5 Ways To Protect Your Car From Thieves

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) released a report last year that claimed one vehicle is stolen every 26 seconds in the U.S. Topping the list of the “Most Wanted” (by thieves) are Honda Civics, Honda Accords, and Toyota Camrys. Even though alarm systems are developed each year to be more powerful than those sold the year before, the problem of theft continues. Today, I’m going to give you 5 tips for protecting your car from being stolen.

#1 – Have Your Alarm Installed By A Pro

If your vehicle doesn’t already have an anti-theft alarm installed, you’ll need to buy an aftermarket system. But, don’t have the unit installed by the employees who work at a large retail store. They’re usually not trained to do it properly and often leave wires exposed. That’s one of the first items that an experienced thief looks for. Take your vehicle to a professional to have the installation performed.

#2 – Hide Your Valuables

Assuming a thief isn’t interested in your car, but rather the valuable items that are kept inside, leaving your phone, money, and other things in the open is asking for trouble. Remember, thieves target vehicles that promise the most potential for the least amount of effort. If they see an iPhone sitting on the passenger seat, the temptation to break a window may be irresistible. Keep everything out of sight.

#3 – Park In A Well-Lit Area

Whether you’re going to the grocery store, mall, or theater, always park your car in an area that has plenty of light. If the option is available, pay a few dollars to park in a garage where an attendant will be on duty.

#4 – Don’t Leave Your Key In The Ignition

The frequency with which I’ve watched drivers leaving their engines running while getting money from the ATM, buying a cup of coffee, or returning a DVD is stunning. It’s far too easy for a car thief to sneak in and steal the vehicle when the owner is preoccupied. This happens more often than you might think.

#5 – Hide Personal Information

This last tip is focused on preventing a car thief from becoming a personal threat. I have walked next to parked trucks, SUVs, and other vehicles in which the drivers have left auto insurance contracts, letters, and other personal information on the passenger seat or the dashboard. This is a recipe for trouble. Make sure that you either remove or hide every piece of personal information from your vehicle.

Taking Preventative Steps

You can avoid being victimized by car thieves if you take the 5 preventive steps that I’ve described above. In nearly every case, motorists become victims of auto theft as a result of making small mistakes. Protect yourself. The harder that you make it for thieves, the less likely you’ll become a target.

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How Your Car Stereo’s Power Amplifier Works

You may recall that we recently looked at the components that comprise your vehicle’s audio system. I described how the head unit controls everything including the preamp, power amplifier, speakers, and auxiliary devices (i.e. GPS unit, equalizer, CD changer, etc.). Most drivers don’t realize what is happening behind the head unit to generate the music they’re hearing. Frankly, most don’t care. But, for car enthusiasts and aspiring audio technophiles, we’re going to dig a little more deeply into the power amplifier (I’ll refer to it as the P.A.).

Below, I’ll describe how this unit works – the technology behind it is older than you might think. We’ll explore the effects of heat and the role that the amp plays in ultimately delivering sounds through your car speakers.

Understanding How It Works

A lot of people mistake this unit for the preamp. In truth, every signal that comes through your vehicle’s speakers requires both the preamp and the power amplifier. The preamp is in charge of routing the signals. On the other hand, think of the P.A. as the workhorse. Its main job is to do the heavy lifting to boost the signal.

While tubes were used decades ago, they were especially vulnerable to heat. Sony came to the rescue and produced the transistor back in the middle of the last century. It revolutionized the way audio systems used power amplifiers.

At its most basic form, the P.A. waits to receive the signal from the preamp. Because the P.A. is susceptible to heat (which I’ll explain in more detail below), it’s usually located away from the head unit. By the time the signal reaches power amplifier, changes to its tonal quality, fade, and other modifications have already been performed. When the P.A. finally receives the signal, it boosts it.

The Effect Of Heat

The P.A is vulnerable to heat in the same way that your car’s radiator is vulnerable to heat. Too much exposure will cause it to malfunction. That’s the main reason why a lot of amps are designed with grooves. Without those grooves, they can’t expel the heat properly. After the signal has been received, the amp converts it into an form that can be heard through the speakers. If too much heat builds within the amp, the components inside (for example, capacitors and various circuit boards) will fail. As a result, the audible form of the original signal cannot be generated.

Taking Your Car’s Audio System For Granted

Most people will never need to know how their vehicle’s audio system works. As long as they’re able to listen to their music – or talk radio – while driving, they’re content. For those of us who enjoy cars and the systems that lay beneath the shiny veneer, the power amplifier presents a unique technology. Though the foundation upon which it functions was designed several decades ago, modern cars’ audio systems would not work without it.

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