do wheel locks really prevent theft?

10666 Views 58 Replies 18 Participants Last post by vexed, Mar 7, 2002

alanra

Discussion Starter · Mar 5, 2002

I'll be receiving my new 330i sometime in April/May, and I find as the time gets closer that I'm getting more and more paranoid about keeping my baby safe and in one piece :eeps:.

I'm definitely springing for the alarm (hopefully it'll stop some fractional number of would-be thieves from roughing up the car), but now I'm pondering wheel locks.

I'm getting the stock, non-sports-package rims... styling 73 I think. It doesn't seem like people are panting after these rims, but who knows what a thief will go after.

What I'm trying to figure out is whether wheel locks will actually stop the people who would go to the effort to steal rims in the first place. Any thoughts? They're cheap (~$30 for all 4, plus labor), but are they worth it?

Thanks in advance.

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JST

· #2 · Mar 5, 2002

alanra said:
I'll be receiving my new 330i sometime in April/May, and I find as the time gets closer that I'm getting more and more paranoid about keeping my baby safe and in one piece :eeps:.

I'm definitely springing for the alarm (hopefully it'll stop some fractional number of would-be thieves from roughing up the car), but now I'm pondering wheel locks.

I'm getting the stock, non-sports-package rims... styling 73 I think. It doesn't seem like people are panting after these rims, but who knows what a thief will go after.

What I'm trying to figure out is whether wheel locks will actually stop the people who would go to the effort to steal rims in the first place. Any thoughts? They're cheap (~$30 for all 4, plus labor), but are they worth it?

Thanks in advance.

Labor? They're lug nuts. Installing them yourself will take 5 minutes, and that's if you take a break in the middle to drink a beer and ponder your work.

Wheel locks will not stop a determined, well-equipped thief. Wheel locks can be drilled out rather quickly, or the theif could simply pull your trunk lock and grab the chuck key for the locks from your trunk.

OTOH, they will deter casual or less-well-equipped theives. As you say, they cost almost nothing (and they take barely any time to install). Even if the marginal benefit is small, it seems to me that the costs are even smaller.

I've had wheel locks on both my BMWs, and would get them on every one in the future. I don't see a downside.

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nate

· #3 · Mar 5, 2002

No wheel locks, no theft...

I don't think they will get stolen, and if they are stolen, I will use insurance money to buy nicer whels

alee

· #4 · Mar 5, 2002

For $30, it's the cheapest insurance you'll get. They're obviously defeatable ... if you park your car with fancy $3000 rims in a seedy neighborhood, you'll still be on blocks the next morning. Then again, they're harder to get off than regular lugs, so they do offer basic deterrence.

I have an extra set of lugs in my car so even if they get 4 out of 5 lugs on all 4 corners, I can put them back, and drive away (while Nate waits for a tow

).

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nate

· #5 · Mar 5, 2002

alee said:
For $30, it's the cheapest insurance you'll get. They're obviously defeatable ... if you park your car with fancy $3000 rims in a seedy neighborhood, you'll still be on blocks the next morning. Then again, they're harder to get off than regular lugs, so they do offer basic deterrence.

I have an extra set of lugs in my car so even if they get 4 out of 5 lugs on all 4 corners, I can put them back, and drive away (while Nate waits for a tow ).

Yup, but in a few days, I'll be driving on a set of new aftermarket rims :thumb:

Anyway, locks are a good deterrent for thieves. I doubt that they will be stolen with locks. I just don't think that my undesirable 16" rims are at risk from theives. (now watch them get stolen tonight :tsk: )

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Kaz

· #6 · Mar 5, 2002

This relates to a funny story I heard last night.

Apparently, one of the BMW dealers here in LA (I won't say which) has been having a lot of problems lately with wheels stolen off cars on their lot at night, and the local police has been doing a lot of investigation lately.

The police asked them why they don't put wheel locks on them (I've spoken to several cops who feel wheellocks are worthwhile) , to which the dealer says it's because the factory won't ship the cars with locks already on them.

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Kaz

· #7 · Mar 5, 2002

nate328Ci said:
No wheel locks, no theft...

I don't think they will get stolen, and if they are stolen, I will use insurance money to buy nicer whels

I think this is the kind of attitude that makes everyone's insurance rates go up, and encourages theft.

nate

· #8 · Mar 5, 2002

Kaz said:
I think this is the kind of attitude that makes everyone's insurance rates go up, and encourages theft.

