Car Alarms....?

[Laddy]

I'm looking for car alarms and saw a few on ebay, Just tell me which one you would recommend/not recommend...I don't have a whole lot of money to spend so don't tell me to go get some $500 one. Also how much do most place charge to install alarms?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7917122860&category=33721

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=48611&item=5716537522&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14934&item=5716537596&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7917705010&category=33724

 

[Savage Wolf]

I wouldnt install any of those in a car even if I didnt like the owner
I would stick to a alarm made by DEI ( http://www.directed.com/ ) esp if you are looking at something with a remote start, as for why dei? lifetime warr on the alarm brains and they will still be around in 3 years when you break/lose the remote so they are replaceable
As for install cost, most stereo shops are going to charge you by the hour to install a alarm system that you bring them, best bet if you are going to e-bay the alarm system is to go to a few shops get prices on installs, then try talking to the install techs and see if any of them want some side work, you can usualy get a good deal for install work this way... (most installers in car audio shops are broke ass sobs, I know I worked at one )

 

[Savage Wolf]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33721&item=7917927020&rd=1

Thats pretty sick, price is really good on it also (cost on that unit is over $200)

 

[B94Sport]

Yeah, I'd steer clear of those alarms... Stick with something like DEI, Viper, Compustar, Clifford, etc. I have a Compustar on the STi and love it. 1.25 mile range, remote start, 2-way system. Got it on eBay for about $300 shipped, installed it myself and saved over $500

 

[Laddy]

Would you give reasons why they're bad.....

 

[IAmTodd]

Yeah, I'd steer clear of those alarms... Stick with something like DEI, Viper, Compustar, Clifford, etc. I have a Compustar on the STi and love it. 1.25 mile range, remote start, 2-way system. Got it on eBay for about $300 shipped, installed it myself and saved over $500

Was it very hard to install? I was quoted at $500 for one of these.

 

[B94Sport]

$500 installed? That is a heck of a deal. Places near me wanted $800+ (with purchasing the alarm from them)...

I didn't think it was any more difficult than a regular alarm/remote start. I had only done one alarm before (no R/S on that one), and the Compustar was not much more difficult, even with having to wire up a transponder bypass. I just made sure I had all the wiring diagrams and tools/supplies I needed, and set aside a weekend to do it... And it took me all weekend. This was because:

1) I had to disassemble just about the entire dash and center console to find everything, and having to do that on a brand new car that I had never taken apart before, I took my time (not wanting to scratch/scrape/break anything.)
2) I had to go off of the wiring diagram for a 2004 STi, and some wires had changed, so I had to meter all over the place to find the right one sometimes
3) I integrated and soldered all of the wires into the factory looms, making it look like there isn't an alarm installed
4) I hid it all very well

But overall I am very happy with the system. It has a mode of operation designed for manual transmission vehicles that basically ensures the transmission is in neutral or else it will not remote start... I didn't like having to go through a whole routine every time I got out of the car though, so I set it to automatic transmission mode and wired the output from my tranny's neutral position switch into the hood pin so that if the car is left in gear, the R/S will think the hood is open and won't start the car . The range on the transponder is very impressive, and I like how you can turn on/off valet mode, the turbo timer, the shock sensor, acknowledgement chirps, etc. all from the transponder. The alarm also has two auxillary outputs and a dedicated trunk pop output. I just ordered a trunk pop solenoid off of eBay and will be wiring that up in a few weeks. Going to use one of the aux. outputs to turn on my rear defroster for winter weather.

 

[F14CRAZY]

As I always say, with most electronics, "they all come from the same factory in Taiwan"

 

[Savage Wolf]

As I always say, with most electronics, "they all come from the same factory in Taiwan"

you also get what you pay for, and DEI (who is Viper), Clifford, Compustar at least are companys that have been around a while, and I wouldnt trust those no name $40 alarm/remote starts even if someone gave one to me, product backing and warr are important, and that peice of junk $40 alarm just might short out and set your car on fire (seen it happen) or false alarm all the time to the point where you stop using it (then whats the point of having it)

and where I use to work, the Viper 791xv alarm/remote start/2way system... $600 installed, I have about $1000 woth of alarm system if I had paid a installer to do it... (did it all myself)

 

[Laddy]

isn't crimestopper a good brand?

 

[jnealg]

I'll second, or third or whatever we are up to, the DEI. I installed one on mine a few months ago.

Alarms are easy to install, sometimes a remote start can be tricky. If you get one and your ex has the anti theft system, make sure you get the PATS bypass or it wont work.

 

[huskyfan23]

Stick with DEI. Compustar is also very good. The alarms you were looking at aren't worth getting. Any alarm Crutchfield lists isn't worth getting. Get a mid-high end alarm system. $200-$400 on eBay. Get a back-up battery and proximity sensor to go with it.

 

[B94Sport]

Any alarm Crutchfield lists isn't worth getting. Get a mid-high end alarm system. $200-$400 on eBay. Get a back-up battery and proximity sensor to go with it.

I wouldn't go that far... The alarm I had in my Ex, the CrimeGuard 745i3, came from Crutchfield and I was quite pleased with it. For $200 you got a proximity sensor, shock sensor, glass breakage sensor, all the standard stuff, all relays included, and a backup battery. I had it for 2 years, installed it myself, and never had any problems with it. The only reason I didn't transfer it over to the STi was that it did not have remote start, was a one-way system (I had added on a pager, but didn't want to carry around all that stuff anymore), and transferring from one vehicle to a completely different one probably would have been more trouble than it was worth.

 

[STSJayDub]

I have a legacy alarm. There real good. Mine isnt even one of the "high end" versions, and if you even touch my car it goes off. It goes off if you pull the door handles, reach in the windows (motion sensor), even if I set a coke can on the hood to get my keys out my pocket. Its real good and i highly recommend it.

 

[NusenseSD]

problem I have with the cheaper alarms is that they are usually the cheaper ones..

I paid less than $400 to have my Clifford installed in my ranger. That was including hooking up the door lock seliniods. (Truck didn't come with power locks.)

With the cheaper alarms you don't get anit code grabbing software, the antennaes usually have a short range. I know my alarm has a good range and has more feature than I need.. Also I can silent arm or disarm, or control like 4 different features.. Plus I can add more to it including radar, glass break, etc..

 

[Jason94sport]

I have a Viper. It was $250 installed from a Viper dealer. Go to the above DEI website & see what shops are near you. Then call them & see what they can do for you.