wiseleo
07-28-2007, 09:04 AM
So I am insuring my '98 M3 convertible...Don't try that at home!
I figured that I might as well get LoJack for it (I'd be upset if someone didn't want to steal my hot M3 vert once it's restored to showroom condition. :)) and see if I can get a better insurance rate as well. It would appear that adding a renter's insurance, which covers the stuff in the car that's not part of the car, also costs less combined than just a pure auto policy.
There are only two BMW LoJack dealers in the Bay Area, according to LoJack's website. That information may well be inaccurate, but I had a limited amount of time. I am sure there are other dealers of other makes as well. Negotiating with them is an exercise for the OCD reader.
So I called BMW of Pleasanton and asked for finance department. Basic LoJack - $675, Premium was $1295 or something ridiculous like that, which is way over its MSRP ($895 is MSRP for premium).
Then I called BMW of SF and asked for finance department. They can be a pain to get a hold of with a voicemail jail of a phone system. Mike called me back about an hour later. Right away the quote for premium was $895, which is more reasonable in light of Pleasanton's price, but that's your MSRP as we find out later. Mike didn't even want to bother with basic product because of how fast a car can be stripped. However, I asked what it would be with BMW CCA discount. The total for my LoJack Premium installed with BMW CCA discount came to $695 +tax, or around $750 with all fees included, which is a lot more reasonable. Doing the math, that's a 22.3% discount, which definitely didn't expect at all. Basically I am getting the premium system for the price of basic. Be careful of tactics of seasoned F&I managers. Mike did require my VIN and a credit card deposit to secure the appointment, which was not a problem for me as now the insurance company can easily verify that my LoJack install is in progress.
LoJack Premium is an interesting early warning system. It alerts you if the car is moved without your authorization, which makes it more effective than just the basic system.
Anyway, thought I'd advise you of this deal if anyone else was considering this system in Bay Area. This is not much more than a decent alarm system. A BMW CCA membership is $40 for a year. It pays for itself pretty quickly. Feel free to use my member ID 387533 as a referral if you sign up at http://www.bmwcca.org It takes a few days to get your membership card.
Is it the absolute cheapest possible deal? Probably not, but it should be pretty close based on my research. Is it the one that comes with least hassle? Probably. I am not sure I'd let a non-BMW dealer try to figure out the M3.
Good luck!
I figured that I might as well get LoJack for it (I'd be upset if someone didn't want to steal my hot M3 vert once it's restored to showroom condition. :)) and see if I can get a better insurance rate as well. It would appear that adding a renter's insurance, which covers the stuff in the car that's not part of the car, also costs less combined than just a pure auto policy.
There are only two BMW LoJack dealers in the Bay Area, according to LoJack's website. That information may well be inaccurate, but I had a limited amount of time. I am sure there are other dealers of other makes as well. Negotiating with them is an exercise for the OCD reader.
So I called BMW of Pleasanton and asked for finance department. Basic LoJack - $675, Premium was $1295 or something ridiculous like that, which is way over its MSRP ($895 is MSRP for premium).
Then I called BMW of SF and asked for finance department. They can be a pain to get a hold of with a voicemail jail of a phone system. Mike called me back about an hour later. Right away the quote for premium was $895, which is more reasonable in light of Pleasanton's price, but that's your MSRP as we find out later. Mike didn't even want to bother with basic product because of how fast a car can be stripped. However, I asked what it would be with BMW CCA discount. The total for my LoJack Premium installed with BMW CCA discount came to $695 +tax, or around $750 with all fees included, which is a lot more reasonable. Doing the math, that's a 22.3% discount, which definitely didn't expect at all. Basically I am getting the premium system for the price of basic. Be careful of tactics of seasoned F&I managers. Mike did require my VIN and a credit card deposit to secure the appointment, which was not a problem for me as now the insurance company can easily verify that my LoJack install is in progress.
LoJack Premium is an interesting early warning system. It alerts you if the car is moved without your authorization, which makes it more effective than just the basic system.
Anyway, thought I'd advise you of this deal if anyone else was considering this system in Bay Area. This is not much more than a decent alarm system. A BMW CCA membership is $40 for a year. It pays for itself pretty quickly. Feel free to use my member ID 387533 as a referral if you sign up at http://www.bmwcca.org It takes a few days to get your membership card.
Is it the absolute cheapest possible deal? Probably not, but it should be pretty close based on my research. Is it the one that comes with least hassle? Probably. I am not sure I'd let a non-BMW dealer try to figure out the M3.
Good luck!