I was considering getting an alarm for my teener...but I'm wondering if it'd be worth the effort?

Normally, I'd do it in a car so I can remote-unlock, but in this case, I'd just be doing it to make noise if someone was in the car and not suppossed to be.

Anyone else using one? What kind?

I ignore them when I go thru a parking lot anymore. Barking dogs, sirens, computer voices.

Now, if they would invent one that would throw about 10 bazillion volts at a cuple hundret amps.....that would be an alarm (and funny too).

No alarm, just leave the top off, windows down and nothing inside that is worth stealing. I pull the face off the radio and lock it in the front trunk. That way they just walk on by and dont even bother with it. In anycase, I would leave the doors unlocked so they dont break a window. I would rather replace the radio than the glass. Install an ignition kill if you are worried about the car being stolen. I can tell you how to wire one of those up in about 15 minutes.

I leave the doors unlocked and lock valuables in the trunk. I installed a hidden switch to disable the ignition. I don't use it all that often, but can easily disable the car if I feel the need to.

That's about what I was thinking...don't leave anything in there, and leave it unlocked with an ignition kill.

Funny Story:

For a science project back in high-school, I made a door handle that had the electrodes of a stun-gun in it. When you pulled on it, if it wasn't dis-armed, you'd get one hell of a shock. My science teacher had me put it in his car (I worked at a car audio shop back then) and he used it for about 6mos before he had me take it back out. I guess his wife got sick of 'forgetting' that it was there and got zapped all the time. This was IDEAL to me because his wife was my math teacher!

I got an A in Science that year...and a D in math. Hmmm.....

I leave my teener unlocked (except the front trunk). I would lock the rear trunk if I had a key for it

The previous owner told me to leave it unlocked. He believed someone would either break a window or wreck the top trying to get into it. I agree.

EDIT

Oh ya... the shift knob used to be really loose. He used to take it off because he thought if a crook tried to steal it, he/she might not realize the different gear layout... Not sure if that would actually be a good thing or not... might put it in reverse thinking it was 1st and smash into something

i detest alarms, hate them. never a more useless piece of junk on a car. does anyone ever go rushing over to the sound of a car alarm to see what's going on? when we lived down south the thunderstorms were so bad they made all the car alarms in the parking lot go off at once. silly.

i don't even lock the thing. forget the alarm and go with a keyless entry, much more useful imho.

~a

I had an 86 Saab that I had to press on a piece of carpet that had a switch behind it when I went to start the car. THAT was pretty usefull, but a pain in the ass at the same time.

Maybe a kill switch would do the trick...

Maybe just a disabling alarm would be fine.

But then again, I leave nothing of value in view in the car... usually that goes in the glovebox and gets locked. Front and rear trunks get locked. I'd like an alarm that lets a lot of voltage through the car. That'd disable whomever was trying to steal it.

I agree. Alarms are a pain. I am going to have mine removed this Spring. They are more trouble than what they are worth. I leave the windows up, doors locked and the top stored in the unlocked rear trunk. That keeps the honest people out and provides easy access for the slime bags without breaking glass or prying open a door. Eddy

Better than an alarm!

I love car alarms. I can drive thru a parking garge and set off most of them.

Until you get pulled over

I leave my doors unlocked, key in the igniton, a note about some of the quirks, and a $20 bill, used just leave a $10, but gas is high these days. I park out front, with the windows down.

I really do leave it unlocked. I can't remember the last time I locked a teener, and the worst to happen in about $100 in stollen tools over the years, and someone screwed up my lower dash once, kicking?



M

Pulled over for what?

I think the best benefit to pain in the ass ratio is a blinking LED. If they ever get to the point of setting an alarm off, you're probably too late. The LED has the same deterrent effect as an alarm, but it never goes off at the wrong time That plus leaving it unlocked and free of valuables will probably keep it pretty safe.

I've took out the Alpine alarm system the PO put in my car. (model 8030B)
Anybody who wants it can have it for a $20 donation to the Brad Legal Aid Fund.

