Car talk: Keeping your car safe

With the recent rise in car thefts in the area combined with the darker evenings it's important to make sure that you're doing everything you can to keep your car safe from thieves and vandals. Keeping reading for some top tips on how to keep your car safe in Southampton and beyond!

Make sure your car is locked properly

Pressing your key fob and walking away from your car is common practice to the modern motorist. Most people do this so often that they don't even think about it. However you shouldn't just assume your car is locked when walking away and should always check for visual and audible cues. Did you hear the doors lock? Have the locking pins dropped as they should? Making sure that the car  is actually locked is a simple but effective first step.

Don't leave items on display

Coats, bags, sat navs or even a small amount of loose change could be reason enough for a local scumbag to smash your window and steal from your vehicle. They may not be able to steal your car but you'll still have a repair bill and unnecessary stress. It's always good practice to NOT leave valuable in your car.

Don't leave your car running

As tempting as it can be to leave your vehicle running in cold weather it is something that you should avoid doing. An unattended vehicle is an easy target for opportunistic thieves who can be in and away before you've even realised what's happened.

Use visual deterrents

A good visual deterrent will often keep thieves at bay. A car thief wants the easiest path to a free ride so any visual obstructions will be very off putting to them. A good old fashioned steering lock is great for this purpose as well as offering limited protection to your car too.

Hide your car keys

You should never leave your car keys by the door or in any other easy to reach place. There have been plenty of instances of people having car keys taken through the letterbox in the past. The best place to leave your keys is in  a closed drawer. For keyless entry cars you should also consider using a faraday box to block its signal to the car and  protect your vehicle from remote theft.

Never leave documents in your car

Keeping documents like your service record, receipts and your log book in the car may seem like a good idea but it really isn't. If someone is able to steal your car and your documents you could be in for a world of trouble. This also puts you at a very high risk of identity fraud.

Always keep your documents in a secure location at home away from your car. Just remember to bring your service book with you when its time for your car service and MOT.   

Protect your catalytic converters

Catalytic converters are full of valuable minerals that thieves love to sell on for a huge profit. Higher up cars like crossovers and SUVs are easier targets but that doesn't mean your saloon or hatchback are safe either.

Investing in a good cat guard can help deter thieves and save you a very expensive bill for vehicle repairs that could in some instances write off your vehicle. If you're looking for a garage in Southampton to fit one for you – we can help!

Stay seen

Parking your car out of the way down a dark road might seem like a good place to hide but you're putting your vehicle at risk by doing this. Instead you should try to park in a well lit area that is ideally visible to yourself or your neighbours. The more open and easy to spot your car is the less likely thieves are to feel safe stealing it. This increased visibility also makes it much easier for people to spot anyone attempting to take your car for a ride.

Consider on road parking

On road parking is another tactic to confuse thieves. When parking on your drive, its easy to work out which house a car belongs to. When parking on the road this is much harder and means thieves either need to guess or spend time scouting out the area which they may not be willing to do.  However it is important to weigh up your options here and decide what is best for you personally. 

We hope these tips come in useful for you and help to keep your car safe. Remember we are always here to help with car services, mots and repair work at  from our Southampton based vehicle repair centre at E&J Jarvis Ltd.