On-Road Parking

[Sian]

Hi all,

My MR2 will unfortunately need to be kept on a main road outside my house.  Not ideal of course but it was that or don't get a nice car for a year or so whilst at this address.  I've lived here for years with only very minor accidental damage to my Punto but it's old and no-one batted an eyelid at it.  I kept that car so long partly due to the on road parking but it's now well and truly dead.

I flipped-flopped so much but decided to take the risk and I'll have to lump any consequences.  I'm a car lover, the thought of not having a car is just horrible but I also didn't want to buy something I wasn't bothered about.

I'm getting a hardtop and will never have it outside without - I don't want anyone to realise how easy it is to remove too!  I have somewhere slightly more secure I can keep the car on weekends if I want to remove the hardtop but this isn't an option during the week.

It already has a basic aftermarket cd player but I may need to get one with a removable fascia just to not draw attention to it, not sure that's worth it though.

I'll get a steering wheel lock but I'm well aware they're useless in reality.  I'm just trying to deter as much as possible.

I've considered renting a garage but it wouldn't be nearby & I won't use the car everyday so if someone wanted it they'd just need to wait for me to walk away and that'd be it, I wouldn't even know anything had happened for a few days.  So I think I prefer on the road to that, at least I could see it.

Ultimately if someone wants to nick it, they will, I know.  But I'm just trying to think of things so I know I've done what I can.

I'm expecting but less concerned about general bodywork damage - unless someone goes whole hog with a baseball bat but again, not much I can do if that happens!

Anyone got any other suggestions?

[Standard]

In extremely rough areas I've heard of people taking the parcel shelves out of cars and leaving the glove box open to make sure everyone is aware that there is bugger all in the car.

Cheap aftermarket headunits only sell for a few quid anyway so I wouldn't worry about that too much, if it's a face off, take it off but I had an old rover broken into by smack heads years ago and the morons took the head unit without the facia. The scum bags took a half pack of chewing gum off the dash but left around £7 in the ash tray.

You've covered most things already. Most things are a visual deterrent, if your car looks more 'work' than the one next to it, they will probably move along.

[wotugonado]

They do a fascia blank that fits over the stereo area to make it look like there's no stereo. Not sure if it will fit over an aftermarket stereo though, i think I saw one on eBay at the moment. You can deadlock the car by pressing the remote 3 times, i think it mutes the sound from the alarm but you can't open the doors even with the inside door handle.

[Sian]

Yeah there will be cars parked next to it that are worth more or have better stereos - that I've never seen had anything done to them thinking about it.

 I'm also hoping that being on a main road will actually help. It's well lit and there are cars and people going up and down it most of the time. A nightmare for accidental damage but hopefully a deterrent from stealing. There are quieter roads just round the corner that would be better for that.

My main concern is that it is a head turner, more so than the more expensive cars, so I think the biggest issue would be chavs thinking 'wouldn't mind having a bit of fun in that tonight'. So just trying to make it seem more work than it's worth. But really not much I can do if they really want it.

For the locking buttons I'd heard 1 click locks outside, 2 clicks deadlock, 3 clicks deadlock but interior alarm sensor disabled. Sound right to others?

[JoeCool]

Breaking into cars nowadays is actually pretty rare, especially on streets. It's mainly a risk in multistorey car parks or secluded areas. I leave mine out on street with a hard top routinely, and it's not an issue. LIkewise theft - of these £2k cars - is exceedingly rare. My main thing would be a hard to to prevent simple vandalism of the soft top, which you're already doing.

Just make sure phone charging cables etc are tidied away. But then a new door is like £50 so even if someone does a window to get in it's not the end of the world.

[Sian]

Thank you Joe, it's reassuring to hear from someone who also leaves theirs on the road. The age and price of the car will be enough to put proper thieves off. It'll just be chavs wanting fun that might be an issue, or jealousy maybe.

Yes even with the Punto I always removed leads, sat nav holders, plugged the lighter bit back in so it looked normal and boring lol I get told I'm paranoid but if I can try to prevent something that'll upset me (damage to my car) I think it's justified!

[Sian]

They do a fascia blank that fits over the stereo area to make it look like there's no stereo. Not sure if it will fit over an aftermarket stereo though, i think I saw one on eBay at the moment. You can deadlock the car by pressing the remote 3 times, i think it mutes the sound from the alarm but you can't open the doors even with the inside door handle.

Wotugonado I'm back home now so was just googling and eBay searching fascia blanks, radio covers, console covers but all I'm finding is the plastic trim for round the edge. You don't happen to know what they're actually called or a place that makes them do you? I think it's a good idea. Worth a try with the aftermarket one anyway.

[jonbill]

 m https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112174216198 m  

This is one I think

[Sian]

Thanks Jonbill. It says pre facelift, mines facelift. Do you know did the center consoles change?

[wotugonado]

Stereo changed between models. Like I say it may not fit your aftermarket stereo.... 3 clicks of the fob disables the interior sensor sounds right, not mutes the alarm

[Sian]

I might get one anyway. Sake of a tenner. Maybe with a bit of messing and cutting here and there I could make something useable. It's a very clever idea. I didn't know such a thing existed.

[wotugonado]

Maybe with a bit of messing and cutting here and there I could make something useable.

You'll fit right in on here with that attitude  s:) s:)

[lgriffiths]

For the locking buttons I'd heard 1 click locks outside, 2 clicks deadlock, 3 clicks deadlock but interior alarm sensor disabled. Sound right to others?

Sounds right.

I've had mine parked on a public road for 6 months, no hard top. You'll never stop a jealous chav doing damage, but the risk is fairly low I think.

you can increase the alarm sensitivity, there's a few posts here on how to. I haven't done it. My neighbor reversed into it from the side, took part of the bumper off and the alarm didn't even go off lol! Her insurance paid so it ended up with a nice respray.

[lgriffiths]

I'm more worried about dings in parking lots than damage on the road... So many people just swing their doors open

[Sian]

You'll fit right in on here with that attitude  s:) s:)

haha I don't mind messing, just not with things that could affect the running of the car.  I think's too risky for me!

I've had mine parked on a public road for 6 months, no hard top.

Wow you're either very brave or live in a much nicer area than I do!  But I'm glad to hear it's been fine.  It's very reassuring.  I think the alarm does need to be more sensitive but it's very quiet anyway so I doubt I'd hear it from inside the house.  I know people move the alarm so it's louder but I think I want to get used to the car first before I start considering doing stuff like that.

[The Other Stu]

You'll fit right in on here with that attitude  s:) s:)

haha I don't mind messing, just not with things that could affect the running of the car.  I think's too risky for me!

It starts like that.....