This is a little OT, but I’ve met some of you at DE’s over the past year, so I thought I’d share. Maybe there’s something to learn here. I dunno.

Two Fridays ago, while I was attending a spectator event at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, someone stole my GS-R. Drove it right off the lot.

It wasn’t a very conspicuous car. Lowered only about 1.5”, Kosei K1s and an exhaust system were all that were visible unless you climbed underneath. In total, the only mods were some bolt-ons: intake (AEM), header (DC Sports), exhaust (Thermal) and suspension (Skunk2 springs and bars, Tokico Illumnias). Bone stock engine. Nothing special.

It wasn’t pretentious at all. White. Not one decal. No bling. Nothing to draw one’s attention. It was my daily driver, and I didn’t want it to look like some ricey POS. The only changes I had made were to improve performance at the track.

It wasn’t a very new car; a 1995 with almost 90,000 miles. Had its share of paint chips off the hood and front bumper, too.

It was clean and well kept, but certainly not extraordinary in any way. Nothing in the cabin to pique someone’s interest. There were thousands of faster, newer, more expensive, more attractive cars there that evening, but they chose my little GS-R.

Today, I got a call from the New Jersey State Police to let me know that they found the chassis in a parking lot. Picked clean like the bones of a carcass after the vultures are through with it. In patronizing tones the detective told me that it was “a very professional job”, like I should take solace in the knowledge that the ******** that stole and dismantled my car knew what they were doing!

As far as the insurance company is concerned it’s a total loss. Now I’m waiting for their assessment of the car’s value. I have a sneaking suspicion that bent over will be the most natural position for taking that call.

So that’s my story. Since I’ve begun talking with police and insurance investigators, I’ve learned a few things. For one, all but the most recently minted Hondas and Acuras are notoriously easy to steal. Apparently, you can stick a screwdriver into the ignition of some older models and they’ll start right up. GS-R’s are among the more popular models with car thieves. I can only surmise that they want the B18C. I didn’t have the slightest concern about leaving my old, rather unremarkable car in a lot with thousands of others to choose from. I was wrong.

If you have a Honda or Acura with desirable parts aboard, and you want them to stay there, either keep the car out of sight, or invest in an effective anti-theft system. They are watching you.

I’m off the GFCP until our Ultralite arrives. Until then, have fun out there and keep the tires under you.

Grant, who still gets nauseated every morning when he walks out the door and sees a Toyota Corolla rent-a-box in the place where his GS-R used to be.

 

Sorry about the car. Even unasuming it is a draw to theieves. The parts fit cars for almost 10 years and many 'lines'(integra, civic, del sol). So the parts are worth a lot on the market. Ergo, the GSR is the car with the highest theft loss per vehical. To my understanding that means if you took all the stolen Integra's and divide the payout among the remaining owners it comes to the hightest amount of any car. Other cars have a greater number stolen but also have a much higher base to spread the expense over.

Moral of the story, If a professional wants the car, they will get it, period.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by gjdavis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Two Fridays ago, while I was attending a spectator event at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, someone stole my GS-R. Drove it right off the lot.</TD></TR></TABLE>

holy fugg! sorry bro. that sucks. i really feel for you. i can't believe that. what a bunch of ******. no one saw anything? damn...

 

The other side of this coin is that, as racers shopping for parts, we need to be VERY sure of where the stuff we buy comes from. If I bought your poor tub from the insurance company to build an ITS car, and then did a deal for a used B18 with some kid selling it in the H-T classifieds, I have an obligation to try to be sure that he hadn't ripped off some other unsuspecting owner...

Kirk

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rodney &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

holy fugg! sorry bro. that sucks. i really feel for you. i can't believe that. what a bunch of ******. no one saw anything? damn... </TD></TR></TABLE>

Holy Fugg is right!

So thats how things have been going down when I haven't been around? Thought I was just missing racing, in reality my car is safer at home... That totally Sucks.


Which club event if you don't mind me asking?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Knestis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The other side of this coin is that, as racers shopping for parts, we need to be VERY sure of where the stuff we buy comes from. If I bought your poor tub from the insurance company to build an ITS car, and then did a deal for a used B18 with some kid selling it in the H-T classifieds, I have an obligation to try to be sure that he hadn't ripped off some other unsuspecting owner...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanks, Kirk. I think I'd sustain permanent brain damage if I discovered someone else on track with me was driving parts of my old car!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 1GreyTeg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Which club event if you don't mind me asking?</TD></TR></TABLE>

It wasn't a driving event - it was a drum corps show.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Now I’m waiting for their assessment of the car’s value. I have a sneaking suspicion that bent over will be the most natural position for taking that call...</TD></TR></TABLE>

LOL, ...and unfortunately its very probable that they wont even have the courtesy to offer some lube.

Good luck and hopefully you'll be able to get another car and hit the track soon.

 

That sucks. Thanks for sharing, soon your pain will ease. I have been there also. I think the theives or pro theives in this case, knew to go to Giants stadium. I used to work in a movie theatre. The cops eventually set up on the roof and started to bust people. The cops told us how the cars would get stolen or broken into because the theives knew that foot traffic would be low once the movies started to roll.

