Anyone have anything to say about the LoJack anti theft system? Thinking about getting it for my incoming Clubman.

Thanks.

 

Fortunately, I haven't had to use it...but I find some comfort in knowing it's there. Apparently, my insurance company does too, as I get a nice discount for having had it installed; even though MINIs aren't on the "high probability of theft" list.


Congrats on your new Clubbie!

 

How much is a nice discount?

 

I had to pull my policy packet real quick to get you an answer.

For having LoJack and a factory alarm, I get a credit of $108.69 every six months through USAA.

One could debate the cost of LoJack and Alarm vs Insurance savings over the life of MINI ownership. In my case, the insurance discounts plus the potential theft deterent of the alarm, along with knowing LoJack is there makes it a good investment in my mind. But that decision is probably as with all things MINI...uniquely individual.

 

That's a pretty good discount. Even if you never recouped the cost of it from the discount, it helps pay for part of it at least. The options I picked had maxed my budget so lojack was something I had to skip.

 

I was thinking of just the LoJack w/o the alarm, any thoughts?

 

You know what... If someone steals my car and uses it to rob a bank or murder someone....I don't want it back!

To me a stolen car is something that has been seriously violated in my mind. Sorry to sound so pessimistic.

If a thieve really wants your car, nothing will stop him. So to me LoJacks and alarms are just a big waste of money... But that's me.

If the car gets stolen and never found or recovered in pieces, I'll be gladly waiting for the settlement check from the insurance to go an order a new one.

 

Yeah, a friend of mine had a very nicely modded (non-Mini) car that was fitted with LoJack, alarms, motion sensors, interior sensors, and garaged and still managed to get it stolen in the daylight while he was home.

The police figure that it was probably parted within an hour or two from when it was stolen. In his case, he had the LoJack because the car had so much body and paint work that the insurance company wouldn't cover the car for the cost of the work he had into it.

 

I get a 20% discount on my insurance from the Lojack/factory alarm ... It gives you piece of mind and the discount will pay off the investment ... can't beat the deal

 

I considered an alarm system and/or LoJack. What stopped me, aside from cost, was the fact that it's pretty hard to steal a MINI, short of hauling it away. Who would have the chip? And if it IS stolen by truck, you still have that problem to some extent. You certainly couldn't get another key without jumping from through hoops with an '07 and up. That leaves stripping. How many of us are going to mod these newer cars as thoroughly as the previous years'? I just don't see it happening. At least mine will be pretty stock...and I'll keep my fingers crossed. Worse comes to worst, I'll include rear fog lights in my reorder.

 

One thing to consider with a LoJack is where you live. Or are thinking of moving to. The local police have to have the equipment installed in the cars to make it work. If you move someplace else, or the bad guys take the car there, and the local police don't have the equipment - worthless. Here's why:

When you call your car in as stolen, a signal out using the pager system (or something similar). This wakes the LoJack in your car up which then starts broadcasting a signal yelling 'here I am!'. If (possibly a big if) an officer drives by and his equipment is on, and he's paying attention to it, it hears the lojack and he knows the car is within about 300 feet or so.