Security System Option

If it's like the older generation systems, it has interior motion detectors and also accelerometers to detect if someone is trying to tow your car.

IMO it's a waste of money, but some people like them. Personally I ignore any car alarms I hear, and think they're a nuisance more than anything else.
 
The car has GPS and you can always find its position in the app. Granted that does nothing if someone smashes a window and steals something inside, but I would think it’s valuable if the vehicle gets stolen.
 
Quiet Mini said:
The car has GPS and you can always find its position in the app.
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I find the GPS locator on the app is not very reliable. Usually, the app shows the car's position as the last time it was locked or shortly after it was driven away. So yesterday, for example, after my wife came home and left the car unlocked in our garage, the app said it was still at work until I locked it. Also, it doesn't show where the car is as it's moving, only if it's stopped and (usually) locked. If it was towed away, would the app show the position as it's moving? Anyone have other experiences with this?

You also get the panic button with the alarm, which might be good if you park in a garage or area that sometimes has few people around.
 
Newkirk said:
You also get the panic button with the alarm, which might be good if you park in a garage or area that sometimes has few people around.
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The way some people I know drive the car should be able to hit a panic button.
 
I didn’t bother with it because as @chrunck says, nobody pays any attention to alarms. Whenever I hear a car alarm going off I think “I wish they’d turn off that bloody alarm!” rather than thinking someone’s trying to steal something. I used to get them fitted to my bikes, but don’t bother now for that reason.
 
Newkirk said:
I find the GPS locator on the app is not very reliable. Usually, the app shows the car's position as the last time it was locked or shortly after it was driven away. So yesterday, for example, after my wife came home and left the car unlocked in our garage, the app said it was still at work until I locked it. Also, it doesn't show where the car is as it's moving, only if it's stopped and (usually) locked. If it was towed away, would the app show the position as it's moving? Anyone have other experiences with this?

You also get the panic button with the alarm, which might be good if you park in a garage or area that sometimes has few people around.
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I never lock my car in the garage and it's always shown it as being home. Though it's possible that plugging it in to charge forces a location update. I don't check it very often though.
 
chrunck said:
I never lock my car in the garage and it's always shown it as being home. Though it's possible that plugging it in to charge forces a location update. I don't check it very often though.
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Yes, charging it forces the car to communicate with the app, so the location is updated. But I usually don't see location unless the car is locked or driven off, and I've definitely never seen it as the car is being driven.
 
Newkirk said:
But I usually don't see location unless the car is locked or driven off, and I've definitely never seen it as the car is being driven.
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True, it's not a real-time tracker. If GPS is on, it seems to send car location every time the car talks to the backend servers. That can be triggered by performing anything on the car like lock/unlock, horn, changing charging settings, etc.

For real-time tracking I'd probably keep an Apple AirTag in the car. One-time $30 for constant tracking is a bargain.
 
The problem is anyone can detect an air tag. But I wonder how likely it is that anyone would ever steal an electric Mini? I’m glad I ordered the security system, since I now live in the highest vehicle crime state in the US.
 
Yes already dealt with that last year. Someone got into a shootout with some thieves over a catalytic converter here this week. Should be able to park my SE anywhere without too much to worry about as long as there’s nothing inside.
 
teslarati97 said:
At least EVs don't have a catalytic converter.
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I sometimes imagine what a thief would do sliding under my SE and being confused by the smooth underside, no sign of any exhaust system. Or are they smart enough to look for a tailpipe first?
 
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RunOnE said:
Yes already dealt with that last year. Someone got into a shootout with some thieves over a catalytic converter here this week. Should be able to park my SE anywhere without too much to worry about as long as there’s nothing inside.
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The new object of thieves are steering wheels--they can extract a steering wheel in a few seconds--faster than an airbag and less dirty. Then they throw the steering wheel away after carefully removing the valuable airbag. I believe both stolen catalytic converters and stolen airbages are worth a couple hundred bucks, but I'm sure it varies depending on the make of car from which they were stolen.
 
I have a feeling that batteries will one day be theft targets.
Valuable materials, a second hand market for working batteries (if there is one for airbags there will be one for batteries).
Of course there could be some instant justice for the ones who mess up while doing it as they’re (A) heavy and (B) likely to catch fire…
 
AndysComputer said:
I have a feeling that batteries will one day be theft targets.
Valuable materials, a second hand market for working batteries (if there is one for airbags there will be one for batteries).
Of course there could be some instant justice for the ones who mess up while doing it as they’re (A) heavy and (B) likely to catch fire…
Click to expand...

Possibly, but to think through the battery theft issue, the thieves will need a car lift, a battery table, and the knowledge to do this without killing themselves. Pretty hard to just drop a battery pack in the side driveway. But then again thieves are pretty brave/stupid on what they try.
 
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