22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hardening the target. What the club is, what the club isn't., June 28, 2011
This review is from: The Original Club Steering Wheel Lock - Red (Misc.)
The Club is not an invincible magic bullet.
Yes, if the thief comes equipped with a saw and is prepared to sit in the car hacking away on the steering wheel, it can be defeated. Either way, that takes time, which is something a car thief hates; and lets not overlook the fact that most car thieves are punk kids who aren't exactly 'well equipped'.
What the club is is a target hardener. It's not going to defeat the hard-core professional car thief, but that guy only steals maybe 5% of cars. The other 95% are stolen by punks and butthead kids, who steal cars as targets of opportunity. This is the group the club is for. A clubbed wheel makes it just *that much* more difficult for them to steal your vehicle, which for butthead kids, is all that's really needed to cause them to move on to the next poor schmuck who's car isn't Clubbed. If you have a car of unusual desirability- where you may face prepared and experienced thieves who come equipped and are willing to take the added risk- then yes, additional anti-theft measures above and beyond just the Club need to be taken.
Look at it like this...
Do you have locks on the front door of your house? Bolt locks, knob locks, etc? Of course you do.
Well, all those can be defeated, too. They can be picked, they can be overcome with brute force. Still, they serve a very defined and relevant purpose. This is in the same philosophy as the Club.
My own anti-theft package is pretty simple.
I lock my doors. Functional security Layer 1.
My radio has a detachable faceplate. Functional security Layer 2.
I Club my steering wheel. Psychological and functional security Layer 3.
I have a bluff light installed on the dash that blinks red, so the car appears alarmed. Psychological security layer 4.
If all that fails- if I run into that bound and determined thief who is willing to go balls out and give it a shot in the face of all that, they're not going anywhere without the battery link disconnect key, which I remove every night. That's the last (and most difficult to overcome) security layer...
Cars are very expensive.
For those of us who must live in places where they're regularly stolen, adding target-hardening elements is crucial in making our cars a less desirable target for theft. For a mere $30, adding an additional (and meaningful) security layer to help protect them is a perfectly sensible thing to do.
The only real practical advice I can give on the unit itself is to replace it every so often. Good rule of thumb, when you get a new car, get a new club. The locking mechanism can wear down over time and the extension bars can get sloppy with wear. Also, make sure to put your spare club key on your spare car key ring in case your main set gets lost.
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51 of 57 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Awful: My Key Didn't Work, June 12, 2008
This review is from: The Original Club Steering Wheel Lock - Red (Misc.)
I have to preface my review by saying that I think my experience with The Club was unique, but nonetheless it was an awful experience. I bought The Club because I park my car on the street and rarely drive it. I didn't want my car to become a target, so I thought purchasing The Club was a great idea. Before putting The Club on my car, I read the directions and tested the keys. The directions were simple and the keys worked, so I went ahead and locked my steering wheel. I left my car on the street for 3 days, but on the fourth day I needed to move it for street sweeping. I went to unlock The Club and my key would not work! I tried the other key and it also didn't work. My key just stood jammed in the lock unable to move or turn. After fiddling with the keys for 15 minutes, I had no choice but to leave my car on the street. Consequently I ended up receiving a $48 parking ticket. While at work, I googled different solutions to my problem and I got a few suggestions. I came home and tried the various tricks I read about, like pushing in the ends while turning the key, and still the key would not turn. I even had a few other people trying unlocking it, hoping that it was just me. But after two people also failed, I had no choice but to call a locksmith. The locksmith came and tried unlocking it as well and even he was shocked that the key would not work. The locksmith ended up having to cut The Club off my car. And sadly, the locksmith cost me an extra $200. Admittedly my car did not get stolen during the 3 days I had The Club, but having a product that also prevents you from driving your car is hardly helpful.
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29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Easy to use, visible deterrent to some thieves, May 24, 2007
This review is from: The Original Club Steering Wheel Lock - Red (Misc.)
My 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander ES (base trim) already came with an active car alarm (together with engine immobilizer), so it wasn't necessary for me to get the Club. But I sometimes park it in a not-so-good neighborhood and putting the Club on makes a kiddie thief think twice about breaking into my car. The Club is solidly constructed and it's very easy to use - no key needed to extend and lock it on the steering wheel. Many people tell me a thief can break it in 30 seconds, but a couple mechanics, and the cop living across the street from me, says it's quite an effective deterrent.
I don't give it five stars because when it's installed on an airbag-equipped steering wheel, it's placed horizontally, and because the handle is long and heavy, it puts a lot of weight on the right side of the wheel. I just don't know if this is going to cause long-term misalignment of the steering wheel. Not a big deal, and I'll just turn my steering wheel so the Club sits vertically, but it's a concern. Second, the instruction sheet is terribly written, likely by a non-English speaker. Third, the guarantee is only for $500 and only good for the first 12 months, plus you must return the registration cutout within 5 days of purchase (I got it from Amazon via overnight shipping).
All in all, I think the Club is a good visible anti-theft device *in addition* to an active alarm system or another, more advanced anti-theft system. Get this original club as copycat locking clubs (one of which I used before on a Geo) definitely don't work.
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