Another spare wheel victim

[fatty thumb]

As per the title I went to put something in the boot today and noticed my spare wheel has been taken
Who would do this? Where can I get another or is it better to use a can of tyre repair? I am worried if I buy a whole new wheel and tyre it could happen again. The Cali was in my drive by the way.
Thanks jean

 

[rookeryview]

Sorry to hear your bad news.
Did you have a Spare-safe fitted?
This is vital if you carry a wheel these days, as without one you can lose a wheel in less than a minute. I think all our spares should be marked with the VIN to slow onward sales.

 

[fatty thumb]

Many thanks for replying. Excuse my ignorance but what is a sparesafe? Do you think I should buy some tyre weld instead of carrying a spare?

 

[Eileen]

We were at a Britstop stop- over when someone tried to steel ours, it was a pub car park and they obvioulsy did not realise we were a sleep inside. My husband poked his head out the window as he was in his pyjamas and they soon ran off but they did some damage to the existing bolt as it is now all rounded off. We have ordered a new bolt from VW but it was not long enough so currently it is only held on by the one bolt

 

[WelshGas]

Sparesafe in Forum shop I believe.

 

[rookeryview]

Get a spare-safe quick! Or take a tube of tyre weld. What a pain.
Care to state the number of the BS for those using them?

Admin - isn't it about time we started up something like LandyWatch?

 

[MattBW]

I have my sparesafe and I check my wheel everytime I get in and out of the cali now a days. Sad isn't it?

Smart water worth a go?

 

[rookeryview]

I have smartwater - only £15 including plenty of stickers. 100% conviction rate. I doubt whether anyone would steal a wheel that had smartwater, because if it ever turned up it would be directly connected to your Cali, and easy for the old bill to start tracing it back through the food chain. But I do now think that our wheels need to be marked in a permanent way to show prospective buyers that it's stolen. Engraving, Paint, etc
A right PITA, but once done, you should be as safe as possible.
No one has yet reported a sparesafe theft - have they?

Smartwater link for £15 offer http://www.mycrimeprevention.co.uk/smartwaterensic-security (go to the bottom entry)
Use code MYCPHAV in the shop to get it for £15. Bargain!

Hopefully Admin won't trash this "sales" link

 

[Pineweasel]

Has spare wheel security been improved on the T6, I wonder?

 

[MattBW]

Ordered some smart water cheers, code still works.

 

[Eileen]

Does anyone know where I can get the spare safe installed please, I am on the outskirts of London

 

[rookeryview]

Come on eveyone, if we all get a basic security package, we can send out the collective message that Californias are not worth the bother, and we'll all get the extra benefits. Costs so little compared to all those other toys and must haves.
The idea that your insurance company will deal with the aftermath is silly, as you'll get increased premiums and much higher quotes when going elsewhere.. "Have you ever had a claim... etc in the last five years."
Prevention is better than cure.

The T6 will have all this fixed of course - spare wheels, side windows, biometric keys....

 

[MattBW]

Does anyone know where I can get the spare safe installed please, I am on the outskirts of London

It's easy to install at home, anyone who could offer a hand and use the wheel iron could fit it. Took me 5 minutes.

 

[rookeryview]

Sparesafe is easy to fit yourself - as it's what you'll have to do anyway when getting a puncture, only easier.

In the club shop. Get some Smartwater for another £15 as above. The stickers will put the fear of Christ up most people, just like when you go to church these days.

 

[calikev]

As above very easy to fit the sparesafe and a good visual deterrent does the job i have not heard of anyone having their spare stolen with one fitted.

 

[WelshGas]

LandyWatch is useful, but I cannot see many owners willing to stick big vinyl letters and numbers on the roof!

 

[rookeryview]

I don't think that's compulsory, is it? Our roof tops are not as well hidden as a Landy's once erect

 

[MattBW]

Maybe a numberplate could be fitted to roof racks?

 

[WelshGas]

The roof sign is for use primarily by Police Helicopters and Motorway and other bridge cameras to track stolen vehicles.

 

[PeteW]

Hi, I've just fitted my Sparesafe (thanks to very speedy delivery service from the club shop) but have a query. Are all the locking bolts supplied by the club shop the same? If someone was after a T5 spare wheel and knew many vans have Sparesafe fitted, they'd only have to buy the locking wheel bolt for spare wheel at £13.49 and could then help themselves even if they come across Sparesafe? Would definitely stop opportunists with only basic tools though.

 

[WelshGas]

VW only has a limited number of Locking Bolt types, so it would be easy to buy the range.
The SpareSafe will NOT stop a professional who comes prepared. But it WILL stop the occasional thief armed with a tyre iron and mole wrench who can easily remove the normally exposed locking bolt as used on the spare wheel carrier.

 

[rookeryview]

We're all waiting for the first person to have a wheel stolen with the Sparesafe fitted......but it's very unlikely to happen, unless you are directly targeted.
Until over 50% of all vehicles have a Sparesafe or a removed wheel, it makes sense to not worry if you are a thief as the supply of easy to steal wheels will still be out there in a majority of cases, and with no special tools needed.

 

[Hotel California]

I just use a plasified steel cable ( 10mm thick) with a padlock and made a spiderweb thru the spare and the holder....
Just to keep them busy trying to steel my spare....

 

[sbmcd]

Hi, I've just fitted my Sparesafe (thanks to very speedy delivery service from the club shop) but have a query. Are all the locking bolts supplied by the club shop the same? If someone was after a T5 spare wheel and knew many vans have Sparesafe fitted, they'd only have to buy the locking wheel bolt for spare wheel at £13.49 and could then help themselves even if they come across Sparesafe? Would definitely stop opportunists with only basic tools though.

The locking wheel bolts are not all the same, like locking wheel nuts the pattern on the key varies.