Alarm recommendations [Archive] - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

Emp123

01-14-2007, 01:00 AM

So my car was recently broken into and they attempted to steal it (the tool they were using broke in my ignition) and it got me thinking about getting a car alarm. It was high up on my to do list when I first bought the vehicle, but somehow I just never got around to it. Now thanks to this startling event, I have decided to get a car alarm. Theres only one problem - I dont know what to get.

Im thinking about a Viper 791XV, but if anybody has a better suggestion Id love to hear it. It needs to have a 2-way pager and thats about it.

TurbLu

01-14-2007, 02:07 AM

Being that I work for Ultimate Electronics and run our car audio department let me help you out here a little...

First switch over to atleast the Clifford Matrix SST alarms or at a minimum their Matrix 10.5x. They are all made by DEI but do have different Shock Sensors. The SST has a true 1 mile range out doors and the other have about a 3/4" range. They all Vibrate and Ring to let you know whether your car has been warned or not.

When getting the alarm installed make sure to tip or pay the installer extra to hide the brain and all the starter kill relays as far in the dash as possible. Also do not forget to add the following:

-Tilt Angle Sensor
-Hood, Trunk and Door pins as most door triggers work of voltage and isnt very reliable.

But the best security you can have for your car is to be aware at all times. Purchase the "driveway patrol" (as seen on tv or google it - sits in your car as a backup) and always remove your steering wheel when possible. It only takes a minute to steal a car. You want to be able to slow them down as much as possible before they can get away with your car or belongings.

Anto

01-14-2007, 02:45 AM

& you forgot

Backup battery

Emp123

01-14-2007, 03:27 AM

Driveway patrol would be nice, but unfortunately I live in an area where thats just not possible(apartment complex with no assigned parking). How hard is it to remove a steering wheel? I bought the car used so I dont have the stock steering wheel, but Im not sure if its one of those wheels thats easy to take off.

Ill look into the Clifford Matrix SST, but youre atleast makes me think theres something better(Although the Clifford Matrix SST does come at a nice price).

When I take it to a place to have the alarm installed, will they also be able to install a kill switch? (I assume yes, but hey you never know)

Thanks for the responses so far, this is exactly the sort of information I was looking for.

nissantfsx

01-14-2007, 04:00 AM

Compustar is not bad...

shiftd0wn

01-14-2007, 04:48 AM

i have a compustar spread spectrum. nice alarm but signal/reception can be very unreliable. sometimes i'd have to remove the battery in the remote for a second to get a signal again. hope this helps

yokotas13

01-14-2007, 08:27 AM

get a quick release

S14DB

01-14-2007, 08:52 AM

Compustar is great if you have an installer near you with the programmer.

Clifford's are the way to go now days cause of their Motion sensors. I see installers swapping or adding the Clifford sensors to other DEI alarms now days.

MrBojangles

01-14-2007, 09:03 AM

nrg

01-14-2007, 10:07 AM

Viper 791XV is so 2001.
compustar is the way to go, install it yourself to; it's simple. The clifford SST is nice too.

TurbLu

01-14-2007, 10:28 AM

Viper 791XV is so 2001.
compustar is the way to go, install it yourself to; it's simple. The clifford SST is nice too.

If you are able to install your own alarm I highly recommend taking off your dash and mounting everything to your firewall. 90% of alarm installs I see are all right under the steering console making it that much easier to get passed all your starter kill relays. You want all that hidden and to splice into your ignition wiring as far from the steering column as possible. Also you can add actual starter/kill relays on any part of the car while your at it. That means using different grounds ie - seat belts, heater button and even your parking light switch just to be able to start the car. And none of these items even have anything to do with your alarm.

Any experienced installer can do all this for you. Remember do not go cheap on an alarm. The cost of replacing your broken windows, dash components, wheels, stereo and engine is far greater than the cost of an 800.00 alarm system.

Clifford 2 Ways average about 349.00 with basic install. Adding each addnl sensor adds about 100 per sensor. Door pins are about 30 a piece. Plus an extra 100 bucks for the installer to really take care of you car.

Alarms will slow down or stop about 50% of the theifs out there (Mainly glass breaker and oppurtunistic theifs) your other items will help keep away the others(QUICK RELEASE STEERING WHEELS, KILL SWITCHES AND REMOVED IGNITOR CHIPS). But nothing can stop a tow truck (but atleast you'll know if you have a tilt angle sensor and are with in range of your remote)

Emp123

01-14-2007, 02:39 PM

Awesome thread :) lol I'm at school in downtown atlanta and even though we have a secured (magnetic id entrance only) parking garage with an on duty police officer, it still makes me paranoid about parking my car here after investing so much in it.

