My wife has ordered a Prius and would like an alarm. Rather then get the “Package 3” for about $1,500 which includes all sorts of unnecessary items, or the dealer installed alarm for $500, can she go to the local audio dealer and get an alarm installed or are they likely to mess up the electrical system?
Don’t Order Or Install Any Alarm. Save Your Money.
Just go with the standard equipment alarm that comes on cars.
Leaving valuables in a car is never a good idea. Thieves do hundreds and even thousands of dollars worth of damage trying to break into cars, especially amateur criminals. Often there is nothing worth taking, once inside, but the car is demolished. Professional thieves usually just smash a window, grab what they want and go, in seconds, alarm or no alarm.
Leave the car unlocked, after removing valuables. Worried about someone stealing the whole car? Several people posting comments on this site recently pointed out that thieves usually just hoist the whole vehicle up onto a truck and are down the road in a few moments. I don’t think many people would want to steal one of these little Toyotas. When I checked The HLDI site, I found the comprehensive insurance (including theft) for this model Toyota to have a very favorable rating (not high losses). Apparently people have a preference for stealing more desirable and valuable models.
At many (most?) airports, where airplanes have thousnds or tens of thousands of dollars worth of radio and electronic navigation equipment, aircraft are left unlocked in order to mitigate damages, should a thief try his/her luck.
I have seen many cars and aircraft that were locked and then broken into, sitting for days or weeks, unusable while parts are ordered for their repair. I have seen the damage done by amateur thieves sometimes practically destroying a door trying to gain access and then trying another door with the same results, and then destroying a radio while trying to remove it, for example.
Doesn’t the Prius come with some sort of security system?
I would not allow anyone (including a dealer) to alter ANYTHING on a Prius. The electrical system is so complicated on that car you’re asking for trouble.
Besides, alarm systems usually just anger your neighbors by going off when they shouldn’t. Skip the alarm. Lock the car and walk away from it.
They all have “engine immmobilizers” now, I think, so theives are not going to drive it off.
I had a friend with a Jag convertible, and he put signs on it saying “door unlocked” because he was tired of getting the top replaced after it was cut open to steal the radio.
Just don’t leave anything in the car.