Tuesday, January 26, 2010

My Favorite: Lock De-Icer

photo: Bell Automotive

When we bought our car last year Mr. X excitedly grabbed the key-fob (i.e. clicker, keyless entry, etc.) from the manager, claiming it as his own and leaving me with a standard key. It probably was sensible since I have a sneeky feeling that Sarah+clicker=locksmith; I'm much safer practicing VW's idiot-proof locking method.

Well, Mr. X's exultant claim didn't bother me...until this fall, when struggling out the door with work bag, seminary bag, garment bag, purse and Mr. X's work bag, I found the locks frozen and my key completely useless. Some mornings I could grab Mr. X's key off his bookshelf, other mornings I found myself fishing through his pockets as he brushed his teeth, ate his oatmeal or tied his shoes.

After a week of this ridiculousness, I picked up a bottle (er, two) of lock de-icer and have been smiling ever since.

4 comments:

  1. It's in a small aerosol can with a thin nozzle. You stick the nozzle in the key-slot and depress the nozzle. It sprays lubricant into the lock which keeps it from freezing up. Easy-peasey.

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  2. My Mom LOVES or at least used to love that stuff! She also loved calling for the locksmith. ;)
    I'd forgotten about the stuff - for two reasons....
    we may be frozen, but the only lock of ours that freezes is our kitchen door because of the humidity from cooking - then only a blow dryer will cure it since one has to turn the latch.
    ...#2 - no need to unlock the car that never gets locked by the husband who hates such annoying measures. ;-) There are only two ways out of this town with no place to go really.

    Why do you lock your car? (note - I do lock mine all of the time and have only locked the keys in the car once - in my whole life) Can robbers really take your car far?

    maybe you can answer my question that I'm scared to ask the authorities...
    Does insurance cover a stolen unlocked vehicle if the keys aren't in it? What about if the keys are in it?

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  3. I knew someone was going to ask about locking the car. We never locked the Golf in Juneau, and had to be satisfied when it was rifled downtown - there wasn't anything to take. The new car actually has some things that people would be interested in (i.e. a radio) so we do lock it. When we bought the car, I made the decision Mr. X's, he voted for locking.

    I will mention that while we live 12 miles out the road, it is in a high density, section 8 housing area... And we did have a squatter living in our utility room that stole from our upstairs neighbor's truck. (On a totally unrelated note, we've had a rash of home robberies lately. One guy woke up with a lady leaning over him to snatch the lamp behind the couch - his front door was unlocked)

    No, theives can't take our car very far, but they can drive it into the ocean. That seems to be a preferred method for dealing with stolen cars. We wouldn't have been too hurt (financially) had the Golf met such a fate, but the new car...is a new car.

    As for the insurance question, unlocked vehicles are probably covered, but it may depend on your insurance policy. Take a few moments to read your contract or contact your agent.

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