The locks no longer work on mine and I have to park it overnight in a hotel parking lot in Fairfax VA next weekend. Maybe I should disconnect the battery?

I wonder how desireable an unlocked 26 year old 190d 2.5td is to a thief.

It would be a long walk home if the car is stolen.

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Ben
1987 190d 2.5Turbo

If the perp is a W201 fan, only your right front fender will be taken . . .

comforting MTI

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Ben
1987 190d 2.5Turbo

Get the lock assemblies and VIN plate from a defunct junkyard 190E and have two keys! Thieves will steal anything they can, so keep it locked!

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[GONE] - 1995 Mercedes E300 Diesel - 130k miles - Smoke Silver (702) over Mushroom leather (265) - Bladder blasting, coast-to-coast work machine.

Park it next to any year Honda Accord. The thieves will take the Honda instead.

I watched some people try and steal a 83 240D parts car with no engine, no transmission, no fenders, and a shot out windshield and side windows. Keys were in it, and they jumped in and tried to start it.

If its a target of opportunity, definitely people might try and steal, however, what I think is much more likely is not a stealing, but a rifling of the cars interior looking for good stuff. Id say move all the good stuff to the trunk, make the car clean and boring inside, remove the face from the aftermarket stereo, and you should be fine.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

No one has ever been that desperate.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

That china blue wagon looks pretty snazzy in the pic, no enthusiasts have showed up with a mighty vac on a dark night?

for me on the parts car it was kids looking to joyride in the parts vehicle. Watched from my window, wish I videoed it, was pretty funny. They kept trying to crank and crank and crank, like it would suddenly pop to life if they wished hard enough

Any DD ive owned though, its always been straight vandalism or a rifling.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

Lots of cars are stolen simply because people leave the keys in them.
Leading Cause Of Car Theft In Florida Town: Keys Left In Car

I'd think you're more likely a target for vandalism/theft, but not necessarily the car itself. Opening the door is simply one step they don't have to mess with, but it doesn't really get them closer to driving away in it.

I have seen a car (can't recall the make, but it was domestic) whose owner apparently had the same issue/concern as yours. The front and rear windows on the driver's side were lowered about and inch and a U-style bike lock secured the front door through the pillar. Creative, and mostly functional, I suppose. A coated cable or chain with a decent padlock might work as well.

Good luck.

Unhook the battery and the throttle inkage. If they manage to start it it will only crawl away at an idle. If you're feeling involved unhook the NSS wire

When I go out of town I usually just unhook the battery.

I've never had anything taken from my cars, but I usually drive heaps

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$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

If you duct tape the entire car, the chances of it being stolen decrease...

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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7...144c3fc1dc.jpg

I guess I might worry about the battery being stolen. you could take it in at night.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Especially if you tape right across the doors. Just leave a hole around the sunroof so that you can squeak in through the roof.

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Loosen all of the wheel lugs; remove the gas pedal; place a badger in the back seat; set it on fire...

The car or the badger?

MV