Security for older vehicles?

"Latest reports show Jaguar to be # 1 in overall owner customer satisfaction"

Quite surprising, considering the number of older people who drive Jaguar's. Here are the people who often have all the time in the world to complain about just about anything on their cars.

2001 Jaguar XJR
1987 Jaguar V12 Vanden Plas
1986 Jaguar XJ6

Yea Art, the reason Jaguar's don't get written off as often is because their owner's are highly skilled and more experienced driver's than drivers of other marques!

2001 Jaguar XJR
1987 Jaguar V12 Vanden Plas
1986 Jaguar XJ6

that reminds me of a very similar comment made by George Harrison of The Beatles, in 1964:

"even the criminals stopped their criminal acts to watch us on the Ed Sullivan show!"

About comparing Mercedes Benz to Jaguar, we all know about the Germans' engineering feats, to Cesar what is Cesar's, but as to reliability?, all cars go through unreliable periods, machines that they are. I have a friend with a fabulous C class Mercedes who had to spend $4,700.00 repairing one of the self-leveling suspension systems in the right front side. That's a 2003 car. In any case it appears that Infiniti and Lexus have the better reliability record, but those cars are so ugly, it's no wonder people keep buying Jaguar and Mercedes.

Is the car industry moving forward in reliability? I think the more bells and whistles incorporated in today's cars, translate into a total reliability disaster, and the evidence is all over. The answer is no.

Take Ford making what amounts to disposable, un-serviceable cars. People aren't fools. Mechanics aren't fools. It's no wonder first time Ford buyers never buy a second Ford. But people buy a second and third and fourth Jaguar. Some people have eight Jaguars....

Just goes to show that even the most despicable human being has the decency to show the proper respect for a Jaguar - - if we could just teach them the same respect for human life!

KLW - Mt. Vernon/Alexandria, VA
Westminster Blue 1989 XJ-S
Gray 1990 Sovereign XJ-6 (R.I.P.)

Art Dickenson.
1983 XJS GT "Silver"
Pacific Jaguar.ca

I am sure a terrorist would rather go to wherever they believe they are going in a Jaguar, problem is finding one, quite rare compared to the Mercedes, and according to surveys they are more reliable these days..Art

Art Dickenson.
1983 XJS GT "Silver"
Pacific Jaguar.ca

Latest reports show Jaguar to be # 1 in overall owner customer satisfaction, Art

those are great for storing cars, to avoid battery drain, but if you have a working clock...

Renault CV4 and Dauphine used to come with those from the factory!

Art Dickenson.
1983 XJS GT "Silver"
Pacific Jaguar.ca
According to what I have read in the past, Jaguar has the highest rating amongst high end marques for not being written off and for driver safety in Europe. Jaguars are pretty strong when the going gets rough and tough.

Uh, Vestal Virgins are Roman...but nevermind.

I use the pictured battery switch which can be picked up at Harbor Freight for less than 4 bucks. It's a pretty easy install on my XK120 with the batteries just behind the seats.

on the contrary, I think they're really stupid believing they're going to be rewarded with 7 Vestal Virgins after they explode themselves inside their Mercedes. Takes a very low IQ to believe myths like that. Shows you the mentality that the civilized world has to deal with nowadays.

And if Mercedes are so good, how come Princess Diana got killed in one?
I remember the Mercedes spokesman saying on tv: "Our car did what it was supposed to do..." I ask: what was it supposed to do? kill its occupants? nahh, over-rated and over-priced.

I still say it today: had she been in a Jaguar, she would still be alive.

Hi Bill

Doesn't Jag get better scores on reliability than Mercedes now? Last I heard Mercedes was near the bottom. But lets keep that info away from the bad guys.

PS
Mercedes is such a common car it's almost generic. But if they drove away in a Jag they would be spotted in minutes because all heads turn when a Jag drives by.

On the prowl

Terrorists may be crazy, but they're not stupid, they need a reliable car! Jaguar affectionado and etc.

that has also been my experience - even the criminals have respect for Jaguar cars.

Has anybody noticed that terrorists always commit their crimes in a Mercedes Benz? ...never in a Jaguar.

Having toured with my '56 Jaguar and '65 Morgan for many, miles and 25+ week-long trips over the past 22 years and having parked at many, many hotels and motels and restaurants, stores, shops, etc., I have been fortunate (perhaps lucky) in NEVER having had ANY damage to either car. I often will attach to the steering wheel a "security" device called "The Club" -found at most any Auto parts store. This device (made of high strength stainless steel) securely locks to the steering wheel and prevents the wheel from being turned. By turning the wheel all the way (to the wheel "lock") before attaching the device essentially prevents the car from being pushed (or towed) in a straight line. By being in plain view, it is very obvious that the car is secured -so why try to steal it. Interestingly, I have also never had any vandalism of either car.
Jerry Ellison
Fayetteville, NC
XK140 OTS

I would be more concerned with a car being stolen by some expert car thief parking an enclosed trailer in front of it, which they could easily pull into the trailer with a winch, even with the transmission in gear and emergency brake on, rather than someone trying to steal a car by starting it and driving it away, which is very unlikely, a thief does not have the luxury of time, no matter how prepared. If it's an issue of having a car parked in your own property and being worried about someone trespassing and stealing a car, chain the wheels to a concrete pad. Extreme measures like keeping a high-powered rifle handy also work. If a thief is inside your property, you are entitled to shoot first, then call 911 and tell them all about it. Another often overlooked alarm system is a pair of hungry Dobberman Pinchers let out in the property. Whatever it takes.

That's what I was thinking Jam, I don't want to mess with the electrical system on the older car :P

Thanks for the tip, I'll probably use one of the older methods, maybe a combination of both. Someone who is bound and determined (and prepared) can probably defeat these methods, but at least it will stop the "steal it on a whim" crook.

just my opinion, but adding "modern amenities" to an old electronic system is not worth the risk of shorting something. You already have a good trick to prevent the car from being started, i.e., remove the rotor, but you can also disable the coil cable which is easier.

An old trick I have played on friends at club meets, is to place a wad of paper inside the coil cable's center hole in the ignition cap, to prevent electrical contact. The car will never start as long as that paper wad is there. Fools even the best technicians. Then I show up and tell everybody:
"$20. bucks I get it started!!".