What do you guys know about security for cars?

[gmgs14]

After a recent break-in I'm looking for a better security system for my car. I was wondering if anyone knows about these 2-way lcd alarm systems that have a paging feature. Do they work well? If not, what's a good security system for cars? I don't know much about this stuff. Thanks.

[OptionZero]

This is what i was told when i was looking for an alarm:

Clifford is the best.

The pagers suffer from range problems, when you are deep inside, you might not get a signal. If something goes wrong, u're always going to be running to your car...but thats not really a negative i guess.

It's not the actual alarm always, its the installation. If the person/shop who does it for you does not do a good job of hiding the power sources/wires for the alarm, a thief can trace the lines and just cut the battery or something, thus disabling the alarm system entirely.

So find a good place to install it who will do a custom job, burying the alarm system in a not-so-obvious place.

[CoasTek240]

i just gto a black widow alarm from bestbuy, installed for $179.99 on sale for back to school. plus i hd to get a new door acuator for $30 more. but it was well worth it. it's got
-keyless entry
-starter defeat
-125dB alarm
-parking lights wired
-and itsa still able to get my windows wired to it as well as my trunk and one other function. for extra $ of course

highly reccomend going to circiut city or bestbuy

[badass69]

i have the viper responder 2 way lcd pager alarm. it works fine...real range is about 2 blocks...doenst live up to the 1.4 mile claim... its a good alarm for what i paid for...

[Yoshi]

2 main rules I've found with car security:

1) it's a given that if a thief wants into you car, or the car itself, they can get it, it's just a matter of time. Don't dillude youself in any way that you have piece of mind that your car is safe... I look at it as, "maybe they'll passover my car cuz they see it has an alarm, and go for an easier target".

2) the brand of the alarm isn't NEARLY as important as the quality of the install. ALWAYS get your alarm professionally installed. THere are very sensitive sensors that go with even the basic alarms (ie 1/2 stage shock)... the best quality name brand can be totally worthless if someone w/o experience installs it and does a piss poor job of fine-tuning the sensors; anyone can install an alarm, few can do it right.

THe brand, or even specific model of alarm comes down to what option u might want; glass sensor, motion, shock, what stages, zoning, trunk release, remote start, turbo timer, valet modes, flamethrower, etc etc etc. Just make you get a reputable shop to install it, and get it in writing from them that your install cost also includes fine-tuning adjustments later on down the road.

[gfisch]

I've got one of the CrimeStopper alarms w/ the 2 way pager and I'm real happy with it. And I've been real impressed with the range on it. Quite a bit cheaper than the clifford alarms too. Especially on ebay.

[Vatche]

get a kill switch if u dont want them to start ur car, and put it somewhere they wont look

[gmgs14]

Thanks, for the info guys. I'm prolly just going to get a basic system, I know that all the security in the world won't stop people from breaking in so there's no use spending a ton of cash. I'll look into the Best Buy and Crimestopper kits and go from there.

[thx247]

the install is probably the most important part of an alarm.

But basically, if you have something worth stealing, and somebody wants it- Its as good as gone.

There are ways to really secure your car. But you have to look at the overall picture here.

Convenience, or security.

Think of your car like a bank.

Banks are pretty damn secure. Its a real pain in the ass to just get 20 dollars out from the teller (2 forms of ID please), but you know those 20 dollars are pretty damn secure when you goto sleep at night.

Your car is the same way, you can either have a car that you know is going to always be there when you wake up in the morning. (Locked garage, alarm, dog, theft bars, car alarm system, floodlights and .45 under the nightstand)

Or you can have a car parked in the driveway with an alarm system that any competitant thief can disable before it wakes you up.

If your car with its alarm was a bank, everybody in the world would be robbing banks, its too easy to do...

Just like its too easy to snatch a car with an alarm. The first time you leave ear shot of your car alarm is when it gets jacked.

[OptionZero]

And tell everyone you know you HATE SILVIAS AND SR's. Thus, they will think you are too stupid to have anything of value! Someone else suggested that, its brilliant!:aw:

[SilviaDET]

As far as Clifford alarms go, bout 2 years ago DEI bought them out, the new clifford alarms are rebadged, repackaged DEI stuff. DEI makes the viper, Python, sidewinder, etc.... lines as well as clifford now. DEI is also the largest alarm manufactur in the world so their stuff is not half bad.

A couple of things to make sure you get with the alarm or added at time of install are:

glass break sensor- detects sounds of glass breaking and of metal on glass
mini peizo siren- additional small siren mounted behind dash, 125dp of high piched noise(noone wants to sit in a car with one of these)
backup battery- so if they open the door, pop the hood, and cut your battery cable it will keep going off.
Pay extra to have them relocate the brain for the alarm some where other than directly above your left knee, everyone puts them there and theives know it.

[aznpoopy]

weird... i posted a reply and it didn't show? anyway...

as yoshi said if someone wants to steal it someone is going to steal it. my friends buddy had a itR a few years back. privately owned metal-fenced parking lot. swapped locks and ignition b/c of the VIN/dealer made key scam. steering wheel and clutch lock. alarm system and even a detachable steering wheel that he would take with him when leaving the car. how did they steal it? cut a hole through the parking lot fence and towed the car away.

:(

[rewplayff]

this is a scary thread. at this very moment my s14, wich i just got out of the shop after a year and a half, is sitting at the fremont bart station. Where broken car window glass lays on the floor in a parking space in front of the entrance, and its been there for weeks. Plus signs and announcements stating BART is not responsible for whatever happens.

To add, my 280zx was broken in to, not in two, they stole my back pack and my car stereo face, just the face. so call me a little paranoid. I'm not going to sit easy in class today.