So does my apartment complex (its school housing) and my car was still broken into.

Whats a quick release?

Jonnie Fraz

01-14-2007, 03:12 PM

There was a post not too long ago about alarms, and installation. Basicly the most expensive alarm installed incorrectly won't do you much good, and on the other hand an inexpensive alarm done well can save your car.
Truly if you are going to have it installed go with someone you trust! I say this because if the installer is a dirtbag not only will he have a way around your alarm, now he will know where you live.

jrmiller84

01-14-2007, 03:19 PM

So does my apartment complex (its school housing) and my car was still broken into.

Whats a quick release?

Quick release steering wheel, theyre usually not prepared to deal with this but it's not 100% definately. They've been known to use vice grips and other tools to simulate steering wheels.

Emp123

01-14-2007, 03:38 PM

Do I need to buy a new steering wheel or can I make the steering wheel I have now a quick release?

Sorry about all these questions, but after the break in I just want something thatll make me think my car is safe.

redsuns3838

01-14-2007, 03:54 PM

what wheel do you have? if you have an aftermarket one, you will most likely be able to use it with a quick release wheel.

Jung918

01-14-2007, 05:32 PM

I turn my steering wheel all the way either left or right when I park in suspicious areas.

MAGILLA

01-14-2007, 05:40 PM

any thing that d.e.i. makes is pretty good ie viper, hornet,clifford........ just make sure you get one with a starter kill. Also air horns as a siren makes a hell of a difference. I have had them on my last two cars 5x as loud and not that expensive.

Emp123

01-14-2007, 06:38 PM

Any recommendation on which sensors to get? I was thinking motion, but dont those get a lot of false alarms?

tacotacotaco

01-14-2007, 08:43 PM

I bought a albino gorilla you know the ones from congo. Very tempermental. I leave that sucker in my car. If theyre smart enough to get by laser sensors and mini guns theyre smart enough to protect my car.

All i have to say is the only thing you can do to protect your car is security layers. An alarm kill switches quick releases. The more to defeat the less likely to get stolen.

Jonnie Fraz

01-14-2007, 09:00 PM

.

All i have to say is the only thing you can do to protect your car is security layers. An alarm kill switches quick releases. The more to defeat the less likely to get stolen.

True words. If someone wants your car bad enough, they will get it. The trick is to make it tough enough so the would be theif goes on to the next car and not yours.
As for sensors I use impact, and as for false alarms all good sensors and or brain units should have a sensitivity adjustment so you may dial it in.

TurbLu

01-15-2007, 02:41 AM

True words. If someone wants your car bad enough, they will get it. The trick is to make it tough enough so the would be theif goes on to the next car and not yours.
As for sensors I use impact, and as for false alarms all good sensors and or brain units should have a sensitivity adjustment so you may dial it in.

Correct. The only sensors needed is a good shock/impact sensor along with a tilt angle sensor so that way you know if your car is being jacked up for the wheels or to be towed. Door/hood Pins help too. Remember add as many layers of security as you possibly can... enough to annoy even your self when locking up the car. Its going to take the average theif 10 times as long to find it all as it takes you to set it all. And hope to god your Pager Alarm/Driveway Patrol is with in range...

nismoWhore

01-15-2007, 12:20 PM

can some one explain the door pins?

TurbLu

01-15-2007, 12:38 PM

Door Pins are used to create a ground to the alarm system. If the ground is activated (by releasing a door pin) it will set of the alarm. Popular places to put Pins are under hoods (so they cant pop the hood and disconnect your alarm horn), trunks because 240 trunks arent voltage related so it wont set off your alarm if they go from the back and your doors.

KA-T_240

01-15-2007, 01:34 PM

I got a compustar. I love it. The new ones are PIMP so many options(gps tracking.....). Deffinatly get a hood and door pins, as well as a glass brake, shock and tilt sensor. I am going to be adding some more touches like kill switches do my car this winter, so I'll probably relocate the alarm box higher up if I take the dash out.

Emp123

01-15-2007, 02:50 PM

I was reading somewhere that you should have either a glass break sensor or a proximity sensor but not both, is this true?

