Most stolen car? Do I need an alarm?

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friendly_prawn, Jul 25, 11:44am
Subaru Legacy among the most cars stolen list.
I just bought a 2005 Subaru Outback 3L , and its regularly parked on the road.
Im wondering how, easy are these to pinch? Just wondering if there is a need to invest in an alarm or at least bump my 3rd party insurance up to fire and theft as well. How easy are the Outback's to pinch? My understanding is if you dont have the right transponder it will never start anyway. Any thoughts?

sw20, Jul 25, 11:50am
I wouldn't bother, but I would have at least full cover. Surely it's only a few hundred bucks a year?

Certainly save you hassle when self insured Miss 19 rear ends you at the lights while on her phone.

kazbanz, Jul 25, 11:58am
Prawny--I WOULD get a decent alarm. You are kinda asking for it to be broken into

friendly_prawn, Jul 25, 12:01pm
30 odd years, only ever had one car broken in to. And that was right underneath my window. Never had a car stolen.

In this case, the cars only parked on the roadside in broad day light hours

But yeah was wondering if Im pushing my luck.

lyingnun, Jul 25, 12:06pm
SO many cars are getting stolen. I would weigh up how inconvenient it would be if your car was stolen. I think an alarm is a good idea and surely worth investing in if your car is not garaged when not in use.

gusthe1, Jul 25, 12:45pm
Are Legacies or Outbacks still on the most stolen list. I know foresters and imprezas are.

meow_mix, Jul 25, 1:30pm
Like the earlier Legacys and Outbacks, the 2005 models have frameless windows. It's easy to break into the car, just pull the glass back a bit and use a coathanger to open the door from the inside. The Legacy/Outback was one of the last cars to have windows like these, newer models have the frames around the windows. I would definitely invest in a good alarm and immobilizer.

socram, Jul 26, 4:17am
Buy British. No one ever steals them in NZ! (Except for race cars that is.)

I have always fitted a hidden switch either to the coil or the fuel pump (or both) on older cars. Given that the cars aren't valuable enough to be targeted by someone with a truck/trailer, more than adequate. I don't even bother locking some of them when parked in the street on the basis I'd rather they got in without smashing a window and there is nothing inside to nick anyway.

I'm not sure how easy Subarus are to steal, but when I was working in Grey Lynn, a few years back, one was stolen from our car park under the building, day time.

2sheddies, Jul 26, 7:57am
Now that you've gone and jinxed it, get an alarm fitted.

friendly_prawn, Jul 26, 9:15am
taking your guys advice and getting one fitted.
Is a basic alarm ok? I have a star rated alarm on my other car and I dislike it. If you dont turn the key fast enough, you have to push another button to start the car.

Basic alarm has an imobilser and a shock sensor. Just wondering what you guys got fitted?

meow_mix, Jul 26, 11:39am
I have an AVS S5 alarm on my Legacy. I bought and had it installed in 2010. Thankfully no one has tried to steal it. The alarm has a triple immobilizer, glass break sensor, all black wiring etc. AVS make good and affordable alarms.

vickyh1, Jul 26, 12:16pm
Anything you can do to make it harder to steal than the next guy's is worth it. Ultimately if they really want it, they'll haul it away on a truck and if they can't get it running they'll part it out.

bill-robinson, Jul 26, 1:50pm
ask your insurance co for advice and discount

mikaerewebb, Jul 26, 1:52pm
Thieves will target a car without an alarm

supernova2, Jul 26, 4:07pm
And how do they know which car has the alarm? Some thieves see alarms as a challenge to their skills.

friendly_prawn, Jul 27, 1:06pm
Interesting chat with insurance Co. They said they don't care if it's a alarmed or not. Discount is given if it has an immobilizer. I said mines built in. They said that's all they need for a discount on insurance.

hoadyas1, Jul 30, 1:48pm
thieves love them because they are really easy to steal gone in 60 seconds

framtech, Jul 31, 1:16am
Don't live in south Auckland for a start and don't buy a subaru, There are better cars out there, subaroo have not been fast in WRC for years.

bill-robinson, Jul 31, 2:25am
I missed the bit abour rallying his legacy,where was that?

gusthe1, Jul 31, 2:31am
Not surprising considering they pulled out in 2008

cjohnw, Jul 31, 4:53am
Surprisingly, the worst areas are more central to the city and west. Round MtAlbert, Sandringham and even Mt Eden are not very secure, because a lot of homes do not have of-street parking. Heaps of cars are stolen each year from the large shopping mall carparks like St Lukes and Sylvia Park.
Not saying South Auckland is not affected it just seems most of Auckland is subjected to these lowlifes, and sometimes the more affluent areas have cars broken into just in search of valuables.
Not much is safe these days. We have a police person in the family.

kazbanz, Jul 31, 5:10am
prawny-i could pedal any type/brand of alarm. Mongoose, uniden, toad etc. But without hesitation I push AVS alarms.
They aint the cheapest but IMO they are by a country mile the best
1) the remotes are waterproof. -Personal experience-ive swum for over an hour with the remote and key in my pocket and it worked perfectly.
2) if a remote gets stolen /lost Its really easy to make contact and get a replacement remote-and when you get the replacement the car/remotes get the code rolled so the lost remote becomes useless. -Unless you recode it again.
3)pretty darn easy to use.

friendly_prawn, Jul 31, 8:57am
The think I hate about AVS is the imobilisor that comes built in to them. Take too long to start your car and you have to go fumbling around for the remote to push another button.

Mongoose apparently dont have that option. Also I have just had it explained to me that AVS adhere to an Aussy standard where they have to keep the decibels down in their alarms. Mongoose are a far louder siren.

Reasons Im going with Mongoose.

friendly_prawn, Jul 31, 8:58am
cheers mate, see my post above. Going with a Mongoose.

golfdiver, Nov 5, 1:51am
How much is a 13 year old Subie actually worth?