Safest place to leave a Landy overnight

Security measures aside i'd appreciate peoples views

I often work away and stay in hotels. I have to leave my Landy parked in the car park over night. Needless to say it worries me greatly.

Do people think is is better to park it in an area of the car park where it cannot be seen or leave it in full view?

There are plus's and minus's to both as I see it. Currently I always park in a lit area as close to the main doors as I can and near a camera.

Thanks
Daz

Daz said:

Currently I always park in a lit area as close to the main doors as I can and near a camera.

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I think you may have answered your own question there

Cheers, I think that's the safest but first thing I do every morning is check it's still there.
But i have thought that leaving it out of sight would stop the opportunists who spot it when driving by. But gives them the cover to work in if they do find it.
The joys !!

I know what you mean though, I have the same quandary when I'm away on holiday on the motorbike. I was once asked by the hotel manager if I'd like to bring it in to the foyer after asking where the safest place to park it was.
Can't see any hotel offering that to a Landy owner eh!

So, the question really boils down to one of two choices:

• In Full Sight
  
• Out of Sight

Correct. For me it's in full sight.

also get a tracking device which alerts movement to yer phone

Maybe a baby monitor so you will actually hear anything that happens.
Most have a range that should stretch to the hotel room from the car park.
Ask for a room overlooking or near to the car park if possible.

I like the baby monitor idea thanks.

I've been debating getting one of those buried anchors test you cement in (designed for motorbikes I think), then running a great big chain around the rear chassis.
May not be practical for daily use, but could be good for when it's sat for longer.

Something like this;
http://www.yanchor.com

If you have a choice of hotels, choose ones with a 24 hour reception desk. Generally these will have a CCTV monitor in the reception area and, as long as you park at the front of the hotel in view of either the doors, or the camera, theives are unlikely to want to risk it. Even better, choose hotels with secure parking. A barrier will make it very difficult for them to get a large vehicle in to "lift" the landrover. Some hotels even now require a code, or a card swipe, to open the barrier on the way out making it very hard to take a car unless youre a hotel guest.

Jamscone said:

I've been debating getting one of those buried anchors test you cement in (designed for motorbikes I think), then running a great big chain around the rear chassis.
May not be practical for daily use, but could be good for when it's sat for longer.

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I'm a twit.
I read your original post as your Land Rover being sat at home whilst you were away. Not sat outside a hotel with you.

Anyway, I'm still considering one for home, but not much use at a hotel, where they might take exception to such alterations to their car park.

You can get a quick-release steering wheel. Should make it more difficult to an opportunist unless they carry a spare with them. Also, perhaps get a hidden isolator switch fitted somewhere, or a simple valve on the fuel lines (i´ve seen it on some lawnmowers, though the reason with those was so that fuel doesn´t flood the carburettor when they are transported). Anyway, if you fit all three then I doubt an opportunist will have the patience.

If you´re worried it might get lifted by a truck, put your steering on full lock, park right next to a kerb, under a tree or lamp if possible.

mikerajjers said:

You can get a quick-release steering wheel. Should make it more difficult to an opportunist unless they carry a spare with them. Also, perhaps get a hidden isolator switch fitted somewhere, or a simple valve on the fuel lines (i´ve seen it on some lawnmowers, though the reason with those was so that fuel doesn´t flood the carburettor when they are transported). Anyway, if you fit all three then I doubt an opportunist will have the patience.

If you´re worried it might get lifted by a truck, put your steering on full lock, park right next to a kerb, under a tree or lamp if possible.

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Generators tend to have the fuel valve too. Would be fairly easy to install and could probably be tucked in to a fairly discreet place. Just be cautious of the risk of forgetting that its disabled and inadvertently running the engine dry of fuel!

In terms of the other features - not a bad shout. Be aware if fitting an isolater that it can screw up clocks, radio programming, etc if its on the main feed. Also might disable other security features (e.g. alarms or tracking). Perhaps best installed only on the starter circuit!

If its a hotel with an underground or multi storey car park then a length of stout chain could be used to connect the landrover to a pillar!! In an open car park a chain attached to the landrover and padlocked with a sturdy padlock to a lamp post might be sufficient deterrant due to the noise of attempting to cut it!

Personally I think your more at risk when it's parked regularly in the same places - people clock it, scope out the security then come back the next day to rob it.

One off stays at random hotels should be safer. I would just go with disklok, wheel clamp and an isolator and park it somewhere sensible.

Thanks for the responses I do use a pedal lock and removable steering wheel where ever I go and do have ground anchors at home.
I see these as ways of slowing down the thieves but certainly better than nothing.

It's easy to build a simple alarm for a Landy, that people wont expect. Get yourself a proper "chopper" air raid siren - these beasties are incredibly loud and painful to approach. Just wire it up so as soon as the ignition is turned on (or jumped), the alarm relay latches and it cannot be turned off. You just unplug the siren when you are not wanting to use it - job done. Trick is finding somewhere secure on the vehicle to put it so when it's running they cannot easily stop it.

If it goes off it'll wake the entire hotel though - you may not be popular but no one is going to stay near it without earplugs. Of course - you have to get near it to shut the damn thing off!

chris-the-gerbil said:

It's easy to build a simple alarm for a Landy, that people wont expect. Get yourself a proper "chopper" air raid siren - these beasties are incredibly loud and painful to approach. Just wire it up so as soon as the ignition is turned on (or jumped), the alarm relay latches and it cannot be turned off. You just unplug the siren when you are not wanting to use it - job done. Trick is finding somewhere secure on the vehicle to put it so when it's running they cannot easily stop it.

If it goes off it'll wake the entire hotel though - you may not be popular but no one is going to stay near it without earplugs. Of course - you have to get near it to shut the damn thing off!

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There's limits on car alarm volume

I definitely would not use a chain to secure it to a pillar etc. Inevitably, you try to drive off with it still attached. I'm doing that all the time on my bike. In a landy, chances are you will cause a heck of a lot of damage.

Col