lojack review/rant

[jonko]

So I got lojack installed on my bike a couple weeks ago. Just wanted to let others know about my experience. I paid $900 for it with early warning feature. It basically makes lojack a bike alarm which pages/emails you if your bike is moved. I tested it yesterday, and the warning came about 11 minutes after I moved the bike.

So the good:
early warning essentially gives you a bike alarm
only system where the police with actively look for your bike if stolen
no monthly fees

Bad:
The lojack unit is in a blindingly obvious place. The lojack battery leads are connected directly into the battery and not spliced from somewhere on the harness. As far as I am concerned, the lojack line about hiding the unit is complete BS.
Too expensive, especially considering they quoted me something like 3 hours for installation. There is no way the installation took more than 1 hour.

So basically, lojack functions as expected, but I was quite disappointed in the installation/"hiding" of the unit itself. Just wondering if anyone has a similar experience. Basically, if I had to do it over again, I not sure that I would...

Jon

 

[Carlo]

So I got lojack installed on my bike a couple weeks ago. Just wanted to let others know about my experience. I paid $900 for it with early warning feature. It basically makes lojack a bike alarm which pages/emails you if your bike is moved. I tested it yesterday, and the warning came about 11 minutes after I moved the bike.

So the good:
early warning essentially gives you a bike alarm
only system where the police with actively look for your bike if stolen
no monthly fees

Bad:
The lojack unit is in a blindingly obvious place. The lojack battery leads are connected directly into the battery and not spliced from somewhere on the harness. As far as I am concerned, the lojack line about hiding the unit is complete BS.
Too expensive, especially considering they quoted me something like 3 hours for installation. There is no way the installation took more than 1 hour.

So basically, lojack functions as expected, but I was quite disappointed in the installation/"hiding" of the unit itself. Just wondering if anyone has a similar experience. Basically, if I had to do it over again, I not sure that I would...

Jon

I'd just remount it myself in a more hidden location. Gotta be somewhere it could go. Tap into the fuse box for power?

It's a shame they couldn't have done a better job, but with some ingenuity, it ought to be possible to improve on how they did it.

 

[AkatomboRR]

how far did you have to move your bike before it went off?
I moved my bike for about 10 feet without the dongle and i never got any sms or call or email.

 

[jonko]

AkatomboR6, I actually just started riding it, so I can't tell you how far it had to move, or how much I had to shake it...

Carlo, I'm thinking about doing that, but just feel a bit ripped off for the price I paid. I don't understand why there isn't a option for self-installation.

 

[islemann]

I think you got ripped on the installation. The LoJack that I had in my Galant VR4 was damn near impossible for ME to find and I knew it was there.

As others have suggested - re-install it in a manner that makes it much less obvious.

As to the function with Dongles and moving 10ft etc - I dunno. My LoJack experience was 14 yrs ago and they didn't offer anything except the standard 'activated by LoJack on report of theft' type device.

JMHO.

 

[aram]

Ideally I would think they would install a small backup battery for the unit because if I were a bike/car thief I would disconnect the battery a soon as I got the vehicle. Directly to the battery seems like a very poor install.

 

[nweaver]

Who did you have it installed BY? Lojack might want to know that their dealer is not doing a good job about hiding the sucker.

 

[bunnygoat]

He said Dongle...

 

[crank1000]

Who did you have it installed BY? Lojack might want to know that their dealer is not doing a good job about hiding the sucker.

Dealerships don't install lojak (with a few exceptions). Almost all of the lojak installs are contracted to lojak techs. I know one of them, and he does a damn good job, but from what I hear, he's quite a bit above the rest as far as installation competence. And from what I understand, there is a backup battery, but it only lasts I think 24 hours after the main lead is disconnected.

 

[sifr]

Contact Ken Medeiros, the QA manager for this region. kmedeiros (at) lojack.com.

Sounds like you got a bum install.

He'll probably come out, inspect the installation, and either fix it or make sure the people who didn't do it right make good.

 

[davester]

Who did you have it installed BY? Lojack might want to know that their dealer is not doing a good job about hiding the sucker.

Ditto. I had a quality assurance inspection done by Lojack, and they found the dealer installed it in the wrong (easy to find) place, so they reinstalled it in the proper place for me for free. Worth lookin in to.

