Car Alarms
Chris D. Lemanski
I'm looking to buy a pretty good car alarm for under $400.
I would like one with all the standard defensive options (hood, trunk, doors)
motion detector, engine kill) along with remote door lock/unlock
Could anyone suggest some good magazines to read for more info on this?
Are there any stats on which alarms thiefs have figured out, etc?
Does anyone recommend any particular brands?
I've looked at the Viper series and they offer pretty much everything I'm
looking for. Any comments on this system?
Any help would be appreciated.....
Email me if you prefer.....
Thanks....
FurryLogic
>I'm looking to buy a pretty good car alarm for under $400.
>I would like one with all the standard defensive options (hood, trunk, doors)
>motion detector, engine kill) along with remote door lock/unlock
>Could anyone suggest some good magazines to read for more info on this?
>Are there any stats on which alarms thiefs have figured out, etc?
>Does anyone recommend any particular brands?
I could suggest the "Crimestopper" series in the Summer '93 Crutchfield:
-- controller
-- (2) 3-key remotes
-- carjack feature (alarm goes off after 2 minutes from hijack)
-- 2-stage shock sensor
-- interior motion sensor (microwave)
-- LED status indicator (arm/disarm/intrusion)
-- starter disable
-- auto door lock
-- flashing lights
-- programmable multi-tone siren
-- handy shipping box
-- Lifetime warranty
-- other optional stuff available (such as pager, glass breakage sensor, etc)
This is $200 for the highest end CR-9206 model. There's lotsa add-ons
available. Only thing is, nobody has ever heard of this brand before
(I posted a message on it about a week ago; still waiting :) ).
>I've looked at the Viper series and they offer pretty much everything I'm
>looking for. Any comments on this system?
When I checked on this, the list of features above was going to run well
over $350 (not incl installation, of course). Although, this is a much
more "respected" line (for what, I'm not sure. Large numbers, I guess).
-eric
--
Eric Berggren | "We are Microsoft. UNIX is irrelevant.
Portland State University | OS/2 is irrelevant. Openness is futile.
er...@ee.pdx.edu | Prepare to be assimilated." by p...@turing.org
JUDGE DREDD
>>I'm looking to buy a pretty good car alarm for under $400.
Okee dokee.
>>I would like one with all the standard defensive options (hood, trunk, doors)
>>motion detector, engine kill) along with remote door lock/unlock
No problem.
>>Could anyone suggest some good magazines to read for more info on this?
Yeah, Car Stereo Review, Car Audio & Electronics, and Autosound & Security.
>>Are there any stats on which alarms thiefs have figured out, etc?
A creative alarm install is proof against all but the most motivated of
thieves... if they WANT your car, they're GOING to take it, no matter
what brand of alarm you choose... but if you make sure the install is
creative, i.e. DON'T put things in "standard" places... stick the alarm
brain under a seat, be more "creative" with the siren location, consider
a back-up battery or other "failsafes", then you'll fight off the VAST
majority of thieves.
>>Does anyone recommend any particular brands?
Yeah, VSE and Alpine.
> I could suggest the "Crimestopper" series in the Summer '93 Crutchfield:
Also not a bad choice.
> This is $200 for the highest end CR-9206 model. There's lotsa add-ons
>available. Only thing is, nobody has ever heard of this brand before
>(I posted a message on it about a week ago; still waiting :) ).
Crimestopper has been around for years. Anyone who knows alarms has heard
of Crimestopper. Their systems aren't "bad", but not something I would
recommend, and definitely not something I'd choose for myself. I have a
maxed Alpine 8040 with door lock/unlock, window up/down, starter kill, both
inside and outside perimieter sensors (standard) magnetic reed switch hood
protection (FAR more realiable than a pin switch, which can be easily
bypassed with the "spatula" method, unless mounted in the CENTER of the
hood) and many other functions, non-standard, which I've added... solenoid
door releases for shaved door handles, an interface with the hydraulics
system... and so on.
>>I've looked at the Viper series and they offer pretty much everything I'm
>>looking for. Any comments on this system?
VERY annoying alarms, with a 6 tone cycle which will GUARANTEE pissed off
neighbors. Other than that, very nice. The Alpine has a "soft" chirp siren,
by the way, which won't wake your neighbors when you come home late at
night, as I'm sure others do as well. You can also defeat the "chirps" on
some models of alarms. AVOID talking alarms unless it's a novelty only...
we had a Mustang 5.0 _STRAFED_ with an UZI because it talked... OUCH.
> When I checked on this, the list of features above was going to run well
>over $350 (not incl installation, of course). Although, this is a much
>more "respected" line (for what, I'm not sure. Large numbers, I guess).
An Alpine 8040 with all the features you mentioned is available installed
for a shade under $400, depending upon your install shop. The VSE Derringer
II is in the same ballpark, with the Quantum (be-all-end-all-of-alarms) is
higher priced. The Viper 300 and 600 should be available for around $249-
$375, or thereabouts. Go the extra mile, have the alarm brain installed in
an "odd" place (under a seat, in the back, whatever) instead of just stuffed
under the dash... hide the siren too... if they can't find the equipment,
they can't shut the alarm up... if you get a powered siren, the alarm will
continue to sound even if it's main power source is cut.
Good luck.
Jim LaBreck - n874...@henson.cc.wwu.edu
Brian Lind
I installed this same C.S. alarm on my Mustang GT convertible a couple months ago.
Bought it from Crutchfield, of course.
It's the best alarm I've ever seen, let alone owned!
I comes with a great installation manual and a users guide.
It has so many different features you really need a users guide.
The hardest thing about installing it, was deciding what features to enable.
You have to give up some luxury features if you want to enable car-jacking, though.
I personally love the microwave motion sensor. It took a while to find a good
spot and ajust it properly, but all one has to do to set it off is reach
into the car (with top down) or though the window (with top up).
I haven't had any problems with it. It's been very reliable. Made in USA, too.
---
================================================================================
Brian A. Lind Kodak Health Imaging Systems, Inc.
Software Development Engineer (Formally Vortech Data, Inc.)
bri...@vortech.com 2929 N. Central Expr. Suite 101
(214) 994-1219 Richardson, TX 75080
In article n...@ursula.ee.pdx.edu, er...@ursula.ee.pdx.edu (FurryLogic) writes:
================================================================================
Sean Reifschneider
FurryLogic <er...@ursula.ee.pdx.edu> wrote:
> I could suggest the "Crimestopper" series in the Summer '93 Crutchfield:
>
>available. Only thing is, nobody has ever heard of this brand before
>(I posted a message on it about a week ago; still waiting :) ).
Well, I've heard of CrimeStopper before. It was one of the earlier alarms
out there, and has stuck around well... I'd say it's fairly successful.
The local auto-sound place sells Viper and Crime Stopper. I think the
other place I've looked sells Alpine and Crime Stopper. I remember about 3
years ago when I got my alarm that it was farily well rated.
My problem is that the local places all include installation. Noone touches
my car. :) I believe the Viper they wouldn't sell without install and the
Crime stopper they would, but it voided the warranty. What kind of BS is
this?
Sean
--
"Most American cars are like heavy metal music. Lots of noise and vibration,
but not much performance." -- A friend after spending the day car shopping.
Sean Reifschneider, Supreme hack <ja...@accum.com>
I got gasoline from 7-11 and my car stopped running. New gas, ran fine.