XPost: alt.autos.toyota   
   From: crwlrjeff@yahoo.com   
      
   "SMH"  wrote in message   
   news:XnsA2158A680ED57SMH1960@78.46.70.116...   
   > "Jeff Strickland"  wrote on Wed 07 Aug 2013 12:48:52p   
   >   
   >>   
   >> "SMH"  wrote in message   
   >> news:XnsA21577D5D62CDSMH1960@78.46.70.116...   
   >>>   
   >>> It's been a while since I bought a new car in the United States (late   
   >>> 1980s,   
   >>> I am guessing), so perhaps things have changed.   
   >>>   
   >>> I just got a 2013 Toyota Corolla L and know that I need certain things:   
   >>>   
   >>> * Protection of floor carpet   
   >>>  After looking at the "digital fit" mats priced from $120 and up on   
   >>>  Ebay, I went with some $50 package (on Ebay) because it is carpeted   
   >>>  and not like stepping on a Rubbermaid surface, although I am not   
   >>>  entirely sure that the digital or custom fit Weather Tech or Husky   
   >>>  Liner products are merely neoprene or plastic looking.  I would need   
   >>>  to see the product to know what I am missing.  Note that $50 package   
   >>>  also threw in some seat covers.   
   >>>   
   >>   
   >> You already selected a solution, but I was going to suggest the auto   
   >> parts department at WalMart as a source for floor mats. An auto parts   
   >> store is also an excellent place to shop for mats. If your online   
   >> solution has shipping charges, the store might work out to be cheaper.   
   >>   
   >> If your Corolla L is the base car, that is often a poor choice because   
   >> you are now looking for stuff that might be included in a car that has   
   >> the features already included. For example, if your car has manual door   
   >> locks and you want an alarm -- it looks like you do -- then the power   
   >> locks from the factory wold work better and cost about the same as   
   >> having the alarm installer put in lock actuators, and the package that   
   >> has power locks has power windows too, and probably has a better radio.   
   >> The cost-up for the higher trim package is cheaper, usually, than buying   
   >> parts of the trim package later and adding them on. As a bonus, the   
   >> parts fit and work better from the factory.   
   >>   
   >>   
   >>   
   >>   
   >>> * Trim/Moulding   
   >>>  This is the part I am concerned about.  Naturally I would like to   
   >>>  stick something on the door to prevent door opening dings.  I don't   
   >>>  think that should affect any dealership or manufacturer warranties   
   >>>   
   >>   
   >> WalMart and Pep Boys, among others I am sure, have very good products   
   >> that fit over the door edge. There is no warranty implication at all   
   >> with these. You should visit the dealership parts department and   
   >> casually stroll the display cases. They have some good ideas of stuff to   
   >> buy. I'm not suggesting you buy it there, just look as what they have   
   >> already figured out what many customers want and they have it.   
   >>   
   >>   
   >>   
   >>   
   >>> * Security against auto theft   
   >>>  I was asking someone what they did for protecting the car against   
   >>>  theft in Miami, and they said "insurance."  In other words, they said   
   >>>  there is nothing that can be done to stop a thief.  "Once they get   
   >>>  your car, it will be dismantled for parts before you can report the   
   >>>  theft after directly witnessing it."  Opinions?   
   >>>   
   >>   
   >> Stop by your local car alarm store -- Best Buy's radio/electronics   
   >> department might be a good place to stop. It is not a difficult task to   
   >> install a car alarm that has Ignition Bypass. If your Corolla has power   
   >> door locks, then it is very easy to install an alarm system that locks   
   >> and unlock the doors with the press of a button. If your car does not   
   >> have power door locks, the alarm installer can add actuators that   
   >> perform this task. I forget, but I think they are about $25 each.   
   >>   
   >> If your car has an automatic transmission, you can easily install a   
   >> system with Remote Start if that sort of thing is interesting to you.   
   >>   
   >> If you financed the car, you already have the insurance you need. Your   
   >> insurance carrier would probably discount the premium if you have an   
   >> alarm system installed.   
   >>   
   >>   
   >>   
   >>> * Other accessories?   
   >>>  Is there an extra I should be planning on?   
   >>   
   >> If there is anything "missing" on your car, odds are excellent that you   
   >> bought the wrong car.   
   >>   
   >> It's fine to buy a base model car, but if you turn around and start   
   >> putting stuff on it that might be included as a factory option on a   
   >> higher trim level car of the same model, a Corolla S instead of the   
   >> Corolla L for example, it is easy that the stuff that you buy costs more   
   >> and works worse than going up-market a little bit when you made the   
   >> original purchase.   
   >>   
   >> You asked about an alarm, but you need power locks so you will know that   
   >> the doors are locked when the alarm is armed. Without power locks, you   
   >> might have an instance where a door is not locked and the alarm is   
   >> pretty much useless at that point. For the cost of the higher trim   
   >> level, you would get both power door locks and power windows, and power   
   >> mirrors too. The power package installed at the factory probably costs   
   >> about the same as the door lock actuators you need, and the factory   
   >> installs this stuff before the door panels are put into place, the alarm   
   >> installer has to take the door panels off. He'll know how to do this,   
   >> but anytime somebody has to take something off there is a chance it will   
   >> be damaged in some way that will just annoy you for the rest of your   
   >> life.   
   >   
   > Thanks for a lot of the useful info.   
   >   
   > The 2013 "base model" L sold to me is an automatic transmission with the   
   > smart key entry and power locks, mirrors, windows.   
   >   
      
   Then you're golden. You can have an alarm installer put in a system that   
   locks the doors and disables the ignition until you come along and unlock   
   the doors again. If the doors/windows are compromised to gain entry, the   
   starter and ignitions systems will not operate. You might already have an   
   ignition bypass that is part of the smart key. You can test for this by   
   putting a window down and then locking the car. Reach inside with the key   
   (without unlocking the car) and see if you can start the engine. If no, then   
   you already have an ignition bypass, and the alarm is nothing more than a   
   horn that you don't seem to care about.   
      
   Since you have a smart key, then you may be able to get a Toyota alarm that   
   is plug 'n play.   
      
   You can hit Walmart for door edge guards and floor mats as you need them.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
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