rennlistuser5

So this is a list of everyone who does not run their wheel locks - sooo...when a desperate 968 owner who needs a new wheel cheap knows where to go - lol Just kidding.

My buddy just had a set of rims stolen off his Corvette. Guess where it was..in the dealer garage. I think it was an inside job or insurance scam, but the insurance co bought him a new set of rims for over 10K.

Cloud9...68

I've been doing a lot of research on wheels lately, as I'm questioning my decision to go with a staggered 18x8.5/18x10 set-up on my mostly-track car, since it doesn't allow me to rotate my tires front to back, and 18" tires are significantly more expensive that 17". So, I'm seriously considering going to a square 17x9" set-up.

I've learned that all modern Porsches use a 5x130mm bolt pattern. NOBODY else uses this pattern, which makes it very frustrating looking for wheels, as I'm locked out of a huge selection of very desirable wheels, but it means that the wheels that fit on our car can ONLY fit on other Porsches. Any wheel thief should know this, so wheels that fit on a 968, as I said earlier, are virtually worthless to a thief, as the market for them is infinitesimally small. Wheel theft is the last thing a 968 owner should be worried about.

rennlistuser5

I think criminals (most anyway) are too ignorant to know that our wheels would only fit another Porsche. Therefore it is my conclusion that they might think, "Hmmm a Porsche...they are expensive, I bet I can get some bucks if I steal the wheels." if that is the type of thing they are into.

So they will take them, then when they try to sell them, they find out they are basically worthless except to someone who has a Porsche, unless they sell them to someone dumber than they are. But the end result is one of us are out a set of very expensive to replace wheels.

I suppose you could etch the vin on the backside of the rims in case they are recovered.

My car never get driven in the rain, and is garage kept. I have the locks installed as that is how I bought the car and so far have had zero problems with them so on they stay for now.

Cloud9...68

Maybe you're right, but when you think about the risk involved with stealing wheels off a car, particularly if the car is parked on a slope, I would think anybody willing to take the risk of getting shot would understand their market well enough to know the marketability of the stuff they're stealing. But maybe I'm giving them too much credit.

rennlistuser5

Most crimes are ones of opportunity and not much thought goes into them...the ones that require stalking a person or casing a home are not usually auto related -
Auto related crimes tend to be opportunity based - 1, smash and grab for loot to pawn for a drug fix and 2. car jackings (just my opinion)

Most of my stuff at home is covered up in the garage so when I do have my door open, people really can't figure out what is in my garage - being 100' from the road helps too. Once I get my barn built, there won't be anything in the front garage to look at little 'lone steal.

Cloud9...68

I think the statistics of the most commonly-stolen cars refutes that. The cars that get stolen most are the dullest, most common, and therefore most marketable (in whole, but primarily for parts) cars out there - Honda Accords, Toyota Camry's, Ford trucks, Tahoes, etc. I think these guys pretty much know what they're stealing, and like anyone else, want to get the most bang for their (considerable) risk. I really think most thieves would want nothing to do with any part of a 968 - wheels, emblems, or the entire car. In all my years of following the forums, I can't think of a single instance of anyone reporting their 968 having been stolen.

BradS(IN)

I just like the nostalgia of them!

Cloud9...68

lol - no argument there. I actually have them on my car as well, because I used to drive it every other day to my vanpool pick-up point, which is on a street in a middle-class neighborhood. Not a bad area, but I bought them just to discourage a stupid potential thief. But we recently bought a new car, relieving the 968 of its commuting duties. Between this, and my recent understanding of just how rare the 968's bolt pattern is, I wouldn't have bothered.

rennlistuser5

I agree Cloud, the statistics show the most stolen cars are things like Camry's simply because of how many are sold. People need parts and are sometimes willing to go to a shop that has "used cheap parts" probably not knowing the $1200 airbag they just scored for $200 bucks was hot.

Cloud9...68

lol - Or choosing not to know...

travisgreen

I think it's funny that the 968 has a hood release behind the fog light which can be popped in about 5 seconds with just a philips head screw driver. Seems like it would be easy to keep a car alarm from going off if someone can access the battery without needing in the cabin

brad@tirerack.com

You's be amazed at how many people call me with Explorers and pickups that have had their spare wheels/tires stolen from underneath. That happens far more frequently than thieves stealing wheels off of one of the four corners. I sell very few lock sets for wheels overall. Most agree that if a good thief wants your wheels, a lock isn't going to stop them. Personally I don't think they can hurt to have.....

Cloud9...68

But again, I think you could leave your 968 unlocked, with the door open, and the engine running in the shadiest part of town, and it would sit till it ran out of gas. OK, I exaggerate slightly, but being such a rare car, with such low value, makes it very unattractive to a thief. At least this is one thing we don't have to worry about.

chudson

PM me the coordinates where yours is sitting the next time you plan to leave it like that. I'll need about a day notice with planning flights and all.......

Feel free to keep your tag. I'll bring my dealer plate.

travisgreen

It only takes that one person that knows the cars and what the parts are worth tho