Protecting Your Car From Theft

Face it… when you purchase a golf car, especially for residential use, you’re purchasing a luxury item that makes your life more convenient. That makes it an item that a lot of people want, which makes it a potential target for thieves. For many new golf car owners, it might seem unlikely that someone from inside your own community would stoop to do such a thing, and you may be right. But it only takes one person to turn an envious eye toward your prized possession. Either that, or someone from outside the neighborhood with sticky fingers.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to keep your new golf car safe and secure when you’re not using it:

Keep it out of sight from the street. The best place to keep your golf car is in a locked garage when you’re not out riding it around. If you don’t have room in your garage, the best thing to do is make room. Move some things around and throw some away or donate some of it to charity. Look at it this way… what’s more valuable to you, your brand new golf car or that treadmill you haven’t used in over a year? If you still can’t find room in the garage, at least keep it behind your house where it can’t be easily seen. And if you won’t be using it for more than a few days, put a cover over it to reduce the temptation of thieves.

Use theft deterrents. There are a lot of products available specifically designed to prevent golf cars from being stolen. Ask your dealer about electronic theft deterrents powered by your golf car’s battery. There are even options that allow you to arm the device remotely with a key fob. Or, you could get a non-electronic device that locks the pedal so it can’t be used or locks the steering wheel in place and can only be removed with a separate key. There are also products that act like a boot, locking the wheel in place.

Have a new key cylinder installed. Many golf cars come from the factory with interchangeable keys, which means your key may not be the only one that will start it. Ask your dealer about installing a unique key switch to ensure that only your key will start the car. These can also be installed by a reputable golf car service shop.

If your golf car should be stolen, you’ll want to make sure that you give the police the best opportunity possible to catch the thief and return it to you. Make sure you have photos of the golf car from several different angles so you can provide them to the police. Also, keep your purchase paperwork in a safe place where you can get to them easily. These will have the model and serial numbers, which will help the police in their investigation.