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Aftermarket Alarm System

14K views 40 replies 13 participants last post by  ej20fan 
#1 ·
I have been seeing TOO MANY threads pertaining to WRX thefts lately. And I have invested a big chunk of change into my car. I already have the upgraded security system that came with the car. But I want more protection. So I am looking into purchasing an aftermarket alarm system. Anyone out there upgrade their alarm system, or have any suggestions?
 
#2 ·
Depends on how much money you want to spend...

Clifford and Viper are, in my mind, two of the best manf.'s out there. I'm soon to be getting the acclaimed Viper 791 two-way security system. There are many other options out there that are probably just as secure, but this one has all the bells and whistles I could ever need. Remote start in winter climates is $$$!
 
#3 ·
GetawayInBouldr said:
Depends on how much money you want to spend...

Clifford and Viper are, in my mind, two of the best manf.'s out there. I'm soon to be getting the acclaimed Viper 791 two-way security system. There are many other options out there that are probably just as secure, but this one has all the bells and whistles I could ever need. Remote start in winter climates is $$$!
You have a point. And I wouldn't mind spending good money on an alarm that I could trust more than the factory set-up. Plus money well spent on a decent alarm will keep all of MY mods in MY hands.

I like the pager system that Clifford has. But I wouldn't need the remote start, since it doesn't get that cold in California.
 
#4 ·
GetawayInBouldr said:
Depends on how much money you want to spend...

Clifford and Viper are, in my mind, two of the best manf.'s out there. I'm soon to be getting the acclaimed Viper 791 two-way security system. There are many other options out there that are probably just as secure, but this one has all the bells and whistles I could ever need. Remote start in winter climates is $$$!
Clifford is made By DEI which also makes Viper.

So if you want best protection for your car I'd recomend the Viper 791XV, what that is a 2 way transponder alarm/remote start combo, so if your alarm is going off and your in your house the remote will beep telling you what is wrong, (ie door opening, hood, trunk, or just a warning beep) its what I have in all my cars including my WRX now, so i think its well worth the $ its a bit pricey, i sell em 500 installed here over in MASS, but if you find a local shop the price SHOULD be around the same.. Good luck with it, i know i love mine and it works very well, def worth the money.
 
#5 ·
KurleeDaddeeWRX said:
[BI like the pager system that Clifford has. But I wouldn't need the remote start, since it doesn't get that cold in California. [/B]

Remote start is good for many other reasons than just living in cold weather. Remotely starting your car and giving it time to heat up will prolong the life of your turbo, not to mention the Viper 791 has a built in turbo timer :eek: :D

I love my car, and soon she will love me (even more)
 
#6 ·
I'm running a Viper ESP560 w/ Remote start + Turbo Timer and it wins. Having a remote start on a 5mt is cool also, because it won't start if it is in gear, causing it to buck and stall and potentially smash something infront of it.

I got mine for $350 installed.
 
#7 ·
I was going to get the viper 2 way, BUT I live in an apartment with my girlfriend and we park in a tandem spot, so sometimes she has to move my car when I am away, which means because the alarm only comes with 1 transponder, she would not be able to move it, thus being SOL. Just a thought for ya guys.
 
#8 · (Edited)
GetawayInBouldr said:
Depends on how much money you want to spend...

Clifford and Viper are, in my mind, two of the best manf.'s out there. I'm soon to be getting the acclaimed Viper 791 two-way security system. There are many other options out there that are probably just as secure, but this one has all the bells and whistles I could ever need. Remote start in winter climates is $$$!
 
#9 ·
i have basically the same system installed but the audiovox prestige with 2 way lcd remote. window modulator, remote start, then two sets of relay for my built in turbo timer.

great alarm system. i love it. have 2 sets of remotes too. 3 stage shock sensor, which you can also set it yourself for what kind of enviroment you're in.
 
#11 ·
ero2 said:
I was going to get the viper 2 way, BUT I live in an apartment with my girlfriend and we park in a tandem spot, so sometimes she has to move my car when I am away, which means because the alarm only comes with 1 transponder, she would not be able to move it, thus being SOL. Just a thought for ya guys.
You can buy another transponder and program your alarm to accept it.

Calvin
 
#12 ·
The best advice I can give is that if you have the time and patience. . .as well as the basic electronics skills. . .I would highly recommend installing the alarm yourself. I did it over the course of 2 days. Took my time and really learned a lot about the car. Also, alarms don't seem to be stopping a lot of theives so I would also recommend a hidden fuel cut as well.

