Originally Posted by butdamnbrian

it's a cost-benefit analysis..

what's more valuable? the door/window or the stuff in the house? the stuff in the house is more valuable (including you and the family), so the doors stay locked and the burglar has to break the door to make it inside.

with the z, what's more costly to you personally? replacing the wheels or fixing actual damage to the car (which may be minimal or severe)? replacing the wheels costs less, thanks to insurance, and the car won't suffer any damage that could trigger a salvage title. so in this case, it makes more sense to leave off the locks. (this assumes, of course, that thieves do more damage to a car if it's got wheel locks. if not, then the locks should stay on.)

over the many break-ins i've suffered, the value of the stolen stuff has been much much less than the cost of fixing windows/body damage/lock damage/paint. so if i know a thief is going to make it into my car either way, why not leave the doors unlocked and save myself the repair cost?