Recommend me a car alarm

motivez · 10-09-2007, 06:38 AM

The car alarm in my car was draining my battery and it's a very old one (Viper), so rather than spend a lot of money trying to figure out what's wrong with it and have to search for some reputable people in the area I figure I'll just replace it with something new..

I don't want to spend an arm and a leg, a factory alarm would be around $600 .. which is way more than I want to spend.

Any suggestions?

WickedLou9 · 10-09-2007, 06:49 AM

motivez · 10-09-2007, 12:41 PM

avsp · 10-09-2007, 01:06 PM

In the UK if you phone the police on the emergency number for either a house or car alarm going off they tell you not to do it again or they'll arrest you, ..., at least thats what happened to me.

If you try to phone the police station direct you get no reply even after 5 hours.

Do people in Greensboro report car alarms to the police? Or is the idea that someone runs out of the house armed?

WickedLou9 · 10-09-2007, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by motivez

It's the trunk monkey! OH come on you havn't seen that sketch on SNL?

WickedLou9 · 10-09-2007, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by avsp

In the UK if you phone the police on the emergency number for either a house or car alarm going off they tell you not to do it again or they'll arrest you, ..., at least thats what happened to me.

If you try to phone the police station direct you get no reply even after 5 hours.

Do people in Greensboro report car alarms to the police? Or is the idea that someone runs out of the house armed?

I think the ONLY value of a car alarm is that if one goes off and you are walking near by you might turn and look. Perhaps the person breaking into your car might run off.
They are pretty much useless besides that.

David Octavius · 10-09-2007, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

I think the ONLY value of a car alarm is that if one goes off and you are walking near by you might turn and look. Perhaps the person breaking into your car might run off.
They are pretty much useless besides that.

That and like 5% off your car insurance

motivez · 10-09-2007, 06:55 PM

So no one has any suggestion for brand / model?

JaJae · 10-09-2007, 07:23 PM

Anything by DEI is good. Their cheaper models are typically the same components, just sold cheaper under a different name. Remote start is affordable nowadays in an alarm, I'd recommend it. The type of alarm isn't really as important as who installs it for you.

WickedLou9 · 10-09-2007, 08:08 PM

YouTube Video

JaJae · 10-09-2007, 09:02 PM

My alarm is kinda old, I have this one..
Viper - Security with Remote Start - Viper 791XV

Much cheaper than factory alarm and much better.

motivez · 10-09-2007, 09:11 PM

The shop I took my car to for the audio/security stuff actually stopped doing car stuff and is focusing on home entertainment now, and I hate to take my car some smaller business where I or my mechanic or someone else I know hasn't used them before

That pretty much limits me to some place like Circuit City or some such

Circuit City limits me to these:

Car security & remote starts at Circuit City

JaJae · 10-09-2007, 10:00 PM

Those are all DEI and they're all overpriced. Is there any other shop in your area?

If you're forced into letting CC tear your car apart for an alarm, I'd probably go with this one:
Buy the DEI Python 571XP 2-Way Remote Start and other Car Security & Remote Starts at circuitcity.com

motivez · 10-09-2007, 10:14 PM

There's a few shops in the area, but again, I hesitate to take my car to a smaller place that I don't know / my mechanic doesn't know / no one else I know, uh, knows...

The place I took my car for stereo stuff actually stopped doing car stuff entirely and is only doing home theatre now

I'd rather not let Circuit City anywhere near my car, heard too many horror stories, but at least you can usually force them (through manager's / corporate) to fix any fuckups

JaJae · 10-10-2007, 12:39 AM

Make sure to tell them where you want the kill switch. Under the dash, driver's seat or glove box is not a good place.