Car alarms?

[SportsFan]

I'm looking to add "keyless entry" to my vehicle, and since it doesn't cost much more to add an alarm, I figured this would be the time.

So as of now, I'm shopping around. Seems that there are more alarms that I've never even heard of available these days. Most everyone's heard of Viper.....but Directed Electronics, Inc. (DEI) seems to have practically a monopoly! AND a very good reputation of having the best brands possible.

That said, how many of you are familiar with Clifford, Python, Avital, Honet, Wasp, etc.? These are all DEI brands...and I've heard that all the DEI brands with the exception of BOA are good, quality brands. I've also heard that other outsiders such as Carbine are decent, but to stay away from brands like Commando, etc.

Therefore I'm curious which brands of car alarms others have heard are good, and that they have good things to say about.....

[SportsFan]

Anyone?

I'm leaning towards the Avital system, which is a DEI brand (like Viper, Clifford, etc.) that a local shop with a very good reputation involving car stereo installs recommends. It has all the features I really want, so I'm leaning that way. Anybody have any experience with it?

[Kremithefrog]

I have an excalibur (alarm w/ keyless entry, shock sensor, and starter kill). It was just the cheapest thing I could get from a buddy that worked at a car a/v shop. The only problem I had with it was a faulty shock sensor, took us 5 minutes to throw another one in.

[amoney]

Personal exp with Viper all went well. Friends had them all (all the other makes). Just make sure the install is done correctly, you can not imagine the trouble if it is not done correctly.

[SportsFan]

Thanks, guys....appreciate the input.

So what's your opinion on the "flashing LEDs"? I've heard pros and cons, good and bad on each. Some people say they signal to thieves to "KEEP WALKIN'", while others say they "draw attention!" What's the general concensus regarding them?

And would the length of a warranty play a factor in your decision making? I'm curious just how reliable these systems are (i.e. - like the warranty actually means very little, since they tend to last, just like the energizer bunny).....

[Kremithefrog]

Flashing LEDs probably don't matter. A lot of new cars have them just because they are equipped with transponder keys.
It's really personal preference I reckon.

With my alarm, the LED is useful in letting you know what zone has been triggered/what state the alarm is in/programming the alarm.

Just a decent warranty (say a year or two) should be fine. A quality product will usually have a fairly good warranty, though some inferior products offer longer warranty periods to boost sales.

[amoney]

The systems are pretty tough. The only problem I saw people having were when it was a crappy do it your self install, and the wireing was really crappy.

As far as the flashing LED, its your personal preference, my exp with Viper, the guy installed it sorta out of the way, it was in a F150 truck whihc is naturaly higher then a car so you could not see in anyways, unless the LED was mounted ridiculously high on the dash, anyways it was installed to the lower left of the stering column.

One advantage of having a LED somewhere is that you know what mode it is in if you ever do use valet mode or where you need to get gas but not have the alarm going off or for the mechanic to work on (as if he would not know how to work an alarm) I don't know, for what ever reason, the installer riddled off a bunch of options/reasons, programming I think was another.

If a theif is going to target you car, a professional is not going to stop when he see's your LED, all that is going to do is help him knowing what he has to do, he can be in and out of you car faster then you can read this post. Now if some jackass kid comes up, yes it will most likely change his mind to go look else where.

So in the end, don't leave valuables laying around. Nor laying around in the obvious places such as in the glovebox. Install the LED, at least it will keep the wanna be pucks off your car. As for the real thief, like I mentioned, nothing is going to stop him, even if you want to surprise him. A theif is not going to walk by your car and pull a double take at your flashing LED and walk back to your car with the thinking LED = I have to break in that car now.

[A-TownNavi]

Ive got a Phoenix Digital 2-way alarm. It's worked very good so far. The only complaint about it is that occasioanlly when you arm it it will go off a few minutes later saying that theres a door open, which there isnt. I had it all professionally installed and they couldnt figure out what it was, but its not that big a deal. A buddy of mine has the Viper 791xv. Its awesome. If your local shop has a good reputation and they say that Avital is a good system then id get it if the price is right. good luck.

[SportsFan]

Well, it looks like having the interior "trunk release lever" (because it is cable, rather than an electronic "release") adjusted to accomodate the remote is going to cost almost as much as the alarm! Installing the alarm with all the features I want (minus remote trunk opener) = around $250. But simply buying a solenoid (spelling?) and having it installed, so that the release lever inside the vehicle is still functional and works, but that also allows the trunk to be popped open with the remote is going to cost approx. $150! :shock: ....for a grand total of just under $400 (for everything)! And that's really not that bad of a price....I shopped around, and the prices I was quoted was anywhere from #350 - $700, depending on the shop and the system, etc.

