5 types of anti-theft devices for your car Vehicle security has evolved over the years. 3. CAR ALARM Star cars: Unfortunately, so have strategies for stea- Car alarms are meant to send thieves run- ling cars. It’s therefore important to keep ning. However, because they frequently go 7 famous on-screen automobiles your car’s anti-theft protection up to date. off accidentally, bystanders tend to pay Here are some of the top security devices them little attention. That said, they do re- Many cars have made a name for them- 4. THE 1976 FORD GRAN TORINO available. present an extra layer of security and can selves in film and television, including Nicknamed the Striped Tomato because deter would-be thieves in some cases. Lightning McQueen, the Batmobile, the of its bright red paint job, this car fea- 1. IMMOBILIZER General Lee and the Mystery Machine. tured in the 1970s action-crime drama Immobilizers prevent cars from getting hot- 4. ANTI-THEFT MARKING Here are seven kinds of cars that be- Starsky & Hutch and made its big-screen wired by enabling them to start only when Anti-theft marking involves etching a uni- came famous on the big screen. debut in 2004. the vehicle’s authorized key is within range. que serial number into the various compo- Immobilizers have been mandatory on all nents of your car. This makes it harder to sell 1. THE 1963 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE 5. THE ASTON MARTIN DB5 cars manufactured in Canada since 2007. your car’s components on the black market Since making his first appearance in This weaponized luxury vehicle is one However, if you have an older car or an im- and easier to catch thieves who attempt to the 1968 feature filmThe Love Bug, the of the most iconic cars in cinematic his- ported vehicle that doesn’t have an immo- do so. sentient race car Herbie went on to tory, first driven by Sean Connery as bilizer, you should consider installing one. star in several sequels and remakes, gar- James Bond in the 1964 filmGoldfinger . They’re effective and affordable. 5. GPS TRACKER nering adoration from fans of all ages. While it won’t prevent your car from getting 6. THE 1993 TOYOTA SUPRA 2. STEERING WHEEL LOCK stolen, a GPS tracker can allow you to locate 2. THE 1959 CADILLAC One of many vehicles featured in the Steering wheel locks aren’t entirely fool- it. However, some tech-savvy thieves have MILLER-METEOR AMBULANCE Fast & Furious franchise, this flashy proof. However, it takes a pretty skilled and discovered ways to outsmart car trackers, With lights flashing and sirens blaring, orange race car was driven by Brian determined criminal to remove one. In addi- especially older devices, so make sure to get the Ectomobile, or Ecto-1, sped down O’Conner (Paul Walker) in the final tion, a steering wheel lock may act as a de- a newer, high-quality product. New York City streets in search of pa- showdown of the original 2001 film. terrent, since would-be thieves are likely to ranormal activity in the original Ghost­ think twice if they see one in your car. Some other anti-theft devices are tire clamps, busters films. 7. THE 1968 FORD MUSTANG GT brake locks and key Bullitt star Steve McQueen gunned this fob bags (which pre- 3. THE DELOREAN DMC-12 green muscle car through the streets of vent signal hacking). This pop culture icon is known for rea- San Francisco and sent it, tires scree- To re duce the like li- ching speeds of 88 miles an hour du- ching, into one of the most iconic car hood of your car get- ring its stint as the retrofitted time chase scenes in film history. ting stolen, your best travel machine in the Back to the Future bet is to use a com- movie trilogy. Of course, there are many other famous bination of top anti- Hollywood cars inclu- theft devices. ding the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Califor- nia Spyder fea tured in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and the 1973 Ford Falcon XB GT from AMERICAN PUBLISHERS! the original Mad Max movie. All these ve- Specific references to Canada hicles have inspired in this article have been replaced car culture and conti- with US-specific information in the American version of the article nue to influence col- supplied in the online page folder. lectors of all ages. Cloth vs. leather car seats If you’re shopping for a new car, you’ll LEATHER have to decide whether you want cloth Leather can give a car a sleek, luxurious seats or leather ones. Here’s how these look and increase its resale value. two materials stack up. Moreover, many drivers prefer the cool, supple feel of leather seats. Though CLOTH some people perceive them as cold, Cloth seats are a popular option for leather seats can be heated in winter those buying on a budget. And this and thereby offer additional comfort. choice presents some additional ad- vantages besides the cost savings. No- The main disadvantage to leather seats tably, cloth seats tend to last longer is that they carry a higher price tag than leather ones. Plus, leather seats than cloth ones. can heat up on hot summer days, whe- reas cloth seats will remain a fairly Overall, cloth and leather seats each consistent temperature. have their pros and cons. Your choice should be based on your lifestyle and One of the main drawbacks of cloth is what you’re looking for in terms of that it’s more difficult to clean and can price, comfort and esthetics. stain easily. That said, it won’t show scratches the way leather does. The photos and images in this issue are available to download in black & white and in a larger size from the online page folder. NEWSPAPER TOOLBOX / SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2020 / 61.