GreekRPS13

01-17-2007, 01:21 AM

viper alarm system with the pager

JustMe

01-17-2007, 01:33 AM

I personally feel you should at least have a glass break sensor. It is pretty easy to break a window w/o triggering a shock sensor. A proximity sensor will also do the job. A wise man once said the key to car security is layers. Dont feel you are safe with just an alarm, or just a quick release, or just kill switches, etc. A combination may not be fool proof, but it may be enough to make them go for an easier target. Oh, yea, hide the brain, an alarm is pointless when it can be located and disabled in 4 seconds, literally.

S.ONE.THREE

01-17-2007, 01:34 AM

VIPER 2way with lcd desplay and trunk and hood pins( so if anyone pops my hood or trunk my alarm will go off).. car will never go missing unless your a jackass and dont hear your alarm or 2 way going off. Here is my setup

viper 2way with all the above + remote start power door locks trunk poper
Hidden kill switch that is hooked up to my fuel pump
quick relese and NRG QR Lock
clutch club

good luck jacking my car :x:

TurbLu

01-17-2007, 01:57 AM

WILDACEX187

01-17-2007, 03:04 AM

i've heard good things about the compustars

FaLKoN240

01-17-2007, 09:53 AM

All that cant stop a Repo-Style tow truck.. In and out in less than 2 minutes...

What if you turn the wheel to lock, take off the wheel, put the wheel lock on, the club, AND park in between 2 cars? I think that'd take longer than 2 minutes, personally I think that'd be a bitch to move.

S14DB

01-17-2007, 10:00 AM

Just have to drag it up the flat bed.

bigOdom1

01-17-2007, 10:10 AM

it takes all of two minutes to put car dollies on the wheels and load it on a flatbed. the best alarm is a cougar in the passenger seat, or parking it in your own garage

TurbLu

01-17-2007, 11:49 AM

What if you turn the wheel to lock, take off the wheel, put the wheel lock on, the club, AND park in between 2 cars? I think that'd take longer than 2 minutes, personally I think that'd be a bitch to move.

Depends on the kind of cars next to your car or behind and infront of your car. I have seem cars moved just to get to another car. Especially if they are stock older cars which have no real security systems. Plus which Club are you referring too as both clubs need the steering wheel to be on. Now the Wheel Boots that the cops put on our cars for parking violations are really hard to get off. BUt even then its just like picking a lock.

These are average theft times pulled from the LVMPD report I helped file last week.

Honda Civic/Acura Integra - 45 seconds
Yukon Denali (Tahoe) - 45 seconds (basic) 1min 30 seconds with On Star/Lo-Jac
Cadillac Escalade - 1.5 Minutes
Dodge Ram - 45 Seconds Pre 05 - 1.5 minutes 05+

Pretty much most of your other cars factory security system falls in the ranks of one of these cars. So lets say you have an Escalade and a Dodge Ram blocking your prised car. Add 3 minutes to the amount of time it takes to get your car (with one thief). But most of these people work in crews of 3 as to what I've seen. Even scarier is in the Las Vegas and LA area we have busted *rolling* chop shops. They now simply drive the vehicle into a semi-trailer loaded with tools, strip and cut on the go and dump the shell out about a half hour later. Scary once you know how some of these groups operate.

usdm180sx

01-17-2007, 12:28 PM

I have a lojack on my s14.

TurbLu

01-17-2007, 01:02 PM

Does your Lo-Jac warn you(Via cellphone) once the car has been moved 10 feet from its space or do you have to activate it? Cliffords GPS system warns you as soon as the vehicle moves.

40daws

01-17-2007, 03:20 PM

Can any of the sponsors get Viper,CLifford, Copustar etc. I would much
rather install the alarm myself than have a shop do it.

S.ONE.THREE

01-17-2007, 05:55 PM

All that cant stop a Repo-Style tow truck.. In and out in less than 2 minutes...
my alarm will go off and the 2way on the remote too and i hear that thing beaping anywhere in my room well im sleeping + a tow truck cant out run my 04 CBR600RR or my Glock 9.:rl: Ill shoot a MOFO over my car. last year so dick try jacking my motorcycle and he had to be taken to the ER cause my baseball bat has its way with him. court and jail dont scare me at all, cant be much worse than boot camp.

