Miata Mailing List: March 1994, Message #40
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   From: Cynthia Paloma 
Subject: Miata security
   Date: Wed, 2 Mar 1994 21:35:33 -0500

I always drive my white 92B top-down whenever possible (something like
350 days a year here in San Diego), including at night.  After 7 years
of driving an equally small car (85 Toyota MR2), I felt that if I was
going to buy a convertible, I had to commit to an open-air lifestyle
in order to justify the purchase!

To make my car less attractive to criminals when I park for long
periods of time (e.g. work), I consistently put on a locking car cover
(unless it rains).   Out of sight, out of mind.  In addition, it
prevents sun damage to the car, and keeps dust out.   I have a 
laminated parking permit which I have put a grommet through, and
I lock that to the car cover in order to display it.

My husband installed a car alarm with a microwave motion sensor, an
anti-hijack feature, both passive and active modes and a separate kill
switch.  I had him add a blinking red LED, mostly as a visual deterrent
when the top is down, but also so that I could easily tell whether the
car alarm was on or not.

Another nice convenience feature that was added was the remote
automatic trunk opener.  Apparently in pre-1992 models, the standard
way to open the trunk was to use the key.  An electric trunk release
kit was sold as an add-on feature.  My husband installed the latch of the
electric trunk kit (but not the button, since there was already a
remote trunk release latch) and set up one of the buttons on the car
alarm transmitter to pop the trunk.  We are now thinking of buying
a 3 button transmitter and setting up the 3rd button to open the
garage door.  This would save space in the center console that is used
to hold the current garage door opener.

When I leave my car for short trips (e.g. shopping), I don't lock
the car, but the alarm is set.  I do lock the center console and
the glove compartment.  If I need to display my laminated parking 
permit, I have a little travel lock with a cable that I can use to
lock the permit to the steering wheel.  Not Fort Knox, but enough
to keep honest people honest (and deter all others.)  Some people
use steering wheel locking bars as a visual deterrent, but I personally
don't favor them. 

When driving, I keep the doors locked to make it less easy for someone
to enter the car if I was stopped at an light, for example.  But if
someone wanted the car that bad, they can have it.  In any case, the
car won't go far with the anti-hijack feature.  But in general, I try
to stay away from bad parts of town, especially at night.

To recap, I keep the car "invisible" to make it a less attractive
target.  Otherwise, I keep it open and unlocked so that it is obvious
that there is nothing interesting inside (and to prevent damage to the
soft top and window).  The microwave sensor alarm keeps people from
sticking their hands inside, and the little travel lock is enough to
deter people from taking my permit, which would otherwise be extremely
easy to steal.

None of these deterrents will work if you don't use them consistently.
Car covers won't help if they are in the trunk.  Alarms don't work if
they are not set.

The only time I have ever had a theft from a car (the MR2) was the
night that I didn't cover the car (I flew out of town for the night and
worried about rain) and didn't set the alarm (worried about a false
alarm waking up my roommate -- I did leave the kill switch was on.)
One wheel was stolen.

There will never be a theft-proof car, and the Miata is more vulnerable
than most.  I just try to deter theft by making it less attractive to 
thieves, and being consistent about the deterrent process -- making it
part of the daily routine of driving the Miata.

Cindy Paloma

PS The pet name of my car is "Rip van Roadster" -- so-called because
   it always seems to take a bite out of my husband's hands whenever
   he works on it!