How effective are car alarms for preventing cars being stolen?

Question

I would guess that cars of similar type with car alarms are stolen no more than 5 percent less than cars without alarms. I suppose each of us has to weigh whether the reduced risk is worth the hassle to ourselves and neighbors when, as too often happens, the thing goes off inadvertently. A careful answer should address the fact that expensive cars are both worth more to steal and worth putting up with more hassle.

Answer 1

I have never heard of a single case of someone's car being protected by interested passerbys because of a car alarm. They are annoying and virtually no one pays any attention. Possibly if you were parked in front of your OWN home and heard it go off at 3:30 in the morning YOU would respond but no one else ever does. Sadly.

Answer 2

A car alarm will only deter a rookie thief. I would only invest in one if you are in an area with a very high crime rate. If you have a valuable car I would invest in something that will track the location of the car but not necessarily an alarm, because the alarm won't deter a professional and you just want to aid in the recovery of the car. An alarm or locating device will often give you a deduction in the cost of insurance for a valuable car too.

Answer 3

I use to steal things from cars when I was younger

Answer 4

they are almost useless if the person is a pro or semi pro car thief.
for stopping kids vandals they are ok but even some of them have been around enough bad people to know how to shut one off quickly.
the bar that goes on the steering wheel is good called the club.
if you park your car someplace that you think it is kind of dangerous to park but you have to do it then open the hood
and disconnect a couple of spark plug leads or something equally easy so it wont run or will not go fast.
they wont bother to attempt to repair a car in order to steal it.

Answer 5

The car alarm is completely useless nowaday because everybody is so d@mn tired of hearing the alarm that we simply ignore.

I would recommend the "Low-Jack" from the police station instead.

Answer 6

What they said. But I'd like to add that my insurance company (Progressive) gives me a discount on comprehensive and collision coverage because of my anti theft protection. Take the approach that while it might be ignored, it certainly can't hurt.