[norcal5.7]

Just wanted to hear some of your opinions on the LoJack system. Anybody do it or not and why/why not? Cost is $695 at dealer.

 

[Stripped Honda]

Well I say don't waste your money why you ask? Well the tundra isn't a big theft target and here is my personal reaason I will never buy another lojack unit ... I always find the units in easy to find locations when I am working on customers cars and the biggest reason is that 2 1/2 weeks ago my civic si was stolen and they still haven't found it ... lojack was notified right away and still no recovery .... I wasted 700 bucks buy it if you want to but I won't make this mistake again

 

[walterj7]

[FONT=&quot]

Well I say don't waste your money why you ask? Well the tundra isn't a big theft target and here is my personal reason I will never buy another LoJack unit ... I always find the units in easy to find locations when I am working on customers cars and the biggest reason is that 2 1/2 weeks ago my civic si was stolen and they still haven't found it ... LoJack was notified right away and still no recovery .... I wasted 700 bucks buy it if you want to but I won't make this mistake again

Well my dealer said that they had 12 Stolen Toyota trucks in the last couple of months. Also LoJack $5,000 if not found in 30 days guarantee. So you should be getting a check in 1 1/2 weeks!

Also my insurance company gives a 10% discount for LoJack devices etc.

So maybe it's an expensive upgrade, but darn it I love my truck and want to be able to find it if I loose it... [/FONT]

 

[lmychajluk]

I think I'm going to skip Lojack in my next car/truck. My current car was stolen once, and Lojack had no part in it being found. Also, after 3 years, they recommend you 'test' the system, for which you have to pay them. When I called to have this done, they asked me where the car was... I said to them "Why can't you tell ME where the car is!?!?!".

 

[tundrahq]

LoJack is better than a lot of systems, but there are some GPS based setups that allow you to track the vehicle online as well as find out how fast it's been going, where it's been, etc. Nice if you've got a young driver in the house.

If you do decide to get it, you might be able to negotiate the price. I'm not sure what it costs now, but about 2 years ago dealer cost was $400. I doubt it's changed that much, so I would try to get a couple hundred off.

 

[Cali Cajun]

if your deductible is $500 then the lojack will pay for itself if your truck is stolen. Plus at 10% discount on your insurance, how long will it pay for itself if you get it? Or you could buy an alarm that no one pays any attention to...I say buy it just like any other insurance.

 

[jliltd]

I think a kill switch would be the way to go.

We had a GPS tracking system on all our construction vehicles. We're on the border with Mexico and it's super easy for theives to steal a car and be on the other side before you know it happened.

We had an F-250 stolen out of a shopping-center parking lot about 6 months ago and were able to see it's progress accross the border into Mexico in "real time". We knew the exact location via GPS coordinates. Called the local DOT and they contacted Mexican authorities. When the Federales found the truck all the tools and equipment were still in the back (verified by an employee who went along). The Federales confiscated it. It took 3 months to get it back from the Federales and had some of the items that were recovered in the initial operation missing. The Fedrales are almost as bad as theives in Mexico. Plus it had jacked-up locks and ignition with a few dings. And we were down 1 truck for 3 months. Our insurance company would not give us a discount for aiding in the effort to recover the vehicle and equipment. So we have decided if it happens again we'll just stay quiet let the insurance buy us another truck and go about our business.

So how about a kill switch? About the only deffinitive thing that works around here are hidden kill switches. Usually two in two different locations. Has anybody done that on the Tundra?

 

[dsrtrcr01]

I got it. You know why? The cost of it raised my monthly payments by something like $10. My insurance company gives me somewhere around a $50 a month discount for having it. So I save $40 a month.

Close to the border you will not get it back. When the chp copter flies close to the border the lojack alarms go crazy but they can not go into Mexico and get your car. BUT I still save a NET $40 a month.

My decision was based on the fact that it saved me $. I do not want it back if it is stolen. I have received a few back and they just are not worth getting back.

 

[MYGRNTRUK]

as long as you get a good deal on it....go for it. my dealer sold me LowJack and 72 month extended warranty for $895. of course i had to negotiate that price. i've never had a LowJack before. but if it helps me sleep better at night, then i can't really put a price on it. :tu:

 

[96T100]

the tundra has an immobiliser key. can't start if you don't have the key. i haven't seen or heard anyone starting the truck without an imobiliser key. theives may break in and steal something inside the truck but can't start it and drive away but they can tow it away. if you do get lojack, make sure it's well hidden. all you have to do is cut the antenna wire on the lojack and they can't find it or remove the black box and throw it in the dumpster.

 

[jliltd]

Theives have countered the immobilizer keys here on the border. There was a good documentary about this on Court TV about two weeks ago. Theives use a laptop computer to interfere with the onboard computer and get a start-up and code copy the smart keys. A huge multi-national theft ring headquartered in Canada went for years targeting high-end sports cars in the US and Canada with the latest in smart key encryption immobilizer technology.

On a more personal level a local fellow owed us some money a year and a half ago and gave us a 2005 BMW X5 SUV as partial payment. BMW's are known for their smart key immobilizer technology. Everything was fine and we even registered it. Lo and behold I take it to the local BMW dealer for warranty work and something was amiss. BMW dealers read all the vehicle information off the smart key before they even go out and look at the vehicle. The key worked in the vehicle but it had a different VIN encoding come up on the dealer computer than the physical numbers found on the SUV. Come to find it had been stolen in NJ and shipped to TX with new VIN numbers attached belonging to a BMW in FL. It was the FL VIN we had registered it with and since the states don't really cross-check each other's databases nobody would have known unless the truck ended up in FL (unlikely). However, the smart immobilizer key did give an idication that there was a VIN problem at the dealership so I immediately called the local PD and they sent their experts out. Sure enough all the VINs on the vehicle had been changed very professionally (even the engine block and shock tower mount stamped numbers). I got screwed by the fellow who gave us the car and learned a lot about smart immobilizer keys in the process.

I still vote for a hidden kill switch.

 

[Eddie]

If you decide on Lojack,ask for the Early Warning System upgrade. LoJack - LoJack FAQ's

 

[hbonney]

Just make sure your local law enforcement has lojack equipment....I work for Phoenix PD and we have very good success with it. Even our air units have them, and there usually are several lojack equipped patrol cars per shift....remember, they are not activated until you make out a stolen vehicle report. Lojack now has Early Warning (for extra cost) that calls your cell phone if someone moves your car without authorization. This does not prevent stolen vehicles, but cuts down on the time between when it was stolen and when you make the report (and activate lojack).