# Poll: Do you have an alarm on your 3 Series?



## FenPhen (Jan 13, 2004)

lsedels said:


> smart things NOT to do: registration in glove box


Where's a smart place to put it? Hopefully I'll never need to show it to a cop, but I'm guessing it's gotta be in the car somewhere. Under a seat?


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## Matthew330Ci (Sep 9, 2002)

FenPhen said:


> Where's a smart place to put it? Hopefully I'll never need to show it to a cop, but I'm guessing it's gotta be in the car somewhere. Under a seat?


i'm thinking the same thing, it's impractical to carry it around with you, especially when more than 1 person drives the same car and the former driver may still have the reg. with them and then you get pulled over..


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## MysticBlue (Jun 20, 2003)

I live in a pretty rural area so we don't normally have to worry about "professional" car thieves. And I park it in my garage. (The benefits of choosing not to live in someplace like New Jersey.) It has never alarmed unintentionally. If it did alarm, I guarantee it would get the attention of my neighbors. Same goes for a store parking lot...it would at least turn heads so the fvcktard that hit it would be seen. I have seen that happen, by the way... I was waiting in a parking lot when an alarm went off, I looked up in time to see the car that hit the other car back away. They didn't leave, but if they had, I had their license number, which wouldn't have happened without the alarm. When I am elswhere...(Portland, Seattle, etc.) I am pretty choosy about where I park it and the alarm makes me feel a little better. Just like most societal problems, there is no single, guaranteed, magic bullet solution. But common sense goes a long way, and the alarm can't hurt, it can only help, so I don't understand the passion with which some people argue against alarms. My main hope is it alerts me to an attempted theft so I can excercise my Glock on a moving target.:violent:


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## RKT BMR (Sep 7, 2002)

alee said:


> Today's car thieves are very smart. Gaining entry to the E46 is ridiculously easy, and they all know that. If your car was coded wrong by your dealer, the alarm is disabled the second they can open the door, which only takes a few seconds. If it was coded right, it only takes a few seconds to silence a car alarm by either pulling a wire, or putting shaving cream on the diaphragm of the siren.


 Now hang on a minute here, Al! You did your alarm install DIY, right?

You tell me how a thief gains access to that siren to squirt shaving cream on it in a few seconds. I'm just not seeing it.

As for the pulling a wire bit, which wire? Are you aware that if power is cut off to the siren, it continues (or starts) to sound from the internal battery it has?

Not arguing the basic point of whether or not all this makes a hill of beans regarding whether or not it is a deterrent. Just trying to clear up some technical issues that don't seem consistent with your thesis, to me. :dunno:


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## RKT BMR (Sep 7, 2002)

> Originally shouted by *Buck_twenty_five (a.k.a. Fifty_Cent)*
> BMW ONE DOES NOT HAVE A SHOCK SENSOR!!!! NOR DOES IT HAVE A PAGER.!!!! SO STUPID TO HAVE IT ANYWAYS. MOST THIEVES CANNOT PASS THE CARS IMMOBILISER. SO THE ALARM IS JUST NOT NEEDED. A SHOCK SENSOR WITH A PAGER ON THE OTHER


The DEI aftermarket shock sensor can be added to the existing BMW OEM alarm in about 15 minutes, and is one of the easiest, hassle-free DIYs on the net. Search around here in bimmerfest, as well as with google, and you'll find plenty of references and DIY writeups.


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## RKT BMR (Sep 7, 2002)

Mike Brown said:


> I dont have an alarm, but I have this nice ugly red siren style light attached to the bottom of my rear view mirror that serves no purpose at all. Go figure...


Huh?

Have you not exceeded 100mph yet in the vehicle? You haven't seen what that thing really does...


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## RKT BMR (Sep 7, 2002)

MysticBlue said:


> But common sense goes a long way, and the alarm can't hurt, it can only help, so I don't understand the passion with which some people argue against alarms.


It's really quite simple. They don't see the value in an alarm, so they seem to feel the need to castigate anyone who judges the situation differently. It's irrational, but it's human.

For some reason people are more accepting of others (like me) pissing large amounts of money down the toilet on things like upgraded sways and so forth, even when in the big picture one could argue the gain is minimal for basic street driving, because it fits in with the fundamental "ultimate driving machine" ethos or something, I suppose. But spend some pocket change on an alarm and everyone's now a sage.

Go figure.


