This is just a warning to any of you who rely on the factory alarm to protect your Maxima and its contents. I was parked outside a restaurant in a high traffic area for 45 minutes and came back to find someone had torn out the rear driver side window and stolen the stuff in the back seat of my car, including a laptop and 2 bags of brand new clothes. Yeah, I feel really dumb, since that stuff should have been in the trunk, but my trunk is filled with auto parts, a case of motor oil, and a 12" sub. Luckily, the $250 deductible on my renter's insurance covers everything, but I'm still out $200 for the clothes, plus $170 to replace the windshield. Now I have to get that glass re-tinted too, probably another $50.

The moral of the story, the factory alarm didn't even go off and it was broad daylight at 2PM on a sunny day in a well-travelled area (BW3 on Westheimer @ Beltway8 for you Houston folks). The crooks pried up the plastic molding on the B-pillar, then wedged a screwdriver behind the glass and popped it out. I guess that wasn't enough force to set off the alarm. My windows are tinted 35% metallic reflective, but that also didn't help. I'm guessing they were targetting the bags of clothing, then hit the jackpot by finding the laptop underneath it. The cop said they it probably took them 30 seconds to smash and grab and drive off, so an alarm probably wouldn't have mattered.

The sad thing is, I'm just in town for one week before I move to Wyoming. I had the laptop in the car to return to my boss (company laptop). I just signed up with State Farm for renter's insurance last week, so that was a good coincidence (auto insurance policy doesn't cover property stolen from within the car, only stuff bolted to it). Also, I'd been planning to get a nice pager alarm for the past 2 years, but never got around to it.

 

I think the factory alarm works only if you actually open the doors/hood/trunk. If you break the glass and reach in, it won't trigger anything.

Good news is that some have hardwired shock sensors into the factory alarm system.

 

I don't care anymore, this car gets traded in for a WRX STi this summer. Just feels bad being a victim is all. For anyone who plans to keep their Maxima, heed Jeff's words and get a better alarm, add shock sensors to the glass and hood (HIDs), or just never leave anything in the passenger compartment of the car.

 

Sorry to hear you change cars. But damn, that STI should be a monster. Good luck with the new car!

 

It's a tentative plan, because sometimes I see the STi and it looks beautiful, and other times it looks hideous.

But back to the point, I no longer feel safe in my car. I don't even feel comfortable leaving anything in the car at all. I've always felt like my car was a home away from home. Bad mistake. Now I feel completely out in the open and vulnerable, even when I'm just sitting at the light with the windows up.

 

hey tan....sorry to hear this...I know it sucks to pay that deductible ($250 is pretty low IMO). Did you have to pay your company back for the laptop? probably they have insurance for their own equipment....


and you are leaving in the summer. you will have fun with the sti! what's going to happen to the blower? and make sure to drop by here once a while.

 

Hey maxi, my renter's insurance will cover the laptop. My company places the liability on the employees. If you lose a laptop and you're found to be at fault, you have to pay for it. It's become a big problem, so they made this rule a few months ago.

I'm moving to Wyoming this week, but I'm staying in the Nissan family until the summer. The car will be 4 years old then and I'll still owe a year on it. I wanted to finish paying for it in 5 years and keeping it for 7 years, but oh well. I'd trade it in now, but I don't have time to remove all the aftermarket parts to sell them. I'll steadily remove them during the next few months. I plan to sell the SC hopefully by summer.

Seeya,

 

I agree, Tan. So sorry about your car and stuff. Hope you stick around. I really appreciated your info for the Hella install.

Hey!!, just hook those Hella's up to a shock alarm...that'll have those a$$holes ****in' their pants!!!!