Calvin
 
#14 ·
The first thing I am getting is the Ravelco system. Check it out here. http://www.clubwrx.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=66891

The second device I am looking at is the Lojack Early Warning Recovery System.

This includes the standard Lojack recovery system. The way the early warning system works is that you have a key pass on your key chain, which looks like a remote entry unit. If the car is moved without this unit in the car it sends an alert to Lojack who then notifies you using up to 5 different ways (cell phone, text message, email, etc.) that your car has been moved.

You will then confirm if the car has been legally towed, borrowed, or stolen. If it is stolen, notify Lojack to have the police start the search. The notification is usually within 15-30 minutes and never more than 1 hour.

What I like about this system over other 2 way paging devices is that the LoJack doesn't seem to have a distance limit on notification where as the other units get you 2 miles at best (correct me if I am wrong).

So I think I will go with Lojack Early Warning. To view a demo go to the following site and click on the flash demo in the bottom right hand corner of the page. http://www.lojack.com/products-services/auto-security-system/early-warning-auto-loss-recovery.cfm

Lojack price is $695. Lojack Early Warning, which includes standard Lojack is $995
 
#15 ·
cnk said:
The best advice I can give is that if you have the time and patience. . .as well as the basic electronics skills. . .I would highly recommend installing the alarm yourself. I did it over the course of 2 days. Took my time and really learned a lot about the car. Also, alarms don't seem to be stopping a lot of theives so I would also recommend a hidden fuel cut as well.

Calvin
This is poor advice!!!!

I've seen many a car come in with anything from blown fuses, fried circuit boards to well done ECU's. Furthermore, you cannot, or rather should never be able to purchase a viper or Clifford alarm over the counter from an authorized dealer, as doing your own install voids their lifetime warranty. Furthermore, they provide you with a free theft-protection guarantee, meaning that for the first 12 months you own the alarm, they will cover your insurance deductible for up to $2500, in case of theft.

Also, Clifford alarms work a little different than let's say most presitge, American Hi-Fi or crimestopper, or several other DEI alarms in that they run a normally open ignition circuit rather than a normally closed one. Their Failsafe Starter Kill, requires the alarm to be present, as removing it breaks the starter's circuit.

Their GPS system spanks the Lo-Jack early warning system. It lets you do real time tracking and a history search of your vehicle, plus notification in case of trigger(cell, pager, email...), as well as road side assistance. Unlike Lo-jack though, they know where your car is, and where it's going as it's being stolen, meaning that no-one has to search for it. and that you get your car back within an hour, rather than the system being activated within that time.
 
#16 ·
ej20fan said:
Their GPS system spanks the Lo-Jack early warning system. It lets you do real time tracking and a history search of your vehicle, plus notification in case of trigger(cell, pager, email...), as well as road side assistance. Unlike Lo-jack though, they know where your car is, and where it's going as it's being stolen, meaning that no-one has to search for it. and that you get your car back within an hour, rather than the system being activated within that time.
How are you notified that your vehicle is stolen with these GPS systems?
 
#17 ·
Whenever a trigger is set off, setting off the alarm, the company will call/page/notify you

or

A GPS perimeter is set up (1 square ft), and if the vehicle leaves the perimeter, they contact you.

Both go into effect when used in conjunction with a DEI alarm, Option 2 only when used independently.
 
#19 ·
ej20fan said:
This is poor advice!!!!

I've seen many a car come in with anything from blown fuses, fried circuit boards to well done ECU's. Furthermore, you cannot, or rather should never be able to purchase a viper or Clifford alarm over the counter from an authorized dealer, as doing your own install voids their lifetime warranty. Furthermore, they provide you with a free theft-protection guarantee, meaning that for the first 12 months you own the alarm, they will cover your insurance deductible for up to $2500, in case of theft.

Also, Clifford alarms work a little different than let's say most presitge, American Hi-Fi or crimestopper, or several other DEI alarms in that they run a normally open ignition circuit rather than a normally closed one. Their Failsafe Starter Kill, requires the alarm to be present, as removing it breaks the starter's circuit.

Their GPS system spanks the Lo-Jack early warning system. It lets you do real time tracking and a history search of your vehicle, plus notification in case of trigger(cell, pager, email...), as well as road side assistance. Unlike Lo-jack though, they know where your car is, and where it's going as it's being stolen, meaning that no-one has to search for it. and that you get your car back within an hour, rather than the system being activated within that time.
As I stated, You need to have the time and patience and the knowledge to do it. It's not rocket science and your statement, especially coming from a vendor just leads me to believe that you don't want people to learn something new and take business away from you. Are there folks that shouldn't install their own alarms. . of course. But at the same time, there are those that have the knowledge and can do it without a hitch.

