I'm about to change company car. Both outgoing and new one have non-lockable glovebox, which got me thinking... Is it actually worth having a lockable glovebox (LGB)? I haven't had a car with an LGB for a decade now and am used to not leaving even *minor* valuables inside the car. A decade ago I didn't actually own goodies like an iPod, Sat Nav or decent mobile phone, anyway, and I do not currently own a firearm.
Some manufacturers convert the LGB into a fairly efficient fridge and some LGBs are actually a decent size, despite airbags, but in the main we're faced with a flimsy, mean little shelf, maybe two, which would barely house a pair of gloves anyway.
Are gloveboxes, lockable or otherwise, going to go the same way as ammeters?
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.............. in the main we're faced with a flimsy mean little shelf maybe two which would barely house a pair of gloves anyway. Are gloveboxes lockable or otherwise going to go the same way as ammeters?
I've never had a car (except pre-war) without a glovebox. I think gloveboxes will continue to be fitted. However, I doubt whether a lock would defeat a vandal/thief anyway.
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Given that not many people actually put gloves in them maybe they should be remained. Mine would be a tissue box box I suppose...........
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.......... maybe they should be remained. .......
They're sometimes referred to as oddment compartments.
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I have never used the lock on the glovebox of any car I've owned. If I'm parking in an iffy area, I actually leave it open to show how worthless its contents are.
Cheers
DP
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I have never used the lock on the glovebox of any car I've owned. If I'm parking in an iffy area I actually leave it open to show how worthless its contents are.
That makes me instantly suspicious of what might be in the boot. You have to leave that open too.
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My glovebox is lockable but I've never locked it, whats the point I bet it wouldnt withstand 5 seconds attack with a crowbar or big screwdriver.
Its pretty pokey but there is room for a digital camera, ipod and tomtom, notepad, and wet wipes.
If I park on a street/ unfamiliar area overnight I remove the contents of value and leave the glovebox open.
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No point in a lockable glove box. Any thief who is already in the car isn't going to be put off by that. It's all a very long time ago but my father never even locked his car doors. He took the view that if a thief wanted to get into his car they would and if it was unlocked they were less likely to damage it. He drove over for 60 years like that and never had anything stolen. Different times I guess. Having said that, a couple of my earliest cars ( Spitfire and Midget ) had locks but there never seemed much point in using them. Not when simply unclipping the edge of the hood would allow instant access.
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about 15 years ago on my first car it had a lockable glovebox. I didnt keep anything in it, but i did keep it locked (well, it was a novelty then for me then).
My car was broken into at college and they prised the glovebox open causing a fair amount of damage to dashboard - all for nothing! wasnt covered under my policy at the time (i wrote the car of 2 weeks later after it had been broken into again so it didnt matter anyway)
I have never locked one since.
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I have a lockable glovebox in my Audi and in 2 years I have owned the car I have never even thought about locking it. I only have rubbish in it anyway, CDs (which are probably rubbish) and occasionally tomtom.
I dont think they are that useful anymore anyway with cubby holes everywhere on cars now. The only thing in the glovebox of my MGTF is funnily enough a pair of gloves that SWMBOd has put in there. Everything else goes in the little compartments designed for easy reach and size.
Only use I can think of really is the glovebox test to see how well made the car is and what attention to detail has been applied on the way it opens and closes!!! Or is that just me!
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.... the glovebox test to see how well made the car is and what attention to detail has been applied on the way it opens and closes!!! Or is that just me!
Not just you. Me too. One open and close of the current Mondeo's glovebox was enough to tell me that the interior quality was not all that the magazines were making it out to be. One car struck off shopping list - although I pressed a few more buttons etc first to be sure :-)
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>>Not just you. Me too. One open and close of the current Mondeo's glovebox was enough to tell me that the interior quality was not all that the magazines were making it out to be. One car struck off shopping list - although I pressed a few more buttons etc first to be sure :-)
Oh good, I feel better now. The test failed on my MG but surprisingly the rest of interior quality is good so it doesnt always work. My Audi passed as expected though as it has cushion opening and closes with a reassuring click!