 

Don't let it get you down. Based on the facts you stated, it sounds like the bags of clothes were the only things to cause this theft to occur. I don't think it's necessary to spend a lot of money on fancy alarms, because thieves will take what they want. Why waste time on a Maxima when there is better fare out there? Like you said, it was the stuff inside. Put in the the rear seat of a Kia Spectra or a Saturn and the same thing woulda happened. I've parked my 4th gen in the worst areas of NYC, Philly, Boston, Montréal, Jersey City, Baltimore, and DC. Nothing ever happened. Then I parked it in the burbs at a fancy condo and it was hit and run time. Go figure.

 

That car isnt worth all the trouble it is, Too many sensor issues, Subaru is reknown for there sensor problems, its a hassle getting non stock parts also cause of the stupid sensors, if one goes out it actually decreases power, if you install it wrong one by one they all die out and they each cost around 100+, if you have a lot of money and patience go for it, those little $hit$ run High 13's stock, good luck with that car in a long run race though, damn 4wd

 

the sti is definitely a great choice of car. good thing insurance will cover most of it

 

DAMN these theievs.

Just kills me to hear this after being a victim of a $8000 theft job back 4months ago.

So you thinking of changing cars? What about all the work you put into the supercharger? Are you going to return it all to stock and then trade it in?

Dixit

 

Hey no problem about the install info. I'm probably not gonna bother with the aftermarket alarm since I plan to trade in the car soon. Definitely gonna get an aftermarket alarm on the new car.

 

Frank Fontaine: What really sucks is that they were bags of winter clothes that I bought on sale since I'm moving up north and it's still cold there. The sale ended before I could buy everything again, so now I have to buy them full price .

assyrian: shrug, I won't mess with it, so the factory warranty should keep me covered.

95emerald: I still lose about almost $500 and a lot of embarassment with my company and my new insurance agent. I signed up with them last week, and I'm already filing a claim. Sheesh.

BigDog: Man, I apologize because I was critical of you when they stole your stuff. Now I feel like an idiot for giving the theives the chance to do the same thing to me. It's not our faults, it's theirs. F*ck those sons of b*tches. I've wished over and over that they've been killed by now. That'll teach them to f*ck with my sh*t. Sorry, just mad.

I plan to remove all the mods from the car and return the car to stock. I'll sell what I can of the mods, and junk the rest or give them away. It'll be a few months before this starts, so please no one ask for anything just yet.

 

Sorry to her that man

But I'm glad that you already had a policy to cover yourself.

 

Tanman, no disrepect taken. Just ****ed to see that happen. Smash and grab job. Plus the tinted windows helped them by keeping the window in one piece withoiut it shattering all over the place. One down fall to tinting windows, make it much easier to break a window and not have other hears it.

I know have a 2way pager alarm that works from 1/4mile away. So I will know when someone gets in my car, and I wil be out there with a 37" katana sword when it does happen this time. Im cutting their ***** off and feeding it to my dog.

Dixit

 

havemaxwilltravel: thanks, but it's still costing me $500 for this mess, plus a bit of emotional stress and pain.

Bigdog: I'm getting a pager alarm for my next car. I wanted to get it for the Maxima for the past few years, but I'd always end up getting something else for the car like performance stickers. Sigh.

 

first off, that SUCKS.

second, when you leave valuables in plain sight in your car, no alarm is going to deter someone unless it sets them on fire or paralyzes them. My company does not replace laptops that have been stolen from rental cars if the person admits it was in plain sight.

 

That sucks

Get that south african flame-thrower security system.. it's way cool... and look at the bright side; if it ends up being used to protect the car, you'll have loads of hamburger meat to sell - you can only profit!!!

 

security, not only the number one priority for a car but the number one priority in life....i hope u learned your lesson and give that STI the protection it needs...

 

First - Tanman, sorry to hear about the misfortune...

second - I worry more and more lately about the risk I put my car in everyday and hope not to be too optimistic.
I am in the market for an alarm and plan on getting it next before any further toys...I really need to protect what I have and not play it safe...

but I know, that if someone wants something bad enough, no alarm or precaution will help prevent the violation of your property.

 

about how much do one of those pager alarms run?!


eric

PS sorry to hear about the stolen stuff, that sucks!