Considering anti-theft for my soon to be delivered GP. Anyone have experience with Lo Jack (installed by dealer) or other advice?

Thanks!

 

There are several ways of doing vehicle tracking.

Lojack uses a radio signal. Car stolen, pretty much doesn't make any difference where the car is, Police activate it and will get it. If you know the car is stolen and report it quickly, the DO retrieve it quickly. Lojack has been doing good business the last year or so and is expanding (started on in MA, I believe)

GPS tracking is another way. This will be cheaper but the obvious disadvantage is if the car can't see the sky, no tracking (like in a garage). Receivers are getting better all the time (like SIRP) but it still has to see the sky while radio signals, obviously pass through many materials.

Some ppl are going to tell you to forget about it ... if the car is stolen ... why would you want it back ...

to my mind, that's Old Think. With something like Lojack, you will know IMMEDIATELY (if you get the extra versus which notifies you via cell, email, pager, phone or whatever, anytime the car moves without you using the passkey). That way the car is stopped almost immediately (ideally).

Another thing to consider is that we keep looking for stolen MINIs without being towed or a stolen key. I believe only ONCE has this been reported on NAM. MINIs are Way down on the list of stolen vehicles.

However, always remember, if a professional thief wants your car ... its theirs. They will have it moved, gone, the lojack ripped out, etc. in seconds.

 

Congrats on the GP

 

Considering in 2003, it was the 182nd most stolen car (out of 217 models), I'm not worried about mine anytime soon. In fact, for LoJack to pay for itself with my insurance, my MINI would have to be stolen about 7 times! The deductible is just so much less the the cost of LoJack itself. However, if you can get a break on your rates, then do some math to see how long it will take to break even.

Granted GPs are limited and it would be difficult to replace if it was stolen and never recovered. But the odds of it being any higher on a car thieve's list is pretty slim.

 

I agree with the no need for LoJack. Seems like overkill, and like it was said above, if the thief wants it, the theif will take it LoJack or not. I'm getting the alarm and that should do it.

On the other hand.... GP0042 - STOLEN! Madrid Spain

 

I got the full out LoJack on Mary (granted it was a present and I didn't have to pay for it). I've had sooooo much done to this car, I want it back and to find whoever took it so I can personally teach them why they shouldn't steal. The average recovery time in the Houston area is one hour.

Whether to get it or not will depend alot on where you live and what all you've done to your car I guess.

 

I know and have known many cops/deputies and LoJack is for the most part a waste depending on where you live. Most police/sheriff departments either don't have the equipment or have only one cruiser with the equipment. If that cruiser is down, than there is no LoJack for the department. There are some alarms out there that have GPS locating technology, but I am not sure if they have contacts with law enforcement. The best bet is to make your MINI more difficult to steal like an alarm and one of those steering wheel lock things. On my Tahoe, I used to pull the fuel injection fuse out depending on where I was parked. Also, don't listen to those people that tell you to park as far away as possible so than no one messes with your car, it is BS. Park as close as possible to the busiest area as possible because than there are a bunch of people "watching" your car. I did that and my car got broken into and a mall security guard actually cought them.

 

An alarm does nothing. No one pays attentiont to them in a public area. Steering wheel locks are useless ... they cut the steering wheel in seconds.

Most effective is a gas shutoff valve. No normal thief is going to drive for 30 secs, have the car stop, and then try to get it restarted.

Hmm. Then again, if its a MINI ... maybe you can force it into "limp mode"

 

Or Element has a Clifford that has an option that if you open any door while the car is running, you have 20 sec. to type in your code, if not, the alarm "warns" you. If you don't type in that code, the alarm monitors your speed and RPM's and once they get to a certain point, it shuts off all electrial, including fuel pump, and activates the alarm/lights. Even if you have the key fob to deactivate the alarm, it won't let it, you MUST type in your code. It is more of a carjacker thing. We have it on our MINI as well.

 

Chows, how about that one that hooks onto the brake pedal and braces itself in between the floorboard and brake? I believe some cop made it and I used to see it on infomercials.

 

Jay, the clifford sounds good!

Do you mean between the brake pedal and steering wheel? If so, no good. It takes seconds to cut throught the steering wheel.

If you mean one that just locks between the brake and clutch. YES!

I bought one just like that 20 years ago for our 944 back then. Took it cross country when we extensively traveled around the states. The ONLY problem with it is that its a PAIN to have to bend over and actually lock ... and unlock the silly thing. MIne is long gone but I was looking for one just like it now.

If you got an URL ... please post. I would be most interested.

The thing is, the one I had wrapped around the brake and clutch (nothing up higher). There was nothing to cut at since it covered the pedal length, only the bars themselves which are much harder to cut with a hack saw!

 

Chow, Here you go… http://www.locktech.com.my/product-guide.html

The ‘Trunk Monkey’ http://www.trunkmonkeyad.com/4qt.htm or
“Autotaser” http://www.finalstop.com/pepper/autotaser/autotaser.htm get my vote...

 

I really like that LockTech, but this is the one I was thinking of.

http://www.autobarn.net/autolockpro.html

 

I can see getting one of these systems for a rare, or very expensive car. But for the standard Cooper or Cooper S, it seems excessive. For the GP, which is going to be somewhat rare, but not a vary expensive car (compared to a MB, BMW, AUDI, Porche, Ferrari, etc) I might consider it.

Like has been said before; If they want it, they will get it. With the starter interlock, it seems that it's most likely that they will have to tow your car. Has anyone actually confirmed a stolen MINI without having a key?

Needing the key means that they first break into your house, or mug you But it does also mean that steering locks, and the like are mainly a visual deterant, because if you can't start the car, you don't need to steer.

So if they can't start it without your key, you're pretty safe from someone driving away. Now you have to decide if you can prevent someone from vandalism, since you can't prevent them from towing it without some cool anchor device (which would be fun to design!)

Since I live in a pretty low crime area I don't worry to much about it, if I lived somewhere else it might be something I would have to change my mind about.

 

Interesting. Thanks ALL.

The first one has no price. It can stay permently down there PLUS add a padlock! Sounds interesting but I would like to see it. I might look into it but limited cars ... Thai company selling out of switzerland?

Second one seems a bit easier in that it pulls up. The problem with the second one is you got to put it somewhere when not using it while the first one stays on the floor. Also more access to the pedal itself to be cut.

Interesting in that they are more complex. The original one I was talking about was far more simple ... two bars held together buy to bolts. Swing away a bar to slide on between brake and clutch, swing back and lock

Yes trunkmonkey rocks