[Force5]

A cheap alarm is not worth it...Been there and after the damn thing went off each night (you never know how many neighbors you have...lol) I went with Clifford and no problems anymore...

The solenoid should only cost around $30, not sure if the rest is labor ? You should consider that if installing a solenoid costs about as much as the complete alarm, the installation might not offer much security.

Oh and before I forget, the flashing LED can be your indicator for problems...etc. Clifford allows you to connect a computer to the alarm to configure it but the LED is convenient if you are experiencing any problems while a computer is not available (or you just don't wanna carry it to the car...lol).

[SportsFan]

Yep, you're right, Force5....the solenoid is around $39, while the actual alarm is $159. So with the cost including installation totalling around $400 - which includes parts and labor (+ tax)......you can see that half the cost is for parts, while the other half is for labor. But this definitely isn't a "cheap" alarm I'm considering....it is a DEI brand (Avital), and DEI is the industry leader in security alarms. DEI manufactures the top brands, such as your Clifford....and Viper, Python, etc.

I've asked around, and this is pretty standard, as far as price goes....and while I could save some bucks by eliminating the trunk release for the remote, that's a pretty nice feature which I want to keep....so I think that it'll prove to be worth it (fingers crossed :lol: )

[SportsFan]

Well, not that anybody gives a rat's rear end....but I got the alarm installed. I'm pleased with the alarm and all of the features it has. The shop also did a very nice job with the installation. Anyway, I just wanted to thank Kermithefrog, amoney, A-TownNavi, and Force5 for their input...it's not often that people go out of their way to offer friendly advice in this forum, but your comments did come in very handy, guys, very much appreciated.

[amoney]

Your welcome for the little advice I gave. :wink:

[A-TownNavi]

No prob :wink: . glad you like it.

[holein1]

I had one put in my stang last summer, has a pager unit and also has three extra siren's (Man it's loud). I highly recommend the extra sirens and be sure that the alarm also has a back up battery in case they pop the hood and cut the battery cable.

A lot of installers are lazy and hide the brain of the unit on the bottom of the steering column, be sure they hide it inside the dash that way a their won't be able to just un plug it!

[SportsFan]

I had one put in my stang last summer, has a pager unit and also has three extra siren's (Man it's loud). I highly recommend the extra sirens and be sure that the alarm also has a back up battery in case they pop the hood and cut the battery cable.
What kind of alarm did you have installed?

As for the two-way pager or remote starter....I didn't go that route, for various personal reasons. Thought about them both, but elected not to go with either, and price wasn't really a factor, just personal choice. Just wanted the best alarm with the most features at an affordable price that would add keyless entry.

The back-up battery is a nice feature. I didn't get one, but may opt for it someday. Purchasing and having it installed is around $90, so it may not be for a while (since I just spent $400 for installing the alarm)


A lot of installers are lazy and hide the brain of the unit on the bottom of the steering column, be sure they hide it inside the dash that way a their won't be able to just un plug it!
Yeah, this guy takes pride in his work, and did a really good job. He placed it firmly inside the dash, high up above the sterring column.....you can't see or feel it even from reaching up from the floorboard. It would take some time, a few tools and some serious know-how to be able to reach and get at where he placed it......

[holein1]

I had one put in my stang last summer, has a pager unit and also has three extra siren's (Man it's loud). I highly recommend the extra sirens and be sure that the alarm also has a back up battery in case they pop the hood and cut the battery cable.
What kind of alarm did you have installed?

As for the two-way pager or remote starter....I didn't go that route, for various personal reasons. Thought about them both, but elected not to go with either, and price wasn't really a factor, just personal choice. Just wanted the best alarm with the most features at an affordable price that would add keyless entry.

The back-up battery is a nice feature. I didn't get one, but may opt for it someday. Purchasing and having it installed is around $90, so it may not be for a while (since I just spent $400 for installing the alarm)


A lot of installers are lazy and hide the brain of the unit on the bottom of the steering column, be sure they hide it inside the dash that way a their won't be able to just un plug it!
Yeah, this guy takes pride in his work, and did a really good job. He placed it firmly inside the dash, high up above the sterring column.....you can't see or feel it even from reaching up from the floorboard. It would take some time, a few tools and some serious know-how to be able to reach and get at where he placed it......



I got a compustar (i love it)! Let's you know if someone is breaking in over a mile away!