Alarms with and without a pagerA deterrent that hit its stride in the '80s, these electronic gizmos, like all deterrents, offer different levels of protection. Like most things in life, the good stuff costs more. Regardless of the price, there are a few basic features that all quality alarms should have, including a siren, ignition/starter kill and an impact sensor. The latter is important because it SHOULD go off if someone breaks a window or attempts to tow the car. The key is to get a quality unit that goes off only when it should, because if it suffers from frequent false alarms, how will you know when your'e being jacked for real? The best alarms come with a pager that notifies you when the alarm is activated.
The problem with alarms (other than waking the neighbors at 3 a.m.) is that, like all deterrents, they can be easily defeated by a pro. How easily depends on the quality of the alarm. What is just as important and often overlooked is the quality of the installation. Experienced thieves will look for shoddy installs that can be quickly disabled. If you want the best possible protection from your alarm system, have it installed by a shop that hires ex car thieves, they'll know where the best place to hide it is. It's also a wise idea to have backup power for the alarm. Oh, and don't forget to activate it EVERY time you get out of your car.
Floorboard/Gearshift locksSimilar to steering wheel locks, these devices are intended to physically prevent the car from being driven. A floorboard lock prevents the brake, clutch and or gas from being depressed, making the car undriveable. Slightly more difficult to remove than a wheel lock, these can still be removed quickly by a pro. Hopefully, the added difficulty will scare them off. Tools to remove these are also sold on the Internet for under $20.
Hood locksObviously, this device is intended to keep crooks out of your engine compartment. A good idea, especially if you've got expensive aftermarket bits under there. A chain or cable will usually suffice
Tracking devicesThese devices consist of a transmitter and box that, when activated, gives law enforcement the exact location of the car. The idea is that once the car is stolen, the owner can report it missing and the po-po can use satellite positioning to locate and retrieve it. Cars equipped with these devices enjoy a substantially higher recovery rate. While that sounds bitchin', there are downsides. First, many people don't realize their car is missing until it has been gone for hours. This is a problem because the devices can be located and removed during that lull between when the car was stolen and when it was reported to the fuzz. Because they are transmitters, they must have antennae. A professional thief can locate and remove the transmitter in under an hour, sometimes in under 20 minutes. In addition, the transmitters often don't work in underground parking, containers, etc. Cars are often recovered after they've been stripped. However, with a quick reaction on your part and on behalf of the police, there's a good chance you can get your ride back before it's destroyed and defiled.