You just can't beat the club, though. It is a very visual deterant.

I have an excallibur alarm (PO mod). It sorta works, I need to get directions for it. But, it is wicked loud, and sounds exactly like a police siren; the best part. I've heard you can get a module to allow it to play a voice recording. Thats what I want.

[in my best Richard Simmons voice] Step away from the car, and step, and step . . .

I want a car alarm that sounds like machine-gun fire. That would work, and the perp would leave a pudle of evidence in the driveway.

-Ben M.

I hire bums, give them a bottle of booze and let them sleep in the passenger seat. Helps to roll them up in a tarp first....

Seriously, you can just unplug the coil wire and it wont start, just remember that you did that. I forgot a few times, took me a minute to realize what was up

The only siren I would use, that I have had in my 914, before. Is the tiny ear busting inside siren. Its a tiny little mofo, that would leave you deaf after 1 min exposure. Try to stay inside the car when your ears are melting

I have a lite and siren, it can barley be heard from the outside...maybe by catz and dogz
Regard
Joe

QUOTE (jd74914 @ Mar 8 2005, 09:38 PM)

[in my best Richard Simmons voice] Step away from the car, and step, and step . . .

I discovered I had an alarm when it went off whilst I was storming down the motorway - and the PO hadn't given me a fob to turn it off. I managed to pull up the carpet rip it out and throw it out the window at 90mph
I just leave mine unlocked with nothing in it, the roof off (on the two days it doesn't rain in England) and take the coil lead with me which makes quite an effective ignition cut off

When the car was running..........................

I just leave everything open. I take the same approach with my Jeep. no need to come back to broken or sliced windows.

And who steals car stereos anymore?

i leave it unlocked, and hope that if it is stolen, that our local Donut-eating Brigade doesn't find it and return it.
If i have to get back to where i came, i just take off the coil wire.

Overall I agree car alarms are 90% worthless -- esp. the "unsophisticated" ones that are just a noisemaker without ignition kill, etc.

However, in the early 90's when we lived in a small condo complex, a basic Hofco alarm "saved" my car from being stolen from the multi-car garage. A would-be thief opened the door of my car, setting off the alarm, which happened to be right underneath the bedroom of our Very Large Harley-Riding neighbor. He heard it before me and ran downstairs with a baseball bat...the teenage punk thief got away but we never had further problems after that night.

These days...if I hear one of our car alarms go off at home, Mr. Remington 12ga and Mr. 120lb Akita will investigate pronto, with me taking up the rear. Frankly, if I hear anybody else's alarm, I don't really give a shit -- not worth getting involved even if there is a real issue vs. just a cold cat looking for a shack-up spot.

When I hear an alarm go off I look in the direction of it...ya never know.

An alarm system is simply a deterent, nothing more. They want "it" they'll get "it" (whatever "it" may be). I had my Jetta broken in twice. After I installed my alarm and put the LED on the dash in plain, obvious sight, I've never had an issue. I also adjusted the impact sensor and proximity sensors so they don't go off at the slightest sound like so many other clowns have their vehicles do. My Squareback exhaust puts out some serious bass -- I luuuuuv parking garages! -- so when I pull out next to my Jetta that alarm doesn't go off.

They are no longer being sold as far as I know but I have a club that is a Taser (uses Taser technology). If it gets bumped it will sound off a 130dB internal siren then, after 10 seconds of that, it will ALSo activate the metal strips along its length (looks like little blue lightening strikes)...the Taser You don't have to touch it to get zapped, even at 1.5" it will zap ya. Good luck picking the lock or sawing thru it or removing the stereo when it's continuously zapping you It does re-arm itself. All key fob activated, of course I had a buddy hold on to it then have me activate it, seeing how long he could hold on. After about 3 or 4 zaps he had to let go -- and he was sweating afterwards.

I dunno...not sure I really like the idea of unlocked or windows down. Definitely wouldn't want to leave the top off for fear of bird poop. I understand the logic, just not sure I agree with it. I miss living in the country as it was never an issue. Even the house was unlocked.