Nice read (sorry for repost if any)

http://www.edmunds.com/car-technolog...y-systems.html

I'm trying to determine if OEM security system is good enough or I really need LoJack? I had my BMW for 6 years with NO security system at all (not even OEM...believe it or not). Also, LoJack is for 3-4 years but I plan to keep my car for a very long time!

Gotta make a decision soon as car will be here in 2 weeks !!

Thanks

 

Theft in sf is pretty rare. I wouldn't worry abt it. The only way to steal a car like modern Porsche would be to put it on a flat bed.

If you live or drive to sketchy places, I would be more worried about vandalism than theft. In which case, an alarm may be a good deterrent.

 

Actually, according to NICB San Francisco is the #6 area for theft in the country.

I work for LoJack and have it on my personal vehicle and am a great believer in it. ESPECIALLY in California. Not sure where you heard the "LoJack is for 3-4 years" but, but that's not true.

Also keep in mind LoJack has at least a 90% recovery rate on cars/trucks and if your vehicle isnt recovered in 24 hours you get your money back.

Email me, I may be able to hook you up if you want to purchase it. Thx.
jaleman (a) lojack.com

 

That stat is for San Fran and Oakland combined, which is like trying to determine the risk of auto theft in Manhattan by looking at all five boroughs (including the Bronx and Queens -- no offense to anyone!).

Anyway, in the highly unlikely case that your P-car were stolen, would you want it back? I'd rather take the insurance money. These cars are awesome but they are totally replaceable if need be.

 

I hear this a lot, but if you think about it, it doesnt hold any water. You dont want your car back? Let me ask you then, what about the loss of your down payment? Insurance deductible? Loss of start up costs (acquisition fee, sales tax, registration fee's, etc) cost of rental car? cost of lease payments until vehicle declared "total loss"? Personal property in the vehicle (gps, money, laptop, ipad, etc.) and cost of lost time like all the inconveniences?

That's potentially $1,000's and $1,000's, but you'll settle for a check the depreciated value of your car from insurance? Doesn't make sense.

 

You are right that there are additional costs to my approach but in the context of a $100k car, they are less significant than a $25k car.

My deductible is $500 and my insurance pays for rental for 60 days (plenty of time to replace a 991). By law in NY, insurance must cover sales tax. Dealer fees and registration are combined less than $500. I am not as familiar with the mechanics of a lease but in an owned vehicle, for a total loss or theft, once it is so declared, the effective date is applied retroactively to when the incident occurred.

So all in that is $1k out of pocket, if you own the car outright. How much does a Lo-jack cost installed?

Lastly, insurance (at least in NY) pays for the cost of replacement, not the value of the lost vehicle.

At the end of the day, I assume most of us wouldn't let even a good friend with no sports car experience drive our 911's, certainly unsupervised, so why would I tolerate a felon behind the wheel of my car... and go out of my way to pay for it?

 

Cool LoJack story. Only one of 13 cars had a LoJack but it led to the recovery of all 13 and broke up a theft ring. http://www.autotheftblog.com/2013/02...to-theft-ring/

 

Does the expression "drive it like you stole it" sound familiar? If they steal it I don't want it back. As a matter of state law insurance companies will pay fair market value less a deductible. If you want an assured replacement value, buy assured value insurance

IMHO LoJack is not a good idea.

... I have heard that the car can be tracked with its factory installed GPS but I have not confirmed that

 

Concur!!!

ChuckJ