XPost: alt.autos.toyota   
   From: crwlrjeff@yahoo.com   
      
   "Jeff Strickland"  wrote in message   
   news:ktu47h$nk6$1@dont-email.me...   
   >   
   > "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.   
   >   
      
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