[malaycobra]

Picked up my new MO at 7pm last night.
7am this morning this was waiting for me.

 

[malaycobra]

And this...

 

[malaycobra]

The lights were pried out using the wings and hood for leverage. The mountings are pathetic plastic and the whole process probably only took 2 minutes. I spoke with the owner of the house it was parked outside and of course they heard nothing.

Police came and made a report, said it was a common occurance for Nissan and Infinity cars with HID lights.

I have already arranged a garage to park in, but can anyone advise an alarm system that has "perimeter" defence (If such a thing exists)

4 hours old. 16 miles on the clock. Rotten B%[email protected]#rd thieving scum.

:3: :3: :3:

 

[----------j----]

OMG... Only in New york! And I guess maybe Detroit. And maybe south side of Chicago..... Where are they going to sell those? I guess one place will be Ebay! We can all keep an eye out on Ebay. Where else? Are they going to sell them to a body Shop? Another Nissan Dealer?

Its not like there are 500,000 M-O's out there so I cant understand where there would be a market for this.

I feel your pain and anger. When you get your M-O back (which Im guessing will take at least 30 days (bodywork and ordering the headlights) what are you going to do? Park it in the same spot? I suggest buy a paint gun and a baseball bat and wait for the bastard's!!!

 

[Mr3Putt]

That is terrible! I don't know what else to say. I feel your pain. :3:

 

[malaycobra]

Been having the same thoughts myself. It's only us Mo owners who would buy them so it's up to us to stop it.

Although at $750 each, I'm sure they will always have buyers.

My car is a company lease, so there is no financial problem for me. But as you say I will be without the car for several weeks and now I have to rent a garage at $100 a month.

Thanks for the sympathy, and I like the idea of the gun. Maybe a 9mm would be a better choice

I am lucky i have a garage available in my building. If not, I suppose these SOB's would just keep coming back and taking them.

 

[malaycobra]

I just called Nissan USA to see if they could suggest an alarm system that would protect the lights. They have a program running to replace the plastic brackets and add etching to the lights on vulnerable cars in the North East. However this is only for 02 and 03 Maximas! The lady on the phone said mine is the first case she had heard, and they will address the issue if they hear of others. Sympathetic, but no help with either the piss poor brackets or the alarm.

And so the Nissan/customer relationship fun and games begins.

 

[dklanecky1]

This has been a big problem for Nissan on the 2002-2003 Maxima's, specifically in the tri-state area.

Do a search on Edmunds Town Hall for "Nissan Maxima" and you'll find the thread that specifically deals with this issue. Nissan has apparently issued a security update of some type that provides a more secure attachment of the headlights to the body. (Probably means the thieves will do way more damage to the body getting the lights out.)

It's my understanding that these headlight assemblies are completely self contained and as such can be installed in any "modified" street car without too much effort.

That's why you see so many highly modified Hondas, etc, with the HID headlights installed.

Now I'm going to have to be very careful about where I park over night.

I had suspected that Nissan had already taken some security measures on the Muranos as a result of the experience they were having on the Maximas.

I guess not.

 

[Matrixnyc]

malaycobra, where did you park the Mo? wonder if it is in an area that has had maxima thefts in the past?

 

[malaycobra]

Forest Hills. Rather not be more specific than that!

 

[Matrixnyc]

Fair Enough

When you filed the police report did they say if it was a problem in the area with other Nissan autos?

I have seem a couple places in brooklyn that have had many maxima head lights stolen. you see them driving around during the day. Its sad because they actually do more body damage to the cars when they take them out. Actually rip them out. I think that nissan was offering these people a discount on the new units. because they admitted that the design was flawed and easy to remove.

But what I might do is add an alarm that has a perimeter sensor or additional shock sensors for each headlight.

 

[malaycobra]

Yeah, see my original post above. the police said it was common with nissans and infinitys
I am already investigating the alarm option. My dealer reccomended a shop that can add vibration sensors to the factory system.
It seems to me though that only a "paging" alarm that lets you know it activated is any real use as nobody takes any notice these days.

 

[Matrixnyc]

If this keeps up, soon we will have to make a quick release mechanism and take the light in with us everynight.

Anyway. Sorry for your lose on such a nice MO.

 

[Doombringer]

Dude, that just... sucks

:3:

I think I'll be posting an armed guard at my MO...

 

[Eric L.]

I believe the more secure attachment for the 2002-2003 Maxima lights involved an "antitheft" headlight mounting bolt, probably something with an allen key or something. Still not very antitheft, but I guess its better than a hex bolt Nissan currently uses.

 

[TikiMan]

Sorry to see that

Most likely they stole the lights to retro-fit to one of their riced-out Honda's.

HID's are one of the most sought after features for every rice-boy racer out there.

 

[floaty98]

there is a market

I guess one place will be Ebay! We can all keep an eye out on Ebay. Where else? Are they going to sell them to a body Shop? Another Nissan Dealer?

Its not like there are 500,000 M-O's out there so I cant understand where there would be a market for this.

Ill tell you the market...all these damn kids with their imported lil sports cars, like to take car lights and other parts from other cars and do a "conversion" they will put those lights on some honda and convert the whole front end area to make their car unique. The do it to all sorts of cars not solely limited to imports, but mainly. But it is a big scene and sadly enough it is mostly young kids and they rip crap off to better their cars becuase they cant afford it or it is funner to "jack"/steal the parts. Keep an eye out around your area and I bet you will see some converted car with MO lights someday soon.

Sorry for the mishap man, id be waiting in a tree for them. When you get a quote from the insurance , if you wouldnt mind, I would be interested in finding out how much the lights do cost, just for future reference, id assume maynbe $1600 for both or more?

 

[Doombringer]

I think esemes had a parts list with the cost for replacement HID lamps. They were a LOT. Like $600. Each (I think).

And if you do see some riced-out Honda or other crapmobile around your neighborhood with Murano HIDs, they're probably yours. Either steal 'em back or just break them good! Revenge! Bring the doom!

 

[Eric L.]

There is a legitamate market for legal HID conversion kits out there. I bought one for my 97 Maxima and yes I lost the high beams, but otherwise, it is great. As for the stolen market, I am willing to bet there is also a gray market in the shop business as well, for repairing accident vehicles using stolen parts. I saw a story on Dateline last year and it dealt specifically with stolen HIDs from Maximas in New York City. I believe they also mentioned the stolen airbag ring that went around a few years back, and how those very same airbags were ending up in accident repaired vehicles.

But yeah I would guess keep an eye out for "HID headlights off a wrecked Murano" on ebay. When individual rare parts are sold by a user without company affiliation, they are very often stolen parts. Esp in a pretty unusual car like the Murano, you don't imagine too many people would have "spare parts" lying around to sell on ebay.

 

[Doombringer]

It looks like they .. ahem .. unceremoniously removed the lights from his car with a prybar. Would the light assembly show damage as well? Even slight damage, it would be a good indicator that they were hastily STOLEN from a MO, wherever they turn up (ebay, local ricer, etc).

Grr. Man, this makes me mad, and it isn't even my MO.