I'm trying to decide if installing an alarm system or Lojack or some other anti-theft device (the Club or what-have-you) would be worthwhile. Has anyone's MINI actually been stolen? Are they that hot on the market? Are they easy to break into without an alarm?

I have seen a lot of people on here post that their car was vandalized, but that can't be helped. But what about broken into or stolen?

 

I haven't heard too much about them being stolen. You might want to talk to your insurance agent and see if he/she can pull data on numbers of them stolen in your area, region, state, or nationwide. May not be too much data out there since the cars have only been on the road a little over a year.

Incidently, a recent report on vehicles stolen put the Cadillac Escalade as the number one stolen vehicle of late.

 

:smile: Nothing has happened to our car personally, but we stopped in at the dealer last week and the Service Tech told us that over the past couple of weeks, 5 cars had been brought in with smashed windows - kids breaking in trying to steal the tachometers!!!
donna@dcmetrominis.org

 

I did see that report on the Escalade being the most stolen car. Funny, because they come stock with all of these anti-theft devices. Cadillac dealers are saying, "oh but that's a good thing because it means our cars are really in demand!" psha.

 

^^^ I found out about that report while standing in a Holiday Inn. The woman in front of me picked up a paper and said; "Oh... the Escalade is the most stolen vehicle" My response of "Ha! Who would want one??" was forming in my mouth when she said; "That's what we have". Oops.

Hijack over.

 

Hehehehehehe.

Insert foot here: -----> ops:

 

in MINI2 there is a MINI got stolen from the garage without the alarm, it is very easy to steal MINI with a flat bed truck. it is light and small. people could just put it on or hook up with a towtrcuk and leave.

Alarm, is definit. Lojack is the problem. i'm getting both. first of all get some discount from the insurance. second it is a one-time insurance.
Lojack does has the disadvantage. it does not work very well if it is in basement or underbuilding garage. the police does have a monitor to trace it, but it does not tell you where it is, it only give you the direction of the car. it is also very hard to trace it when the object is on the move.
Lojack has the early warning system. it is the newest version. it tells you when your car has been moved. but it has a big *** remote whcih i think is stupid and not necessary.

I dont wanna talk about too much about it since nothing is perfect. i'm getting a lojack anyway since i can not afford the early warning!!

PM me for any question. good luck!

 

Since I'm in So Cal Lojack won't help me much - if a car gets stolen, it goes across the border. The border alarm sounds but nobody does anything about it. If it's going to an LA chop shop, they get the job done so fast it's amazing. I had a very nice 280zx stolen from my driveway so I'm rather fatalistic when it comes to car thefts - if they really want it, they're going to get it.

I think we have the rarity and uniqueness of the Mini working in our favor, plus the fact that most people take them to quality dealerships for service. That scares the joy riders and knocks out the black market parts people.

 

Since MINIs are relatively rare, and their parts don't fit other vehicles, there won't be much incentive for the black market parts pirates. I think the only people who might steal the car would be joyriders, so an alarm and the stock immobilizer should do the job quite nicely.

 

alarm, lojack or other system!!???!!

IT just like people use passcode lock for their suitcase when they travel. it only stop the good people, it dont stop the bad people.

I have been to couple of military training with my friends parents. They train the agents how to make a call without the phonecard. where to make the call. and how to open different locks.

It is really simple, it took me 10 minutes to learn it! (i was not suppose to)

Do you think the airport people dont know??? i'm sure 2 out of 3 tranport people in airport knows these stuff. you might even able to look up online to learn it!!

Put a system on my MINI makes me feel better when i leave it out side, when i go into the mall. when i park in the basement parking lot. It might be stolen one day, but if they can by pass all the system i have in the MINI(PROS) what can i do about it.
If you think it makes you feel safer to put a system in. JUST DO IT!