I'm sorry

I just don't think they are important for me. I park in a garage with camera surviellance and a police station by the enterance/exit

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Kaz

· #9 · Mar 6, 2002

No, I'm not talking about the decision not to use wheel locks. I'm talking about the one saying 'let them steal it. I don't want it back since insurance will give me a new one' attitude.

pixelated

· #10 · Mar 6, 2002

nate328Ci said:
No wheel locks, no theft...

I don't think they will get stolen, and if they are stolen, I will use insurance money to buy nicer whels

LOL! Agree! I don't have wheel locks. But if someone wants to steal my rims, go ahead.

Just be sure not to damage anything else on my car

ict330xi

· #11 · Mar 6, 2002

No locks, no theft, but I am in Mayberry RFD, with Barney on duty

evilfactoryowne

· #12 · Mar 6, 2002

when you get nice rims buy three sets of wheel locks...that way if it will take longer if someone is determined to steal your wheels. It my take longer for you to take them off, but you will still have wheels to take off!

joes325xi

· #13 · Mar 6, 2002

Originally posted by epham
LOL! Agree! I don't have wheel locks. But if someone wants to steal my rims, go ahead. Just be sure not to damage anything else on my car

I'm sure they'll be very careful not hurt anything ony your baby while they pry off your wheels. Criminals are generally thoughtful like that

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Dan

· #14 · Mar 6, 2002

Wheel locks are cheap insurance. No, they won't eliminate the possibility of wheel theft - skilled professional thieves will get your wheels regardless. However, they do reduce the chances that some amateur thief will steal your wheels. Probably the best value for the money of any security item you can add to your car, especially if your wheels are a popular item with your local "midnight auto supply".

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Nat Brown

· #15 · Mar 6, 2002

You convinced me

Kaz said:
This relates to a funny story I heard last night.

Apparently, one of the BMW dealers here in LA (I won't say which) has been having a lot of problems lately with wheels stolen off cars on their lot at night, and the local police has been doing a lot of investigation lately.

The police asked them why they don't put wheel locks on them (I've spoken to several cops who feel wheellocks are worthwhile) , to which the dealer says it's because the factory won't ship the cars with locks already on them.

Just ordered a set from Circle BMW for $23. I'll add it to the Shrine of Bim.

--gary

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DougDogs

· #16 · Mar 6, 2002

Go for the good ones...with the special tool. Not the ones with the key...those are just for show, easy to break off

Guest84

· #17 · Mar 6, 2002

Actually, the cost efficiency of an alarm vs wheel locks, wheel locks wins hands down...after all, a theif can break into your car (via removing the lock cylinder) and disable your alarm (with a ball point pen) in about 10 seconds. They'd have to have a spare star wrench or key (depending on what type of wheel locks you get) and then jack the car up to get your wheels.

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Nat Brown

· #18 · Mar 6, 2002

Ripsnort said:
Actually, the cost efficiency of an alarm vs wheel locks, wheel locks wins hands down...after all, a theif can break into your car (via removing the lock cylinder) and disable your alarm (with a ball point pen) in about 10 seconds. They'd have to have a spare star wrench or key (depending on what type of wheel locks you get) and then jack the car up to get your wheels.

But where do you store the lock lug? If they can break in to do all that, they're likely to get into the trunk as well. My impression is that most are breaking into the car to look for the valet key.

Also, what's the story on the ball point pen alarm disabling?

--gary

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Josh (PA)

· #19 · Mar 6, 2002

Rip,

What's the ball point pen trick? How do you disable the alarm that way?

And where do you park your car at night......

Ripsnort said:
Actually, the cost efficiency of an alarm vs wheel locks, wheel locks wins hands down...after all, a theif can break into your car (via removing the lock cylinder) and disable your alarm (with a ball point pen) in about 10 seconds. They'd have to have a spare star wrench or key (depending on what type of wheel locks you get) and then jack the car up to get your wheels.

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Guest84

· #20 · Mar 6, 2002

I've heard from two sources (first bimmer.org, then the dealer also concurred) the story of disabling the alarm system with a ball point pen, although no one has actually ponied up information probably due to the fact that no one wants that type of information to be spread across the web (although the key lock info certainly has been known across the web freely for some time...shrugs)

So, I can't tell you how. Just relying info I've read, and concurred with a dealer.

I park inside my garage at night, during the day I can see my car from my office window, and if I go downtown, I don't take the BMW! (We take one of our other "not so in demand" American automobiles!)

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