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## lsedels (Jul 12, 2003)

FenPhen said:


> Where's a smart place to put it? Hopefully I'll never need to show it to a cop, but I'm guessing it's gotta be in the car somewhere. Under a seat?


Why would you need to put it anywhere in the car? One of the first things my Dad taught me when I learned to drive was not to leave the registration in the car. If you're single, there is no excuse for not keeping it in your wallet. If you're not, then you've got a more challenging situation. Perhaps a small thin plastic covered portfolio or laminated sleeve that can be left at a convenient place (along with the keys) and shared between the individuals in the household that drive the car.


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## lsedels (Jul 12, 2003)

MysticBlue said:


> I live in a pretty rural area so we don't normally have to worry about "professional" car thieves. And I park it in my garage. (The benefits of choosing not to live in someplace like New Jersey.) It has never alarmed unintentionally. If it did alarm, I guarantee it would get the attention of my neighbors. Same goes for a store parking lot...it would at least turn heads so the fvcktard that hit it would be seen. I have seen that happen, by the way... I was waiting in a parking lot when an alarm went off, I looked up in time to see the car that hit the other car back away. They didn't leave, but if they had, I had their license number, which wouldn't have happened without the alarm. When I am elswhere...(Portland, Seattle, etc.) I am pretty choosy about where I park it and the alarm makes me feel a little better. Just like most societal problems, there is no single, guaranteed, magic bullet solution. But common sense goes a long way, and the alarm can't hurt, it can only help, so I don't understand the passion with which some people argue against alarms. My main hope is it alerts me to an attempted theft so I can excercise my Glock on a moving target.:violent:


Completely Agree!


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## andy_thomas (Oct 7, 2002)

kurichan said:


> Shame on me: when I ordered my $43,000 car, I assumed it would have an alarm on it... (I think BMW is incredibly cheap and stupid for not including one at that price!)
> 
> Just curious how many people have alarms on their 3 Series...


You pays your money... an alarm is standard eqpt round my neck of the woods, as are clear indicators (oddly). But then I pay a whole lot more for the car.


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## Technic (Jun 24, 2002)

RKT BMR said:


> Now hang on a minute here, Al! You did your alarm install DIY, right?
> 
> You tell me how a thief gains access to that siren to squirt shaving cream on it in a few seconds. I'm just not seeing it.
> 
> ...


I thought the same thing... :dunno:

The $225.00 of the alarm, plus the $26.00 of the DEI shock sensor in my car bought me some peace of mind. Other than a carjacking, a car alarm system for me provides one extra layer of defense against the car stealing business.

The best system that I have had was in a 1998 323iC convertible. Not only it had dual proximity, shock and glass sensors but also a timer for carjacking. If I opened any door while the car was running and close it, 45 seconds later the siren started chirping to let me know that I have 15 seconds to find a hidden switch to disable a fuel shut off relay. If not done within this period of time the car ran out of gas.


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## Fast Bob (Jun 4, 2004)

MysticBlue said:


> I live in a pretty rural area so we don't normally have to worry about "professional" car thieves. And I park it in my garage. (The benefits of choosing not to live in someplace like New Jersey.)
> 
> **My `hood probably looks pretty much like yours....lowlifes are the same all over....
> 
> ...


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## Magna (Jan 4, 2002)

I made this comment on another post . . . doesn't make sense to me why BMW doesn't include the alarm as a factory option or to just include it as standard. the alarm is standard on 5s and 7s.  it would cost less (more efficient) if the alarm was installed during the car's assembly versus right now where the dealer has to disassemble (go backwards) and re-assemble (install) the alarm. the present system probably costs us twice as much to get the alarm.


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## alee (Dec 19, 2001)

RKT BMR said:


> Not arguing the basic point of whether or not all this makes a hill of beans regarding whether or not it is a deterrent. Just trying to clear up some technical issues that don't seem consistent with your thesis, to me. :dunno:


It depends on the alarm... my dad's car got broken into years ago and the siren was basically disabled with shaving cream and they had all the time they needed. Reviewing the DIY for the alarm, you are correct that the siren is not readily accessible... however, that doesn't necessarily mean there aren't ways to defeat it. I also was not aware of the backup battery (and find that quite interesting).

Fundamentally, I guess the point I'm arguing is that people that make a living stealing cars are better equipped than we tend to accept/admit, and are fairly creative in their approaches. I would have, for instance, never thought the E46 lock cylinder could be yanked out without damaging the car and I would have never thought that coded improperly, my alarm would shut off the second they opened the door in this fashion.