I am well aware of the differences in alarm systems, all thanks to the months of research I did before purchasing mine and installing it myself. As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing special about the installation and if anything, it allowed me to do it the way I wanted and hide all the wires and connections. Unlike most alarm places that install via wire taps and leave wires all over the place, I did a clean install and hid all the wires. No hacking of wires as I've seen from many alarm installers.

As far as purchasing alarms, with the advent of the internet, people aren't locked in to the rigid pricing schemes of installation stores. It's the same story when it comes to stereo equipment. You can find anything online if you look hard enough. And believe it or not, I got my alarm from an authorized dealer.

No offense, but I find your defensive posture regarding my advise to be that of someone that's afraid of losing business. I'll be quite honest in my opinion. . .I look at things very simply. . .there's nothing a person can't do if they focus and spend the time and effort on learning how to do it correctly.

Calvin
 
#20 ·
ej20fan said:
Whenever a trigger is set off, setting off the alarm, the company will call/page/notify you

or

A GPS perimeter is set up (1 square ft), and if the vehicle leaves the perimeter, they contact you.

Both go into effect when used in conjunction with a DEI alarm, Option 2 only when used independently.
You're forgetting the one important thing about GPS systems. . they need line of sight. Drive the car in to a garage with no line of sight to the satellite and you get no tracking. As with anything else, there's no one deterrant that is fool-proof.

With the rash of thefts that have taken place in NJ in the past year, the only effective solution has been a hidden fuel cut.

Calvin
 
#21 ·
WRC_Obsessed said:
Where are the weak points in a system like this?

Can a thief cut a wire and it will not work or have the unit pulled out?
As I stated, it needs line of sight. Secondly, all someone would have to do is cut the antenna to the system and it would be dead. Best prevention is to not even let them take the car in the first place.

Calvin
 
#22 ·
so... out of those 'many a car' how many of them were installs done by 'certified mcep' installers? i've reviewed a few alarm/remote start installs done by 'certified mcep' and they were by far the scariest installations i've ever seen (ie. t taps, loose crimps, alarm brain not properly hidden etc...)

yes, authorized dealers aren't allowed to sell viper/clifford etc over the counter but who's going to stop them? i'm curious how often does DEI pay that 'anti-theft' guarantee? have you read the fine print? you basically have to prove the vehicle was stolen with the alarm system working and properly armed.

the on board or even external starter kill does nothing to prevent someone from 'push starting' a manual transmission vehicle. it's recommended to go with an alarm such as the g4/g5 line with the onboard dual point immobilization including starter and ignition kill.

good advice:

if you're not comfortable with 12volt and working with your vehicle.. have someone else who's more capable to install the alarm/remote start system.

if you are, then there's plenty of owners who have succesfully installed their own alarm/remote start systems w/o problems you have indicated.

remember, you have to pay if you want play...
netZ

ej20fan said:
This is poor advice!!!!

I've seen many a car come in with anything from blown fuses, fried circuit boards to well done ECU's. Furthermore, you cannot, or rather should never be able to purchase a viper or Clifford alarm over the counter from an authorized dealer, as doing your own install voids their lifetime warranty. Furthermore, they provide you with a free theft-protection guarantee, meaning that for the first 12 months you own the alarm, they will cover your insurance deductible for up to $2500, in case of theft.

Also, Clifford alarms work a little different than let's say most presitge, American Hi-Fi or crimestopper, or several other DEI alarms in that they run a normally open ignition circuit rather than a normally closed one. Their Failsafe Starter Kill, requires the alarm to be present, as removing it breaks the starter's circuit.

Their GPS system spanks the Lo-Jack early warning system. It lets you do real time tracking and a history search of your vehicle, plus notification in case of trigger(cell, pager, email...), as well as road side assistance. Unlike Lo-jack though, they know where your car is, and where it's going as it's being stolen, meaning that no-one has to search for it. and that you get your car back within an hour, rather than the system being activated within that time.
 
