Disklok - Any good?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Sat 19 Dec 2009 17:51
Disklok - Any good? - Jcoventry
Thinking about getting one of these. In the future I am going to be doing more work, callouts and such to people's homes. So will probably be parking in areas I don't know very well - last thing I want is to get my car stolen!

Not sure how much security it would add. My car has an immobiliser and the steering wheel locks itself when key is not in.
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Sat 19 Dec 2009 17:54
Disklok - Any good? - Altea Ego
What car do you have? The chances are that the standard imobilisor is sufficient.

The disklok wont prevent the broken window and the tealeaf rummaging around inside.


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Sat 19 Dec 2009 18:02
Disklok - Any good? - Jcoventry
Ford Ka 2008 Style Climate 1.3 (70 PS/69 hp), fitted as standard with a Thatcham CAT2 Electronic Immobiliser (just checked their site to verify this).
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Sat 19 Dec 2009 18:07
Disklok - Any good? - Altea Ego
the only way this is going walkies is on the back of a trailor, or if someone has your keys away.
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Mon 21 Dec 2009 07:56
Disklok - Any good? - L'escargot
the only way this is going walkies is on the back of a trailor or
if someone has your keys away.


...... and frequent use of a Disklok is bound to damage/disfigure the steering wheel.
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Sat 19 Dec 2009 18:07
Disklok - Any good? - bell boy
if you are parking in the seedy parts of towns then a disclock is a good idea
a lot of cars get broken into because young thugs who never go to schouull still believe that if you join enough wires together then the car will start,they also try the pushing down the hill trick so a big yellow thing on the wheel really does make them move on
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Sat 19 Dec 2009 18:32
Disklok - Any good? - Old Navy
The only thing it will do is stop someone stealing your airbag. They won't be able to steal the car without lifting it, and will be able to remove anything left in the car.

Edited by Old Navy on 19/12/2009 at 18:34

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Sat 19 Dec 2009 18:42
Disklok - Any good? - Jcoventry
Even so, the cost of a replacement airbag + replacement glass is not something I'd be too happy about paying for.
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Sat 19 Dec 2009 19:03
Disklok - Any good? - Hamsafar
Just put £69.99 on the horses. I think they're a waste of money except on very old cars that were easily hot-wired. they could also cause hassle and delay a quick getaway.

Edited by Hamsafar on 19/12/2009 at 19:04

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Sat 19 Dec 2009 20:02
Disklok - Any good? - piggy
I think they're a waste of money except on
very old cars that were easily hot-wired. they could also cause hassle and delay a
quick getaway.

Spot on,Hamsafar.I have one of these that`s sat in my garage for the last 10 years.Unless you put it in the boot every time it`s removed,and not leave it in the cabin,it can become a serious safety risk in the event of an accident.The things weigh about 5kg.Not a good idea leaving it loose. Totally unnecessary in a modern car.
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Sun 20 Dec 2009 13:09
Disklok - Any good? - cattleman6
I have used a Diskloc for years and I swear by it. Of course they can still steal your car etc etc; but it takes longer, so hopefully they go to the next car.
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Sat 19 Dec 2009 22:22
Disklok - Any good? - Manatee
Diskloks are good because they can't be got around by cutting the steering wheel rim. If you want a steering wheel lock then it's probably as good as anything, but it's probably more hassle than it's worth on a car that can't be hot-wired.

I regard it as essential on our series Land Rover which I'm sure would have disappeared by now without it, but it would be a big nuisance to fit and remove at every call, and I think you'd soon get fed up with doing it and not bother.

Edited by Manatee on 19/12/2009 at 22:23

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Sat 19 Dec 2009 22:37
Disklok - Any good? - Alby Back
Honest opinion is that on your car you won't need it. So happens that my working life causes me to have to park in inner cities etc all the time with stuff on show in the back of the car. Only ones which ever got touched were the Golf GTi and the T5. All the mundane stuff I've driven gets ignored. Thieves are huge badge snobs. A Ka isn't going to stand out from the crowd but it might if you put a highly visible security device on it. Then they might damage it for sheer devilment. Anonimity can be your friend here.
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Sat 19 Dec 2009 22:57
Disklok - Any good? - Alby Back
Further to the above an incident comes to mind. A friend of mine in the same business as me and with whom I sometimes shared projects was much more prepared to spend his hard earned on cars than me. He had recently bought a brand new fully blinged X5.

We met up one day in a less than posh part of London and moved some really quite valuable stuff from his car in large boxes which identified their contents into the back of my rather more utilitarian Mondeo estate.

