Maui

Now that I have a C6 I'm wondering how easy is it for someone to steal or hot wire it. I love the push button start but it also makes me a little nervous.

runutzzzzz

If they want it, they will get it...
Don't worry about theft, that's whats insurance for!

Vette_DD

They might steal it, but I think it's going to be difficult to hotwire. Should be a more difficult target than most other cars.

Wayne O

Given the opportunity, enough time and enough motivation any car can be stolen (even by the low-tech car thieves). Truly sophisticated car thieves carry laptop computers and can commandeer your car's entire computerized system. A year or two ago, some geeks demonstrated to Texas Instrument engineers how they could hack and break the supposedly theft-proof computerized 'keys.'

Just use good common sense and full replacement insurance.

Radical05

In the garage (yes I hope) hard to see, in the parking lot where you can see it- again hard to get near, FOB - hard no key per say, low to the ground-hard to tow or get under and did I forget the Doberman, Security System and S&W along with several other friends that have the same thoughts. Doubtful and if all else fails the good ol insurance folks.

anthony2823

We are pretty low on the stolen car list also. Hard to chop up the parts as it is easier to find a buyer for a car that makes 100k - 300k cars per year for a model then one that is 36k cars per year.

I am more worried about vandals then theift

Zymurgy

Latest Corvette theft data I could find:

Quote:

year thefts production rate (per 1000)
2000......81...31,189...2.5971
1999......90...29,904...3.0096
1998......86...28,732...2.9932
1997......32....9,072...3.5273
1996....137...21,008...6.5213
1995....124...19,949...6.2159
1994....102...22,228...4.5888
1993....103...20,764...4.9605
1992....134...18,943...7.0739
1991....139...18,510...7.5095
1990....168...22,034...7.6246

By contrast, vehicles with the highest theft rates have rates that are around 50.

It is also interesting to note that older cars (in general, this is not specifically Corvette data) are stolen more than newer cars. According to the BBB:

shopdog

There's no way to "wire around" the security system since it is built into the car's computers. Nor can they spoof it electronically because key information about the challenge and response system is never broadcast. To brute force break the encryption takes about 2 days of compute time, but because the system uses a rolling code, and a 10 minute time out, they'll never have time to break the response code before the car times out and challenges with a different code.

Short of training in a new fob, they aren't going to start it. To train in a new fob without an original, they need the emergency key, and 20 minutes to follow the exact procedure outlined in the owner's manual. Meanwhile, the car is emitting honks and light flashes during various steps in the process.

They can flatbed it to a chop shop, of course. There's not much you can do to prevent that except park it where a flatbed can't physically get close enough to it to winch it aboard.

User 020720

If a professional thief wants it bad enough they're going to get it. But I've been thinking of adding a Lojack for some added peace of mind. That's if the Glock 19 doesn't get to them first.

DONALD HALL

Hay sabooher, I see you are from texas, I use a Kahr p-9 along with a garage at night and insurance.

User 020720

Dallas since 05. Moved here from Houston. Drove past your neck of the woods a few times on the way to Lake Charles. Yep it's hard for a thief to outrun a 9mm but most of the time I let the insurance do the work.

cthusker

Insurance rates for vettes are reflective that they aren't stolen all the much compared to lots of other cars....

SimpsonH

Older cars are often owned by kids (less money) and older cars need more replacement parts. Both contribute to high theft rates.

fright88

Thankfully this is true. Helps keep insurance costs down

tntdominic

Agree with Wayne O about replacement insurance. Othewise you may spend months in mediation trying to get back what your car is really worth vs trade-in no options value. Some insurance companies (ie progressive) will give you 'agreed upon value' of your car, ie. you say its worth $48.5K, that is what they pay.
Cheers,
tntdominic

John's '07

And the answer is ... Not very easy.

Zinger

You may want to look into a Ravelco engine disabler. They claim that not one car has been stolen with one. At first I considered a Lojack unit, but the problem with Lojack is it doesn't come into play until the car is already stolen. I got a Ravelco installed the weekend after I got my 2007 C6 at the end of September. It was about $320 total, and installed under the dash to the left.

It consists of a multi-pin plug that must be inserted before the car will start, otherwise it will just crank without starting. You just pull the plug out when you leave the car. It took the guy about 5 hours to install, with wiring going into both fuel rails. The installer said he knew how it was done, and it would still take him a couple hours to steal it.