#23 ·
depends on how deep your pockets are. the subaru factory security system does little to protect a wrx with a manual transmission. you either need an alarm system with an ignition kill or an auxiliary system to protect either the fuel pump, fuel or
main relay.

if you don't feel comfortable in having such a device installed on the ignition/fuel system have a Mul-T-Lock Transmission Locked installed. this will prevent a person from shifting your vehicle w/o unlocking the shifter collar.

netZ

KurleeDaddeeWRX said:
I have been seeing TOO MANY threads pertaining to WRX thefts lately. And I have invested a big chunk of change into my car. I already have the upgraded security system that came with the car. But I want more protection. So I am looking into purchasing an aftermarket alarm system. Anyone out there upgrade their alarm system, or have any suggestions?
 
#24 ·
you can always buy/program a 1 way dei alarm remote for your 2 way system.

netZ

ero2 said:
I was going to get the viper 2 way, BUT I live in an apartment with my girlfriend and we park in a tandem spot, so sometimes she has to move my car when I am away, which means because the alarm only comes with 1 transponder, she would not be able to move it, thus being SOL. Just a thought for ya guys.
 
#25 ·
someone posted on a message board that the ravelco can be defeated by mashing a 'potato' into the ravelco terminal. not sure if this is true... but if you do get it installed... try it out for me? ;)

netZ

WRC_Obsessed said:
The first thing I am getting is the Ravelco system. Check it out here. http://www.clubwrx.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=66891

The second device I am looking at is the Lojack Early Warning Recovery System.

This includes the standard Lojack recovery system. The way the early warning system works is that you have a key pass on your key chain, which looks like a remote entry unit. If the car is moved without this unit in the car it sends an alert to Lojack who then notifies you using up to 5 different ways (cell phone, text message, email, etc.) that your car has been moved.

You will then confirm if the car has been legally towed, borrowed, or stolen. If it is stolen, notify Lojack to have the police start the search. The notification is usually within 15-30 minutes and never more than 1 hour.

What I like about this system over other 2 way paging devices is that the LoJack doesn't seem to have a distance limit on notification where as the other units get you 2 miles at best (correct me if I am wrong).

So I think I will go with Lojack Early Warning. To view a demo go to the following site and click on the flash demo in the bottom right hand corner of the page. http://www.lojack.com/products-services/auto-security-system/early-warning-auto-loss-recovery.cfm

Lojack price is $695. Lojack Early Warning, which includes standard Lojack is $995
 
#26 · (Edited)
Granted, there are people who posses the know-how on installing their own alarm systems. Unfortunately, these are few and far between, which is why I recommend having a professional install it. Likewise, I know of a lot of seriously unqualified installers and shops, and make quite a chunk of change fixing their screw-ups.

CNZ, I apologize for coming down on you, but in general, I do not think that your advice is prudent. Having a professional install the alarm shifts the burden of proof and performance from you (the apparently unqualified, from a theoretica legal standpoint, as you do not do this for a living, nor are likely to be certified), to someone who was supposed to know how to do this. You've got someone to go after, and as a consumer, are no longer likely to be blamed.

In regards to price scheming, I don't mean to be sarcastic, but there is no great conspiracy with vendors and retailers controlling prices. Think about it. Even if I could control the market price, I cannot control who you buy product from, meaning that there is no incentive for me to stick to any pricing index, as such would not likely influence your decision. If everyone's price was teh same, there is incentive for you to come to me rather than someone else. It is not in my interest to be priced like everyone else. This does make sense, right??

Since this only applies to over the counter sales, what I can offer, besides a low price, is professional advice, Installation and geniune merchandise that really does come with a warranty.

NETZ, it's not MCEP, but MECP "Mobile Electronics Certification Program", it's a common mistake. It is merely a certificate of theoretical knowledge, not proof of ability in regards to your installation prowess. For example, a fully paralyzed individual could study for the exam, pass, and yet never be able to do an install. I agree 100% that some of the worst installs I've ever seen were from supposedly certified installers.

The tracking system is not failsafe, I never stated that it was. It is merely the best available system I have come across. The only failsafe product is their Kill switch, for reasons that I have already explained. Realistically, you can only make your car a more difficult target, not an impossible one.

The DEI payout is real, most customers that have filed for claims have been cut a check for their deductible. The only one's that have had problems, were customers that requested to have Active instead of Passive arming on their DEI alarms, meaning that the alarm would not self-arm. Again, here we have a case where the burden of proof is shifted to the consumer, rather than the retailer/installer.

If you disagree, or find that I am not truthful, please feel free to correct me, as I'm not trying to be a smartass, but merely help in the decision making for those looking to upgrade their alarm.

Again, I apologize if anyone has taken this the wrong way, or if I have offended any of you.
 
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