• Welcome to Elio Owners! Join today, registration is easy!

    You can register using your Google, Facebook, or Twitter account, just click here.

Thread(s) Of Elio As Long-distance Highway Machine

goofyone

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
Messages
3,756
Reaction score
18,664
Location
Cumming, GA
Unfortunately you don't have to be very bright to break into a car. Smashing windows is extremely common for the least bright among those with criminal intent and it only takes some practice more than it does intelligence to learn the skill of breaking into a vehicle without needing to break the window.

As a teenager working in my father's auto repair business I ordered a little tool kit and taught myself how to get into vehicles quite quickly without causing any damage. This was a very useful skill and I had plenty of practice as it was very common for the technicians and/or customers to accidentally lock keys in cars.:rolleyes::D

By the way organized car theft gangs even routinely steal cars equipped with keyless systems. I just happened to reach this article yesterday where this kind of theft is becoming routine in the UK and especially London. I have a pretty good idea how they are accomplishing this however I have no doubt that the details are widely available on the internet on how exactly this is done so anyone could figure it out.

http://www.engadget.com/2015/02/03/london-keyless-car-theft/
 
Last edited:

John Painter

Elio Addict
Joined
Sep 16, 2014
Messages
1,435
Reaction score
5,188
Location
Lewiston, Maine
OMG People. This means the hood can not be locked! Just think of it. Anyone can get into the engine compartment and steel the battery and do what ever they want! This is serious. Do you want this? I don't. how in the world could they do something like this?

Show me that I am wrong.
Personally I was thinking the exact opposite, that the Elio would be a pain in the ass to jack because of the hodgepodge of nothing special parts. Out of curiosity, is it known what size battery the Elio will use?
 

Catia

Elio Addict
Joined
May 22, 2014
Messages
527
Reaction score
1,141
Location
Byron,Ga
OMG People. This means the hood can not be locked! Just think of it. Anyone can get into the engine compartment and steel the battery and do what ever they want! This is serious. Do you want this? I don't. how in the world could they do something like this?

Show me that I am wrong.
Main thing anyone would want to steal would be the battery and then alternator.:( I would change over to locking type key.:)
 

Catia

Elio Addict
Joined
May 22, 2014
Messages
527
Reaction score
1,141
Location
Byron,Ga
If someone wants to steal your battery, a locked car will not stop them. Break the window, pull the hood latch and there goes your battery, as well as anything left in the car. Seems to me it will cost me less in repairs if they can get to the battery easily. Then again in over 40 years, I've only had 1 vehicle broken into and they trashed the interior causing several hundred in damage for a couple of dollars in change, they also broke into our garage and stole a bicycle. The bike had 2 flat tires and they ditched it a half a block away. If someone wants to steal something not much will stop them. Not even car alarms or interior hood latches.
You are right, someone want it bad enough they will steal anything, and that is sad things someone really want to do that. Sad!:(:(
 

Dusty921

Elio Addict
Joined
Aug 18, 2014
Messages
602
Reaction score
2,221
Location
Northeast Georgia
Unfortunately you don't have to be very bright to break into a car. Smashing windows is extremely common for the least bright among those with criminal intent and it only takes some practice more than it does intelligence to learn the skill of breaking into a vehicle without needing to break the window.

As a teenager working in my father's auto repair business I ordered a little tool kit and taught myself how to get into vehicles quite quickly without causing any damage. This was a very useful skill and I had plenty of practice as it was very common for the technicians and/or customers to accidentally lock keys in cars.:rolleyes::D

By the way organized car theft gangs even routinely steal cars equipped with keyless systems. I just happened to reach this article yesterday where this kind of theft is becoming routine in the UK and especially London. I have a pretty good idea how they are accomplishing this however I have no doubt that the details are widely available on the internet on how exactly this is done so anyone could figure it out.

http://www.engadget.com/2015/02/03/london-keyless-car-theft/

Does anybody really leave valuables in vehicles, LMAO
 

Lil4X

Elio Addict
Joined
Apr 26, 2014
Messages
948
Reaction score
3,417
Location
Houston, Republic of Texas
There are several locking hood pin options in the aftermarket, no worries about having to use a couple of little padlocks and have them banging around on your hood.

Moving the hood release to the interior of the car, protected by locked doors, is a relatively recent design change. Smashing a window is a difficult proposition - I never broke a window, but I did break several bricks having locked myself out of my car. I remember learning to break in to my '67 Mustang by opening the hood, pulling the dipstick, bending a little kink into it, and using it to slip through the gasket between the side windows to pull the lock plunger.

Obviously, other than keeping honest people honest, in my case, locking hoods protected my cars from ME. Years later I bought my first Suburban and discovered breaking into it was like jimmying my way into the front door of Fort Knox. With the passing of "frameless" windows, vehicle break-ins got much more difficult.

A GPS can be an attractive target, but experienced thieves won't touch mine - it's too old to be worth anything at a pawn shop. That concerns me about the SkyzMatic system - because it uses a highly popular tablet and is located in plain sight, it would seem to be a serious invitation to theft.

About the only security that works is to park in well-lighted areas, away from obstacles that allow a potential thief cover. Hide your valuables so they are not visible from outside. If you install an alarm, DIY it or have it done by a private company - factory alarms are well scouted by the criminal class and they know where all the wires run and where the alarm is located on the interior. Finally, check with your insurance carrier to be sure your policy covers both car and contents. If you routinely carry a laptop or iPad in your vehicle, be sure it's covered either on your auto policy or your homeowner's . . . then stop worrying.
 

JEBar

Administrator
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Joined
Aug 24, 2014
Messages
7,321
Reaction score
18,146
Location
Wake County, NC
Thanks for the info, now where are you parked? :p

right now, out in the driveway beside the house .... folks concerned with their Elio being messed with, broken into, or damaged, might be well advised to seriously consider the Skyz option .... my biggest concern isn't theft or vandalism, its folks who don't know any better (or don't care) sitting on the fenders .... from what they report Skyz can help identify them
 
Top Bottom