Been toying with the idea of getting a car alarm, a Toad AI606 has been recommended to me. They cost about £140.
I've never really liked the idea as an alarm is only as good as who ever responds to it and these days including myself if I hear an alarm I think friggin alarm instead of let me see if I need to call the police etc.
But it would knock insurance down a bit I guess ...?
How easy or hard are these kind of alarm to wire up ?
They don't really reduce the premium much these days unless you combine it with a tracker in a higher value or performance car. I would pay £140 and a bit extra to have one fitted. They are a total nightmare unless you understand the cars electrics, definitely NOT a DIY job. There is a module that goes up under the dashboard and connects to things like your central locking, lights, windows, other sensors etc. Then there is a siren under the bonnet and a backup battery. It's getting an accurate wiring diagram that can be a problem and joining or cutting the correct wires. A toad manual will only tell you what the wires are for, not how to connect them. If you do it yourself you will get no reduction on the insurance as you need to send the installation certificate away. I always look out when anyone's alarm goes off as good ones don't go off for no reason. If anything, it scares away the average smackhead living in the local bail hostel. If you only want something that will make a noise, get a cheap voltage sensing one for £40. Most cars immobilisers and alarms are easily bypassed anyway and if someone wants it they will tow it away.
I think you'll find that any insurance discount for an aftermarket alarm will only apply to a Thatcham certificated alarm. Either a CAT 1 alarm fitted complete, or an upgrade, if the car already has a factory fit immobiliser, from CAT 2 to CAT 1 status.
The Toad AI606 is a CAT 1 alarm, but for insurance purposes, it would have to be professionally fitted by a Thatcham approved installer, which could cost anything up to £350. That price would include the alarm of course.
The reason being, IIRC, that a Thatcham approved installer has to pay Thatcham something like £800 a year for the privilege.
As long as you're reasonably competent working on cars, with car wiring and fitting terminals etc, fitting an alarm is not difficult, but fitting a CAT
1 alarm is certainly not the easiest, and can be quite time consuming. Mike.
you wont get any insurance discount unless its installed proffesionally
the op also needs to be aware that on some vehicles you also need to modify the vehicle wiring by inserting diodes in otherwise the alarms wont work correctly , i know this is the case with some of the citroens , pugs and even some of the fiats
Reading all the posts has made me think twice about giving it a go. Sounds like I'll end up in a right ole mess and end up paying some to put that mess right and then install it costing me more. So I will get it professionally done and save a headache.
James submitted this idea :
They are only really useful if you are within range to respond to the alarm. Better are the alarms which page you.
Not much, if at all. Some insurance companies might insist on them, but either way it needs to be an approved one and fitted by an approved installer.
Very easy, but only if you know what you are doing.
Just to add the usual thread drift...
I've got a pretty old one - circa 1990 - in my SD1 Rover which works ok but is slightly lacking in range for the remote. And probably not that secure, remote control wise. It operates the central locking and has an aux relay which feeds my own interface box which disables the ignition, fuel pump and starter. It has the usual voltage drop sensing for doors being opened etc and an interior movement sensor. All of which is probably pretty old hat. What would be a good make to replace it with? DIY, of course. It would also be nice to get one where the remote was part of the ignition key - say a blank that could be cut to the present one etc - to make the key bunch smaller, same as on most modern cars.
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