Sebazz1 2 #1 May 3, 2007 I've done countless searches for info or advice on what to do. My GF's car was stolen last week and it was just found this morning. The cops said it was completely stripped so I am assuming it doesn't even run. A car is a car so we're not totally tweaked. Thing is I am uncertain what our next step is. The car was towed to a lot in San Jose. I am going down withthe title shorlty to see what our option sare but does anyone here have any advice? We only had liabilty insurnace, car was cheap and just used to putt aound town. We have the title... Do I have to pay for the towing? I figure yes or maybe AAA pays it... Who do I sell the car to? Junk Yard? Salvage Yard? Any advice... Word, Thx! Sebazz... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2fat2fly 0 #2 May 3, 2007 Depends on your insurance coverage-mabe you can trade it for a jamming new three hole punch.I am not the man. But the man knows my name...and he's worried Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SuperKat 0 #3 May 3, 2007 You only have liability insurance, that's the key word! QuoteDo I have to pay for the towing? I figure yes or maybe AAA pays it AAA will only pay for the first 3 miles, I believe. QuoteWho do I sell the car to? Junk Yard? Salvage Yard? Call up the salvage yard and they'll take care of the tow for you. I believe you can even call up those non-profit organizations and you'll even get some kind of tax credit for it too. What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 24 #4 May 3, 2007 Did you already contact the insurance company? What did they say?Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
unformed 0 #5 May 3, 2007 He had liability only. They won't do anything. I've been in that position (My car was totalled in a hit and run.) It essentially ... shit happens. Sell it to the salvage yard and get what you can for it.This ad space for sale. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #6 May 3, 2007 Quote He had liability only. They won't do anything. I've been in that position (My car was totalled in a hit and run.) It essentially ... shit happens. Sell it to the salvage yard and get what you can for it. What he said. Your best option. I was one of the lucky ones. My car got stolen with my gear in it 10 years ago this coming fall. Police got a tip and found the car in the woods outside the town it was stolen in, minus the gear. At least it was drivable and had little or no damage. I'm still looking for my gear. "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PWScottIV 0 #7 May 3, 2007 Quote I've done countless searches for info or advice on what to do. My GF's car was stolen last week and it was just found this morning. The cops said it was completely stripped so I am assuming it doesn't even run. A car is a car so we're not totally tweaked. Thing is I am uncertain what our next step is. The car was towed to a lot in San Jose. I am going down withthe title shorlty to see what our option sare but does anyone here have any advice? We only had liabilty insurnace, car was cheap and just used to putt aound town. We have the title... Do I have to pay for the towing? I figure yes or maybe AAA pays it... Who do I sell the car to? Junk Yard? Salvage Yard? Any advice... Word, Thx! Sebazz... If you speak with the owner of the towing company you might be able to get them to give you a break... If they're not total assholes. BUT, you need to consider that if it's totally stripped, it's of little value and you might actually have to pay to dispose of it... If you just leave it at the towing yard, then you shouldn't be responsible for the disposal.Gravity Waits for No One. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sebazz1 2 #8 May 4, 2007 I never realized a car could be dismantled the way we found it. All the seats, carpeting, lining, weather stripping, knobs, handles , wheels, etc... all stripped. The engine was there but all the hoses, fans, belts, basically everything removable was removed. The car was a shell. My GF was pretty torn up and we figured just best to junk it release the title and liabilty and walk away. The tow company ended up waiving the tow costs and gave us $250 dollars for the car. At least we can just move on. Some tips I did pick up thought... A Club can be a excellent dterrant, even more so than an alarm. Paying liabilty only insurance is cheap but you get what you pay for. Get the full comp and collison if your car is worth any money, you never know when it might be worth it. Thanks for all the advice everyone... Peace. -Seb p.s. my 3 hole punch is still wicked awesome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PWScottIV 0 #9 May 4, 2007 Quote Some tips I did pick up thought... A Club can be a excellent dterrant, even more so than an alarm. I made my steering wheel removable. I'd like to see them deal with that.Gravity Waits for No One. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
