Alarm

[rlegrant]

The alarm for my Z4 is $250. The dealer wants another $250 to put it in.

I'm probably taking way too much for granted here, but even if someone cut the top to get in (without an alarm) they can't use the radio, the car won't start and it can't be moved.

Am I missing something important, or is $500 a lot to pay for something that makes a loud noise?

 

[wileycoyote]

Here's my philosophy: I don't worry about my Z being stolen. Allegedly, it's hard to hotwire. A few years ago I shared a garage in a condo with my neighbor. Someone broke in and stole his POS mini-van and left my Z untouched (didn't even ding my doors). Weather permiting, I park with the windows down a few inches and never lock any compartments except the trunk, where I store anything of value. This allows anyone who really wants to rifle through my car access without cutting the top, or breaking things. If they want a small flashlight, tire presure gauge, etc., they can have it, so long as they don't scratch or damage my car.

 

[Bear6360]

Here's my philosophy: I don't worry about my Z being stolen. Allegedly, it's hard to hotwire. A few years ago I shared a garage in a condo with my neighbor. Someone broke in and stole his POS mini-van and left my Z untouched (didn't even ding my doors). Weather permiting, I park with the windows down a few inches and never lock any compartments except the trunk, where I store anything of value. This allows anyone who really wants to rifle through my car access without cutting the top, or breaking things. If they want a small flashlight, tire presure gauge, etc., they can have it, so long as they don't scratch or damage my car.

Great theory! I'd start doing that if I weren't putting in all after market speakers....

 

[Big Daddy]

Besides auto alarms are overrated. No police officer that I know of gives a hoot about them and in-fact most find them annoying. Most alarms give a false sense of security and false alarms.

 

[epj3]

Besides auto alarms are overrated. No police officer that I know of gives a hoot about them and in-fact most find them annoying. Most alarms give a false sense of security and false alarms.

I've seen police go after bmw and mercedes car alarms. They have a very distinct sound, and why wouldnt the police try to save a car they know is worth a lot of money? They dont care about the 5,000 dollar cars with aftermarket crapalarms that go off when you burp near them...bmw car alarms do not seem to be as sensitive to bumps/sounds -- but to broken windows or other stuff of that nature.

 

[Big Daddy]

Having spend more than 20 years working in the field of law, very closely with police officers, and subscribing to many police journals, no police officer I know gives a hoot about them, regardless of what car they are on. It is not about "saving" a car, the police are interested in the arrest. Burglarizing a new Z8 is no more a crime in the eyes of the law than burglarizing a Ford Tarus.

Having owned five BMW's and still owning three, all with factory alarms, I find that they are prone to false alarms and not very accurate. Sorry but I am not aware of any "distinct sound" made by a BMW alarm. My 98 M roadster honks the horn, hard to tell that horn from anyother. My 91 381is honks the horn, maybe a little deeper sound than the 318. I have to admit the 750il alarm has never given a false alarm, come to think about it I have never heard it.

 

[epj3]

Having spend more than 20 years working in the field of law, very closely with police officers, and subscribing to many police journals, no police officer I know gives a hoot about them, regardless of what car they are on. It is not about "saving" a car, the police are interested in the arrest. Burglarizing a new Z8 is no more a crime in the eyes of the law than burglarizing a Ford Tarus.

Having owned five BMW's and still owning three, all with factory alarms, I find that they are prone to false alarms and not very accurate. Sorry but I am not aware of any "distinct sound" made by a BMW alarm. My 98 M roadster honks the horn, hard to tell that horn from anyother. My 91 381is honks the horn, maybe a little deeper sound than the 318. I have to admit the 750il alarm has never given a false alarm, come to think about it I have never heard it.

Hm, maybe i'm thinking of the e46 alarms? They have a chirping sound. I see what you are saying though. Fortunately with some newer cars, they can be tracked down if they have the correct navigation system or a tracking device -- though I've never heard of anybody actually using that to find their car.

 

[Big Daddy]

You are correct on the newer cars and yes a "LoJack" or similar device can be tracked. I know of a few recoveries using those devices.

 

[Wadula]

with me it is that far that i don´t even turn around anymore when an alarm goes off. they go off every 5 minutes anyway, so why should this particular one be different the the 150 before? naaah....the best alarm is a german sheppard or other kind of nice dog in the car. a rattle snake will work, too....

 

[Big Daddy]

I like the rattlesnake idea! A friend of mine, non-BMW owner, who has a very nice car has a digital camera mounted on a camera bar and turns it on when he parks for short periods of time. He has never caught anything other than lookers checking out his car, and he caught a lovers spat in the parking stall in front of him once. It was pretty funny

 

[bonzo]

Big Daddy that's a pretty good idea. Camara in the car. I wonder how often I would actually check it though (assuming digital camara). I'm lazy when it comes to things like that. Factory alarm for my 98 M Z3 is plenty good enough for me!!

 

[bmw4life13]

i almost had my car stolen this past weekend. as i was walking out of the movie theater i noticed some creep trying to break into my car. luckily nothing came out of it but i do know that if i had come out a few minutes later my bimmer would have been stolen. i seriously doubt any alarm would have stopped him or any other determined thief to steal a car. just my thoughts on this topic.

 

[Big Daddy]

You are too correct. It is like anything else, if a burglar wants something bad enough they will get it. Alarms only slow the crooks down at best, they do not stop them. If you have a newer BMW with the coded key you have some of the best anti-theft technology available. I would get the club thing that also locks the brake on, I have heard that it is good.