Need alarm advise

[AUSyTyIN]

After Amy's truck was stolen a few miles from my place linky, I have moved getting an alarm way up on the to do list. I want a two way alarm than notifies me if it goes off. I also way keyless entry. Remote start and windows up/down would be nice too, but not terribly needed. Quality is my first priority, but I am on a budget, so cost is also a major issue. What is considered a good entry level alarm?

I did a search on this, but most of the topics were from '03, and I'm sure a lot has changed in terms of what is avaliable.

 

[conlyn]

Re: Need alarm advise

i bought a viper 190xv from ebay for 175 used, it wasn't too much of a PITA to install, aside from the obvious ripping and gutting of your das/console.

it's a 2way alarm with Remote Start, and as soon as i get the money at time right time, it'll have the window rollup module bought.

i'm pretty satisfited with it, aside from losing my 75$ remote :rant: there hasn't been much of a single issue.

 

[MAITAI1993]

Re: Need alarm advise

go with a codealarm CA670 comes with one 2way rempte a dummy remote lots of extra outputs turbo timmer so on and so forth.. www.audiovox.com for info www.cartoys.com to buy or pm me ill get you hooked up even if you dont go with code alarm check out DEI and clifford www.clifford.com will get you info :tup:

 

[syclonekid43]

Re: Need alarm advise

i would look into lojack. see if you local police use it.

 

[Jer]

Re: Need alarm advise

Your best bet is going to be DEI which will be Python, Viper or DEI. They manufacturer about 80% of the alarms in the industry so they're the way to go. I have the 2-way on my Typhoon (all of my vehicles for that matter) and highly recommend you go to Cartoys. The one down by Parkmeadows has some of the best installers in the state and being that your rig is a 1991, it's not all the expensive. The alarms there will include basic install and luckily your Sy will be covered mostly by this since it doesn't have a mess of sensors and what not to bypass. Get the extra bells and whistles and add as many Pezo pain generating sirens throughout the inside as you wish as it's money well spent. Rest assured that you can find cheaper but you will NOT find a better install in the state of Colorado than the Cartoys at Parkmeadows. Also, get the additional coverage as it will pay for itself with a 2way because it covers remotes too. I just swapped mine out last week for free because it was burning through batteries every two weeks. I even got the newest model since they discontinued mine all for free. Would have cost me like $70 otherwise.

Of course it helps that I used to work at the Fort Collins Cartoys and still know most the people there. Comes in handy if I need anything new or I have any issues on the existing stuff as all of my cars have alarms and systems installed by Cartoys.

 

[AUSyTyIN]

Re: Need alarm advise

I talked to my friend that works at Car Toys, he told me to get the $500 Clifford one. I believe that is the same as the Viper one. Forgot to ask about the pain generators.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Re: Need alarm advise

Alarms wont do crap against a real car thief. All alarms do is scare people away from the vehicle and possibly prevent your belongins inside from being stolen, not stop your truck from being taken.

If you want special features like autostart, auto window rolldown, ect ect, then sure you'll have to look for a somewhat decent alarm, but if all youre looking for is something to make noise to scare people off, you might as well go to Radio Shack and get a $25 car alarm and toss it in. Its going to be just effective as a $1000 clifford.

If you want your truck protected from being taken, well the BEST option is kill switches. Not only is it a cheap solution, but its the most effective. You can kill at least 4 things in the truck either with toggle or wire them up as ghost switches or put a kill switch on a timed relay so you have to do something first and you have 15 second to start the truck before you have to do it again. Those types of things is what will keep your truck in the same place you left it, not an alarm.

 

[Timbo]

Re: Need alarm advise

If you want your truck protected from being taken, well the BEST option is kill switches. Not only is it a cheap solution, but its the most effective. You can kill at least 4 things in the truck either with toggle or wire them up as ghost switches or put a kill switch on a timed relay so you have to do something first and you have 15 second to start the truck before you have to do it again. Those types of things is what will keep your truck in the same place you left it, not an alarm.

On the same note, kill switches won't stop anyone from breaking into your truck. They'll just keep them from driving off with it. If they're really determined, they might just put it on a flatbed.
IMO, a 2-way alarm is a good investment. If you've got both a 2-way alarm, and some sort of starter kill, then you're doing good because your alarm will let you know what's up, and it may give you enough time to get to your car while the theif is still trying to figure out how to get it started.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Re: Need alarm advise

On the same note, kill switches won't stop anyone from breaking into your truck. They'll just keep them from driving off with it. If they're really determined, they might just put it on a flatbed.

yep, which is why I said before that, if youre worried about protecting the belongings inside the truck (aka, broken into), then just get any old alarm and rig up an LED on the dash, they all make the same noises as the $1000 alarms. With the saved money, you can add a 2nd hidden/remote siren as well as a backup battery incase they kill the main battery.

