Between a Rock and a Hard Place
 

I am sure you have had that lump in your stomach when you know you have been had. Well, it happened to me on Thanksgiving. I had started to leave at the end of the day after having a great visit and meal, when one of the relatives said "gee, can we have a picture of you in front of your great car?" Well, what can you say but yes. I had it warming up, and I got out for just a minute. The door ended up getting closed and after a few pictures, I started to get back in and leave. Much to my shock, the door was locked. Yes, the other door was locked too as well as the trunk. Then someone from the crowd asks, what is wrong. Oh, the doors are locked is all, I reply. No, there was no key hidden on the car. I had taken it off to do something and had not gotten it back. After looking around the car, I started to wonder which window I was going to have to break to get in.

Well, I then thought of the window buttons, and because the car was running, I could push down on one of them with a coat hanger wire and maybe get the window down. I got a coat hanger wire down between the door and roof and moved it around to the drivers window button. When I pushed down on it, the wire bent and I could not get enough pressure on the button to get the window to roll down. I then tried the area that is in front of the raised part of the button which gives a little more leverage and it lowered the window slick as you please. Yes, I was quite happy to get the window down and the door open without any damage to the car.

I just wanted to share this so if you get into the same situation, you may be able to get out of this jam - if you don't have a spare key hidden on the car. I would hide a key so you would not have to go through this. :D :D

Great story Earl. I don't believe in leaving a spare key around my car, b/c if I can get to it, someone else will...

However, know I know how to get into my SVX when the engine is running. What's the best way when it's turned off?

-Chike

BTW, what's the cheapest window to break? :p

I think it would be one of the lower back windows. :(

I was always a fan of the magnetic "Hide-A-Key" system throughout many years & many cars (if only I could remember where I'd stick the thing). Anyway, I bought one for the SVX a while back. Problem was finding a steel surface under the body that was hidden, yet accessible. This ain't as easy as it would seem with all the plastic & undercoating I encountered. In frustration & being in a hurry I stuck the magnentic base to the top of rear muffler. It stuck real fine indeed! After the 3000 mile trip to the 10th anniversary Indiana heat fest, when I got home, I decided to check to see if the thing was still hangin' in there.
It was - however the muffler heat had melted the plastic case in which the key was housed, & I would have had to pry the key from the case which now resembled a blowtorched candle.
If anyone has found a semi-safe accessible steel spot within reach of an old fart, please chime in.

Ron.

I use a wire twisty from bread or other things to attach the key to an area out of sight and mind. :D :D

I know that doesn't help out the old fart, but it gives him somthing to think about. :rolleyes: ;)

back of your license plate?
 

back of your license plate? thin flat magnet?

hmm..can't remember if they were made from aluminum...doesn't matter though, i'm sure something could be rigged up to hold a key behind your license plate.

of course
 

of course, heidi fleiss has come up with a great solution...boxers with a special rubber pocket. i'm sure a key would fit in there. :p

they are available with designer colors and flannel designs.

bit pricey for boxers, but hey it's better than a ring on your wallet right?

http://www.heidifleiss.com/Merchant2...egory_Code=0-5

how did the doors lock with the car on? I can start my car and close the door and it wont lock. :confused:

On 99% of the cars on the road. The windshield is the cheapest to break as you should be able to get one for well under $250 installed. The SVX it is a toss up. Labor to replace a side window increase the cost of course but Earl is probably right. One of the sides. Probably the rear.

A neighbor bought an XT that had a broken windshield and side rear window. The side rear window was $70 more than the windshield.:D :D

That was my first thought too. I am guessing he has an alarm which locks the doors automatically. I had that problem on one of my cars in the past, I hate that feature on a security system.

hey you da man earl!

Kelli

(use to lock my keys in the car all the damn time!)

Three letters...
 

AAA


It's the best 65 dollars I spend each year! Dead Battery, Out of Gas, Keys locked in the door, 200 miles of free towing. My Dad used to give me a standard 35.00 membership each year for christmas. Now I find I use (mostly the key service) at least once a year.

The one thought that always stays with me on my trips is "am a 200 miles from some place that will have parts for my car"...:rolleyes:

I had locked my keys in the car once (engine was off). I had not used my AAA member services until this happened. A guy came out to my apt at the time and had these orange rubber wedges he pushed down between the passenger door and roof. Then he took a metal rod with a little prong on the end and used that to lift the manual door lock. Took less than 30 seconds. I was a bit alarmed at how easy it was for him to open it up. Not even a scratch on the manual lock release....

Re: Three letters...
 

UT AAA gives 200 miles towing with the Plus service?!? That's not fair! CO AAA only has 100 miles.
That's what I use most.... :rolleyes:

I'm still a bit confused as to how it got locked Earl. The only way to lock the car when I'm driving it is to hit my door lock slider. Otherwise I could be kidnapped in traffic:eek: Perhaps I'm missing something...