The modern coded ignition key is pretty much a real-world success story of a system that can't be beaten without significant work... and even then, we've already seen that social engineering the back channels seems to work for aquiring duplicate keys to beat this system, with a legitimate ignition key.

I do like my alarm, and it does give me some sense of comfort that it's there, but I refuse to believe it's an actual deterrent. IMHO, it's there for the owner.


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

kurichan said:


> Shame on me: when I ordered my $43,000 car, I assumed it would have an alarm on it... (I think BMW is incredibly cheap and stupid for not including one at that price!)
> 
> Just curious how many people have alarms on their 3 Series...


Why would the car have something as useless as an alarm? The only way someone is stealing a BMW: they're a master thief or they're towing it. It's easier to just car jack you!


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## samlee4444 (Oct 2, 2003)

LoJack.


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

Technic said:


> I thought the same thing... :dunno:
> 
> The $225.00 of the alarm, plus the $26.00 of the DEI shock sensor in my car bought me some peace of mind. Other than a carjacking, a car alarm system for me provides one extra layer of defense against the car stealing business.
> 
> The best system that I have had was in a 1998 323iC convertible. Not only it had dual proximity, shock and glass sensors but also a timer for carjacking. If I opened any door while the car was running and close it, 45 seconds later the siren started chirping to let me know that I have 15 seconds to find a hidden switch to disable a fuel shut off relay. If not done within this period of time the car ran out of gas.


Damn did you put a Mad Max bomb on it too? It's just a car...


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## Spiderm0n (Dec 19, 2001)

MysticBlue said:


> I live in a pretty rural area so we don't normally have to worry about "professional" car thieves. And I park it in my garage. (The benefits of choosing not to live in someplace like New Jersey.)


FYI, I park my car in the garage behind my house in New Jersey. :dunno:


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## RKT BMR (Sep 7, 2002)

alee said:


> I do like my alarm, and it does give me some sense of comfort that it's there, but I refuse to believe it's an actual deterrent. IMHO, it's there for the owner.


As I said earlier, I agree 95%. Where the alarm has some utility beyond a satisfying chirp is with a convertible, and then only if you've added the motion sensors (which take some effort to get one's hands on).

I have directly witnessed two occasions where curious hooligans have been warned off of messing with the open cockpit while parked because the alarm went off. Also, if I'm not there to see it happen, I do have the clown nose to tell me that someone reached in and messed with the car while it was parked with the top down -- the nose tells you that the alarm was activated with rapid flashing.

Admittedly relatively minor things, but for me, enough to push me over the threshold. Anyone that's looking for foolproof deterrence is barking up the wrong tree focusing on an alarm system of any kind. Convertible owners that are looking for some sort of foolproof protection should not park with their top down, and shouldn't rely on an alarm.

All that said, the alarm has provided me with a measure of protection against curious kids when I dash in to the store and leave the top down, and that's enough for me to decide it was worth the money (and the bloody knuckle DIY... do a search gang, if you want the gory details  ).


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## RKT BMR (Sep 7, 2002)

alee said:


> I also was not aware of the backup battery (and find that quite interesting).


Yeah, I thought that was a good bit of thinking/engineering on BMW's part. The siren is in the upper right of the attached photo. Most of it's bulk is due to the NiCad backup battery.

Once the system is armed, any tampering with the connection to the siren will set it off, including the removal of power. One nice thing about this is that disconnecting the main car battery will set the siren off, and it will sound for quite a long time (I think 30 minutes) without stopping -- no signal from the GMV to quiet down after a few minutes like under normal triggers.

Smart design!


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## Technic (Jun 24, 2002)

blueguydotcom said:


> Damn did you put a Mad Max bomb on it too? *It's just a car...*


Yes, it was *my* car.


