I know it is 'just a car'.... but is 'my' car.

The car that I have made payments on for 4 years... the car that I have worked on and tried to enjoy for 4 years.

The more thefts that I see and hear about has made me wonder.

<U>How do you enjoy the car with the fear of theft/vandalism lurking?</U>
Do you not worry about theft?
Are you so paranoid about theft that you can't enjoy the car?

My joy has tapered off recently... less track events this year = less happy time in the drivers seat.
I did not purchase the car for shows/cruising/flossing to the ladiez. I got it for track use... and with less track use the joy/fear ratio has not been as good as it has in the past.

I wish the car was paid off so I could feel better about it sitting dormant in the garage more often that not.

 

I hear ya Willard. The old days are gone.

Not driving the R = No Fun

 

*****, i know exactly how you feel...

my R is track only also and this past year i only made it to 2 track events
it sat, undriven for 361 days out of 365

i feel so sick to my stomach after reading Jim's thread

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Willard &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Are you so paranoid about theft that you can't enjoy the car?</TD></TR></TABLE>

That's why I sold my Si

It's easy to say insurance will cover it, but when you've been busting your hump to make payments or have done a lot of work on your own and have a lot of time invested, it just doesn't cut it.

Brian

 

I find that even though I would miss the car dearly if it was stolen, it's not worth the stress of woring about it. I take the normal precausions and try not to leave it at places I know something might happen. But as time wore on and the R being my only car, I've learned that I can't worry about the car all the time and I need to leave it places I really shouldn't. Luckly mine is black and I'm able to make it look more like an LS so I have a little less to worry about, but it's still a pain in the ***.

Best bet is to enjoy it while you have it and see about additional coverage for parts on the car just incase. Yeah it sucks, but if they really want it, they'll get it.

 

Will, you know where I stood on that issue. Primary reasons I sold my car were:

1) Cost-benefit ratio - freed up capital for a house
2) Paranoia


[edit] But would you be happy without a track kaa? [/edit]

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Willard &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"><U>How do you enjoy the car with the fear of theft/vandalism lurking?</U>
Do you not worry about theft?
Are you so paranoid about theft that you can't enjoy the car?</TD></TR></TABLE>

if you don't worry at all, you either are hoping it gets taken or don't have a real attachment to the car.. and that's all fine and good, but there's a lot of us who are like you willard..

i had seriously been considering buying another for a daily driver.. but jim's thread make me wonder if i should..

 

If your fears of theft overcome the joy of owning and driving the car, then you have some issues to resolve.

A.) move to a safer area
B.) buy a house with a garage
C.) stop worrying, if it happens it happens life's too short to spend it worrying about the little things.

 

Theft of any valuable personal possession is a fact of life these days. Whether it's a car, boat, sea-doo, motorcycle, laptop etc - there is always some desperate drug-addicted low-life scum out there wanting to take it from you.

Around where I live - there has been skyrocketing theft and break ins due to crystal meth. There are guys that steal 5-6 cars a day to fuel their habit - and due to the lax court systems we have here (which believe in rehabilitation instead of incarceration) these guys are usually back out on the street doing the same **** a few months later.

The only thing you can do is protect your stuff the best you can - and be vigilant.

But don't be paranoid - life's too short.

 

I still drive mine to the bar/dinner from time to time.... but never to the movies and I don't know what a date it.
I take it on long trips (like this weekend) b/c of the better gas mileage over the Volvo (23mpg vs. 33mpg). But the Volvo is a better long distance ride.

Insurance is a good thing... too bad they won't alos pay for the interest on the loan.
I have very few modifications and don't stand to loose much if something happens... but the 'loss' itself is what would tweak my nip.

Crooks getting the better of me would also **** me off.


When would you call it quits? After an attempted break-in? After vandalism? Or when you are forced to quit after theft?

I don't have an alarm (I don't belive they work) and would rather use that money towards my deductible.
I do have several methods of protection and I am working on 2 more.

 

I'm not quiting till its burnt to the ground or stolen

Then I'll just buy another one down the road when I have more time to make it a track only car.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Willard &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Do you not worry about theft?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't spend time worrying about it, no.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Willard &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Are you so paranoid about theft that you can't enjoy the car?</TD></TR></TABLE>

No.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AssPenny &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I find that even though I would miss the car dearly if it was stolen, it's not worth the stress of woring about it. I take the normal precausions and try not to leave it at places I know something might happen.</TD></TR></TABLE>



<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by syckturboITR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If your fears of theft overcome the joy of owning and driving the car, then you have some issues to resolve.

