Locking wheel nuts... worth it?

[gsewell]

When I first got a car, alloy wheels were rare and hence desirable to steal. Therefore locking wheel nuts were necessary. Now every car seems to have them and they are all different sizes so I would have thought the dodgy market was fairly small.

So, with Porsche standard wheel nuts corroding as soon as the sun rises in the morning, I am seriously thinking of the DesignTek bolts (http://www.designtek.eu/Wheel-Bolts-DesignTek-for-Porsche-Boxster-986-996-997--Pack-of-20-/prod17494/) and not having the locking ones.

So, how often do wheel get stolen these days?

[Trev450]

I went for the exact same design tec wheel bolts but also chose the locking bolts. I don't know what the stats are in relation to wheel theft these days, but the cost of the locking bolts is minor compaired to that of a set of wheels and tyres.

[TonySim]

Still hear the occasional story of a car on bricks and wheels removed. The cost to replace with OEM wheels and tyres will make you weep.

IMO locking wheel bolts every time.

[Ape50]

I guess it depends where you live and where you leave it. If you park on the street overnight in a council estate I think they would be wise. If it's garaged in Surrey you'll probably get away without them.

I replaced my rusty silver ones with black and didn't bother this time.

Edited by Ape50 on Wednesday 4th May 14:55

[xjay1337]

TonySim said:

Still hear the occasional story of a car on bricks and wheels removed. The cost to replace with OEM wheels and tyres will make you weep.

IMO locking wheel bolts every time.

You'd be surprised what you can buy on Ebay or from the VW scene.

[Cheib]

Ape50 said:

I guess it depends where you live it and where you leave it. If you park on the street overnight in a council estate I think they would be wise. If it's garaged in Surrey you'll probably get away without them.

100% this. But locking wheel nuts are not really a deterrent, these things are normally stolen to order or because they know there's demand and most locking wheel nuts will offer almost no deterrent. Speaking from personal experience....I used to live in North London (Primrose Hill), had two sets of wheels stolen over the years and gave up having a car parked on street that would be a target. The trade have special tools to remove them which can get in to the wrong hands....

[mdianuk]

Liverpool is still in the UK right?

[ADP68]

There's a guy on YouTube who shows how to remove locking nuts without the special remover.

[LotusAlfaV6bloke]

Marginally worth it to stop outright opportunists, but I have yet to see a design that will withstand having the wrong size socket hammered over it for "unofficial" removal.