TurbLu

01-17-2007, 07:00 PM

my alarm will go off and the 2way on the remote too and i hear that thing beaping anywhere in my room well im sleeping + a tow truck cant out run my 04 CBR600RR or my Glock 9.:rl: Ill shoot a MOFO over my car. last year so dick try jacking my motorcycle and he had to be taken to the ER cause my baseball bat has its way with him. court and jail dont scare me at all, cant be much worse than boot camp.

I feel ya on that one... The reason I work with the LVMPD is because they had 3 attempts at one of my cars and all three failed. I caught and beat the living crap out of all 8 different assailants. The same detective came to my home all three times and offered me a position with in the Las Vegas Viper Squad. California is the number 1 ranked state for Car theft... but Vegas is a close 2nd. Comparing the actual population different our crime rate is alot higher than Cali's.

MAGILLA

01-17-2007, 07:37 PM

by the way fyi..... the club is a piece of S#!t. I had one on a pathfinder before i started the alarm kick. long story short they cut the steering wheel. they must have been new cuz all they did was mess up my ignition, and get away with MY ORION AMPS.:mad: :mad: still a bit pissed

HyperTek

01-17-2007, 07:42 PM

http://asianwolf.com/ they got some decent bang for the buck systems.

get something.. get a back up plan.. and dont really talk about what you have or let people know what type of security you got

TurbLu

01-17-2007, 09:08 PM

http://asianwolf.com/ they got some decent bang for the buck systems.

get something.. get a back up plan.. and dont really talk about what you have or let people know what type of security you got

Actually stay away from anything Asian Wolf tries to sell....his brain units are known to go out rather fast. The last thing you want is for your alarm brain to go out or starter kill relay due to heat and then you cant start your car with out getting around your own alarm. I know this from experience and from reading online complaints on asian wolf alarms. Your protecting thousands of dollars of accesorries not to mention blood,sweat and tears you put into your car. Going cheap on an alarm is not an option.

Lets see:
Car - 100 - 10k
SR Swap - 2500.00
Suspension - 1000.00+
Radio - 100 - ?k
Bolt On's - 100 - ?k
Wheels - $500+

Those are items just listed which dont even include items they will damage just to steal your car - ie ignition system and steering column. So please dont go cheap on security measures. And never slip because that is when they get you....

Emp123

01-17-2007, 10:10 PM

Im pretty sold on the Clifford 2 way. Does it matter where I get it installed, the Clifford website listed Al & Eds auto sound as a certified place to take it, but really? Al & Eds?

soreballz

01-26-2007, 06:02 AM

Bump for paranoia...

Is the Compustar Pro P2WSSR really as badass as reading the site makes it seem? Link: http://www.compustar.com/P2WSSR.htm

xilicon

01-26-2007, 01:00 PM

i have a crimestopper alarm which i like alot. It has all the features that i would want like your simple lock and unlock to automatic roll down windows and autostart. i like it cause i feel like a baller in a beater car and i guess its good security from people steeling my car. :P

nrg

01-27-2007, 12:18 AM

Bump for paranoia...

Is the Compustar Pro P2WSSR really as badass as reading the site makes it seem? Link: http://www.compustar.com/P2WSSR.htm
that one is good. I'd rather get the FM model instead. http://www.compustar.com/P2W9000FMR.htm

the one thing i really hate on the compustar is that the mininium time you can set the turbo timer too is 2mins. which i think is way too long. I really hope they fixed that with the new ones.

illvialuver

01-27-2007, 12:24 AM

um buy a gun.

soreballz

01-27-2007, 02:04 AM

that one is good. I'd rather get the FM model instead. http://www.compustar.com/P2W9000FMR.htm

the one thing i really hate on the compustar is that the mininium time you can set the turbo timer too is 2mins. which i think is way too long. I really hope they fixed that with the new ones.
Why buy the FM model? From what I'm seeing, it has less range and whatnot than the one that I posted...

um buy a gun.
Yes, because a gun is SOOO helpful when I'm asleep in my bed/at the movies/at the mall/working and someone is jacking my shit without me knowing. Yes, a gun is an AWESOME idea! Thank you! OMG, why didn't we all think of this sooner?!

lexusisforlovers

01-27-2007, 02:48 AM

I got a viper alarm/remote start that was installed on my car before i bought it. car was in gear because e brake was not functional at time. day i got car i tried to unlock it from remote start. it started and ran me over. i got lots of stitches and i hate it. dont get remote start.

