Auto theft is among the most prevalent crimes today. According to some studies, if you leave your car unlocked or place valuables in sight in the car, you have a one in thirty chance of having your car stolen.
However, if you lock your car, hide your valuables from sight and use an anti-theft device that can be seen from outside, the chances drop to one in thirty thousand!
Obviously, the actions you take have a direct bearing on how safe your vehicle is. Here are several things you can do minimize the risk of auto theft.
1. Use common sense. It should be obvious that a car that's unlocked with keys in the ignition is a very attractive target for thieves.
Even if you are parking your vehicle for just a few minutes, take the keys out of the ignition, close all windows and lock the doors. Try to park in a well-lit area, whenever possible. Don't display valuables / packages in plain sight inside your car.
At home, park in your garage, not outside.
2. Using a protection device helps. If it is a device that's plainly visible to would-be thieves, it has deterrent value too.
Such devices include audible alarms, brake and wheel locks, steering column collars, tire deflators and more.
3. Immobilizing devices offer good protection against theft. They can, for example, prevent thieves from hot wiring the car bypassing the ignition.
There are devices that can block the flow of electricity or fuel needed to run the car, till you press a hidden button.
Immobilization devices include smart keys that have computer chips inside them, fuse cutoffs, ignition kill switches, etc.
4. Have a tracking device installed. This device emits a radio signal that can be picked up by a monitoring center or by the police. If you car gets stolen, a tracking device can be invaluable to help recover the vehicle.
5. Keep garage doors locked even when you are home. Take care of your home security and make it difficult for burglars to get into your house or garage. That will reduce the risk of car theft as well.
6. Other things you can do include engraving your vehicle ID number on the windshield.
Some localities have a 'watch your car' program where special decals are displayed on the car. The authorities then have the right to pull the vehicle over and question the driver if the car is being driven at odd hours, such as between 1:00 am and 5:00 am. This helps because the majority of car thefts take place between these hours.
Make use of the simple tips above and you will significantly reduce the chances of your car being stolen.
About the author
James Strobes is a home and office security consultant. For information on securing your home in general, buying security cameras and more, see the foregoing links.
Gasoline Saving Devices Don't Work
Owning and operating a motor vehicle is an expensive process. Besides coming up with the money to actually buy the car or truck, owners need to pay for maintenance, auto insurance and most of all, gasoline. With the price of gasoline reaching ever-higher levels, more and more motorists are trying to find ways to save money. And every time the price rises, the media are suddenly flooded with advertisements for a wide variety of devices that purport to perform miracles with the internal combustion engine while providing owners with huge increases in gas mileage.
Almost everyone has heard the ages old story of the guy who invented a carburetor that would allow a car to travel up to 200 miles on a gallon of gas. The device never reached the market, the story goes, because General Motors or Big Oil or some other Corporate Entity bought the rights to the device to prevent it from reaching the market. The story isn't true; there is no such device and never really was one. It is true that in the 1930's an inventor did patent a carburetor that claimed to do such things, but the devices was never manufactured and working prototypes were never demonstrated. The patent has expired, but no one is pursuing this device. It doesn't work.
Just like that mythical carburetor are hundreds of other devices that are put on the market each year in order to entice economically-minded drivers to save on gas. The devices vary; some are electronic, some are magnetic and some add some sort of "slickness" compound to fuel or oil. Some atomize the fuel to make it burn more efficiently. Still others involve moving parts to stir the fuel or spray mists of water into the intake manifold to cool the engine temperature.
All of these devices have two things in common - they promise to save you a fortune in gasoline costs, and they don't work.
The internal combustion engine is well over a hundred years old. It is proven, it is understood and it is a relatively mature product. Engineers are certainly finding ways to refine the ways the engine works and each year new ways are found to improve the product in some way. Small increases in performance or economy are commonplace. Dramatic increases in economy, such as those that might yield a threefold increase in gas mileage, are simply not possible.
It might be tempting to respond to the late-night television commercial or magazine ad in order to increase your car's mileage by ordering a device that "Detroit doesn't want you to have." If you order them, you are just throwing your money away. The best money saving tip you will receive regarding gas-saving devices is this one - they don't work. Save your money.
?Copyright 2006 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including LemonLawHelp.net, a site devoted to information regarding lemon laws for automobiles and Car-Insurance-Help.net, a site about car insurance.
Land Rover Freelander 2 in UK Motor Show
Land Rover's new Freelander 2 caught the eyes of hundreds of visitors in the 2006 British International Motor Show, making it one of the stars in the London exhibition. Visitors from the UK and Europe had taken quick glances and admired the new compact SUV from Land Rover.
?We've been delighted with the level of interest shown in the new Freelander 2. Not only have visitors been making a bee-line to our stand to see the car in the metal for the first time but we've had thousands of people asking for more details about it. We are confident many of those inquiries will turn into sales. It's been a really successful show for us,? said Andy Griffiths, UK Marketing Director of Land Rover.
The Freelander 2 is an update of the earlier Land Rover Freelander. Like its predecessor, the Freelander 2 is an all terrain 4WD with the exceptional on-road performance and off-road ability of a true Land Rover model, and of course with quality Land Rover Freelander parts. The new Freelander 2 is equipped with two new engines - the 2.2-liter TD4 and the 3.2-liter i6 petrol. The fine, elegant interior offers a leather comfortable seats that allows its occupants to feel a smooth riding experience.
The Freelander 2 is equipped with technologically advanced features such as cruise control, full color touch screen DVD satellite navigation, trip computer, auto lights, front rain sensor with auto wiper operation, and park distance control.
When it comes to safety, Freelander 2 will provide customers a bunch of safety features that includes anti-lock braking systems (ABS), emergency brake assists (EBA), corner brake control, dynamic stability control, roll stability control, and hill descent control.
The patented technology from Land Rover, which is the Terrain Response technology, is also included in the new Freelander 2. This innovative system developed by Land Rover enables the driver to automatically adjust the engine, gearbox, and chassis system to adapt to the various terrains that it will encounter.
Price range for the new Land Rover Freelander 2 starts at ?22,000 and can increase up to ?30,000.
