Lojack buy

After reading about 2 cars being stolen in one week (1 Lotus & 1 GT40) I've convinced myself I need a Lojack. But a call to Lojack Central and I am told I must let some fumble fingered knumbnuts install this thing in MY car.

Is there any way I can get this item and install it myself or is there someone with a dealer contact who is willing to allow the onwer to install his own?

Also are there enough of us willing to step up and buy one so a mass buy would make sense? Or is it just easier to do it one by one?

Lojack buy total count: 1

Mark

Hi Mark,

I believe the list price to be +/- $500. If we can get a bit more reasonable, I'm in.

I'm in also. What about one of us becoming a dealer?

I have had the same idea. Since I can't reply to Stoners stolen car post for some reason I'll add this here. I stamped my social security # where it is easily seen when the back clip is opened. I got my stolen boat back many years ago by doing the same thing to it also. Joe /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Mark,

Lojack's reluctance to allow user installation, is due to their warranty coverage(I asked).
(Money back if your car isn't recovered within 24 hrs.)
A dealer might let you "assist" with installation, so you could keep a close eye on your car.
MSRP is $695

Bill

Count me in on a group buy if someone pursues it.

Lynn

Yes it's $695 unless you want the advanced notification option. For $995 it will call you at a sequence of different telephone numbers if the car is moved. This way you don't have to wait until you come out of the restaurant and find the car missing to call the police.

I haven't purchased one yet, but there are a few other companies selling GPS systems similar to Lojack. Prices look a bit cheaper to purchase. It appears you can install them yourself. There are monthly fees associated with them.

The thing I didn't like about the Lojack solution was somewhat limited coverage areas.
From their website:
"LoJack operates in areas of the country with the greatest population density, highest number of new vehicle sales, and greatest incidents of vehicle theft".

My area, not included.

Here are two alternatives. I haven't exhaustively researched either, but both look interesting.
Click on each to go to their website.


GPS-Thief-Track

and...

Streettrak

Nice find Dave. That's what I love about this site. GPS makes Lojack look like a dinosaur. Street Trak is twice the price but half the subscription rate.

I wonder if the tracking interface is light enough to be used over a web enabled cell phone. You could chase the thief down yourself.

Mark

Don't you need a clear line of site to a satellit to use GPS? If that's the case, a GPS tracker wouldn't work very well for a GT40 that was in a trailer when it was stolen, like Steve Toner's, or for a GT40 that gets stolen and put into a trailer, as seems likely.

Mark,
You are on track about a GPS antenna's reception.
While line of sight isn't mandatory(they will "see" through plywood and fiberglass to a degree) a GPS antenna's position is critical to good signal reception.
A GPS antenna might receive/transmit OK if located under the front clip of a 40, but it's highly unlikely in an aluminum trailer.
Tha brings up an interesting point.
Would Lojack work inside a trailer?


Bill

[ QUOTE ]
You are on track about a GPS antenna's reception.
While line of sight isn't mandatory(they will "see" through plywood and fiberglass to a degree)

[/ QUOTE ]

Tree leaves are also a factor. Driving from my house in July, I'll lose the signal about about a mile from my house. Driving that same route in January (when the leaves are gone) I get a solid signal through that area. I've also lost the signal hiking through a dense forest.

I guess that a tracking setup covers situations where the thief manages to start the car & drive off, or winches it onto an open trailer or truck.

However, if he has managed to hot-wire the car & start it, I suspect that he would have found the alarm/tracker & would have chopped it out or mashed it with a hammer - end of tracking signal !

Likewise, as has been suggested, if the car was winched into an enclosed metal trailer/truck - instant Faraday Cage - end of tracking signal again !

To me, there seem to be 3 scenarios which need to be addressed :

a) Hot-wire & drive away, or tow away on an open trailer. (Alarm/tracker would be ok here, unless it is found & destroyed)

b) Winch into an enclosed metal trailer. (Alarm/tracker may get a signal out before being sealed up in the cage).

c) Car-Jacking - either from home or on the road. (Nothing you can do other than hand the keys over, claim insurance, order a new turnkey car !).

In addition to any alarm/tracker setup, I think that some way of mechanically disabling &/or protecting the car is needed. One of those steel "anti-ram-raid" poles behind the garage door would help prevent a tow-away from the garage when you are not home, but not too practical when parking the car at the local shops !

Any ideas out there on some way of really securely locking the transmission or something ?

Kind Regards,

Peter D.

My RF has a battery cutout that can be reached by putting my arm into the rear intake and removing the key. Will not cover all circumstances but would make hot wiring hard work. Regards

A product was available in South Africa a few years ago and it was brilliant.

When the ignition is turned off a solenoid in the braking system dropped out. Press the brake pedal and lock all 4 wheels.Leave the car and it's almost impossible to move without lifting it.

On return turn on the ignition and with a magnet that was attached to your key fob on a quick release toggle swipe it past a section on the dash/ undeer the seat/ door trim or eslewhere where the switch was fitted to pull the electrics back in to activae the solenoid and you are on your way again.

I had one fitted in a Chev Commodore - parked it in the pits at the local race track and offered the car to anyone who could get it out of the pits - I even handed over the keys and nobody got it moved.

They also did similar "lock on devices" for the clutch and fuel lines.

I do not know how a MOT test station would approach something in the brake lines (in case of system failure - but then the car wil only stop at the rate according to max applied brake pressure) in the UK or the relevant departments in USA / rest of the world but in Southern Africa these worked brillianly

The unit was surprisingly called "Brake Lock"

The closest I could find with a quick search is along these lines http://gmcmotorhomeinfo.com/BRKLOCK.html
but they are using it for a different purpose.

Perhaps this could be exploited

Ian

This might help, it's a good DIY article.
http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_0059/article.html

That was the kind of circut used on the Brake Lock. The only difference was that you did not need to press an activation button, Each and Every time the ignition switch was turned off the read switch opened causing the solenoids in the brake system to be activated. A press on the brake pedal locked them on.

The tell tale LED worked off the brake light circuit and in normal use flashed when the brakes were applied, if you had forgotten to disable the brake lock it stayed on. (if memory served me correctly there was also a bleeper to remind you to turn off the brake lock)

In reality probably not as good as a Tracker / Lojack but damned efficient way at foiling a drive away!

Ian