The two cars were then left parked side by side while we sloped off for a bacon butty and a cup of tea. On our return, his empty BMW had been done over but my obviously full Ford had been left alone.

I'm sure our police officer friends on here will have a much more informed view of this theory but my layman's version is that if your vehicle doesn't particularly draw attention to itself it is much more likely to be left in peace.

Edited by Humph Backbridge on 19/12/2009 at 23:01

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Sat 19 Dec 2009 22:41
Disklok - Any good? - 1400ted
Two metres of stout chain from B&Q...two Chinese padlocks.
Padlock one end round a seat support and the other round the steering wheel. Drop it on floor near seat when driving...About £10 the lot.

Ted
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Sat 19 Dec 2009 23:34
Disklok - Any good? - smilleynially
In my very last 'pre-immobiliser' car, I used to use one of those steering locks in the form of a metal pole that clamped over the wheel. Thus stopping the wheel turning when the pole hit the roof or your leg!

I got more peace of mind from knowing I had a 'legal' metal pole with a block on the end, to hand next to my drivers seat, driving round inner London, than from it's job preventing my car being nicked! :-)
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Sun 20 Dec 2009 00:04
Disklok - Any good? - Hamsafar
Like this 'streetwize' one?
www.motorspeed.co.uk/store_main.asp?int_product_id...2
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Sun 20 Dec 2009 10:31
Disklok - Any good? - smilleynially
That'll be the one Hamsafar! Mine was a little subtler though :-) I like the way it says "in a fun baseball bat shape"
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Fri 17 Feb 2012 22:12
Disklok - Any good? - vmturbo

I saw a TV programme about a retired Maori car thief. He demonstrated theft techniques on scrap cars. With Krooklock type devices that hook into the steering wheel they just hacksaw the steering wheel as most of it is plastic and foam rubber and the steel is usually only about 6mm thick. Once cut, the two ends are bent away. The anti-theft device is slipped off. The steering wheel ends are then bent back into place and the car can be driven away. Later a new steering wheel is obtained.

Diskloks are excellent for classic 4x4s such as Land Rover Series as these hark back to times when nearly everyone was (1) honest (2) afraid of the police. My first car had no steering lock and no petrol cap lock but in those days they weren't necessary. THEY ARE NOW! Soft on crime soft on the causes of crime I call it and when a burglar was caught on CCTV looting my garage he just got a telling-off from the police! (talk is cheap, locking people up isn't!) If one has a classic car get a Disklok.

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Sun 20 Dec 2009 10:22
Disklok - Any good? - teabelly
I've used one on all my cars. Boring ones and group 18-20. It is a visual deterrent to the majority of thieves. Pros can't get them off in a reasonable time. Amateurs have no chance. It just tells a would be thief to move on. Airbag theft not a problem for me was neither car has them. Both have CAT 1 thatcham immobilisers that cut out several circuits would be hard to steal without a lot of effort anyway. Thieves are mainly lazy opportunists. Get one and use it in the more dodgy areas. You'll know where they are. Broken glass on the pavements. Boarded up houses etc.

They are bulky. I usually jam mine in the passenger footwell so it is out of the way. You can get them off quite quickly once you have used them a few times. There is a knack and there are a fiddle to get on and off to begin with but it usually takes me only a couple of seconds.

Don't leave anything on display inside the car. Don't leave sucker marks for the satnav on the windscreen either. Both attract thieves.

If you are in view of your car and the area is really dodgy then a 12 bore might be a better security measure :-)
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Mon 21 Dec 2009 09:03
Disklok - Any good? - jc2
Garmin make a satnav holder like a beanbag-I would expect similar to be available for other makes.It just sits on top of the dash-even ones with considerable slope.No marks and you can pick the whole assy. up.
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Fri 17 Feb 2012 22:29
Disklok - Any good? - tony g
Very good as additional security ,but heavy and awkward to use ,to large to store in the cars footwell .We had one years ago but replaced it with the eagles claw type that's not as secure ,but provides a high visibility deterrent.
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Sat 18 Feb 2012 04:15
Disklok - Any good? - 1litregolfeater

If you're having to go to one of them places, I'd call in sick.

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Sun 19 Feb 2012 00:10
Disklok - Any good? - wazza

With the modern car it will only be good for protecting the airbag in the steering wheel.

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Sun 19 Feb 2012 14:18
Disklok - Any good? - ianhad2

Your car comes with an immobiliser, so a Disklock is not required from that point of view.

But it is a big visual deterrant, and it passed Thatchams Criteria.

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