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Originally Posted by f5fstop
VNV:
From the LoJack coverage page:
"LoJack offers protection in high crime areas in the United States where auto theft is prevalent. LoJack works with local law enforcement agencies to ensure that sufficient coverage is provided in the major crime areas in each state. Coverage may vary due to topography, signal strength, and other environmental considerations. Coverage is subject to limitations in remote areas."
They only cover 27 states, that leaves 23 not covered. Look at their coverage pages and see they only cover a limited number of counties in each of the 27 states they cover.
Also, for LoJack to work, you must notify the police and hope they have the equipment to transmit a turn on signal to the LoJack module. The module is only in a receive mode until the police trigger it. So, you are also reliant on the local police having the equipment, and in working condition.
I'm not saying in Detroit a LoJack is a bad idea, I'm just saying that once outside the counties or states shown on their coverage page, the system is basically as worthless as an onstar system without the fuse.
As for jamming, it is a radio frequency. All radio frequencies can be jammed. Even the GPS signal on Onstar can be blocked.
I had an interesting talk with my insurance agent the other day, since my policy is up for renewal, in regard to alarms and locating devices.
The combined rates (theft, collison, comprehensive, etc.) have an overall reduction with the Viper and PassKey than with Onstar. When I asked how this is, he reply was basically that Onstar as well as any other type of locating device can either be disconnected, jammed, or the police can't use the equipment.
Does not mean this company does not offer a discount for Onstar. I had him check the rates with my Viper versus Onstar. They only give one discount for an alarm system. The Viper gave me a larger discount (not by much...$10.00 a year) over Onstar, but I did not have to reactivate Onstar and spend $149.00 a year to do so.
The Passkey system, prevents the inexperienced thief from stealing the vehicle, add a Viper system and now you have a two-stage starter lockout. A Viper prevents more break-ins than the factory content alarm system; as long as it has an underhood switch.
The factory alarm on most vehicles; including the H3, has no trigger for someone who opens the hood. To open the hood without pulling the inside hood release, takes about 30 seconds. Since most factory alarms have no underhood light (most alarms detect a sudden current draw to trigger), or a switch, if I open the hood, all I have to do is disconnect the battery. I can then break the window, open the door, and help myself to your laptop, phone, radio, GPS, whatever you have in their is now mine; and their is NO alarm.
A correctly installed VIPER or any other type of alarm, will have an underhood trigger switch, that if the alarm is On, and the hood is opened, the alarm will go off. This is usually enough to scare the thief away; not always, but usually. Therefore, your contents are saved.
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