So my next car looks like being one with keyless entry / ignition.
My solution to the current electronic key is to have an old style mechanical key on a string, lock the electronic key in the car, and then use the mechanical key to get back into the car. Works well.
But the newer keyless entry / proximity gizmo's means the car won't lock with the key inside the car, and some new cars don't have an external keyhole anyway.
Taking the electronic gizmo surfing doesn't seem like a good idea.

Anyone with a (sensible) solution?

My car is the same unless I take the work car however the only solution I have used is the old lunch bag double or single. It's still small and I have it in either a bum bag, PFD bum bag, PFD jacket small pocket, Camembak pocket and Helmy you rarely fall in so it's all good.

I put mine in a key safe and lock it behind the front bumper, its out of range there in a forester.

I put the gizmo in the keysafe and attach it to the rear wheel - the metal must shield the signal because you can't open the door with the keysafe locked.

Buy a car that doesn't have keyless entry?

On Toyotas you can lock the door with the little manual key that comes off the fob. When it is locked manually, it disables the proximity sensor and I can lock the fob inside the car, see if that works on your car.

If you still have one keyed door (usually the drivers door) then get a normal key cut. We then wrap the wireless key in tinfoil and put it inside the car and the dumb key is put in my boardy pocket and attach it via the little bungy cord thing they come with.

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blueplanetsurf said..
On Toyotas you can lock the door with the little manual key that comes off the fob. When it is locked manually, it disables the proximity sensor and I can lock the fob inside the car, see if that works on your car.

The same with Kia cars.

I have a Subaru Outback. You can set a PIN number that you enter on a button on the outside. You disable the keyless entry and lock the keys inside.

After a session you type in the PIN number and open the doors. When you're ready to go you re-enable the keyless entry and drive off.

If feels a bit odd going out for a session with no key at all, but it works just fine.

The key is disabled when keyless entry is disabled so you can't start the car. There are ways to start the car with the key and things disabled but it's a little bit tricky to do. If a crook broke into your car they would have to find the key, then know the processes for re-enabling or starting the car.

Before I worked out the PIN thing I used the metal key and wrapped the fob in aluminium. There's actually a secret spot on the car where you can stash the keyless fob and it won't keep the doors open and not need to wrap it in foil.

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cantSUPenough said..
I put the gizmo in the keysafe and attach it to the rear wheel - the metal must shield the signal because you can't open the door with the keysafe locked.

Same here. Except mines on the front wheel. On the rear it still
opens the door.

Next thing to remember is if you lose your electronic key just get someone to ring the missus or kids at home. Get them to find your spare key (you have a spare right?) and hold it up to the phone. Put the mobile you are using near the car and get them to press the unlock button. Your car is now unlocked, woo hoo!!!

On BMWs you can disable the proximity sensor..

I use an aquapac. Locks watertight. I keep my electronic key in it. The only issue I've ever had was one day it managed to get over my head and I nearly lost it in the surf. Oops. But you can pull the loop tight enough so that it doesn't do that.

www.everestsports.com.au/product/aquapac608-keymaster/#.WXw0MGp_VvI

Now it depends on the type of car if its flashy then you are going to want people to see you take the key with you.
If its a 4X4, ute or work vehicle, you can use one of those pin safe locks and lock it to the roof rack.
If its a family car like a van or a SUV then you could always use the magnetic key option where you put a strong magnet in a small case and then put the electric dongle inside there and fix it under the car. Make sure the case is the same colour as your underside of the car and then place it on top of the wheel brace or somewhere stealthy.
If its a cheaper new car, take the dongle with you by getting a waterproof pouch, I have used the Ocean and Earth, pouch often with my ford dongle, and its never had a problem.
Just check your insurance contract before leaving the dongle with the car.

On my Nissan, I just put the electronic key inside the pin vault and lock it to the wheel. Since the vault is metallic it becomes a Faraday cage and won't let the car detect it.
On an older car I used to lock the vault on the suspension spring.

As explained before, to make the key undetected, a regular tinfoil will work.

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pumpjockey02 said..
Now it depends on the type of car if its flashy then you are going to want people to see you take the key with you.