 

[leadfoot]

Re: Need alarm advise

I eventually put a basic kill switch in all my cars/trucks, but it won't stop a tow truck...

I put one in my friends T/A and the theif(s) shredded his column trying to get the car started. Althought the car never left the driveway, he had to put in a claim for his trashed steering column.

I knew another guy that put a solenoid on his gas line. (older car) When the they stole his car it started and ran long enough to get them down the street where it died. At this point this exposes them and they usually abandon the vehicle. He got his car back the same morning he discovered it gone.

Since we have fuel injection you could just kill the power to the fuel pump. It may start, but not for long.

 

[cloneman315]

Re: Need alarm advise

read some older posts about the 2wssas compustar unit that i sell at my store they are the best hands down nothing can beat the range up to 6000 ft and they are a 2way ,as far as that new clifford everyone is talking about they are using the compustars technology and it isnt even out yet because they cant get it to work right hit me a pm u can call me and i can give u some info

 

[AUSyTyIN]

Re: Need alarm advise

Anyone ever used these pain generators?

 

[Turboz]

Re: Need alarm advise

I put those in customers cars. I wouldn't want to be the one sitting in there with that going off.

 

[Jer]

Re: Need alarm advise

I put those in customers cars. I wouldn't want to be the one sitting in there with that going off.

I put several in my vehicles mounted throughout.

 

[JAY]

Re: Need alarm advise

A few months back while I was in FT.Collins, I had some oil, antifreeze etc in the bed (no tonneau)and I was only in a store maybe 15 minutes and someone went through it dumping antifreeze in the bed. Unfortunately the shock sensor was turned off on my alarm from being here in WY. From there on out, while visiting down there, I pulled both ECM fuses and left the shock sensor on. I would recommend Compustar 2 way. They have 3 different range remote controls and aren't too hard to install in our trucks.

 

[AUSyTyIN]

Re: Need alarm advise

I put several in my vehicles mounted throughout.

OK, just making sure that they weren't some crappy brand that I would be dissapointed in. I was thinking one in the cab, and one under hood. Sould I do two inside, one behind the dash, and one under it as well as the one under hood?

 

[Jer]

Re: Need alarm advise

OK, just making sure that they weren't some crappy brand that I would be dissapointed in. I was thinking one in the cab, and one under hood. Sould I do two inside, one behind the dash, and one under it as well as the one under hood?

Sorry, I actually used the DEI brand name pezos. I just meant the pezo in general not that particular brand. I would say that if you're having Cartoys do it, they'll hook you up with cost on some DEI pezos which would be about the same after cost and you wouldn't have to wait for shipping and it would all be covered and warrantied by the install. For a couple bucks in this case I don't think it's worth it since I personally am not sure of that brand. Although their function is pretty simple and basic I don't see that there's too much of a chance of one of these not 'performing' especially when you consider how often they'll actually have to do their job. So, it's up to you but if you're going with a Cartoys install I would just get one there.

 

[crashing_sux]

Re: Need alarm advise

Is there a kick ass Car Toys near you? I was surprised to see you keep throwing out their name as everyone else I know and every other forum I read says stay as far away from Car Toys as you can when it's time to install a stereo or alarm.

 

[Jer]

Re: Need alarm advise

Is there a kick ass Car Toys near you? I was surprised to see you keep throwing out their name as everyone else I know and every other forum I read says stay as far away from Car Toys as you can when it's time to install a stereo or alarm.

Yes, I do. Matter of fact, click the link in my sig for my Trailblazer and see the work they did. That's just a taste as they have done TONS of stuff to my vehicles. I can tell you that there are bonehead installers that work there though and you just have to be sure you get the right one. Having worked there for about a year (buddy was GM and needed some sales training so paid me to work there and a consulting bonus) I learned who was good and who sucked real quick. I was fortunate enough to have not one but TWO certified master installers at my disposal. There are only about 80 in the entire US. The Cartoys in Fort Collins takes the best installers/install managers from the other local stores and makes them their installers. It's the best of the best but far from cheap as a result. To me, good work is something that's hard to put a price on though.

 

[AUSyTyIN]

Re: Need alarm advise

Is there a kick ass Car Toys near you? I was surprised to see you keep throwing out their name as everyone else I know and every other forum I read says stay as far away from Car Toys as you can when it's time to install a stereo or alarm.

I am friends with an installer there, so I know that he will take care of everything. I also know that if there is a problem, I can always get a hold of the guy that did the work.