This seems like a crazy question to ask -- but does an alarm come standard on a 2002 330i? I am under the impression that the red 'clown nose' light on my rear view mirror should blink when the car is locked...i have never seen it do that.....
You don't have the full version of the alarm system. The light on the rear view mirror only blinks when you have the additional stuff installed. Yes, it is prewired (meaning that all you need to do is plug the module into the wiring harness). However, you don't get the audible alarm (including motion sensor). Jim
Installing the alarm is a simple enough DIY, but you'll probably have to get it activated by the dealer once you install it:
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However, the usefulness of the alarm is questionable. The only things it'll probably protect against are (maybe) wheel theft, (maybe) stereo theft, and (maybe) preventing your car from being stolen via tow truck. It won't protect against a smash-and-grab, and the existing security features prevent the car from being hotwired. Even without the alarm, to steal the car, a thief will have to (1) tow the car, (2) social engineer a dealer into having a duplicate key made (which supposedly requires ID and registration, although these can be forged), or (3) stick a gun in your face (there are other rumors about ripping out and replacing the car's computer, but I don't know how credible this is).
[ And, for $DIETY's sake, if you get the alarm installed, don't have the alarm programmed to deactivate if the driver's door is unlocked. If enabled, that's one of the easiest ways for a thief to disable the alarm. ]
'tis true, though. The alarm is an extra-cost accessory. There are three things to be plugged in. The alarm itself, the motion sensor, and the tilt sensor. They all plug in to the existing wiring. The alarm goes under the microfilter housing, the motion sensor in the middle of the headliner under the cover made for it, and the tilt sensor goes behind the trim to the right of the battery in the trunk.
The easy way to see whether the alarm is installed: Get in the car and lock it with the remote. Wait 20 seconds. Wave your arms around. If it's still quiet, you don't have one. Or, take the cover off the headliner. No motion detector, no alarm.
JRE
Brand> Thanks for the info. So how would I connect the module to the wiring
Thank you for all of the information, I really appreciate it.
As for me, I live and work in downtown Atlanta...so security is somewhat of a concern....Really all I want is some sort of theft deterrant like I had on my ...err....hondas.....meaning an alarm sounds if someone tries to break a window or open a door without a key
Do they not have car theft in germany? Is this a burden of capitalism? ;) .....
Well, the cheapest way to get the alarm is to install it yourself (IIRC, I think the cost is around $250-$300 for the kit) and then pay the dealer to activate it.
Alternatively, if your car supports it, you could just pay the dealer to have the red "alarm clown nose light" (under the mirror) activate when you lock the car (basically, a fake alarm light). I don't know if you can do that on a 2002, although it's possible on newer
3-series cars.
Oh, they do have BMW car theft in Germany. I'd guess that it's an even bigger problem over there, as there's a demand for BMW cars/parts in the former USSR. The European car theft gangs certainly seem more organized (and, rumor has it, much more capable). My guess is that an alarm wouldn't slow them down much.
Thank you for the detailed replies. All is helpful information.
The fact that the car is immobilized without a key is helpful -- it addresses my first concern. My second concern is that I wouldnt want anyone to break in the car and vandalize it...or even sit in it ;)......so if i got the red light activated, that would be a good deterrant.....
I don't know if Atlanta is like Los Angeles, but here, except for being annoyed, no one pays any attention to car alarm sounds. In fact, I'm in favor of laws to ban car alarms. The standard BMW security system is very good. When I bought my car, I asked how much discount I'd get to install an alarm. The answer was no discount. That tells me how much the insurance company values an additional alarm system. I don't have an alarm in any of my cars, and one car is a convertible.
It's really likely to wake me up if tripped, since the driveway is outside my bedroom window. Given that a 330i was stolen in our neighborhood last year by being towed away at night, this is good enough for me. (At work there are security cameras and virtually no theft. In fact, most people don't even lock their cars there.)
It provides an audible indication that the doors and trunk are all locked.
I d> I don't know if Atlanta is like Los Angeles, but here, except for
I guess that makes two of us who want to outlaw car alarms! I felt that buying a LoJack unit with my last new BMW would be a good idea - until I found out that there was no insurance discount for that either.
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