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## HW (Dec 24, 2001)

Fifty_Cent said:


> NO, i DONT HAVE, BUT I ANT A CLIFFORD RSX 3.5 MATRIX!!!!
> 
> PROBLEM IS, *MOST PEOPLE IN HERE DISCOURAGED ME * FROM INSTALLING IT, CAUSE THEY SAID THAT IT WILL HAVE PROBLEMS EVENTUALLY.!!!!
> 
> BMW ONE DOES NOT HAVE A SHOCK SENSOR!!!! NOR DOES IT HAVE A PAGER.!!!! SO STUPID TO HAVE IT ANYWAYS. MOST THIEVES CANNOT PASS THE CARS IMMOBILISER. SO THE ALARM IS JUST NOT NEEDED. A SHOCK SENSOR WITH A PAGER ON THE OTHER HAND..............HMMMMMM.... MAKES YOU REALLY WONDER.


i thought most people here (and on other boards) discourage people from yelling (typing in all caps) when not necessary.


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

Technic said:


> Yes, it was *my* car.


Dang. You could burn my car to the ground in front of me and I'd simply pick up the phone and call my insurance guy.

To each his own... :thumbup:


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## YetiX (Jun 7, 2004)

Since I've put a bit of work into MY car, I don't want people jacking with it. I also hate alarms. I got the clown nose activated so that it looks like I have an alarm (deterent) and a Lojack so I can hunt down whoever swipes my car.

BTW, in CA you are required to have the registration in the vehicle at all times. I hid mine somewhere in the trunk so that a vandal won't find it but it's still in the vehicle. I've also heard (not confirmed) that if you get pulled over and the registration is in the trunk, cops are mroe likely to let you off with a warning since it's kind of hazardous to go rooting around in the trunk while on the side of the road. :dunno: 

Anyways, my .02


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

YetiX said:


> Since I've put a bit of work into MY car, I don't want people jacking with it. I also hate alarms. I got the clown nose activated so that it looks like I have an alarm (deterent) and a Lojack so I can hunt down whoever swipes my car.
> 
> BTW, in CA you are required to have the registration in the vehicle at all times. I hid mine somewhere in the trunk so that a vandal won't find it but it's still in the vehicle. I've also heard (not confirmed) that if you get pulled over and the registration is in the trunk, cops are mroe likely to let you off with a warning since it's kind of hazardous to go rooting around in the trunk while on the side of the road. :dunno:
> 
> Anyways, my .02


So a vandal won't find your registration? What would he do with it from there?

BTW, I used to leave my 01 Jetta 1.8T parked, windows down, unlocked at the beach in PB. Nobody would steal the damn car! Nobody would touch it. Talk about frustrating.


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## Matthew330Ci (Sep 9, 2002)

blueguydotcom said:


> So a vandal won't find your registration? What would he do with it from there?
> 
> BTW, I used to leave my 01 Jetta 1.8T parked, windows down, unlocked at the beach in PB. Nobody would steal the damn car! Nobody would touch it. Talk about frustrating.


should have left it running with the door open. but then it's a jetta, who would want a jetta.


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## FenPhen (Jan 13, 2004)

blueguydotcom said:


> So a vandal won't find your registration? What would he do with it from there?


Read the rest of the thread. :thumbup:

I guess if he finds your registration, he finds your address and can stake out your house. :dunno:


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## lsedels (Jul 12, 2003)

FenPhen said:


> Read the rest of the thread. :thumbup:
> 
> I guess if he finds your registration, he finds your address and can stake out your house. :dunno:


Take it for what it's worth, my view is that if you don't want to take the trouble to take your registration with you when you leave the car, you don't care what happens to it and what the consequences are. I know it's a royal pain in the butt. But, it's kinda like remembering the keys, remembering to lock the car, etc.


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## Mr. Sparkle (Dec 4, 2002)

alee said:


> When was the last time an alarm stopped a thief from stealing a car?
> 
> BMWs have something better than alarms... coded keys that essentially render the car unable to be driven without a key coded specifically for your car. Short of a flatbed truck, nobody is stealing your car after they gain access to it, unless you (foolishly) leave your plastic key or valet key in the glove box (you'd be surprised how many people do).
> 
> ...


Agree 100%. I don't want an alarm on either of my cars. They bug me. But I do have the clown noses activated. Dealer should do it for free.


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

Matthew330Ci said:


> should have left it running with the door open. but then it's a jetta, who would want a jetta.


I was ready to leave it parked like that right by the border! But nooooo, no miscreant would help me out. My friend's POS 89 Camry was stolen and broken into many times. Yet I can't get one scummy twit to take my 01 Jetta off my hands? What's the world come to?! :dunno:


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## solsurfr (Oct 19, 2003)

Contrary to popular belief, alarms do help. Will they completely stop a thief from breaking and entering your car? Maybe maybe not. My SUV was broken into twice with the CD changer stolen before I had an alarm installed. At the time, I lived in the city where I had only street parking. A few times in the mornings, I would see my convertible top unzipped or partially open do to an attempted break-in. I thank my alarm for scarying the intruder. They aren't 100% protection but they are protection, imho.


