I don't get paranoid at all. I'll worry once in a while, but as far as thinking about the car all day/night long I could careless. I rather enjoy my day and sleep. I have three other cars and are all fully insured, if my S2k gets damage/stolen/etc then I'll call the insurance, hop into my other cars and go on my daily activities.

 

I would wager that most Porsches and newer Vettes are parked in garages and owned by older individuals who live in a single family home which is much safer location to keep a car than in an apartment/condo/townhome complex where many (if not most) S2000's are found.

I'm not paranoid about mine at home as I live on a quiet street and my garage is almost 100 yards off the road...anyone coming onto my property is likely to be found by either my dogs or my motion detectors and then shot for trespassing.

Now when I park in a busy town area I'm paranoid about hit and runs, not theft.

 

I'm not paranoid about the S at all, but also garage kept and I work on a military base; vehicle related theft is virtually unheard of. Once I replace the S with a Lotus, I will probably be more paranoid then as a Lotus tends to attract more attention around this area given how rare they are.

 

I would worry more about a popular honda than a lotus, most people steal cars to easily sell parts for cash, not a huge market for Lotus parts because they are so rare

 

Yeah, S2000s can be a big target for parts. There was someone that posted a thread last week in this section about an S2000 that was stolen. Gone: headlights, taillights, front/rear bumpers, wheels, seats, entire instrument panel and steering wheel, shift knob and center console cover/parts.

I'd imagine if the thieves had the know-how, they probably would have taken the engine and transmission, because it's a power train that is increasingly being found in other types of cars, and therefore would also have significant black market value.

Here is the thread:

Stolen thread from last week

 

All the stolen reports make me so mad. I remember a few TV shows where the police has a "bait car" and staked it out until it wass stolen. One show had the thieves take off with the car only to have the door lock automatically and the engine shut off. Soon they were caught and hopefully jailed. I felt so good about he good guys winning.


Due to the value of autos, it IS grand theft and these thieves should be treated harshly for stealing your transportation.

Makes me want to park a target car and stake it out with a group of theft victims. Damn!

I am quite paranoid about my S.

-jazzman

 

haha sadly in the wonderful age of litigation, if you set a bait car, the thief would probably sue you for entrapment, and baiting him on. OOhh he couldn't help himself trying to steal your car. And if he cut himself on your top, he'll sue you for bodily injury. =)

Yeah I guess it's the interchangeable parts that get thief's riled up. Time for me to upgrade to an NSX! No one will want my tail lights!

 

I have a pretty nice E46, but I could care less about it compared to the S, I never leave the S alone or outside. And only in the S do I have to go check on it when I take it out.

 

I consider all three of our cars theft risks. I do keep them garaged at night; at work the S2K is parked outside my boss' window and the RSX-S is at NASA, a fenced/gated/guarded campus. When driving around for shopping/dining whatever, I think we're fine during daylight hours but would be wary of late-night parking in most parking lots and never go into the city, any city for that matter. If going into (in my case, Washington DC), I borrow the MIL's 2001 Corrola to park at the subway stop, she does not mind and no one's going to take it.

So I guess the answer to the OP's questions is yes, I'm paranoid.

 

What really chaps my ass is the jealously factor with the S. My car has been broken into twice (smashed window, cut top) but the vandalism??? When I see anything cool or beautiful, I just admire it, I don't get the urge to deface or destroy. I'm not paranoid, but I am very cautious. I don't have much faith I guess.