willard 0 #10 May 4, 2007 I had the privalige (misfortune?) of working with two brothers who had spent their youth stealing cars in the Cleveland area.What they told me really opened my eyes. Alarms mean jack chit. They would routinely steal a car in downtown Cleveland parking lots and nobody would even pay attention to the alarm. If they want it bad enough you aren't going to stop them from taking it. Conversely, if you have a junker you want to get stolen it probably won't happen. They wouldn't risk getting caught for a rust bucket. A car of mine was stolen in Cleveland and I always wondered if those two had a hand in it. Never asked, figured they would deny it anyway. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sebazz1 2 #11 May 4, 2007 I heard that the lo-jack system works good for expensive cars. I think the thing that bugs me is that we will never ever know who the culprits where ... They'll probably never get busted for stealing our car. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
willard 0 #12 May 4, 2007 I've heard similar reports on the Lo-Jack. The Club is also a good deterent, making thieves spend more time than they want to spend stealing a car. However, if they really want it, they'll come back with something suitable to remove the club. (Cordless recipricating saw cuts through a steering wheel pretty quick.) The guys who stole my car, they were caught soon after taking it, worked for a ring. They each got 6 months in jail, suspended, for "attempting to recieve stolen property". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sebazz1 2 #13 May 4, 2007 Suspended sentences? That blows... When I was looking up every auto theft site on the web the other day it seemed like auto theft is/was being treated less and less severely. I know Police don't have the man power or time to really investigate a car theft thouroughly. The lot our car was gripped from might have had camera's since it was near a brand new medical building in Palo Alto, CA but they never mentioned anything. The cost of auto thefts to people and insurance companies has got to be huge. I think the punishment for stealing a car should be very severe. I figure car thieves would probably rob homes too... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
willard 0 #14 May 5, 2007 A buddy once had an old beat up Jeep Cherokee. Since he didn't care if anyone stole it he never bothered to lock it and almost always left the keys in it. To his dismay it was never stolen, but some dummy busted the window (evidently didn't check to see if it was locked) and stole the radio...which didn't work anyway. And yes the keys were in it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
warpedskydiver 0 #15 May 5, 2007 Quote I never realized a car could be dismantled the way we found it. All the seats, carpeting, lining, weather stripping, knobs, handles , wheels, etc... all stripped. The engine was there but all the hoses, fans, belts, basically everything removable was removed. The car was a shell. My GF was pretty torn up and we figured just best to junk it release the title and liabilty and walk away. The tow company ended up waiving the tow costs and gave us $250 dollars for the car. At least we can just move on. Some tips I did pick up thought... A Club can be a excellent dterrant, even more so than an alarm. Paying liabilty only insurance is cheap but you get what you pay for. Get the full comp and collison if your car is worth any money, you never know when it might be worth it. Thanks for all the advice everyone... Peace. -Seb p.s. my 3 hole punch is still wicked awesome So is a cheap ignition cut out switch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JSBIRD 1 #16 May 5, 2007 Quote I made my steering wheel removable. I'd like to see them deal with that. Vise grips. 359"Now I've settled down, in a quiet little town, and forgot about everything" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PWScottIV 0 #17 May 5, 2007 Quote Quote I made my steering wheel removable. I'd like to see them deal with that. Vise grips. 359 Yeah, but I think they'd have a pretty difficult time getting it very far without crashing it, no? And how many car thiefs carry around vice-grips?Gravity Waits for No One. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JSBIRD 1 #18 May 5, 2007 Quote Yeah, but I think they'd have a pretty difficult time getting it very far without crashing it, no? And how many car thiefs carry around vice-grips? It's not really hard to drive a car with Vise Grips as the steering wheel...I've done it, and that's why I mentioned it. The thief who wants your car, and noticed it is normally parked at night without a wheel in place, is most certainly going to be carrying a pair of Vise Grips. Most thieves with any real skill will be carrying Vise Grips and a small file to cut a key if there is no time pressure when selecting their next ride. (Selected models) In more than 10 years, only one car that I wanted got away from me. If I was after your sled, I usually had you walking withing 24 hours. If you think you're safe from car theft because you remove the steering wheel, you're fooling yourself. 359"Now I've settled down, in a quiet little town, and forgot about everything" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deuce 1 #19 May 5, 2007 Dude, you are full of shit. You are going to cut a key by hand without even seeing the original key? You go to OSH and buy blanks, or steal them? Crap. Yeah, a car can be driven with vice grips. Bullshit, a guy can hand-file an ignition key from a blank. