qoncept944

Well, now that the car is running, I think the next purchase needs to be an alarm. Montgomery is a pretty crappy place.. a city of 250,000 with it's own Cops tv show. I've been looking around a little but I'm pretty clueless when it comes to alarms.

I want something with a proximity alarm inside, so if I have to run in the grocery store quick or something I don't have to put the top on. I don't really care about remote start, but I would like remote entry (but don't have power locks.. can I? What do I need to do?). I'm not looking to spend too much, I'd like to stay under $150 or so. Just enough to help deter people, as I live on an air force base and don't have to worry about people getting at it most of the time. Also, am I going to be able to install it myself? It's got an old alarm already, but it doesn't work right (it goes off randomly whenever the remote is in range) and it's pretty old and worthless anyway. It's already got a starter kill, will that make it any easier?

TIA

SamGrant951

alpine or clifford. i run cliffords only. I couldnt install it myself, but I also know a guy I truly trust with Porsches, thats a tricky area, so yea you prob could if you had too.

wa944

For only $150 you are going to be fairly limited. I went with an alpine (like the quiet chirp for arm and disarm). My car like yours didn't have power door locks. Keyless entry can be added with a pair of actuators. This feature can be added later, which with you current budget, you will probably opt to do. I would let a competent shop do the alarm install for you, unless you have a lot of time and patience, particularly since you have an existing alarm. The shop should be able to install it in a couple hours. Many places will display the installed price. I rewired the alarm in my CRX about a year and a half ago (only rewired, didn't install the whole thing), and it took me a full day, and that was using nice wire strippers and crimpers that I purchased to make the job easier. If you are into electrics and electronics, then it may not be as big of a job for you. Mechanical chores don't bother me much, but I tend to be a little on the over cautious side when in comes to the electrical system (I really don't feel like frying a harness). Good luck with whichever you decide to go with. BTW, another brand that was recommended to me by the car stereo shop I deal with was Autopage. More affordable, and has proven quite reliable. They have actually seen fewer problems with Autopage than Clifford. That said, I had a Clifford in my CRX for 2 years (aside from the shoddy install by a "friend") I didn't have any serious problems outside of remotes. The Alpine remotes seem to be a bit more rugged, something to condsider if you drop your keys on a regular basis.

Bob S. 1984 Silver

Having an older 944 (1984) and not wanting to chance the factory alarm (heard bad things about units going bad with time and causing other problems), I played around with a cheap electronic circuit that I installed. My wife and I went to a car show and activated the system. A local vendor was dropping circulars into car windows and I noticed he bypassed my car. I asked him why he had skipped the silver 944. His response: "Hey, the guy has his alarm system activated and I didn't want to set it off."

System consists of two flashing red LEDs mounted in the center "radio speaker grille", operated by a small switch in one of the four aux openings on the console. Oh yes, and I do have a hidden dead man switch that cuts off power to the fuel pump. That is the extent of my alarm system. The object of any alarm system should be to make the perp think twice and move on.

Just the ramblings of a cheap old buzzard....

rcldesign

I went clifford, then I customized some of it:

Added dual OEM kill switches (seperate from the alarm)
Made the blinking LED blink the door lock thing in the console.
Used a blank OEM switch instead of the provided switch for programming the alarm.

All my stereo stuff is bolted down with security head allens and its all hidden. My deck is completely removable.

During "maximum security lock down", a theif would have to bypass my alarm, and find both kill switches, break "the club" off, and then they could steal the thing. To steal the stereo stuff, a theif would either have to break what they're trying to steal (i.e. the speakers), or bring a plasma cutter (to cut through the steel bracket over the amps.) Or, have a security head allen bit (which isn't exactly likely).

dek944

OKAY here is what you do. I paid $130 for my alarm. It is the FM-2009 car alarm. The specs on it are it has a vibration sensor(exe - tap the window/push the car/ etc) also lets u connect to as many door alarms/hood/ trunk as you have or want. Also, it has the ability for trunk opening/ engine start/valet/and some other features. The great thing is that its a two-way with up to a mile radious, only on flat open surface, whereas you can check the status of the car, set alarm/disarm. OR if someone triggers the sensor it messages your alarm receiver or if the door opens, it tells you that to. So for the price, I think its pretty good/ REALLY good.

Devia

Sam - I'm getting ready to put a new alarm in my car, and I noticed that you mentioned 'Clifford'. Would you be interested in the old button pad and circuit board?

Because there is a hole in the dash, I was thinking of either an actual engine temp gauge, or a red button that says "passenger eject."

I think I'll go with the first, lol! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

- Julie

gleamingred944

Check with your insurance agent - many offer a 10% reduction on theft insurance if you have one installed by a licensed installer. Helps to pay the bill!

I'm happy with Clifford Matrix, but if you want the proximity option, it costs more than $150.

MichelleJD

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Devia:
<strong> Because there is a hole in the dash, I was thinking of either an actual engine temp gauge, or a red button that says "passenger eject."

I think I'll go with the first, lol! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Go with the second if you can get it to work! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Devia

Thanks, Michelle...I do have it planned out in my imagination...passenger would have seatbelt on, seat would tilt back, as sunroof would retract into the roof.

Then you'd hear a mild explosion as small charges blow
the seat belt off, and then a big rumble as the passenger goes flying through the hole in the roof!

- Julie

Sami951

I'd like to know what it exactly takes to get keyless entry in a car with no power locks at the moment... since that's what I got, and I need to buy an alarm ASAP

If it helps any, I've got all the power lock pieces in a box, taken off from another 944 - but judging by the amount of stuff & wiring there appears to be, I really want to avoid installing all that if it's not necessary...

Danno

"I really want to avoid installing all that if it's not necessary..."

Nope, you have to install all the wiring and the door-lock solenoids that pushes up & down on the lock mechanism. Then the alarm system uses that for the keyless entry function. I have a Clifford box that automatically locks the doors when I start the car. And when I turn it off, the doors unlock.

Don't go overboard on an alarm system, I used to know some guys up in San Jose who would break into cars to steal the alarm system because it was worth more than the stereo!!!

Sami951

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Danno:
<strong>Don't go overboard on an alarm system, I used to know some guys up in San Jose who would break into cars to steal the alarm system because it was worth more than the stereo!!!</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica"><img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[ouch]" title="" src="graemlins/c.gif" />