My last car was a 1994 Honda Accord EX. The last I saw of it was in August 1999. It was a goner, stolen in a public parking lot in broad daylight. The aftermarket Alpine alarm probably never slowed them down. It was a low mileage car and I'm positive it was must have been shipped off to China since it was never recovered (something like 85% of cars are recovered).
I bought a '99 Mazda Miata 10th Anniversary MX-5 to replace it. Unfortunately convertibles are easy targets for theft especially my Miata which has no standard anti-theft systems.
I had The Club steering wheel lock but was never comfortable with the fact that one quick cut of the steering wheel will allow the thief to remove the device. I thought about another aftermarket alarm system, but after my last experience with the ineffective Alpine system, the fact they drilled some nasty holes to install it, I still prefer a more visible deterrent system which requires less modification to the car. Even if you do have an alarm system, using one of these will discourage the thief from breaking into the car in the first place because most thieves are probably not afraid of the noise an alarm makes. The Club basically does reduce the chance of theft but it will not deter the thief who has some basic tools. He can snip the steering wheel with cutters and remove the device promptly. Also, the device can be snapped/broken with little effort. It would take literally seconds for a prepared thief to make off with my car. I liked the idea of The Club but was looking for something that was more effective.
My first purchase was an Autotaser by Taser International. This is the same company which pioneered the Air Taser non-lethal gun used by Police Forces to subdue criminals. The Air Taser works by firing electrodes into the criminal and sends 50000 volts to shock and subdue the person. No permanent damage, but the thief becomes incapacitated for the duration of the shock. The Autotaser car device is a Club-like device which clamps onto your steering wheel. The device is armed with a remote. When the device senses vibration, it sounds a piercing alarm and discharges multiple 50000 volt/low currentsparks for 30 seconds. It's certainly very impressive and menacing looking...you can see 1 inch long sparks flying across the device once it is set off. While this device is going off, any thief that touches the device will fell some pretty nasty shocks, not enough to hurt him permanently, but certainly enough to make him not want to touch it again. The effect will work through gloves and the idea is to discourage the thief from tampering with the device. The thief has got to be pretty brave to tamper with this device. The shock cycle is only activated if the device detects vibration in the vicinity of the steering wheel. Normal vibrations outside the car will not activate it.
I used this device for a while but there are several problems with it in my mind. Firstly, the device clamps onto the steering wheel tightly at one contact point. Unfortunately, with my thick rimmed steering wheel, this has the effect of leaving some pretty nasty dents and marks on my Nardi leather steering wheel. Secondly, since sometimes I leave my convertible top down, I couldn't use it always because I didn't want to shock innocent bystanders who mean no harm to my car. Lastly, the device is a bit too aggressive, it attacks the potential thief. If the thief gets shocked by this device,this may anger in the thief and it may provoke him to do more harm to my car (like set it on fire in revenge) (Note: Taser International has discontinued this product)
So I was in search of a suitable device which was more passive and more usable.
After searching the Web and magazines, I settled for the Disklok full steering wheel lock. The device has been recommended and tested by Thatcham UK insurance and Sold Secure independent organization to be effective against theft. The device kept UK's AutoExpress magazine testers at bay far more than other single bar type devices. This is a large circular metal device which locks onto and covers the entire steering wheel. The idea is that it deters airbag theft (a popular item to steal) and the fact that it covers the whole steering wheel means cutting the steering wheel does not permit this device to be removed.
The device is split in half through the middle and hinged at the bottom. It is a rather heavy contraption. Once you mount the device onto the wheel, you lock it into place by swinging a metal arm into place (see picture), pushing a spring loaded deadbolt and pressing the lock mechanism at the same time. The hardest part is maneuvering this large device onto the wheel. It is very heavy. But with practice, you get the hang of it. Locking it into place is a quick affair. Once secured, it still freely rotates around the wheel. But of course, the thief cannot use it to steer the car since the metal stopper arm gets into the way.
The device has Velcro pads inside to protect the steering wheel. I like the fact that it is loose fitting so I know the lock will not damage my steering wheel. It's supposed to be freely rotatable once it is properly mounted. The device fits my thick rimmed Nardi steering wheel with room to spare.