Maybe this is a dumb question, but why? Are they easy to break into? That would make them pointless, wouldn't it?

The surflocks/keysafes have started to be a target for theives on the Vic surfcoast, just cutting them off with a battery grinder. I've started using a hitch safe and if keyless entry can put in foil to stop the transponder. Still not fool proof, but a little less obvious than the key safes hanging on a door handle or the back of a car.

www.hitchsafe.com

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gregc said..
If you still have one keyed door (usually the drivers door) then get a normal key cut. We then wrap the wireless key in tinfoil and put it inside the car and the dumb key is put in my boardy pocket and attach it via the little bungy cord thing they come with.

Doing it wrong. Tinfoil goes On top
of ones head doesn't it?

Cant SUP Enough, In my neck of the woods, NSW North Coast or Sydney Beaches, Different rules apply I guess. In Sydney there are always people around so one of those PIN locks can work as your car is very rarely left alone. Also thieves around Sydney have been known to scanner the doorless wave frequency around a beach waiting for the owner to leave and then help themselves to the contents of the car.
Hence if your rocking a Mercedes or BMW, you might come back to a few less possessions. If a bystander sees the thief open the door wirelessly they are very unlikely to deter them.
Taking the key in your towel or person is probably the smartest option in Sydney.

Up north the car is going to be more isolated and I wouldn't use a PIN lock. Stashing the key, foble under the car is going to be much more of a deterrent. The surfers/SUPers I know usually take the key or electric dongle in a waterproof pouch and have a spare stashed int he magnet case under the car. So if they loose the dongle/key a spare is available without anyone knowing.

By far the best way to keep your car safe is to leave nothing inside the cabin of the car and store everything in the boot/tray covered. I've always driven older cars and never had anything nicked out of it. Touch wood.

How are the thieves in your neck of the woods.

Oh and when I worked at the local garage the car reps told us that the only reason pricey cars have keys is so owners can show them off at golf/business meetings etc. Yes they are a little pointless.

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pumpjockey02 said..
Cant SUP Enough, In my neck of the woods, NSW North Coast or Sydney Beaches, Different rules apply I guess. In Sydney there are always people around so one of those PIN locks can work as your car is very rarely left alone. Also thieves around Sydney have been known to scanner the doorless wave frequency around a beach waiting for the owner to leave and then help themselves to the contents of the car.
Hence if your rocking a Mercedes or BMW, you might come back to a few less possessions. If a bystander sees the thief open the door wirelessly they are very unlikely to deter them.
Taking the key in your towel or person is probably the smartest option in Sydney.

Up north the car is going to be more isolated and I wouldn't use a PIN lock. Stashing the key, foble under the car is going to be much more of a deterrent. The surfers/SUPers I know usually take the key or electric dongle in a waterproof pouch and have a spare stashed int he magnet case under the car. So if they loose the dongle/key a spare is available without anyone knowing.

By far the best way to keep your car safe is to leave nothing inside the cabin of the car and store everything in the boot/tray covered. I've always driven older cars and never had anything nicked out of it. Touch wood.

How are the thieves in your neck of the woods.

Oh and when I worked at the local garage the car reps told us that the only reason pricey cars have keys is so owners can show them off at golf/business meetings etc. Yes they are a little pointless.

Thanks PJ!

I used to hide my key near the car, but I figured it was a bit obvious. I am often parking alone or with a few cars but surfers out in the water. There is one lonely place I park, Flinders, where I know people have had their car broken into... I tend not to have anything of value (except for wallet and phone) but there aren't any great hiding places - it is a 4WD. But because of the make it is probably a target too... I suppose the option of sticking it in a sealable bag and sticking it inside the wettie makes some sense.

I originally tried using the car key they give you in the fob. I forget what happened but that didn't work.

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Gorgo said..
I have a Subaru Outback. You can set a PIN number that you enter on a button on the outside. You disable the keyless entry and lock the keys inside.

After a session you type in the PIN number and open the doors. When you're ready to go you re-enable the keyless entry and drive off.

If feels a bit odd going out for a session with no key at all, but it works just fine.

The key is disabled when keyless entry is disabled so you can't start the car. There are ways to start the car with the key and things disabled but it's a little bit tricky to do. If a crook broke into your car they would have to find the key, then know the processes for re-enabling or starting the car.

