DRM for tires?

[jiaco]

So my wife drives the family car and in order to leave town this weekend, I was going to change the tires. Made an appointment this morning and dropped the car off this afternoon. About a half hour after that, the garage called asking me for the anti-theft key to remove the wheels. After going through all the places I thought it might be over the phone, I just decided to go there. I tore the car apart and never found the little thing.

Then, upon reading the manual to see how to get a new one, it says that there is a number on the key that you need to tell the manufacturer to get a replacement. Well, bravo. The thing I cannot find has a magic number on it that is required to get a new one.

Sort of felt like I was installing a game, but about tires. I am sure the thieves have an easy way to get around this stupid key. But of course DRM only hurts the consumer.

[Skellt]

yeah theives just steal the wheels of another car aka get another game! haha :P

[yerkyerk]

So, that's like Driving Rights Management?

[ASYLUM101]

Lol no way. That is hilarious.

[Renevent]

LOL you never heard of wheel locks?

I take it you bought a used car? You should have got the key from the last owner (or from the dealership if it was new). I always just stick them in my center console so I don't loose them :p

[Malpheas]

Well at least that makes two of us that had no idea 'bout these things.

[ASYLUM101]

Well at least that makes two of us that had no idea 'bout these things.

I think not every car has them, because my used car didn't come with one and when I had my tires changed they didn't ask for a key. Unless it's in a special place that only mechanics can get to..

[Renevent]

Not every car has them...they are usually additional or you can even buy them after market and replace your normal wheel locks.

The key looks like a socket with a specific pattern that you have to put between the tire iron on the lock so it fits on.

Anyways here what they look like (well at least one of them, there's many different kinds):

http://store.heicosportivna.com/images/products/detail/wheellock.1.jpg

[jiaco]

LOL you never heard of wheel locks?

I take it you bought a used car? You should have got the key from the last owner (or from the dealership if it was new). I always just stick them in my center console so I don't loose them :p

Bought it new, I know what it is and it has always been a search hysterically before finding it type of thing for me. So I also ended up keeping it in the center beverage holder...I thought. Either the kids played with it and lost it or I though up some super great place to keep it where I would never forget where it was, and I forgot where that place is.

[ASYLUM101]

I though up some super great place to keep it where I would never forget where it was, and I forgot where that place is.


Oh, I HATE those places!

[Mind Dragon]

In the past, I think they were typically used to discourage the theft of mag/alloy wheels.

I figured if they really wanted the wheels, they could notch the things or use something that could grip the "locks" enough to loosen them.

Now that mag wheels are pretty common, I figured that it is a matter of the effort or equipment needed rather than finding better prospects.

Some places, I think, have a bucket of keys they forgot to return to the owners. If your car fits one of them and they actually wanted to check, then you would be lucky. -- they could replace the wheels without your key.

[Josho]

Normally the tyre places have the locking wheel nuts adaptor available. I have one on each of my car's tyres and when I got the tyres redone a little while a go, I told the tyre place that they had the locking wheel nuts. The guy there told me that it was fine, they'll get the right adjustments to undo the nut.