WD-40

Corvettes are not a high theft item. After the development of the VAT system in 1986 the theft rate dropped dramatically. The new transponder systems are far more sophisticated-even a professional car thief will have a hard time with the system. The bottom line is that the system is extremely secure.

Vettlldo

From Edmunds.com:

Top 10 Ways to Steal a Car (and how to defend against them)
By Caroline Pardilla
Email | Blog

Lists come out every year detailing the most stolen cars and, with that, what steps one can take to deter car thieves. Yet, a car is stolen in the United States every 24 seconds according to the Insurance Information Institute. Auto theft continues to thrive despite those lists and regardless of new anti-theft technology that emerges with every new model year.

What else can you do besides not drive the most stolen car in America and equip your car with anti-theft protection? We're going to give you the unique opportunity to look inside the mind of the car thief and learn how he steals cars. With the help of police auto theft experts and auto theft professionals, we've compiled this list of some of the ways thieves steal cars followed by suggestions of how to stop them from doing it to you.

We have no intention of providing new information to the wrong people and simply want to educate the good guys. We haven't disclosed anything that car thieves don't already know and we have left out specific details to avoid making this a "how-to." Knowing the insider tricks of auto thieves will motivate you to take the necessary precautions to defend your vehicle.

1. Bump against the car to check for a car alarm. Since it seems like everything from a loud Harley to a rumbling garbage truck can set off a car alarm, people have been conditioned to tune them out. Instead of a motion-sensitive car alarm, use one that has a pager that will notify you as soon as your alarm is activated.


2. Break the window or jimmy the lock to gain entry into a locked car. Don't tempt car thieves. Keep valuables out of plain sight. Take them with you or store them in the trunk. Also, if you have a stereo with a removable face plate, take it with you instead of tucking it away in the glovebox.


3. Cut the steering wheel itself if there's a steering wheel lock. Instead of locking just your steering wheel, "lock" your car's ability to go by using a starter disable switch and putting it in a place where only you can get to it.


4. Look for exposed wiring that can be cut or for the central unit of the car alarm to deactivate it. Instead of going to a big retail chain store, have your car alarm installed by a professional car alarm installer, preferably a reasonably shady one. Unlike retail chain employees, these experts know what it takes to make your car elusive to crooks.


5. Look for car alarm decals to figure out which method to use to eliminate the alarm. Never display stickers that advertise what sort of car alarm you have, or audio system for that matter. Consider using a hood lock cable so the thief can't get to your battery or car alarm mechanism.


6. Jump into an unattended running car while the owner is at the ATM, dropping off videos, etc. Never leave your keys in the ignition even for a quick errand. Car theft is a crime of opportunity, so don't make it easy for them to grab yours.


7. Look for the car's title, registration or anything with a home address on it. Keep your registration and insurance information with you and never leave personal information in your car.


8. Stake out sporting events, movie theaters and shopping center parking lots for the car of your choice since they offer the largest variety of cars in one area. Whenever possible, park in lots and garages that have security and/or parking lot attendants. If not, don't park in the farthest corner of the lot but rather near the entrance of these facilities to insure the most foot traffic (and the most potential witnesses). Also, opt for paying the extra couple of dollars for the monitored parking lot instead of using the free parking on the less-trafficked side streets.


9. Find the second set of keys the owner "hid" in the car. Don't leave spare keys in your car or in a magnetic box attached to the underside of your car. Thieves know where all the "hiding places" are.


10. Copy specific vehicle information and take it to the manufacturer to get a replacement key made. Instead of VIN etching the major parts of your vehicle, which doesn't turn most thieves off, drop your business card into the doors through the window slots to identify your car as yours.

Even though auto theft is a crime of opportunity, if a crook really wants your car, he'll do whatever it takes to get it regardless of steering wheel locks or car alarms. But with the above knowledge, you can slow him down, make your car inconvenient to him and, hopefully, discourage him from attempting to steal your vehicle. Layering your car with anti-theft protection, especially if it's at the top of the most stolen vehicles list, is a good start. But, as with anything that is of value to you, the most important protection you can give your car is to take a proactive approach to security when you leave it unattended.

KISSfn

I saw that webpage where the very advanced computer researchers posted the results of their work. It showed that the would be thief armed with a laptop would have to be in close proximity (sitting next to the person with the fob) to steal the code for a small amount of time. But as far as I know the C6 fob doesn't broadcast anything until you press the door pad to get in. So I don't think their system would work on stealing a C6.