Your vehicle is one of your biggest investments, so it makes sense to give some thought to protecting it from theft. After all, a vehicle is reported stolen every 25 seconds in the U.S. That's 1.2 million stolen cars and trucks every year. So when you want to buy the best car alarm, what should you be looking for? Well, there are two parts to any good auto security solution: deterrence and recovery.

If you're set on buying the best car alarm available because you want something that will signal you immediately upon a break-in, LoJack's Early Warning System is the way to go. The best car alarm money can buy will only make noise to deter a thief. But LoJack's Early Warning System will actually alert you—by phone, pager or email—the moment your car is being moved without permission. The LoJack system continues to be successful where even the best car alarms cannot – in finding and recovering your vehicle after a theft. Although more pricey than uncomplicated air horns, these devices can and do stop a stolen car from making it to a chop shop.