05civse

01-28-2007, 12:30 AM

^^ not installed right? hear me out. most alarm brains have a little wire that you cut if you have an auto tranny car and that will just allow the alarm to remote start at any time... even if it is in gear, given you actually have a manual tranny car. If you don't cut the wire (atleast for my alarm) you have to do a certain process to be able to remote start it later. That consists of taking the key out of the ignition with the door closed (the engine stays running), then you get out and when you lock the doors/ arm the system the engine shuts off. That is to be sure that the car is in neutral. If a door is opened you will not be able to remote start, just incase the shifter got bumped or something into gear.

lexusisforlovers

01-28-2007, 12:41 AM

I kind of dont understand what ya just said. But, yes, i do have a manual. and it was in first because the e brake was out. It was faced down my street (which is steep). I never thought twice because my other cars didnt have ghetto rigged remote starts. Door was locked and i was trying to unlock with remote(key broke in the door). Car started up and took off down the hill. I sketched cuz it was going towards the gardner truck down the street. I got in front and pushed to try to slow it down. It ripped the skin off my feet but I did slow it down quite a bit. It pinned my legs in between the trucks steel frame and my car. Both cars were fine so i dont regret it. Buttt it was the dumbest series of decisions i have ever made.

roorr0

01-28-2007, 12:15 PM

I am also considering the Viper 791XV or the Viper 5000

how about getting the clutch/brake club bar as another percaution???

nrg

01-29-2007, 03:27 AM

Why buy the FM model? From what I'm seeing, it has less range and whatnot than the one that I posted...

The FM model doesn't lag. The distance is fine for me. i'm never further than 200ft from my car anyways. I had the non FM version, but sold it to a friend. He installed on it on his car and I notice lag when you disarm the car. It's like 1-2sec pause. The FM mode is instant. Something like this just bugs me. if it doesn't bug you, then get the 6000ft model. :)

WILDACEX187

01-29-2007, 08:15 AM

cant u disable the turbo timer on the compustar alarm?

akito

01-29-2007, 01:01 PM

i have the 791xv works great. even has the turbo timer ordeally. i actually have a few extra sets of the 791xv, since my retarded friends decided not to buy em and told me to get em.

if anyone is interested let me know.

nrg

01-29-2007, 03:57 PM

cant u disable the turbo timer on the compustar alarm?

yep, press III + IV

flytwa78

09-21-2007, 06:11 AM

This may be sort of off topic but I have been wondering. How well do turbo timers work with alarm systems?

RUTH'LESSDET

09-21-2007, 08:45 AM

my alarm will go off and the 2way on the remote too and i hear that thing beaping anywhere in my room well im sleeping + a tow truck cant out run my 04 CBR600RR or my Glock 9.:rl: Ill shoot a MOFO over my car. last year so dick try jacking my motorcycle and he had to be taken to the ER cause my baseball bat has its way with him. court and jail dont scare me at all, cant be much worse than boot camp.

Your so right....I wish I was lucky enough to had caught the assholes who stolen my brand new 2005 Kawasaki zx 636 (468 miles). Im glad you beat the f outta them. I hate a god damn thief.

Hey get one of the three alarms they say with the the remote control and get a hella air horn in conjuntion with the alarm so when it goes off you can hear that sh*t from anywhere and no car thief will steal your call while twin hella horns are WHAL'N!!. there is also a way to make the horns rings solid instead of the "beep, beep, beep" type

Man Cali is getting bad aalot of cars are getting broken into out there wtf??? why cant these muthaF*cks get there on stuff like everybody else

BattleRoyale

09-21-2007, 02:07 PM

2-way alarms +, 2-ways with GPS+++++++, which ever alarm you get make sure you get a custom install and well hidden with kill switches, back ups, and more kill switches

plus poisonous snakes, spiders, scorpions, quick release steering wheel with hub lock, pedal lock, and wheel boot

the longer you keep them in the car the better their chances are of getting caught

but seriously if they want your car they are gonna find a way to get it unless you keep it locked up in a garage and never leave it unattended

Diabolical

09-21-2007, 04:00 PM

Heres a recommendation, get a college education, get a good job, MOVE OUT OF THE GHETTO.

240sxdreaming

09-22-2007, 04:40 PM

So they wont steal your car. do what a lot of my friends do. get a quick release. take your wheel with you. they CANT TAKE IT THAT WAY. well they could, but harder. and it will mentally detour them. having to do mroe work for the same car. will look for another car. THATS THE PSYCHOLOGY BAIBA:2f2f: