Best practices for parking with doors off?

[BroncoAZ]

I used to leave my CJ5 parked without doors or top in the Ovean Beach neighborhood of San Diego all the time in the early 2000’s.

Of course I didnt own doors or a top. So I had little choice.

I also never left anything in it. At all.

I lived on Voltaire between Abbott and Dog Beach for a couple summers in the late 1990’s, my brother was there for about a decade. The homeless weren’t as bad as they are now, but they would occasionally go through my brother’s TJ. Cat piss was the bigger challenge. I do miss Hodad‘s and going to see Soul Cracker play at Winston’s.

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[Wide Open Roads]

In the past warmer months, i have left the doors and top off numerous times while getting lunch or stopping at lowes. People stopped and looked and i walked up to someone taking a picture sitting in the driver seat, which didn’t bother me, but nobody really messed with anything, I have napkins in the glove box. If these are stolen, someone needed them more than i did lol.

I've driven convertibles for more than 30 years and something similar happened to me a long time ago with a TR6 I owned. I came out of a restaurant to find an elderly woman in the passenger seat. She said she was walking and got tired, so decided to have a seat. Unfortunately, she was not able to get out and I did't want to hurt her yanking on her arms. This was the days before cell phones so I asked the restaurant to call the woman's son who arrived in a few minutes, very embarrassed. Turns out his mom had some senility issues and this was not the first time he got that phone call. I thought the old lady had taste at least.

 

[mdk77]

At least no doors off today with the forecast of a large snow storm coming to the Chicagoland area, but you're right with your concerns, that you'll get some knucklehead throwing something inside! That's my main concern, too!

Haha true on the snow. Would never even think about doors off in bad weather!

 

[mdk77]

I wouldn't say I am worried but more wanted to understand what others have experienced.

 

[Oldhippie]

I have no doors on my daily driver model A and have had no problem over the last 7 years I have had it...don’t leave it on the street at nite as the sketchy folks ride their bikes up and down the streets rattling door handles...no problems with my convertible mustang either...but in any case you should have insurance...stuff can be replaced...

 

[mdk77]

I have no doors on my daily driver model A and have had no problem over the last 7 years I have had it...don’t leave it on the street at nite as the sketchy folks ride their bikes up and down the streets rattling door handles...no problems with my convertible mustang either...but in any case you should have insurance...stuff can be replaced...

That's an amazing ride!

 

[RJames]

I think everyone should get a metal lock container once they come out. Tuffy will likely have one in a month or two . There may be other brands.

I have seen a lock box for the rear that fits under the mat in the back. Very small but none of the lock boxes will be big.

 

[mdk77]

I think everyone should get a metal lock container once they come out. Tuffy will likely have one in a month or two . There may be other brands.

I have seen a lock box for the rear that fits under the mat in the back. Very small but none of the lock boxes will be big.

Yah. I would never leave anything valuable in my Bronco anyways just to be sure. Wallet, phone, EDC. That's all I usually have anyways and is always on me.

 

[5.0Maverick]

I know there was a write up about a guy smashing the center console lockbox, but I ordered that option anyway. Specifically for at least a little peace of mind when I’m running an errand somewhere with the doors and top off. Might not be Fort Knox, but at least it’s a percentage better than nothing, as I see it anyway.

 

[jrstorm1007]

This happened yesterday morning, two guys walking through the suburbs looking for unlocked cars, mine was locked and they moved on.
Have a soft top but they were looking for a quick grab and go.

https://video.nest.com/clip/2193da9d0fa34af082a527eea36a3d5a.mp4

 

[MadMan4BamaNATL]

I always read/hear a lot of guys talk about leaving doors unlocked; I don’t agree with this philosophy, but to each his own.

Breaking into a car in a public place is loud and takes some time and practice. Most want to grab something quick and are looking for guns more than anything else.

Locking your car doors means work and risk. No, these criminals aren’t so smart, but they aren’t so dumb neither.

Even in Atlanta, nothing wrong with leaving your doors off or top off or down. Fact is, if a guy wants to slash your top, means he’s walking around with a knife or box cutter, meaning, he brought it and wants to use it because why not? If you have the softie, that’s a risk you calculated and decided to take the chance; good luck.

In the end, be smart and be street wise. If you’re going someplace sketchy; Uber or Lyft. If you live in a place without ride services, why are you heading to a sketch spot anyway? Frequent the knife and gun joints do ya? Not smart.

For everyone else, places with junkies or lots of teenagers should always give some pause no matter what you drive. If this doesn’t mean anything to you, don’t worry about it and just let life happen.

You can never totally eliminate risk, but you can limit damage through smart decision making and purchase choices.

 

[bodie_38]

It’s not just people to worry about. I’ve had a cat give birth in my Scout and a chicken lay an egg in a rental Jeep in Hawaii.

 

[iamchewby]

a chicken lay an egg in a rental Jeep in Hawaii.

Dude. Free breakfast

 

[SASProbie]

A lot of good advice in this thread.

Here, let me fix that...

Just leave a handful of empty "Covid test" boxes tossed around where you know they can see them. Problem solved...

 

[Toccoa]

Use this t-shirt as a seat cover. Problem solved.

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