Broadway Security

We take delivery of our new (to us) Broadway tomorrow and are seeking advice/views on which wheel clamp, or other physical security device, we should buy.  Your help will be greatly received.

Hi Andrew
Welcome to the forum from Bridlington .
Boaby

I have a clutch claw, very rare to find these days, but these appear a good substitute...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261898539548?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I use the clutch claw alongside a Thatcham Cat 1 alarm and a steering wheel bar.

Hi Andrew

We are away in our new to us Broadway (2013) and been thinking about the same thing.

Ours has had an Autowatch alarm fitted but is not as good as I want for the following reasons
Lockers not protected, no outward indication an alarm is fitted, alarm set indicator light on dashboard next to steering wheel not obvious and can not be seen from outside if blinds are drawn, alarm is not loud when inside, a thief if gained entry could spend a short time going through lockers.

We fitted a Strikeback alarm on our last van which was very good, with siren inside which made very uncomfortable to be inside (can be disabled for leaving pets or at night while sleeping), lockers have sensors on, loop to protect bikes and they fit 2 exterior flashing lights to show it is set plus windows and lockers have have warning stickers.

When I get will see if the existing alarm can be extended if not may put a Strkeback on instead for piece of mind.

Not keen on physical deterents as with time they can usually be overcome  are a pain to set and store and I've seen the damage a fiamma door security handle does to van wall when forced off.

I prefer a good obvious alarm to move a potential thief on.

Regards Mike

Thanks to all.  Will definately investigate the alarm route and also the steering wheel bar as an added precaution and visual deterrence.

We have a 2 year old autowatch alarm fitted onto our Nuevo when we bought it. It has many of the features you want so must be up gradeable.

As far as wheel clamps go I would want the van with me to try due to body profiles. It can be hard enough on some of these vans to get the wheels off on the back.
If you go the steering wheel clamp route, these are ok but again have the van with you when selecting so you can see you have clearance and wont have any issues with the airbag in the steering wheel

What a difficult subject. If they want it they will get it is one response and no one seems to take any notice of an alarm nowadays is the other. I suppose the eardrum shattering internal alarms are good as they couldn't stay inside. Alarms would alert you if you are around at the time 'but' :
I keep a bright orange steering wheel clamp on with the steering always locked with at least half to full lock so hard to tow or move. Never leave unattended at services (seen a van pinched right in front of us at Cherwell Valley, took them about 15 seconds), make sure it has very obvious identifying marks so police can trace quickly. The one stolen from Cherwell had nothing so even though the police called the helicopter out within ten minutes it was pointless.
I put 36" letters on top of my caravan and got a mate in a helicopter to see how visible it was from the air. Said he could see it easily at 2000ft.
We try not to leave anything personal and irreplaceable in the van although not always possible.
Park in 'non secluded' areas and leave looking as if we are in or not far away. 
Hope for the best 

Like most other folk our Broadway is fitted with Thatcham alarm and stickers warning would be attackers on the windows and doors. A plastic covered metal rope and padlock between the cab doors and shortly will have one those swing over lockable handles fitted to the habitation door. But....should any so and so be determined to get in, all they would have to do is to pop one of the windows open and hey presto....say no more.  Happy travels to us all, and hope the sun shines again this winter in Espana.

disklok on steering wheel, cctv above drive, hidden iphone to use as a tracker until i can get one fitted. steadies down and wheelie bin behind it and cab blinds kept shut (all designed to take longer and make more noise if someone tries to steal it from under the bedroom window!)  and usually blocked in overnight by our car. going to Lincoln to look at tracker and alarm options for our AS suffolk

I have fitted these to our Broadway doors Heosafe locks £145.

John.

... and then they'll nick your catalyst..... 

Pete Taylor wrote:... and then they'll nick your catalyst..... 

 (But sadly many a true word spoken in jest   )

You can get special bolts from Mercedes to replace the ones in the bracket holding the catalytic converter. They are one way bolts and come as standard on new ones. Can be bought off eBay for £20 for 2 or go to Mercedes and they cost 70p each. Easy to swap, hubby changed ours earlier this week.

Cat' thieves don't bother with bolts, they use rechargeable, angle grinders.

Paulmold wrote:Cat' thieves don't bother with bolts, they use rechargeable, angle grinders.

Gone in 60m seconds; including those "protective devices" which rely on steel ropes.

The only effective deterrent seems to be one of those heavy-duty Stainless Steel cages, for example:

http://www.vanlocker.co.uk/mercedes-sprinter-catshield

Spot on Pete, but how much is a new CAT?

The cost of that cage would go a long way toward a replacement I would think, and it's a lot to spend "just in case" when the statistical probability of losing the CAT is very small indeed.

Probably about the same as the excess on most insurance policies??

Dave
Dave

New catalyst, from Mercedes-Benz, around £900, fully-fitted £1800. Cheap Chinese copies from £200 plus fitting.

http://www.scotland.police.uk/whats-happening/news/2013/august/181738/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-20484804

http://www.ourwatch.org.uk/news_and_events/news/guide_to_preventing_catalytic_converter_thefts

On top of your insurance excess you can factor in loss of no-claims bonus.

I am designing a small nuclear device to fit to the CAT 
Excellent deterrent me thinks 

Stone me Pete - are they that much for a Merc?

Thank goodness I have a Peugeot. Around £150 seems to be the price for our van. https://www.catalyticconvertershop.co.uk/catalogue/PEUGEOT/

How can Mercedes justify such an enormous difference in price for what must be a fairly similar item??

Dave


P.S. And 900 quid for fitting!!  I know nothing of the exhaust system on a Merc, but it couldn't take more than a quarter of an hour to fit one on ours.

P.P.S. Only £110 from the same supplier as above.
https://www.catalyticconvertershop.co.uk/catalogue/MERCEDES/

What am I missing?

We use on of these to protect the Cat.
http://www.vanlocks.co.uk/armacat
I know the cats aren't that expensive, it's the hassle of getting a new one fitted just as you are about to go away.......on a Sunday.....