My $8000 Stolen HID Headlight Headache

jtaft · 04-28-2006, 11:20 PM

Hi Everyone,
I recently posted that my 2006 Prius HID headlights were stolen.

That was 3 weeks ago and my Prius is STILL in the garage. The price tag is now at $8000 (YES $8000) between the parts and labor (I pay the $300 deductible). I have accumulated a $580 rental car bill (so far) and I still need to get an extended alarm ($450) installed so that this will not happen again.

The parts were backordered (including a new hood and lights) so that increased the wait.
Get this, they (the Toyota dealership) had to rip my whole dash to put a new wiring harness (goes through the entire car and cost $2500 alone) in since the wire was cut by the headlight thiefs. This in a car that only has 700 miles on it!

This has turned into a nightmare between the auto body not knowing how to work with the hybrid technology and the delayed parts that the dealer ordered.
I will give the auto body credit for fighting for the original factory parts (insurance company estimated way to low) instead of splicing the cut wire and they have done a perfect job at restoring the body but a 3 week wait while gas prices are skyrocketing?!?

The point of this story is protect your Prius headlights expecially if you own a 2006 w/ package 6, 7, or 8!

**Danny** · 04-28-2006, 11:57 PM

Wow, at least it sounds like they are doing all the right things to put your car back together correctly. That really sucks, man.

Link to the original thread:

http://priuschat.com/Prius-HID-Headlamps-S...d33-t18025.html

**Tideland Prius** · 04-29-2006, 02:30 AM

ouch! Sorry to hear that. Yeah, Toyota parts tend to take a while. Heck, my new globebox release button took over a month!

Bill Lumbergh · 04-29-2006, 02:36 AM

Whatever dealership and body shop you're working with, I hope they are using this time wisely. It's fantastic they're only using OEM parts, though it is a bummer about the wire harness. Perhaps Toyota could redesign it slightly so it's not so expensive if it happens in later models? The inclusion of a pair of $2 connectors could save owners thousands.

Best of luck restoring your Prius to like-new condition, and don't settle for any paint job that's less than OEM quality and color match!

cwerdna · 04-29-2006, 05:03 AM

Ouch! To restate, the OP got his HID lights stolen in Quincy, MA. People in certain parts of the US need to be really careful about having HID lights at all. I made a post about it at http://priuschat.com/index.php?s=&showtopi...ndpost&p=236254 (also see the link there). The 02-03 Nissan Maximas were VERY popular HID theft targets since HIDs were standard on all trims of all those model years of Maximas [and easy to steal, could be done w/o even opening the hood]. The stock "alarm" that came w/Maximas was useless.

wakeman84 · 04-29-2006, 12:48 PM

i have been worried bout this also. does anyone have any suggestions as to what type of alarm upgrade to get to preven this from a happening because i know little about alarms. thanks

Mike

Godiva · 04-29-2006, 03:33 PM

Why? Why are these lights being stolen? Aside from putting them in another Prius....what are they good for?

Enclenta · 04-29-2006, 04:08 PM

Hope you get things solved out...

cwerdna · 04-29-2006, 06:30 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Apr 29 2006, 12:33 PM) [snapback]247254[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Why? Why are these lights being stolen? Aside from putting them in another Prius....what are they good for?
[/b]

I'm not sure how usable Prius lights are in other cars, but I'm assuming that the ballast and bulbs (at least from non-Priuses) are usable by other other cars even those of a totally different make. I think there's demand amongst the ricer crowd to put on their Civics and Integras amongst others.

As I mentioned before, 02-03 Maxima headlights new cost >$1300/pair (http://www.courtesyparts.com/Merchan...e=2002HID-PAIR). I don't think some ricers want to pay that kind of price...

priusenvy · 04-29-2006, 07:01 PM

What really sucks is that the thieves caused $8000 in damage so they could steal about $200 of bulbs and ballasts. I doubt any of these parts are going back into another Prius, meaning only the bulbs and ballasts are being reused - they're likely going into some POS riced-out Acura Integra or similar.

