Car alarm advice- what do you have, what will I pay?

[twitchy]

Guys I want a cheap simple car alarm

something just like a shock sensor and remote, preferably something that can flash my lights when I arm it too, and maybe one with room to upgrade later to keyless entry

question is, what have you got and what should I expect to pay (assumng I can install it myself)

[Yoshi]

okay, first off... pretty much all alarms are pretty cheap, and most are decent quality (and by that I mean, they're all made in the same factory in china... just with a different housing and/or brand name stamped on it). THe cost in getting an alarm is not the alarm itself, it's in the install. You DO NOT want to do it yourself unless you've been trained or have prior experience. Half the reason people say, "such-and-such brand alarms are crappy..." is typically not becuase the alarm really does suck, but the person that installed it, and configured it did. You want a professional certified installer to do your alarm install, it makes all the difference in the world... there are numerous potentiometer settings (depending on what features your alarm will have) that require the right instruments and some experience to configure correctly. If your alarm is too sensitive it'll **** you off, and especially everyone around you. Not sensitive enough, and why bother having it?

Typically if you buy the alarm from the shop that's installing it, they'll give you some kind of price break on either the install or the alarm itself... this is the method I'd recommend unless you find a deal too good to pass up.

Hope this helps you out.

[twitchy]

thanks man, I guess Ill start saving and go to future shop. Makes sense about not installing it myself though.

[Da808aZnRaVr]

i think i got the best deal...Viper 500ESP brand new for free plus free professional installation

[s13rookie]

the one i had in my civic was a crimestopper something. had all the bells and whisttles, and the lcd pager unit, got it for 300 installed. worked great. cost me an extra hundred for remote start. i loved it, i work for ben & jerrys in a -35 freezer so being able to warm up my car from inside the freezer was a big plus.
i would definetely recommend. i just had to sign a waiver to hook it up on a standard

[Steeles]

I've got a compustar. love it; remote start, turbo timer, paging, shock sensors, 1/4 mile range, can be set for passive arming, total for mine was 550 installed. and I still have an extra aux. function to hook up. cant decide on windows (since I dont have AC) or trunk.

[95silvia]

Originally posted by Steeles
I've got a compustar. love it; remote start, turbo timer, paging, shock sensors, 1/4 mile range, can be set for passive arming, total for mine was 550 installed. and I still have an extra aux. function to hook up. cant decide on windows (since I dont have AC) or trunk.

Which model

2WAM
2WFM
2WSS

is it alarm only, starter only or both.....

i got the 2WSS-AS (alarm and starter)......

RINKU

[Steeles]

mines the 2wfm... I guess -AS (since it is both starter and alarm and TT)

[DuffMan]

Well installing an alarm yourself isn't that hard if you take your time. And a good alarm shouldnt really cost over $100 unless you want features like paging. If you want name brand you can pay more for the alarm itself, but its really not worth it imho.

Also I found a really easy way to do keyless entry on a S13 with power locks. You only have to cut into 2 of the stock wires, and you dont even have to take the door panel off.

[95silvia]

Originally posted by Steeles
mines the 2wfm... I guess -AS (since it is both starter and alarm and TT)

I love my alarm....

my range is 1.25 miles......i have the turbo timer as well....i also have a proximity sensor.....for extra security.....

and i do have AC so i can leave it on before getting there....:D

90% of the features are the same as your 2WFM-AS.....only few modifications....

RINKU

[Steeles]

yeah those few extra features didnt justify the price difference too me, and I never really leave my car in places I get too worried about it anyway. But I did want some kind of alarm :)

[twitchy]

whats a turbo timer (in the sense of an alarm)

a long range is good, I dont think I need paging, I mean like, whats the use in that beyond it being like a toy "Aaaah, someones opening my door.....and now the engine is running.....aaaaaaaaahh there it goes..."

like what does the pager do actually?

I saw one at walmart for 60 bucks canadian which is an alarm, light flasgher and shock sensor..

decides the way I see it, alarm or not, if someone wants your car or whats in it, theyre going to have it one way or the other.

[Maeda]

Originally posted by Yoshi
You DO NOT want to do it yourself unless you've been trained or have prior experience. Half the reason people say, "such-and-such brand alarms are crappy..." is typically not becuase the alarm really does suck, but the person that installed it, and configured it did. You want a professional certified installer to do your alarm install, it makes all the difference in the world...

Actually I think an alarms not such a bad install... if your comfortable taking out most of the dash and like wires and understand ground, constant, ignition and how to use a multimeter it aint so bad...

I like the DEI alarms... Viper mainly, pythons good and simple too though...

IF you decide to DIY
-Remember to hide your wires well...
-Loom and Tape everything when your done
-Run wire along side factory wires
-Place the brain someplace really really impossible to get at without taking the whole dash apart...
-Hide your valet switch well
-Try to solder every connection its worth it

basically I like the DIY route better because a shop has to do many cars, so they dont place the brain in the best locations... they also dont take as much time to make the wiring pretty which is dual purpose(confuse potential thieves, and look pretty)...

um yah if you can avoid crimp connectors! i've had to rewire my alarm before because one wire fell out and i couldnt find it. It really really really sucked... solder and shrink tubing will stay together longer~

oh by DIY i saved 300$ :D :D :D

[twitchy]

if I do it myself, the system im looking at has a lot of wires. You say =soldering is good, im trying to think...is solder flexible or cant it snap easily?? I usually use crimp connectors for stuff like that.. I appreciate the advice on taping/hiding/running alarm wires with factory wires tho. I think I will do it myself

[Steeles]

Originally posted by twitchy
whats a turbo timer (in the sense of an alarm)

a long range is good, I dont think I need paging, I mean like, whats the use in that beyond it being like a toy "Aaaah, someones opening my door.....and now the engine is running.....aaaaaaaaahh there it goes..."

like what does the pager do actually?

I saw one at walmart for 60 bucks canadian which is an alarm, light flasgher and shock sensor..

decides the way I see it, alarm or not, if someone wants your car or whats in it, theyre going to have it one way or the other.

like a friend trying to find you can tap a certain spot on your car to let you know where they are. and the whole point of the alarm is if someones messing with your vehicle you know and go try and stop them/ call the cops on them. Turbo timer function built in keeps the engine running for a minute to let thre turbo cool down, having it built into the alarm lets the doors lock and the alarm arm while this is happening. some alarms wont arm wit the engine running like this.