Well i just got some bonus money and need to add an alarm to my car.

I have to get my AC fixed but still need some advice on an alarm.

I know that the DEI ones are the most recommended alarms and in think the Clifford and the autopage alarms are DEI ones.

Last year when i was looking i got quoted $550 installed for a Clifford matrix 550.

It was a one mile pager version with auto start and knock sensor

I know i shoudl not be cheap on an alarm but i cant spend to much either. Around 500 is the max i want to pay but only for a pager version. For a non pager version i think 300 should be enough.

Any of you guys want to recommend things to ask for? Certain models to look for or avoid?

Any special things that i shoudl add? I hear you can get back up batteries for these alarms, how much extra should that cost?

As usuall i need a bunch of info but you guys always come to the rescue so hook me up with the intel....

 

i am currently using a clifford 50.5 paging alarm system with remote start and shock sensor. i believe you can get that online for around $200. i recommend this. are you installing this yourself or getting it done by a friend or shop? you can get a Backup Battery on ebay for about $15. for a good alarm system its not about how much you spent its about the install. hide those wires good and don't install it at a typical location like under the dash or kick panel. you can also add other stuff like a extra siren like the Piezo Siren inside the car or you can add tilt sensor for when someone jacks up your car or you can add a glass breakage sensor which senses someone breaking in your window and your alarm will go off. these are the add ons i recommend. you can add stuff that isn't necessary but useful like the remote trunk release or the remote window up/ down. for my install i had it done at a shop that i always go to and they charge me $120 ffor the remote start paging system install and $15 per accessory i install. and extra i believe $25 for a custom install.

i recommend this site to get your alarm, since i've dealt with them before http://www.sonicelectronix.com/ and http://www.hookedontronics.com/

 

IIRC Autopage is not DEI! The only reason I say that is because I used Autopage as my last alarm out of my hate for DEI's upper management.

Another sensor I would suggest in lieu of the glass break sensor would be an infrasonic (Autopage SIS-12)or ultrasonic sensor (DEI 509u) to add to your alarm. It detects drops in cabin pressure, provided you don't leave your windows cracked or rolled down. In other words, it would keep someone from pulling a window to break into your car as well as detect a drop in pressure if someone were to break a window.

 

Sweet guys thanks for the info.

I wont be doing the install myself since i suck at wiring and will be paying to have it intsalled.

I think the 50.5 is the one he showed me last year and said it would be 500 installed. The shop thats doing it has been around for a long time and from the looks of things they seem to do very good installs.

Last time i was there someone was getting music installed and they had all the wires wrapped in that black cable wrap to make everything look stock, and when i asked he told me that was pretty much the normal way they install stuff.

Ill def be sure to ask about how the alarm will be hidden because as u said i have heard before that is more important than anything else.

 

i would say to go with autopage... they have an awesome warranty on their parts if installed by an autopage dealer. most of the parts are lifetime warrantied... except key fobs b/c they can get water damage if dropped in snow, puddles etc. they make alot of extras, tilt sensors that measure the incline of your car and if it gets jacked up like 3 degrees the alarm will go off. they have something called C3 as well that you can have your phone get a text when the alarm goes off and also remote start your car from literally around the world... sorry, i install for an Autopage dealer, so im kinda biased.

 

Nah thats cool, that why i wanted to post to hopefully get some hands on advice.

But you forgot two important things:

1: Model of good ones
2: Prices..

 

well for a model rs 727 (its 2 way LCD remote start/ alarm) installed at my shop is 475. but that includes lifetime warranty on parts and labor. and then there is the rs1000 that is a OLED display and has a mile transmitting range, (727 has 1/4 mi range) and i believe that one is like 650-700 installed at the shop. either of those you can set up all the extra sensors as well. i didnt get a chance to look at cost on them.

 

The only thing I dont like about LCD displays is that they are fragile and expensive to replace.

Also Autopage does seem to be a solid alarm. I've had an RS-650 Plus (I know, its an antique) in my car forever and it still works flawlessly today.

 

Wouldn't a large drop in temperature cause a drop in cabin air pressure enough to set the alarm off?

 

nope. in my alarm at least, it has a temperature sensor as well, so it monitors both for air pressure and temp change. if it does happen i havent encountered it yet or had any customer complaints... also it looks for an instantaneous change in pressure, a change in temperature would cause more of a graduated increase or decrease in pressure.