04-28-2006, 11:57 PM	#2
Danny Admin/Founder Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 4,441 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #8 Nominated 26 Times in 8 Posts TOTM Awards: 1 Friends: 23	Wow, at least it sounds like they are doing all the right things to put your car back together correctly. That really sucks, man. Link to the original thread: http://priuschat.com/Prius-HID-Headlamps-S...d33-t18025.html __________________ PriusChat Offers Discounts on: Extended Warranty - $990 : Pre-Paid Maintenance - $875 : HeatShield SunShades : BT Tech Stiffening Plate : All other Prius Accessories

04-29-2006, 02:36 AM	#4
Bill Lumbergh OEF/OIF: "We Spy, They Die" Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Persian Gulf Region Posts: 504 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #1 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 1	Whatever dealership and body shop you're working with, I hope they are using this time wisely. It's fantastic they're only using OEM parts, though it is a bummer about the wire harness. Perhaps Toyota could redesign it slightly so it's not so expensive if it happens in later models? The inclusion of a pair of $2 connectors could save owners thousands. Best of luck restoring your Prius to like-new condition, and don't settle for any paint job that's less than OEM quality and color match! __________________

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04-28-2006, 11:20 PM	#1
jtaft Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 13 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Hi Everyone, I recently posted that my 2006 Prius HID headlights were stolen. That was 3 weeks ago and my Prius is STILL in the garage. The price tag is now at $8000 (YES $8000) between the parts and labor (I pay the $300 deductible). I have accumulated a $580 rental car bill (so far) and I still need to get an extended alarm ($450) installed so that this will not happen again. The parts were backordered (including a new hood and lights) so that increased the wait. Get this, they (the Toyota dealership) had to rip my whole dash to put a new wiring harness (goes through the entire car and cost $2500 alone) in since the wire was cut by the headlight thiefs. This in a car that only has 700 miles on it! This has turned into a nightmare between the auto body not knowing how to work with the hybrid technology and the delayed parts that the dealer ordered. I will give the auto body credit for fighting for the original factory parts (insurance company estimated way to low) instead of splicing the cut wire and they have done a perfect job at restoring the body but a 3 week wait while gas prices are skyrocketing?!? The point of this story is protect your Prius headlights expecially if you own a 2006 w/ package 6, 7, or 8!

04-29-2006, 02:30 AM	#3
Tideland Prius Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 13,397 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 11	ouch! Sorry to hear that. Yeah, Toyota parts tend to take a while. Heck, my new globebox release button took over a month!

04-29-2006, 05:03 AM	#5
cwerdna Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,434 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #7 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Ouch! To restate, the OP got his HID lights stolen in Quincy, MA. People in certain parts of the US need to be really careful about having HID lights at all. I made a post about it at http://priuschat.com/index.php?s=&showtopi...ndpost&p=236254 (also see the link there). The 02-03 Nissan Maximas were VERY popular HID theft targets since HIDs were standard on all trims of all those model years of Maximas [and easy to steal, could be done w/o even opening the hood]. The stock "alarm" that came w/Maximas was useless.

04-29-2006, 12:48 PM	#6
wakeman84 Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 41 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	i have been worried bout this also. does anyone have any suggestions as to what type of alarm upgrade to get to preven this from a happening because i know little about alarms. thanks Mike

04-29-2006, 03:33 PM	#7
Godiva AmeriKan Citizen Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 9,024 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #1 Nominated 3 Times in 2 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 5	Why? Why are these lights being stolen? Aside from putting them in another Prius....what are they good for?

04-29-2006, 04:08 PM	#8
Enclenta Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 7 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Hope you get things solved out...

04-29-2006, 07:01 PM	#10
priusenvy Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Silicon Valley, CA Posts: 1,758 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	What really sucks is that the thieves caused $8000 in damage so they could steal about $200 of bulbs and ballasts. I doubt any of these parts are going back into another Prius, meaning only the bulbs and ballasts are being reused - they're likely going into some POS riced-out Acura Integra or similar.