Upgrades for Your Car's Security You Need to Consider
Many cars today come with alarms as part of their standard security package, but there are many other ways of keeping your car safe and secure that you might also consider. An auto locksmith can usually help you with these upgrades and give you some personalized recommendations, but note a few suggestions here. These will help you know what to talk about with your locksmith so you can better determine the right security upgrades for your car.
Hood locks
While you have a switch inside the car that locks the hood latch in place, this small latch under the hood is not difficult to break with a pry bar. This allows a thief to steal your car's battery and other such parts and do so very quickly. They may also know how to force the car to start with a few household tools and be able to drive away with it, without a key. Adding a hood lock can keep your car's hood safely in place or sound an alarm when it's been opened.
Kill switch
A kill switch shuts the car off after so many minutes of it running, if the switch is engaged. A kill switch is usually hidden somewhere on the dashboard, under the steering wheel, and the like. Only the driver or owner of the car knows about the kill switch, so after shutting off the car, you would engage the kill switch. If someone steals the car and starts to drive it without shutting off that hidden kill switch, the car will simply shut down. This keeps thieves from getting very far with your car and they're more likely to abandon it than to be able to reach their shop and strip the car.
GPS tracker
If your car is stolen, having a GPS tracker is a good way to locate it quickly. This sends a signal to a device that tells the device where the car is located; this device can be as simple as an app on your smartphone or tablet.
Ignition code
To really protect your car from thieves, you can have an ignition code installed. This is a security keypad that needs a code in order for the car to start, even if you have a key or are able to connect the starter wires together, or hotwire the car. This code can be changed as often as needed such as if you loan your car to another person, and it provides maximum protection against your car being stolen.