A good friend of mine is a cop in the Newark area. He told me the HIDs getting stolen is like an epidemic. What he recommends people with Maximas do is always park with the front of your car facing the lane of traffic. That way it would be alot more risky for the thief. Mind you it only takes a few moments to do it but I wouldn't try it if I was a thief.

Just a bit of advice given by friendly law inforcement. ;]

 

Do you mean park the car with the lights in the direction of oncoming traffic?? Isn't that illegal. I have seen people get tickets doing that.

 

No. Just think of parking spaces all next to each other. When you look at the cars parked there standing from directly behind them you see there license plates. Park with the FRONT of your car facing out.

 

ahh.. I see now. Thanks for clarifying. After listening to all these HID theft stories I wish I had not bought the 2k1 :-(

 

Back into parking spaces

 

??????????? 2k1 doesnt have HID. u do a swap or something instead?

 

I have some advice, Stay away from New Jersey!

 

guess what, these thiefs are goin into peoples driveway's, parking lots, etc...if they want your lights they will get them regardless of how and where u park.

 

I did not know it did not so pardon my ignorance. With all the threads here I kinda assumed.

 

thats exactly what this forum is for i've learned so much by just reading about peoples problems and ideas with their car. welcome to the .org

 

When I park in lots, I put the nose in where you can't see it. I have black SE tails so I'm hoping theives will walk past, thinking it's a 2000-2001.

 

i generally try to park my car w/ the front end as close (if not touching) to the wall. my rational is to not give enough room for thieves to have access to the front of the car; i also have an after market alarm. hopefully they'll move on to an "easier target".

 

I'd just put a police badge on the dash with a note that says "I have a 12-gauge shotgun and a license to use it. Still want my HIDs?"

 

If they want the lights, they're gonna get it regardless of how your parked

 

I got an idea... maybe it wont work but it will be a pain for the thieves... Buy the car cover... take it to a place in which they car adda piece of metal to the front of the car...when the thieves comes they will have to lifet the cover to get the HID's if they want them.. I don't know.. stupid maybe but it is something, I think

 

If its gonna happen, its gonna happen...

 

Just make your ish wait in the car

 

Believe it or not They still will take it.

 

Ive heard stories where people break into a private garage where maximas park just to steal hid's. Thats why you see so many 02-03 maximas with 00-01 headlights.

 

Move to California, like I did. No HID theft problems here.

 

Thats the smart thing to do just put headlights from 00-01. and u will not have a headache, if u live in NY or NJ area. thats what I wanna do.

 

I hated my 00 headlights. Had a 93 before buying the 00, and felt the lights were a step down in a few different ways (lousy beam spread in the 00, no more cornering halogens either!!)

I haven't heard of any HIDs stolen in Mass. but I think I saw a 5th gen with no lights earlier this year on the road.

 

Can't say there's a problem of HID theft where I'm at now but I will be moving back
Home to Staten Island which I'm assuming HID's are getting taken from there too.
Thanks (MisterLuisito) for the Advice I'll try everything and anything but i refuse to get rid of my HIDs.

 

Do ya really think they're gonna stop and try to figure out whether those lights are HIDs or not? If your car is a 02-03, they're gonna try to jack the lights regardless, unless they saw you pull in with your lights on, even then, some of these guys might not be smart enough to notice that. I say even with 00-01 lights, the cars are still gonna be targets...

Another thing I realized is our Auto headlight setting leaves the lights on for a long time after the engine is turned off... so maybe to attract less attention, it'd be better to swtich your headlights off manually as soon as you've parked...

 

that's what i've been saying. one thread someone is selling their HIDs to convert. no one believed me some thieves wouldn't know any better.
you may be able to change the timing of when your lights turn off. With 04 everything's a lot easier, but i think you can change yours somehow too. Mine shut off when I close my door.
I would at least add an extra alram led if not complete alarm (with motion sensor) to deter theives along with displaying Datadot sticker. I saw VIN kits online for car parts, maybe but that on the ballasts and display that sticker too. I got my windows done for free (state police), may buy the online kit too.
Is it required to remove headlight assembly to change bulbs? If not I would somehow caulk or seal them better.

I guess you could also buy a car cover with lock, but they could just cut it up if they know it's a Max. If only we could have electrocuting alrams.

 

Exactly... you guys overestimate these thieves... but hey, go ahead with the switch... then park your car in NJ somewhere and let us know what happens then... mabe then you'll prove us wrong... even then, getting your lights jacked is just being in the wrong place at the wrong time... I'm sure there are people in NY/NJ who street park and still have their HIDs.. there are too many factors in this equation to come up with anything conclusive...

... which is why we should spend a little less time bickering over this because we're not really learning anything more out of all these discussions now...

Can't believe I even posted here again... .. talk about procrastination...

 

Same here...and I thought I was the only one to do that. lol

 

These "thieves" are regular ppl, like you and me. Some are brighter than others. Some are friends of friends, maybe ppl you went to highschool with, others are checking your groceries at the grocery store, changing your oil, helping you with your movie purchase from blockbuster, serving your food, hell, some may live in your sub or apartment complex. These are not bumbling idiots (well, some of them are... ) but if they're into taking Max HID's....well, they're probably gonna take a walk around the car and see what's up. I think just parking the nose into the wall (oh, and btw, they can still get your lights, parked against a wall or not, they'll just go from the fender side ) or away from traffic is not gonna deter them. If you discovered that you can find $400-600 dollars bundled up for you every time you looked in certain buildings, don't you think you'd look? Everytime? Same idea, with a minimal amount of work involved. They know what cars to look for, and I'm sure alot of them can tell the difference between the two cars, and those that are half 5th gen, and half 5.5th gen. Don't think that they're not onto you changing tails to try and fool them, I'm sure those with the HIDs and older tails have still gotten jacked, as well as those with the 00-01 Maxes and swapped HID headlights. You guys are underestimating them, thinking they will be fooled simply by changing taillights. If they want them, they're gonna take 'em. If you don't want them to take it, either devise some cool alarm, or keep it under lock and key until it all blows over. I never feel completely safe even here in the upper midwest and always check my headlights when I come back to my car. Why do I deal with such a headache? Cause I like the car and don't wanna lose my *tail* financially on trying to get rid of it. Out of one headache into another, no thank you.