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## RKT BMR (Sep 7, 2002)

solsurfr said:


> I thank my alarm for scarying the intruder.


That's *scarifying*, jackson. Please update your vernacular.

Another correction brought to you by the bimmerfest rhetoric police. :angel:


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

solsurfr said:


> Contrary to popular belief, alarms do help. Will they completely stop a thief from breaking and entering your car? Maybe maybe not. My SUV was broken into twice with the CD changer stolen before I had an alarm installed. At the time, I lived in the city where I had only street parking. A few times in the mornings, I would see my convertible top unzipped or partially open do to an attempted break-in. I thank my alarm for scarying the intruder. They aren't 100% protection but they are protection, imho.


Every convertible my family has ever owned we simply leave unlocked. No sense in locking people out when all they have to do is cut the roof.


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## rruiter (Feb 10, 2004)

alee said:


> When was the last time an alarm stopped a thief from stealing a car?
> 
> BMWs have something better than alarms... coded keys that essentially render the car unable to be driven without a key coded specifically for your car. Short of a flatbed truck, nobody is stealing your car after they gain access to it, unless you (foolishly) leave your plastic key or valet key in the glove box (you'd be surprised how many people do).
> 
> ...


What about a pager alarm?


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## FenPhen (Jan 13, 2004)

lsedels said:


> if you don't want to take the trouble to take your registration with you when you leave the car, you don't care what happens to it and what the consequences are.


I think some of us could benefit from you spelling out the consequences for us. A thief breaks into your car, rifles around, finds the registration, then what would they do? Find your address and stake out your house, right?


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## lsedels (Jul 12, 2003)

FenPhen said:


> I think some of us could benefit from you spelling out the consequences for us. A thief breaks into your car, rifles around, finds the registration, then what would they do? Find your address and stake out your house, right?


I didn't have anything specific in mind. What about during the period before the car is reported stolen? It will potentially help the "driver" establish credibility with law enforcement if stopped. Do you really want that person to be able to pass for you ... even if it's for a temporary period of time? Staking out your house? Highly unlikely. And by the way, do you really want that thief to have your own personal identification information? Can't they come up with other things like credit card numbers from that? You should read up a bit on identity theft.


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

lsedels said:


> I didn't have anything specific in mind. What about during the period before the car is reported stolen? It will potentially help the "driver" establish credibility with law enforcement if stopped. Do you really want that person to be able to pass for you ... even if it's for a temporary period of time? Staking out your house? Highly unlikely. And by the way, do you really want that thief to have your own personal identification information? Can't they come up with other things like credit card numbers from that? You should read up a bit on identity theft.


If he can get my CC numbers from my auto registration, then he could do it with my VIN or license plate number.

All sounds a bit paranoid.


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## lsedels (Jul 12, 2003)

blueguydotcom said:


> If he can get my CC numbers from my auto registration, then he could do it with my VIN or license plate number.
> 
> All sounds a bit paranoid.


Think so? But he can't get your name from your VIN or license plate #. Do what you wish. It's just not a good idea to keep your registration (or any documents for that matter) in your car.


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

lsedels said:


> Think so? But he can't get your name from your VIN or license plate #. Do what you wish. It's just not a good idea to keep your registration (or any documents for that matter) in your car.


My name? Actually the plates and/or vin should be enough for somebody industrious. That's all a cop needs to know who owns the car. It's not like we have locked up records.

As for the registration thing, we should carry that with us too as we shouldn't leave it in the car? And the insurance. Maybe the stereo? heck, lets get a Jetsons fold-a-car and that way we don't have to fret about the big meanies coming around and stealing our precious toys.


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## lsedels (Jul 12, 2003)

blueguydotcom said:


> My name? Actually the plates and/or vin should be enough for somebody industrious. That's all a cop needs to know who owns the car. It's not like we have locked up records.
> 
> As for the registration thing, we should carry that with us too as we shouldn't leave it in the car? And the insurance. Maybe the stereo? heck, lets get a Jetsons fold-a-car and that way we don't have to fret about the big meanies coming around and stealing our precious toys.


Suit yourself...


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