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freefalle 0 #20 May 6, 2007 depends on the state you live in, in Florida, if your vehicle is towed for any reason, you are responsible for the bill. In Florida, the two company can actually place a hold on your vehicle registration, so for example you bought a new car and went to go register it, DHMSV would not allow you to register the vehicle until the tow bill was paid. now, your state may different. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gaper 0 #21 May 6, 2007 QuoteQuoteDude, you are full of shit. You are going to cut a key by hand without even seeing the original key? You go to OSH and buy blanks, or steal them? Crap. Yeah, a car can be driven with vice grips. Bullshit, a guy can hand-file an ignition key from a blank. Look on line you can buy a video on how to do it. DudeGo forth now, to the promised lands, and swear much unto each other, with mighty profanity and many personal attacks. T.A. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites PWScottIV 0 #22 May 6, 2007 Quote Quote Yeah, but I think they'd have a pretty difficult time getting it very far without crashing it, no? And how many car thiefs carry around vice-grips? It's not really hard to drive a car with Vise Grips as the steering wheel...I've done it, and that's why I mentioned it. The thief who wants your car, and noticed it is normally parked at night without a wheel in place, is most certainly going to be carrying a pair of Vise Grips. Most thieves with any real skill will be carrying Vise Grips and a small file to cut a key if there is no time pressure when selecting their next ride. (Selected models) In more than 10 years, only one car that I wanted got away from me. If I was after your sled, I usually had you walking withing 24 hours. If you think you're safe from car theft because you remove the steering wheel, you're fooling yourself. 359 What would you recommend to protect a car/truck then?Gravity Waits for No One. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Deuce 1 #23 May 7, 2007 I agree that a car can be driven with vice grips. On really old cars, with really worn ignitions, the kind that you can start and then pull the key out while it's still running, you can use any ignition key from a similar model to start it. Or a screwdriver. Hand filing a blank and trying it over and over until it will turn the ignition on a car without a chipped ignition key looks a lot like someone masturbating in the driver's seat, it is activity that will get people to call the police more often than seeing someone break into a car. There are better methods. Alternatively, on models with ignitions made out of pot metal, you can hammer a standard screwdriver into the ignition and use vice grips to force the ignition to start the car. If that's not working you can screw a slide-hammer into the ignition lock and pull it from the steering column, disassemble it and then use the components to start the car. Now, to steal my recently deceased Dakota by hand-filing a key, you'd first have to ascertain which specific chip my particular Dodge had in it's key. Then you'd have to use your super-secret contacts deep within the Chrysler Corp to get you a key blank with that chip in it. The truck simply won't start without that darn chip! Dang-it! To the original poster, sorry about your car. Of the thousands of stolen/recovered vehicle reports I've taken it's always been a pain for the owner. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites lekstrom10k 0 #24 May 7, 2007 If you want to see a funny movie about stripping cars . Chech out "Vigilante" with Ernest Borgnine and Sharon Stone. Its about NYC aoartment life and their efforts to do a neighborhood watch concept for their apartment. Without giving away the movie. A guy is watching his TV , Then gets up to get a beer . While he is gone a thief lowers a window washers scaffold to his level reaches in and grabs the TV .He hoists himself back up and gone before the guy is back with his beer.He sits back down in disbelief for a few seconds before he realizes something is missing. I"ll bet a beer you say "Oh my God"when you Ernies Lincoln get the treatment. i At one time GM only had 7 keys for the whole country so if you had a few on you you could probably start anybodys car I agree with the slide hammer trick It was usually called a dent puller witha sheet metal screw on the end to twist into the key slot pop its gone then stick in a screw driver off you go We always had a lot of car magazines and catalogs where I worked to read in my office with porclean seats. I despise myself for passing on information to make it easy for a life of crime like the 6;00 news. This Corvette parts catalog had a hardened stainless steel plate to put on the inside of your left front wheel housing. This was to prevent thieves from drilling into your battery that sat behind it . If they drilled into the battery it would short it out.Then you had to tow it away but the LO-JACK couldnt work or any alarms either I trust jumpers with my life every week-end so I trust them not to pass this on .I never would have thought of that ever but exposed to it trying to make the day go quicker. I sold a car to a "Friend" his girl friend was a notary and would take car of the title on Monday ,case closed. About 6 months later I got a certified letter. It was from an impound lot saying by todays prices I owed $1000 for storage fees . That ass hole never did the title then sold it again. That guy abandoned it now I was suppossed to pay the bill.Watch out for "Friends". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites mattmais 0 #25 May 8, 2007 1) have the car towed home 2) buy a stole car...or steal ur own. 3) switch the vin numbers or do like id do....... buy another $2000 auta and drive it for 80k miles Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
