Ok, heard some stories recently of folks ending up with contaminants in their gas tank. 3 unrelated incidents - one I think the owner of a vehicle pissed someone off the other two not sure what happened. In two instances the damage ended up being severe.

This takes me to todays world and peoples lack of respect for others property. With that in mind I'm trying to decide between a locking gas cap or locking door. Any suggestions from those that did take the plunge? Which did you go with?
Thanks

 

I have no personal experience aside from having a locking cap on another vehicle.

With the cap, it's a PITA because it's always difficult getting your key in there to lock/unlock it. You're always dangling the rest of your keys against the paint, risking scratches.

Due to that, I would likely prefer a locking cover. However, then there's the concern of water getting in the lock, rusting and eventually having the lock seize up on you and that's no fun.


Personally, if I had that problem.....I might be considering wiring a big transformer which gets activated with my door locks/alarm. Someone opens that door and they get a nice big shock of electricity which should knock them on their azz.

We used to have fun with that in H.S. electronics class. To the unsuspecting, we would have a transformer connected to a power supply with the supply on. Tell someone, "touch this wire you got to try this." Of course they're leery but still curious, so then you show them there's nothing to fear, by touching the wire yourself where nothing happens. So then, they touch the wire, and then you turn the power supply off, to cut the power to the transformer. What happens is that there is electrical energy built up in the coil of the transformer causing a magnetic field when the power supply is turned on. When you turn the power off, the electrical field collapses and has nowhere to go but through that wire they're holding and into their body. You may have heard of a device that works on those same principles. It's called a stun gun. It's also how a lot of amateur technicians got electrocuted opening up the back of an old tube TV or microwave, thinking everything was safe because it was unplugged from the wall outlet. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Those items have very large transformers in them, storing that energy with nowhere to go, until someone touches a wire on that transformer while trying to do some repair work. Electricity always seeks a path to ground. When someone touches a wire on that transformer, it finds that path to ground. Through that wire, then through your hand, and if it's your left hand, it travels down the left side of your body, through your heart, down through your leg, feet, and then into the ground. Electricity is a lot of fun but you don't want to be on the wrong side of it.

 

I tried the locking cap on my jkur and it threw a cel code so I switched back to an oem cap and went with a locking cover.

 

Looks like a locking cover is the way to go. With that said - which locking cover y'all went with?

 

A locking cover can be pried off. A locking gas cap just spins, much harder to remove.
If lots of dangling keys are an issue, reduce them, or keep gas cap key locked up in console, or glove box. Keep spare on key ring.
In the North East, salt and winter grime are a problem, hence the locking cap, AND a non-locking hatch cover. The hatch cover keeps crap off the locking cap.

 

This seems pretty logical.

 

I actually had a locking cover and switched to the nice billet aluminum locking cap. I prefer the nostalgic look of the cap. My opinion ...Both a PIA cuz it's separate keys. Don't understand Y I have to literally lock everything down on my Jeep (hi jack, hood, board rack, rotopak, gas cap...... can't people just respect my sh?t!!!

 

That's where I'm at. I don't believe in the locks. Alls they do is inconvenience me and slow them down and cause more potential damage to your vehicle in the process.

I lean towards more effective deterrent solutions. Such as parking my Jeep closer to a sleeping Rottweiler dog house at night and such.

If that's that feasible then I'm hooking up an alarm sensor switch to my gas cap, so it acts as an initial deterent that additionally wakes me up and if they're still hanging around then maybe the shotgun I'm caring to the door after I've been woken up and go to investigate may be a bit more persuasive.

 

I leave mine unlocked. I figured if they want the gas. They will tear anything up to get it.
Not locking the lid are cap prevents getting a hole in tank with ice pick.

and if they need the gas that bad. I had rather donate it to them.

 

I know this is hard to believe but in Fl they drill a hole in the tank, steal your gas and while they are under there sawsall off your Cat. I hear of it randomly on the news, doesn’t seem to happen often enough that it makes the news, seems to be sporadic, last time they hit the University of Fl. Having said that except for the occasional door ding I’ve never had anything happen. My Wife is a school teacher and several years ago they did break out her rear window.

I would say if I had to park in sketchy areas etc I’d try to park under a light even if that meant a walk, as I also drive a convertible Miata and have for decades I’ve learned where to park as of course people cut a convertible's top without even bothering to see if the door is locked to steal whatever they can.