Are wheel locks worth getting?

[StageLeft]

Am I wrong to think that a good wheel thief would have various sockets to allow him to get at the wheel locks...?

 

[pac1085]

ive got locking wheel bolts on my saab, but i dont know if each set is unique or not. id sure hope so.

 

[Angrymarshmello]

A good car thief can defeat any security feature of any car if they really want something. A petty car thief can defeat security features by smashing windows. Take it for what you will. If you have stock wheels on your Maxima it's almost not worth it. (If your car has xenon's those are a much bigger target among Maximas)

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Angrymarshmello
A good car thief can defeat any security feature of any car if they really want something. A petty car thief can defeat security features by smashing windows. Take it for what you will. If you have stock wheels on your Maxima it's almost not worth it. (If your car has xenon's those are a much bigger target among Maximas)

Well, smashing windows won't help them get at the wheels 🙂 I think that my wheels are not a particularly big thief magnet, especially since they have small scratches here and there, but wheel locks are darn cheap.

 

[KingNothing]

Originally posted by: Vortex
ive got locking wheel bolts on my saab, but i dont know if each set is unique or not. id sure hope so.

One would think that the odds of two honda civics parked next to each other with the same locks would be pretty unlikely. And that it would be further unlikely that the two civics would look so similar that the person would try the wrong car first. :Q

 

[EyeMWing]

Heh. Just get reverse threaded lugs. Your average good thief, along with your average tire shop would end up wrenching one lug off and then giving up

 

[Angrymarshmello]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: Angrymarshmello
A good car thief can defeat any security feature of any car if they really want something. A petty car thief can defeat security features by smashing windows. Take it for what you will. If you have stock wheels on your Maxima it's almost not worth it. (If your car has xenon's those are a much bigger target among Maximas)

Well, smashing windows won't help them get at the wheels 🙂 I think that my wheels are not a particularly big thief magnet, especially since they have small scratches here and there, but wheel locks are darn cheap.

For peace of mind sure why not, but just remember to carry tools to get them off in case you get a flat (didn't your wife recently blow out one of yours?)

 

[Zenmervolt]

The cheap wheel-lock sets are not key locks, they are just oddly-shaped bolts that need a special bit to torque on. They are all the same, and they are easily defeated if someone really wants your wheels. However, they are great protection against some dumbass kid who wants to play a prank.

My '87 924S had wheel locks with keyed cylinders, but the PO lost the key, so they had to drill out the locks when I put new tires on. Drilling out the locks was easy, so even the kind with a unique key are easy to defeat if the theives know what they are doing.

Again, they are a great protection against a prankster or someone who isn't intent on getting those specific wheels, but as with anything else, if someone really wants your wheels, they will get them.

ZV