Do you leave your car stereo in?

[Mojooo]

Years ago, I guess when aftermarket stereos were still worth something, it was common for people to take the faces off their aftermarket stereos and take them out of the car - or for lazy people like me, just take it off and put it somewhere else in the car.

Nowadays though with the values of aftermarket stereos relativley low and I (would guess) thefts lower than they once were - is it really necessary to take your stereo face off when you leave the car?

I am currently changing a stock stere oto an aftermarket one. I am using my existing stereo which stands out a little fro mthe rest of the dash but if I was buying a new stereo i would try to get a plain black one that blends i nwith the rest of the dash and then not bother ever taking it off.

What do you do?

[smartphone hater]

I suppose it depends on the areas you leave your car but on the whole the number of car audio thefts has fallen dramatically over the years because they have little second hand value any more. It's possible these days to buy a brand new all singing & dancing Kenwood for about £50.

Personally I never take the front off mine although I've had two stolen over the years, one in the early eighties & one in 1995. Sat navs are a different thing though so never leave mine visible & always put it under the seat.

[Baryonyx]

No. Speaking to mates in the police, they can't recall a stereo being stolen from a car (even in the slightly dodgy areas they work) in the past few years. There is no market for stolen stereos anymore, it has died out with the increased powers the police have to stop criminals using cars.

A sat nav would be a completely different matter, they are readily stolen from vehicles when they are left on display (even a watermark from the holder on the windscreen is enough to tempt some thieves to break into your car for a rummage, hoping there might be a device in the glovebox or something).

[obob]

My dad used to have one in the early 90s where you had a bing handle and pull the whole thing out and take it inside.

[djdestiny]

obob said:

My dad used to have one in the early 90s where you had a bing handle and pull the whole thing out and take it inside.

Now that makes me feel old hearing you say your dad had one!
So did I....

My Pioneer one was stolen from my XR3I in 1992, that was the last time I had one stolen

[Negative Creep]

I still remove mine every time I park up, even though it would be worth about £20 and you have to disassemble the centre console to get it out. Since someone once broke into my Dad's car to steal 80p in loose change, I figure better safe than sorry.

[FoundOnRoadside]

djdestiny said:

obob said:

My dad used to have one in the early 90s where you had a bing handle and pull the whole thing out and take it inside.

Now that makes me feel old hearing you say your dad had one!
So did I....

Me too. Think it was a Pioneer. Best sounding radio ever. I had it in my 106.

[kambites]

I usually take the face-plate off if I'm leaving the roof off. Otherwise, no.

[V88Dicky]

I've never had a car with an aftermarket stereo.

My first car had an AM/FM radio only!!

Those were the days.

[Mr2Mike]

Negative Creep said:

I still remove mine every time I park up, even though it would be worth about £20 and you have to disassemble the centre console to get it out. Since someone once broke into my Dad's car to steal 80p in loose change, I figure better safe than sorry.

To be fair I doubt they broke in specifically to steal 80 pence

[Podie]

We had an aftermarket stereo nicked in June 2007.

Since then we've just stuck with the OEM fit stuff.

[littleandy0410]

I've only ever had one stereo stolen, from my mini in 1998, They took the head unit even though the face plate wasn't in the car. I think I've still got it somewhere up the loft!

[sinizter]

We didn't take it out for ages, then it got stolen (2005).

With the replacement stereo, it was always taken out.

Car was sold sometime after (2008) - and the replacement cars all had their fully integrated systems.

[Manicminer]

I used to always take mine off and take it with me, only problem was getting into the plastic case for the front. They usually designed the catch on the case so you need to be an Olympic strongman to get into it

OEM stereos have got so good now that the last 3 cars I've had I just kept the original stereo.

I can't imagine having to lug a double din lcd stereo front around with me all the time now...

[Negative Creep]

Mr2Mike said:

Negative Creep said:

I still remove mine every time I park up, even though it would be worth about £20 and you have to disassemble the centre console to get it out. Since someone once broke into my Dad's car to steal 80p in loose change, I figure better safe than sorry.

To be fair I doubt they broke in specifically to steal 80 pence

It was a 1.1 Uno with tweed seats, so that's the only motive I can think of

[deltashad]

Had a stereo and all my cd's stolen from my car around '92 too. I still remove my facia if the car is parked up somewhere I don't entirely trust.

Old habits die hard.

[muffinmenace]

Had mine taken whilst my car was at the garage getting some work (car must have been unlocked) It's been replaced but it looks like they've fubared the aerial when pulling it out

[RB Will]

When I had my first aftermarket stereo I used to do it as a bit of a novelty I think but that soon wore off when I could not be bothered to carry it around.

[shandyboy]

I take the stereo out of any car if it's parked somewhere slightly dodgy now - last year had a call from the other half in tears that her car (a mighty Daewoo Matiz with original radio/cd) had had the side window smashed and all the front fascia of the dash broken whilst some scratters had obviously tried to remove the stereo.

This was on a busy main road in Huddersfield during the day...

Funny thing was, they couldn't get it out, there were screwdriver marks and bits of dash plastic and glass everywhere, but the radio didn't budge. She had to literally kick the dash back so she could change the gears, it was all hanging off in front of where it should have been.

It never worked properly again though as they'd knackered it trying to get it out and bent the cage that holds it, and I had to replace it with another second-hand stereo (which had a "best of Gary Moore" cd in it!)

Figured if anyone was desperate enough to break into a Matiz, it's probably worth removing the fascia.

[sawman]

My Car still has one of those completely removable pioneer radio/cassettes. I leave it in the car all the time, it isnt visible and I rarely use it anyway. I cant be bothered lugging it about. I recall the days where folks did seem to carry their head units around, in fact my pal had a trio head unit, that came with a case to carry it about in - looked like a binocular case. But I think most folks just stashed them under the seat

The last time I had car radio stolen was 1990, from my then nearly new AXGT. The thieves made a right mess of the car getting it out - window frame bent and dash all scratched. This was in Norwich.

The previous year I had the stereo stolen from my previous AX, but being in Liverpool at the time, the thieves did a much better job, smashing the window without damaging the frame and removing the unit without damaging the dash

Back then a decent extractable radio cost me pretty much a months wages, now you can pick up a new one for next to nothing