PWScottIV 0 #22 May 6, 2007 Quote Quote Yeah, but I think they'd have a pretty difficult time getting it very far without crashing it, no? And how many car thiefs carry around vice-grips? It's not really hard to drive a car with Vise Grips as the steering wheel...I've done it, and that's why I mentioned it. The thief who wants your car, and noticed it is normally parked at night without a wheel in place, is most certainly going to be carrying a pair of Vise Grips. Most thieves with any real skill will be carrying Vise Grips and a small file to cut a key if there is no time pressure when selecting their next ride. (Selected models) In more than 10 years, only one car that I wanted got away from me. If I was after your sled, I usually had you walking withing 24 hours. If you think you're safe from car theft because you remove the steering wheel, you're fooling yourself. 359 What would you recommend to protect a car/truck then?Gravity Waits for No One. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deuce 1 #23 May 7, 2007 I agree that a car can be driven with vice grips. On really old cars, with really worn ignitions, the kind that you can start and then pull the key out while it's still running, you can use any ignition key from a similar model to start it. Or a screwdriver. Hand filing a blank and trying it over and over until it will turn the ignition on a car without a chipped ignition key looks a lot like someone masturbating in the driver's seat, it is activity that will get people to call the police more often than seeing someone break into a car. There are better methods. Alternatively, on models with ignitions made out of pot metal, you can hammer a standard screwdriver into the ignition and use vice grips to force the ignition to start the car. If that's not working you can screw a slide-hammer into the ignition lock and pull it from the steering column, disassemble it and then use the components to start the car. Now, to steal my recently deceased Dakota by hand-filing a key, you'd first have to ascertain which specific chip my particular Dodge had in it's key. Then you'd have to use your super-secret contacts deep within the Chrysler Corp to get you a key blank with that chip in it. The truck simply won't start without that darn chip! Dang-it! To the original poster, sorry about your car. Of the thousands of stolen/recovered vehicle reports I've taken it's always been a pain for the owner. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lekstrom10k 0 #24 May 7, 2007 If you want to see a funny movie about stripping cars . Chech out "Vigilante" with Ernest Borgnine and Sharon Stone. Its about NYC aoartment life and their efforts to do a neighborhood watch concept for their apartment. Without giving away the movie. A guy is watching his TV , Then gets up to get a beer . While he is gone a thief lowers a window washers scaffold to his level reaches in and grabs the TV .He hoists himself back up and gone before the guy is back with his beer.He sits back down in disbelief for a few seconds before he realizes something is missing. I"ll bet a beer you say "Oh my God"when you Ernies Lincoln get the treatment. i At one time GM only had 7 keys for the whole country so if you had a few on you you could probably start anybodys car I agree with the slide hammer trick It was usually called a dent puller witha sheet metal screw on the end to twist into the key slot pop its gone then stick in a screw driver off you go We always had a lot of car magazines and catalogs where I worked to read in my office with porclean seats. I despise myself for passing on information to make it easy for a life of crime like the 6;00 news. This Corvette parts catalog had a hardened stainless steel plate to put on the inside of your left front wheel housing. This was to prevent thieves from drilling into your battery that sat behind it . If they drilled into the battery it would short it out.Then you had to tow it away but the LO-JACK couldnt work or any alarms either I trust jumpers with my life every week-end so I trust them not to pass this on .I never would have thought of that ever but exposed to it trying to make the day go quicker. I sold a car to a "Friend" his girl friend was a notary and would take car of the title on Monday ,case closed. About 6 months later I got a certified letter. It was from an impound lot saying by todays prices I owed $1000 for storage fees . That ass hole never did the title then sold it again. That guy abandoned it now I was suppossed to pay the bill.Watch out for "Friends". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattmais 0 #25 May 8, 2007 1) have the car towed home 2) buy a stole car...or steal ur own. 3) switch the vin numbers or do like id do....... buy another $2000 auta and drive it for 80k miles Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
