Top 10: Tips for safeguarding your classic
Classic car theft is on the rise, with many of the most popular models – including Minis, Land Rovers, Escorts and Golf GTIs – being particularly targeted. Modern classics are also sought after among car thieves right now. So what can be done to help safeguard your own classic?
We’ve come up with ten of the best ways to reduce the risk of car theft – each one affordable and well worth the effort. So if you’re determined to keep hold of your classic, check out our top recommendations. And don’t forget to let us know about your own anti-theft measures in the comments section below.
Paul Guinness, Contributor
Wed, 22 Jun 2016
Lock the car!
Alright, we’ll start with the most obvious – and cheapest – course of action. A lot of car crime is opportunistic, so make sure you reduce the chances by using free-of-charge common sense. Buying petrol? Lock your car. At a show? Lock your car. Parked on the drive? Lock your car, always ensuring that the windows are closed. Depending on the age of your classic, its standard security will range from lockable doors to a full-blown alarm system. Whatever it comes with, make sure everything’s working as it should; if the standard-fit alarm is fully functioning, you’ve got an instant head start.
Redwald on 22 June 2016
Put a switch in the fuel pump supply if your car has an electric pump. This has the added benefit that the car will start and drive for a few yards and then stop. This happened to me and I found the car in the middle of the street with cops all round it looking for the owner who had parked it blocking the traffic. The thieves won't stop to suss out the apparent fault.
Thomas Williams on 12 March 2019
TOMCATAdd a switch to the low tension side of the ignition circuit. Wire as discretely as possible and place either an ordinary or key switch in an accessible but hidden place or in plain sight looking like an accessory. The engine can be turned over as if starting but will not fire.
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