my poor 08 prius got broken in...

Unless you have the glass breakage alarm option on the car, there will be no alarm for a broken window.

 

Even if you had the alarm it wouldn't matter. Alarms are a waste of money. All they do is make noise and they do not deter would be thieves. If they want what is inside your car they can do a smash and grab in seconds. Do you think they care if the alarm is wailing? I hate to say it, but when you have four new tires in view it is an invitation to would be thieves. Next time remember the adage out of sight, out of mind. I learned my lesson years ago when I was a teenager.

 

All they have to do is reach in through the broken glass and unlock the door. No alarm will sound. I would be asking your dealer why the glass breakage alarm didn't sound. Does this "most expensive alarm" come with any insurance policy?

 

On an aftermarket alarm the door pin would still trigger regardless of how they opened the door unless the alarm was deactivated by the remote. Does the factory alarm not work this way? Hmm something to try.

 

Sorry about that Gilbert. Hope your insurance will make you whole or close to it. My car was recently vandalized too (but my loss was only about $30).

BTW, you have an especially nice Prius ... Touring Edition, Magnetic Gray, tinted glass, new wheels.

 

Ooh, that's a lousy day. Too bad. Sorry to see that happen to anyone.

It's too bad the alarm doesn't have a glass breakage sensor, or impact sensor. I installed a >$200 aftermarket alarm in my 93 Honda and it comes with not only door alarms but also impact and glass breakage sensors and alarm capabilities.

Yes, people hear car alarms all the time, and they do get mostly ignored. But I think it's impossible to quantify how many times an alarm might keep a theft from happening. If it doesn't happen, you never know it that it might.

I don't know if my car alarm has saved me any grief, I suspect the blinking light on the dash might actually be the best deterent.

For a Prius? Especially because I think they are potentially targeted by idiots, fools, and thieves, I'd want a glass breakage sensor. Once you hear the alarm, the glass has been broken, but at least if you are nearby you can immediately go check it out, and it does put more pressure on anyone vandalizing/stealing from your car.

PS. Last time I was looking at Car Gadgets, I noticed many of the Alarms can and will page you if the alarm is set off. Thus if you are enjoying a dinner, theatre, and your car is parked blocks away in a parking garage, you can immediately start worrying and ruin your whole evening that much quicker. Maybe ignorance is bliss?

 

I hate thieves - scum suckers they are. Sorry to hear they got you. Hopefully your insurance covers everything.

 

What did they do to it for such a low loss?

 

I think its better to not lock my car at all....sorry for your loss

 

They stole the 2 chromed plastic wheel covers from my driver's side wheels:



IMO, the chrome wheel covers look great, but they're inexpensive -- you can get a set of 4 for $60 delivered -- so my loss was only about $30.

 

I'm glad I live in a rural area.
In Lockport near me, they tell people to leave your car unlocked.
If you're dumb enough to even leave pennies on the console the kids will break a window to get it.

 

Geez it's sux to get broken in!On the bright side, at least they didn't grab your MFD....this thing worth some serious bux.

 

Sorry to hear about your break-in.

This happened to a friend of mine last year. He parked his car in a brightly lit spot, in a not-so-nice neighborhood and everyone else pretty much said it's going to get broken into (they all grew up in and around LA and knew a thing or two about keeping a car secure). We're all in the Marine Corps and each of our cars were loaded with gear for a field op the next day. So lo and behold, next morning, the car's broken into and all his gear in the back--stolen.

So nowadays I'm sure to keep my car away from bright light, but not far enough to keep it completely enshrouded in dark.