Lockable Valve Caps ~ Worth investing in?

[wrightman]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could recommend any lockable valve caps and do they actually work?

The reason I ask, is that...

Friday afternoon, get home from work, the wife has 'parked/abandoned' her car on the drive, so I park out on the road... go up stairs to get changed and happen to look out the window to see 2 11/12 year old on bikes at either wheel on the passenger side... so I go steaming down the stairs as they ride off... dust caps in hand!!!

I grab a pair of trainers and jump in the car and low and behold they aren’t far up the road.... I park up and grab the small one, and in a menacing voice ask, "Where are they?" poor kid bricked himself and handed over one!!! "Where’s the other one I ask?" my mate has it he replies trying not to be too scared.... so his fat mate turns up and after climbing under a bush to retrieve the one he had hands it back.

I then thought right, "What are your names and where do you live?" lol one actually told me his real address, so I drive down there to have a go about how their kid is a thief and all that... only to be confronted by the kids mum... MILF lol.... I then politely told her the story and the kid was due to be killed sometime that evening by his dad so she said!!!!

I then get home and go to put the 2 they handed over, back on the car, and they have only pinched 3!!!! So after all that I am still 1 short….

So, after that, do the locking valve caps work? And are they worth investing in???

Cheers
Si

 

[skahigh]

i feel for you si, there are a couple of kids who ride their bikes dangerously close to my car when its parked on my drive. one of the little f**kers nearly rode his bike into the side of it while i was sitting in the drivers seat running vag-com!!!!

cant answer your question though, sorry.

 

[tedvagas]

not sure about lockable valve caps , they might damage the valve itself getting them off or worse scratch the car in spite ,, after having a set stolen of my old ibiza 4hours after putting them on i now stick to the black plastic ones

 

[RobM]

No, is the simple answer to that question.

I used to import anti theft locking caps from the USA. I got hundreds of sets of the buggers at a time and sold them on forums like this that I visited, as well as to friends and friends of friends. I made a few quid, so it was worth doing, but one thing soon became clear.

Nothing is anti-theft. Even the cleverest of caps can still be nicked. They were good, don't get me wrong - in fact, I lost count of the number of times I'd get to my car to see finger prints all over my alloys but the caps still in place. But I heard too many stories about people having theirs knicked and all they seemed to do for me, was attract attention to my wheels.

Now I just use black plastic caps and I've never had a problem.

 

[CRAIGLCR]

stick to the black ones its just far less hassle!!!!!

 

[CupraDaft]

Try these:

http://spin-caps.com/

Have been using these for over 18 months now and haven't had a problem where as in the past, would lose sets withing 24 hours of putting them on.

 

[RobM]

Try these:

http://spin-caps.com/

Have been using these for over 18 months now and haven't had a problem where as in the past, would lose sets withing 24 hours of putting them on.

Those are the ones I used to import

Was on very good terms with the owner, so always managed to bring them over and sell them on for cheaper than they sell themselves on eBay

 

[CupraDaft]

I did wonder.

I've had no problems with them at all. When I got the new car I got new ones to macth and got the ones with the bit that covers the valve stem as well, look really good!

 

[swissrebel]

Ancient indian proverb regarding valve caps:

"If pikey scum want to deflate tyres, they will probably just use knife"

And seeing as Rob's encouraging you not to, when he used to flog the things - says quite a bit.

 

[RobM]

I did wonder.

I've had no problems with them at all. When I got the new car I got new ones to macth and got the ones with the bit that covers the valve stem as well, look really good!

The stem caps? They are very trick, really nice product.

In the end though, I got fed up of hearing negative things said about them, as it makes me look untrustworthy. They are by far the best anti theft cap on the market, so if you're going to go for any, go for the Spin Caps. But just be assured that if somebody wants them, you'll lose them.

Oh, and one massively important bit of information if you do get the Spin Caps - Take them off every now and again over winter and clean them! The salt on the roads causes them to lock up and there is nothing you can do to remove them, bar ripping the valve off. A simple clean every fortnight keeps them healthy though

 

[CupraDaft]

I use that philosophy with a lot of things. If they're that interested in your car, they'll take it whatever, if they have knifes in their pockets and want to scrape cars then they will, if they want a car badge, then they'll take it. Simple as that.

 

[swissrebel]

Can't let that stop us having nice looking exteriors though

I'm going to develop something that electrocutes the little gits when they touch my wheels.

 

[CupraDaft]

You're right, so I just always keep my fingers crossed.

When you develop your electrocution system, I'll have one - but want it so that it protects the whole car, especially for those people who put dinks in your doors 'cos they bang their doors off yours!!

 

[swissrebel]

I'm thinking the first line of defence is one of those customisable alarms that screams "Get the hell away from my car you ****ing goat-shagging ****"

If this does not deter them and they insist on walking close - spikes can pop out of the paintwork to impale anything foolish enough to be nearby.

If they're still trying to key it after that, the wiper jets simply spray acid over them.

 

[CupraDaft]

Hee hee!!

 

[stpete]

Richbrook now do a verion of spin caps! Bout £12 with key, mine been on for long time no hassle!

 

[BrianGB]

Yes. I have the Richbrook ones too. And they come in assorted colours, if you are into co-ordination. Easy to remove with the supplied tool. Never had any problems with them. In the past i have even had standard black plastic caps nicked.

 

[Danny_FR]

I've got some non locking Seat ones on mine, not been nicked yet!

 

[Nutkin]

TBH mate end of the day if you buy black ones they wont look as nice so you obviously like the trick ones. So buy the anti theft ones. Your reducing the amount of people who are going to succeed in nicking them down to those who can be arsed to fiddle with em for 20 mins which isnt many people.

 

[briggd01]

Little Theives

I also know how it feels to have many sets of caps go missing, and it always seems to be odd numbers.

1 or 3 depends if they get disturbed whilst taking them off!

But why should you have to lock them on, what ever happened to honest people?

Makes me so angry, but at least i caught 3 lads in the act, grabbed 2 and called the police!