A.) move to a safer area
B.) buy a house with a garage
C.) stop worrying, if it happens it happens life's too short to spend it worrying about the little things.</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

Will,

I took a week vacation to Mexico on a cruise and when i got back, I looked at the R and said to myself, "This isn't me anymore" and sold it.

Maybe j00 need a vacation

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Willard &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I don't have an alarm (I don't belive they work) and would rather use that money towards my deductible.
I do have several methods of protection and I am working on 2 more.</TD></TR></TABLE>

i will probably add about every tracking system possible, 1st thing, if I buy a daily driver.. just in case....

 

So sad it has gotten this fking bad, &lt;sigh&gt;

All I do is drive my R to/from work, but when the wifey and I want to go see a movie at the mall, or even take a trip out of town in the R... I just cant/wont fking do it. My wife loves the R almost as much as i do and she doesnt even get to drive it. She would like to enjoy more rides in it.

Sadly, just the thought of leaving my R out in the open in public places or unknown areas overtakes my thoughts of how much fun the drive would be in the R rather than the family car.

My wife understands.
So we always have to take the family car, Toyota Matrix

this **** is just not fair

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by People_Mover &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">"This isn't me anymore" </TD></TR></TABLE>
lmao..
this car was not and still is not.
Jack-"don't get it... you will hate it... it has no torque"

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by People_Mover &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Maybe j00 need a vacation </TD></TR></TABLE>
hrmm..
Nice idea.

 

Its pathetic. We are talking about an outdated low to mid 20K car that is the target of all car thieves across the country. Its insanity.

My R is paid off, and sitting in a garage since June with no motor. Batouttahell's story today really makes you wonder if its even safe in your ******* garage. Let alone the fact that now it puts your family and house in danger. Its unbelieveable. Ive heard of them being taken from peoples garages before but this one was scary to hear.

Once my car is back on the road, I am going to enjoy it like it should be enjoyed. Unfortunately I cant afford to track the car often, but it will see track time. I dont know if I will use it to do things like go to the movies, or god forbid, head down to NYC for some eats or to hang out, but I will use it more and more and if the seemingly inevitable happens, so be it. It will be a weight off my shoulders and thats the reason I have insurance anyway.

another point, its pretty sad when you have to HIDE YOUR SPARE KEYS IN YOUR OWN DAMN HOUSE for fear that someone will break into your house to get your keys.

 

Yeah I thought that I was doing a good job keeping it safe. Garaged all the time. Kept it safe for four years.

Not to make anyone more paranoid, but you really have to watch your surroundings. Neighbors, people walking by your house, etc.

All of the theft recently incuding mine seem to have a good deal of planning in them. They seem to take it when they KNOW you are going to be gone for a couple hours.

In Bat's case he was going to a ball game, in my case I was going to a club and left my car at a friends house. They watch every bit of your routine and the only thing you can do is to make sure you safe guard the car as best you can if you feel something is fishy.

 

I've got agreed value insurance on mp turbo shitbox, and I sleep like a brick every night. I know it's an rrrrrrrrr, but in reality, it's always replaceable.

if this one gets lifted that's 17.5K in my pocket to replace it with, and it's cool and all, but I'm not that attached to it....

 

just get an E30 M3 and forget about it.

&lt;---just dropped all aspirations of getting an R after hearing from jim this morning.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Willard &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">"don't get it... you will hate it... it has no torque"</TD></TR></TABLE>

LS1 Camaro......nuff said.

leave it anywhere, own all hype arrs at the track. done.

 

i never really worried about it much. The only time i started to worry much was when there was $25k or so worth of Hi dollar equip in it, I never took it out unless i knew i was going to be driving it. never left it parked anywhere then.

Other than that, before I never really worried

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by TeamRedlineITR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So we always have to take the family car, Toyota Matrix

this **** is just not fair
</TD></TR></TABLE>

That's why you should get a fun family car. However, I can see how driving a Matrix everyday would make driving the R that much more exhilarating.

 

simple, I just don't worry about it. That's why I have insurance...

#386 has been my only car for almost four years now, and has survived two attempted break in / thefts. I just use my alarm, and try not to leave it in really bad areas. But as my only car, it frequently gets parked in malls, movie theatres, parking garages, city streets, etc...

Luckily I was smart enough to get a sleepeR black one, not a phairy yellow one

 

My car has been sitting for 3 months now without a motor. I was thinking about selling the car before the motor let go. Try going three months without driving it once, washing it once, or even starting it in the garage. I REALLY miss not being able to drive the car...it would be even worse if I sold it. Imagine seeing some punk kid beating the **** out of your ITR after you sold it...I'd probably have to steal it back!