 

As someone who has had both an integra, which was basically stock, and a civic hybrid, which was far from stock stolen, let me offer you some advice. Find receipts for EVERYTHING you ever put on your car. If you dont have them, call the place you got the parts from and get duplicates. Go on autotrader and print out ads for cars in similar years and mileage to yours, insurance co's will sometimes honor the fair market value of your car, rather than the book value.





Thats what my car looked like when we found it. (thats right, I found it myself before the cops did, and it was gone for 15 days). It was sitting on a side street in Trenton, NJ, not 10 miles from my house. There was some businesses around and they said the car was at a garage there for 2 weeks, and when they first saw it, it was completely together, and they were driving it. The cops could care less, they wouldnt investigate the garage, with multiple eye witnesses willing to testify that they saw the ownersof the shop driving it, and I had to use some "connections" to get them to even check it for prints.

All I can say is good luck. Its really sickening that people could steal someone elses property like they do.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 743 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Find receipts for EVERYTHING you ever put on your car. If you dont have them, call the place you got the parts from and get duplicates. Go on autotrader and print out ads for cars in similar years and mileage to yours, insurance co's will sometimes honor the fair market value of your car, rather than the book value.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanks for the advice. I've already sent in all the receipts for the bolt-on parts. I will definitely check out Autotrader. So sorry to hear about your cars. I feel your pain, man.

 

Do what you need to to provide evidence of fair market value of your car and all reciepts for any work recently done to the vehicle. Ads on autotrader are not enough, those cars are still for sale. If you can find anyone who actually SOLD there car that is better at establishing the current value. You shouldn't need a lawyer and being bent over should not happen. Who is your insurer?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by gjdavis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

It wasn't a driving event - it was a drum corps show.</TD></TR></TABLE>

My good friend is playing snare for Southwind out of Orlando. Do you remember seeing them by any chance?
(I'm really sorry about your GSR, too.)

 

if i can remember correctly, integra's are the number one stolen car in america. not entirely sure but i think i heard that somewhere in a study. my uncle's LS was stolen around spring break. still havent found it. he had bolt-ons and a few other things theives might want. and the weird and sad part is - it was stolen right in front of my house...

 

IIRC, Integras are the number one most-stolen "per capita" - that is, per model registered. Accords or Camrys top the list in total sheer numbers. The "per capita" rate does not appear in print often.

Integra (with power locks) drivers should all invest in a set of these:



Very easy to get into an Integra with those still in place. Saw one opened in under five minutes (calm down - was a Hype R driver whose keys were locked in the car).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by siisgood00 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My good friend is playing snare for Southwind out of Orlando. Do you remember seeing them by any chance?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Southwind was not at the East Rutherford show (they were somewhere in the Midwest, if I recall). I've been working with the Cadets and Crossmen since forever. Spent my marching years in the Crossmen. Go see a show!!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DBurke &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Who is your insurer?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Insurer is Nationwide. So far they have been courteous, but I've had my share of squabbles with them when I've had the car repaired. They always want to spec used or non-OEM parts.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by gjdavis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Southwind was not at the East Rutherford show (they were somewhere in the Midwest, if I recall). I've been working with the Cadets and Crossmen since forever. Spent my marching years in the Crossmen. Go see a show!!</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by gjdavis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Southwind was not at the East Rutherford show (they were somewhere in the Midwest, if I recall). I've been working with the Cadets and Crossmen since forever. Spent my marching years in the Crossmen. Go see a show!!</TD></TR></TABLE>

Sorry to keep this OT, but I think its kinda cool to find fellow marchers on here. I marched Alto for Crown in 2000. My brother was going to march Cadets this summer until he got cut in March.

And I kinda know how you feel about the nausea. My daily driver is a Camry (company car so its pretty crappy)....while the Prelude sits and collects dust.

 

5 words : hidden fuel cut-off switch

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">5 words : hidden fuel cut-off switch</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NB &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I think its kinda cool to find fellow marchers on here. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes indeed, real cool.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">5 words : hidden fuel cut-off switch</TD></TR></TABLE>

tyson are you talkin' about something like an switch in-line for the fuel pump? how hard would one of those be to install?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">5 words : hidden fuel cut-off switch</TD></TR></TABLE>

Someone else suggested this to me. It makes a lot of sense. Trying to keep someone out of your car is futile, but making it difficult for them to drive it away once they've broken in is a powerful deterrent.

Stealing a car that won't run ups the ante for thieves; makes 'em spend more time finding the defeat, or forces them to commit the theft with a tow truck or a flatbed. I'm sure I'd still have my car, albeit with some minor damage, if the bastards couldn't have started it right away.

Perhaps this is a topic worthy of further discussion: effective, affordable theft-deterrent measures that can be retrofit into a late model car. Some practical how-to info would be helpful, as well. Anyone?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NB &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Sorry to keep this OT, but I think its kinda cool to find fellow marchers on here. I marched Alto for Crown in 2000. </TD></TR></TABLE>
So how did it feel to march in Finals? Not bad, eh?

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NB &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My brother was going to march Cadets this summer until he got cut in March.</TD></TR></TABLE>
March can be bloody! The competition for spots is crazy up there. Sorry he didn't make it. Hope he tries again next season.