I bought the silver colored model which is far less gaudy than the bright yellow model pictured above. It certainly looks rugged enough. I am happy that this device addresses all of my concerns: it's tough looking, highly visible, tested effective. It doesn't harm my steering wheel, and gets by my concern that you can defeat it by cutting the steering wheel. I don't expect that many crooks will have the tools or the time to quickly defeat this lock....supposedly only a noisy attack with tools will get through this device. Since a car like my Miata is usually taken for joy riding purpose(and not chopped or resold), this lock more than adequate protects against the mischievous car thief.
The price of the Disklok is 80 Sterling (about $190 Cdn) ordered direct from http://www.disklokuk.co.uk(or www.disklok.com for US residents). One caution about ordering from UK, they sent me the right hand side drive model which has the stopping bar pointing in the opposite direction thus I have to use mine upside down. It came promptly and carries a 3 year warranty. My order included a large vinyl fitted bag that has handles so you can cart this thing from car to car.
For USA residents, order from Kelvin at the USA site who will take good care of you. For Canadians, it is better to order from the UK. They have free express shipping and you will be billed for taxes a few weeks later. However, I suggest faxing the order in rather than ordering on-line. This way, you can specify directly that you want a LEFT HAND drive model for North American markets. (In some ways, the UK right side drive model is preferable since the bar gets less in the way). You also have the choice of silver or yellow.
Again, this product is top rated by AutoExpress magazine and the top UK approval agencies. It passes the five minute attack test used to judge the effectiveness of security devices.
This slips onto the end of the steering wheel and covers about half of it. One you slip it on, you press down a clip which anchors the lock around the wheel and one of your steering wheel spokes. You don't need a key to lock the device. The device is quite light for its size and it almost feels flimsy with what seems to be a plastic arm but is actually metal inside. Many reviews have shown to device to be effective against the normal attacks and despite its lightweight nature, it is actually quite effective (though not as effective as the Disklok) in preventing theft.
My particular lock seems to leave a mark on my leather Nardi steering wheel when fitted. It will eventually chafe at your steering wheel due to the shape and fit. Because this device anchors around the wheel and spoke, you must consult the fitment guide to make sure it will fit. It does come with spacers for smaller steering wheels.
So, I recommend this product also because it is cheaper and easier to use. However, it may not fit your particular car whereas the Disklok should pretty much fit everything. Again, if you have a leather steering wheel, you may find the lock causes impressions on the leather.
The device comes with two keys. The lock using rotating disks instead of tumblers. A side benefit on the Autolok is that the stopping arm extends far enough to help block access to the stereo. Although this lock does not claim to prevent stereo theft, on my Miata I can position the arm just right so that access to the stereo is inconvenient. I don't think it will stop most thieves but I can imagine that he wouldn't be as happy in stealing the radio.
Here is a picture (click on it to enlarge)
So, which one should you use? The Disklok is cumbersome and more visible but is more expensive. Its selling point is that it freely rotates around the wheel and is much less likely to damage your steering wheel. It is also by far the most effective lock on the market. It could take the thief fourty minutes to bypass this lock (as tested by one magazine). Even the most prepared thief would be delayed more than five minutes with an all-out attack.
The Autolok is FAR easier to use and is less expensive but also quite effective, but it may not fit all cars, and in some cases, may cause dents/chafing in leather steering wheels. If you have a fancy leather steering wheel, the Disklok is probably a safer bet. Either one is recommended by me depending on the tradeoffs. Having been through the loss of a car, I don't take any more chances and fit one of these regularly. I recommend a steering wheel lock as a good addition to your prized car even if you have an alarm. Layering of multiple security devices is a must if you leave your car in any risky environment.
Since I ended up buying my own Subaru WRX Impreza for myself (highly recommended from this car nut) and am using a Disklok on it since the Autolok 2000 doesn't fit. Between the two locks, I am confident that my WRX and MX-5 Miata isn't going for any unauthorized joy rides.
Click on picture to enlarge (as seen on my new WRX)