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but my father never even locked his car doors. He took the view that if a thief wanted to get into his car they would and if it was unlocked they were less likely to damage it.
A neighbour of ours had a real wreck of a Ford Ka. He used to leave that unlocked and last summer sometimes left it with the windows down overnight, obviously with nothing of any value in it.
Some teenage scumbag smashed a front window without bothering to check if the car was unlocked. He was disturbed by another neighbour so all he managed to nick was a magazine; apparently he legged it away with a carrier bag full of stereos and other goodies..
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That makes me instantly suspicious of what might be in the boot.
That means you must have criminal tendencies. If I saw a glovebox open I wouldn't give it a second thought.
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The Scenic has cubby holes in the floor which I still forget are there (you have to unclip the mats to even see them). If I was forced to keep something valuable in the car, it would go in there. That said, I'm sure the thieves would check.
Cheers
DP
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The Scenic has cubby holes in the floor. If I was forced to keep something valuable in the car it would go in there. That said I'm sure the thieves would check.
I would now you've reminded me! ;-)
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>> That makes me instantly suspicious of what might be in the boot. That means you must have criminal tendencies. If I saw a glovebox open I wouldn't give it a second thought.
I'd also think, "his battery's going to be flat in the morning".
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Mine would be a tissue box box I suppose...........
"Cubby hole".
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According to James May "Cubby holes are for storing cubbies, and thus have no place in a car." tinyurl.com/5j6p5s
Edited by L'escargot on 20/05/2008 at 11:36
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Given that not many people actually put gloves in them maybe they should be remained. Mine would be a tissue box box I suppose...........
EEEW! not used I hope ;)
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Just spotted my Freudian slip sorry. Thanks for spotting it L'Escargot.
I obviously meant 'renamed' not 'remained'.
It's the tablets.............
But then again maybe they should remain.
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Just spotted my Freudian slip sorry. Thanks for spotting it L'Escargot. I obviously meant 'renamed' not 'remained'.
Relax, Halmer. I wasn't commenting on the spelling. I was merely saying that they are sometimes referred to as oddment compartments.
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My new Golf Plus has a lockable glove box which doubles as a fridge. I keep a few cd's and the owners manual in there.
To be honest, I was never given a key for the glove box so I dont even know if the lock works. Actualy locking it has never crossed my mind until now as the car is always locked and has an alarm so if someone does steal it, I dont think some flimsy lock is going to bother them.
Edited by scipi on 20/05/2008 at 16:39
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How about for soft top convertibles ?
SWMBO mini convertible has a reasonably tough glove box that locks with the ignition key. You can set the alarm with the roof down and lock stuff away. Why that's better than waiting 30 seconds to put the roof up, I'm not really sure...but what do I know?
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If security is needed, there may be an after-market strong box available. One used to be a manufacturer's option on the MGtf, bolted under the passenger seat.
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You can set the alarm with the roof down and lock stuff away. Why that's better than waiting 30 seconds to put the roof up I'm not really sure...but what do I know?
What level of security does a ragtop afford? One quick slash with a Stanley knife and the miscreant can take his pick of the car's contents.
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>>Are gloveboxes, lockable or otherwise, going to go the same way as ammeters?
IIRC ammeters cost quite a lot including the wiring. A LGB would be a lot lot cheaper.
I recall having a LGB on a larger car, a few years ago, in the USA.
The LGB contained the built in petrol filler cap release and the boot ( trunk) release actuators.
I assume this arrangement was for security when using "Concierge Parking"
One key only worked the doors and the ignition and the other key also did the LGB.
So I guess in the USA they are still common.
(IIRC some cars have a remote filler cap release by the drivers seat that can be locked)
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