[Fabulist]

All: Since Karma does not have any sort of recovery option in the security system, I am considering having the dealer install a Lojack system for me. I have had Lojacks in my last two cars and it did not create any problems and the "Early Warning" feature that would alert me that the car is being moved via text or email worked perfectly every time. Always amusing to call the body shop working on your car to ask them if they are test driving the car at that moment and have them ask you "How did you know that?"

Anyway, is anyone considering having a Lojack added? Anyone think that there is a risk of messing up the already fragile systems by adding a foreign component? Like to hear everyone's thoughts on this.

-- Fab.

 

[siliconkiwi]

I had LoJack installed today (it'd be nice to receive my actual car, though!). I also had it on my past cars, from my understanding it only needs power from the electrical system, hence I wasn't worried about it affecting other systems. My dealer charged $995 for LoJack

 

[brian]

Is there really any need to install a LoJack on a car like this? I mean nobody is going to be able to hot wire the thing (hell I can't even make it start half the time), and professional car thieves know that you never steal a car that sticks out like a sore thumb - too easy to spot. Thieves like Honda Accords and things like that which nobody notices and that can easily be chop-shopped and sold for parts. The odds of this car being stolen are incredibly remote, and even if it did, so what? Get the insurance money and buy a newer one with all of the kinks worked out of it.

-Brian

 

[SoCalGuy]

Is there really any need to install a LoJack on a car like this? I mean nobody is going to be able to hot wire things thing (hell I can't even make it start half the time), and professional car thieves know that you never steal a car that sticks out like a sore thumb - too easy to spot. Thieves like Honda Accords and things like that which nobody notices and that can easily be chop-shopped and sold for parts. The odds of this car being stolen are incredibly remote, and even if it did, so what? Get the insurance money and buy a newer one with all of the kinks worked out of it.

-Brian

That was my thinking as well.

 

[siliconkiwi]

I did it to prevent stupid joyriders, such as the ones that stole a Lambo from SF last year (that was destined for Guy Fieri, the chef). It took quite a few days to recover that one, despite it being seen on the roads and captured on cameras. For $1k it was worth the piece of mind. Of course, with the number of Karmas that will be out here in The Bay Area/Silicon Valley, it won't be a "rare" car for very long too, so the chances of someone thinking its unique of stolen and noticing it are probably lower than elsewhere. Teslas are a dime a dozen out here...

 

[brian]

How is the world is anyone going to joyride a Karma? They'd have to have a PhD in electrical engineering to pull that off unless you just leave the key in the front seat for them.

-Brian

 

[siliconkiwi]

lots of PhDs in electrical engineering out here!

 

[SoCalGuy]

lots of PhDs in electrical engineering out here!

hahaha touche

 

[kabalah70]

Unless they plan on repainting it and replacing the interior, it will be real difficult for them to not get caught with a Signature Edition as there will only ever be those 100 with that paint and interior, so I think I am fairly safe without a LoJack, minus the joyriding, which I think Brian effectively covered. As for engineers, supposedly Huntsville, AL has the highest concentration of engineers in the US and one of the highest in PhDs.
http://tennessee-valley.org/communities/huntsville/comm_profile.html

 

[Dutch]

No car thief is going to go near a Karma. They won't know how to start it, they must be allergic to anything electric ('range anxiety', they probably won't know it has a range extender) and they will be spotted within 10 secs. No wonder I'm paying less in insurance than for my cheaper A6.

 

[Fabulist]

Is there really any need to install a LoJack on a car like this? I mean nobody is going to be able to hot wire things thing (hell I can't even make it start half the time), and professional car thieves know that you never steal a car that sticks out like a sore thumb - too easy to spot. Thieves like Honda Accords and things like that which nobody notices and that can easily be chop-shopped and sold for parts. The odds of this car being stolen are incredibly remote, and even if it did, so what? Get the insurance money and buy a newer one with all of the kinks worked out of it.

-Brian

That was my thinking as well.

Hot wiring is not the only way to steal a car. The car can also be towed or put on the back of a truck and driven away. Karmas are very distinctive but they are not sold worldwide and it's not too outrageous to imagine rich individuals in countries outside of US not being too fussy with a car's provenance when buying a fancy car not otherwise available intheir country from a shady seller.

--Fab.

 

[SoCalGuy]

Is there really any need to install a LoJack on a car like this? I mean nobody is going to be able to hot wire things thing (hell I can't even make it start half the time), and professional car thieves know that you never steal a car that sticks out like a sore thumb - too easy to spot. Thieves like Honda Accords and things like that which nobody notices and that can easily be chop-shopped and sold for parts. The odds of this car being stolen are incredibly remote, and even if it did, so what? Get the insurance money and buy a newer one with all of the kinks worked out of it.

-Brian

That was my thinking as well.

Hot wiring is not the only way to steal a car. The car can also be towed or put on the back of a truck and driven away. Karmas are very distinctive but they are not sold worldwide and it's not too outrageous to imagine rich individuals in countries outside of US not being too fussy with a car's provenance when buying a fancy car not otherwise available intheir country from a shady seller.

--Fab.

Fab, don't most full coverage insurance polciies insure against stolen cars?

 

[ct-fiskerbuzz]

Hot wiring is not the only way to steal a car. The car can also be towed or put on the back of a truck and driven away. Karmas are very distinctive but they are not sold worldwide and it's not too outrageous to imagine rich individuals in countries outside of US not being too fussy with a car's provenance when buying a fancy car not otherwise available in their country from a shady seller.

--Fab.

Fab, don't most full coverage insurance polciies insure against stolen cars?

Yes, but then you have to wait a long time for the stolen car to not turn up (or, as happened to someone I knew back when I lived near DC, to turn up trashed in DC, but just not quite trashed enough for insurance to replace it...).

On the other hand, I would think thieves smart enough to cart off your car inside a truck and ship it overseas would be smart enough to disable the LoJack too.

 

[siliconkiwi]

Can those of you not Lojacking tell me where you park your Karmas? I may need some spare parts in the future ;-)

 

[Fabulist]

Fab, don't most full coverage insurance polciies insure against stolen cars?

They do, but as we know from personal experience, it's not all that easy to just buy a new Fisker.

-- Fab.

 

[Deep Ocean]

I had a lojack in my Suburban and learned years later that the backup battery on it was dead. I'll let my insurance company find the dang car if someones dumb enough to steal it.