Before I worked out the PIN thing I used the metal key and wrapped the fob in aluminium. There's actually a secret spot on the car where you can stash the keyless fob and it won't keep the doors open and not need to wrap it in foil.

Thanks Gorgo. I've got an Outback too and didn't realise you could do this (as clearly i've not read the manual!)

i bought a Hitch lock to use on my tow bar but the stupid thing didn't fit. The seller suggested grinding the corners down (the hitch had rounder corners inside the cavity where as the hitch safe was squared off and therefore wouldn't fit in apparently a square is not a square)

So yeh would be keen to get one again as a chick who often goes SUPing on her own to random spots - but the first one i got didn't work for me as i didn't have the right tools to try and 'hack' the corners to a rounder edge. Any suggestions on somewhere that could modify it for me would be greatly appreciated as id look at buying one again cause that seems like the best option for my CX5 proximity sensor.

yeh i would NOT recommend hiding fob inside car, smash a window, find fob, there goes ur car...
i wrap in foil and lock in keysafe, try to find an out of sight spot so thieves cannot see, also a hard spot to grind if they want to attempt. prob the safest IMO.
alternate is setup a little safe under seat or something, lock fob inside so another safety factor.

WHo designs these things? fobs are the worst invention, surf is a nigthmare, also riding as need to have in waterproof bag and i go thru batteries a lot too. forget batteries when bush and ur screwed.

Caution that safe inside the car is not a bad idea, possiby in the boot or why not under the hood.
I also think leaving a dummy keysafe, with a dummy key is also a good strategy, thieves usually are opportunists and look for visual clues. If they fail they will likely move on.
Not sure how your running out of battery on your fob as they are suppose to last years.

When I worked at the local garage the car reps told us that there are two types of thieves the opportunists and the organised crime gangs, if you deter the opportunists then you should be happy, there is no strategy that will deter the organised crime syndicates. if they want your car, they are going to get it.

Most keyless entry cars have a physical key in the fob.

I can lock the Fob away with the physical key out of the fob.

Wrapping in Alum foil & hiding works too (or a combination of each)...

We have a Subaru Outback and a Mazda CX-5. Both cars can be locked with the keyfob left inside the car after taking the small key out of the fob.
The Mazda key locks all the doors at once from the outside.
The Subaru needs to be locked using the "lock doors" switch on the inside of the drivers door then lock the drivers door using the removable key.
If you lose the key you can unlock it with the pin number via the hidden tailgate switch.

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xurfxup said..
We have a Subaru Outback and a Mazda CX-5. Both cars can be locked with the keyfob left inside the car after taking the small key out of the fob.
The Mazda key locks all the doors at once from the outside.
The Subaru needs to be locked using the "lock doors" switch on the inside of the drivers door then lock the drivers door using the removable key.
If you lose the key you can unlock it with the pin number via the hidden tailgate switch.

so if someone pops the window with a centrepunch (no noise) then opens door and finds your keyfob can they start car and drive off?

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CAUTION said..

xurfxup said..
We have a Subaru Outback and a Mazda CX-5. Both cars can be locked with the keyfob left inside the car after taking the small key out of the fob.
The Mazda key locks all the doors at once from the outside.
The Subaru needs to be locked using the "lock doors" switch on the inside of the drivers door then lock the drivers door using the removable key.
If you lose the key you can unlock it with the pin number via the hidden tailgate switch.

so if someone pops the window with a centrepunch (no noise) then opens door and finds your keyfob can they start car and drive off?

Probably.

I use one of these

www.freezeproshop.com/gb/keypod-5gs-key-safe

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CAUTION said..

...

so if someone pops the window with a centrepunch (no noise) then opens door and finds your keyfob can they start car and drive off?

With a late model Outback, no-ish. If you've disabled the key fob then they can't start the car unless they do some very specific actions. If they know what those actions are then they can start the car.

Given that the dealers don't know what those actions are and other owners I have spoken to don't know them then you'd have to assume a casual car thief wouldn't know them either.

If you're that worried then you could put your key in a key safe hidden inside the car.