 

[JPM]

Contact Lojack support directly (Not where you had it installed). The unit should not be easy to locate and Lojack will make it right

 

[Gunzen]

so if your bike is stolen, and they disconnect the battery, then there is no backup at all?

wow a thief would have to be pretty dumb not to steal it, get around the corner and just disconnect the battery till they strip it.:cool

 

[sifr]

so if your bike is stolen, and they disconnect the battery, then there is no backup at all?

wow a thief would have to be pretty dumb not to steal it, get around the corner and just disconnect the battery till they strip it.:cool

Yes, there is a backup battery.

 

[jonko]

Just wanted to follow up on this thread. So I did end up complaining about the obvious lojack placement. (It was right under the tank btw...) I called lojack directly, and they said they could not do anything and I should talk to the shop instead.

When I called the shop, they gave me a sob story of how few places it could be hidden, how the lojack rep knew that and how they couldn't do anything about it. Well, I asked to get the contact info of the lojack rep. He said he would get back to me. He called back and said he talked to the rep and the tech, and they had this great idea of where it could go and how crazy and hard it was going to be to install. Honestly, it sounded like BS. Well, long story short, they took care of me and reinstalled the lojack. Haven't done any work on the bike yet, so fingers crossed that it'll be well hidden this time. I'm somewhat satisfied, but not really happy that they couldn't do it right the first time.

 

[Traq]

Why the hell would anyone ever want their bike back after it was stolen? I would pray that shit was never found until after I cashed the insurance check! :laughing

 

[jonko]

Honestly, I'd like to catch the thieving f@#$kers. Don't you? Plus, with the early warning, you get a chance to get it back before they mess it up. Plus, from what I understand, thieves often now steal bikes then leave it somewhere to "cool off". Lojack gives you a chance to recover it then. Plus, I actually feel attachment to my bike. I'd rather have a bike slightly messed up than the market value for it. Plus, you get a chance to actually break up theft rings. Lojack helps everyone.

To everyone that says good comprehensive insurance is better than any theft deterrent device, don't you realize that theft claims by others makes *your* rates go up? Perhaps insurance would be cheaper if people gave a crap about stopping theft...

 

[PhaTeLeSS]

So I got lojack installed on my bike a couple weeks ago. Just wanted to let others know about my experience. I paid $900 for it with early warning feature. It basically makes lojack a bike alarm which pages/emails you if your bike is moved. I tested it yesterday, and the warning came about 11 minutes after I moved the bike.

So the good:
early warning essentially gives you a bike alarm
only system where the police with actively look for your bike if stolen
no monthly fees

Bad:
The lojack unit is in a blindingly obvious place. The lojack battery leads are connected directly into the battery and not spliced from somewhere on the harness. As far as I am concerned, the lojack line about hiding the unit is complete BS.
Too expensive, especially considering they quoted me something like 3 hours for installation. There is no way the installation took more than 1 hour.

So basically, lojack functions as expected, but I was quite disappointed in the installation/"hiding" of the unit itself. Just wondering if anyone has a similar experience. Basically, if I had to do it over again, I not sure that I would...

Jon

I would take it back to where you had it installed and insist that they do a better job. If the leads go directly into the battery, a thief could easily disable the lojack unit long before you get the warning on your pager, rendering the entire thing completely useless.

 

[NorCalBusa]

Ideally I would think they would install a small backup battery for the unit because if I were a bike/car thief I would disconnect the battery a soon as I got the vehicle. Directly to the battery seems like a very poor install.

Good idea, but ain't gonna work. Part of the LOJACK "thing" is recovery; the coppers zero in on its Tx signal. Plus, the bad guys may "think" they killed the LOJACK by disconnecting the main battery, all the while the back one is singing for help. A small battery has a higher likelihood of running out of juice before they find/recover it, Taser and beat the shit out of the bad guy. And no one wants them to miss that opportunity.:teeth

 

[SurfAwave69]

To everyone that says good comprehensive insurance is better than any theft deterrent device, don't you realize that theft claims by others makes *your* rates go up? Perhaps insurance would be cheaper if people gave a crap about stopping theft...

HOLY SHIT!! I mean HOLY FUCKING SHIT!! Finally someone sees the BIG PICTURE...!!!

Really, thank you! You have written the truth in laymen's terms!

Some folks don't think things through...the more motorcyclists that keep their bike safe and prevent theft, our insurance rates go down.

Seriously, thank you.