £25k
Policy pays out £25k - £10k to settle outstanding finance balance and £15k for deposit on new vehicle.

Drumroll · 20 Jan 2020 at 21:02

Double click "lock", the key stop transmitting.
The safest thing is disklok. So much hassle, scumbags won't bother.
Sensor lights may help, paired with some CCTV.
Not going overkill, but 10 quid sensor light and some basic CCTV (100 quid mark), seems a reasonable investment if you think extra security would give you peace of mind.

ultralaser · 20 Jan 2020 at 22:39

I guess that's about a 400 GBP a month lease

? I'd definitely be getting the best vscheapest car insurance. Not sure the A35 is quite in the same desirability league as a (much worse) Golf GTI or Audi S3 / S4 with the chavs though or so crime stats I hear say, thus I'd not go crazy if I where you.

MrKnifey · 21 Jan 2020 at 07:08

We install the Autowatch Ghost 2 a lot these days. Simple to use and you wont start the car even with the keys

paradigm · 21 Jan 2020 at 07:34

ultralaser said:
Not sure the A35 is quite in the same desirability league as a (much worse) Golf GTI or Audi S3 / S4 with the chavs though or so crime stats I hear say, thus I'd not go crazy if I where you.

My S3 gets stolen every week without fail. Oh wait, the number of cars that actually get stolen vs the number that exist is tiny, and not worth worrying about over and above having the right levels of insurance cover (e.g. GAP).

nantucket66 · 21 Jan 2020 at 10:07

paradigm said:
My S3 gets stolen every week without fail. Oh wait, the number of cars that actually get stolen vs the number that exist is tiny, and not worth worrying about over and above having the right levels of insurance cover (e.g. GAP).

I'm sure you are absolutely right, just being a bit paranoid after I've hit the button! Mind is slowly easing.

Good insurance with protected NC already in place, will sort GAP out once I get the registration and a Disklok in time for the car arriving.

Demon · 21 Jan 2020 at 10:17

I'm also in the "just be sensible and don't worry about aftermarket security" for most cars, unless the insurance insist on it.

If I had a classic that wasn't easily replaced or a supercar then I'd probably want a decent tracking system fitted (which might be required anyway for insurance purposes).

The downsides of fitting a third party alarm is the interference with the cars electronics/systems, and any way the garage can blame things on third party accessories and refuse warranty wok I'd rather not take the risk.