Alarm systems.

I want to buy one for my 1983 Dodge van.Something which comes with a key fob that will sound a loud alarm if anybody tampers with my van.Do you know of any good ones? cuhulin

Reply to
cuhulin
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No. The problem is that so many vehicles have false alarms that nobody even bothers to look when car alams go off. Someone could walk right up, hotwire a car, and drive it away with the alarm continuing to blare and nobody would so much as look out their window. At most they might complain about those damn car alarms going off day and night.

They don't prevent theft at all, they just annoy people.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

These have worked well for me with very few false alarms when adjusted properly:

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Prestige by Audiovox are also pretty good.

eBay is your friend here...

Reply to
Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B

False alarms can be a problem, I'll admit. But I would still prefer to have an alarm system than not. It gives ME a chance to nail a sneak thief that otherwise might have made away with my car, but it also qualifies me for an insurance reduction.

I had the factory system replaced with aftermarket on my Dodge van when the OEM failed. The new unit controlled the electric locks, etc, just like the original

Cost installed in Houston was less than $150. Dont remember the brand but it worked fine.

Reply to
hls

There is an Audio Central store/shop about two miles from me, they sell and install car alarms and stereos/fancy radio thingys.Next time I am going to the food store, I think I will stop at Audio Central and see what they have.I wouldn't mind paying about $150.00 or thereabouts for a good alarm for my van. cuhulin

Reply to
cuhulin

A good installer is important. My Lumina door locks would go crazy off/on when I bought it. Happened unpredictably. Another reason it was dirt cheap. Took my son about 10 minutes to find loose wiring where the aftermarket alarm was connected and fix it. But he's put a lot of those systems and remote starters in family and friends' cars.

--Vic

Reply to
Vic Smith

How To Screw Up A Car Thief's Day.

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Something else I am thinking about buying is a lockable/unlockable steering wheel.Maybe from J.C.Whitney, if they sell one that will fit my van.

I always bring my battery into my house if I am not going anywhere for a while.I have an old battery cable wire tied under the hood.I let that battery cable dangle out from under the hood when I remove my battery. cuhulin

Reply to
cuhulin

An good alarm might keep your battery safe if you have a passenger compartment hood latch release. When I had my '66 F150 I'd pull the coil wire and chain the hood shut. But bolt cutters would have got through that real quick. The modern car anti-theft systems seem pretty good, but they always say if they want your car they'll get it. Best bet is to drive a car not high on the "popular theft list" and put an alarm in it. Maybe a kill switch too in an older car. In the last maybe 6-8 years 2 of my kids had their drivers windows broken by somebody after their radio. Another relative had his window broken and his column screwed up by a wannabe car thief, but he never got it started. None had alarms. So alarms are a good idea. Thieves go after the easy pickings first. My kids had left the radio face plates on. I always left my '85 Cav doors unlocked so nobody would break the window to rifle the car. Twice somebody did just that, but there was nothing worth taking except 4 or 5 bucks in the change holder. And I never had my window broke.

--Vic

Reply to
Vic Smith

My favorite car of all time, my '85 Corolla GTS was stolen in 1991. When I got it back I put an alarm in it (I was going to the day after it got stolen!), and a pressure transducer to measure air pressure in the case of a window break, a Club (and put the lock facing IN so they can't yank the lock) and a thick aircraft-style cable sheathed in clear plastic, with a loop in it. Stick the loop in the tie-down/tow hook and lock it with a big Master lock. By the time they figure out why the hood isn't opening, it'll be too late for them...

I also put in a hidden ignition kill switch, one of the ones with a cylindrical key.

Reply to
Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B

And if it's a vehicle worth grabbing the thief just backs up to it. Slides a fork underneath and tows it down the street to a waiting roll-back.

A true thief who wants your vehicle WILL get it.

For instance The Club - I open the door using a slim jim, grab my handy bolt cutters and cut the wheel to release it. OR use a Buster tool to snap the bar in half.

Aircraft cable - takes about 6 seconds to cut with bolt cutters.

Kill switch - About the only real item that will slow you down. The cylindrical key is a waste though. You can actually defeat them in about

10 seconds.
Reply to
Steve W.

Very true. The trick is making them have to work for it. If it looks like it's going to take more than 12 seconds, a pro will leave it.

The morons who get caught will disregard this. That's why the more defeats you put on it, the less likely to be stolen. A pro will walk away, a fool gets busted.

Yup. But as soon as you open the door the alarm goes off.

Have to look for it. Again, time factor

Have to find it first. Not hidden in the usual places. The car also had a tilt sensor in it, which proved to be a PITA when parking on a hill, but was easily defeated...if you knew where to look.

Aside from that, after adding ALL THIS CRAP, 2 weeks after I got the car on the road some bastard broke the pass window without setting off the alarm, and stole my new radio! (I had it mounted on a slider to take with me if I wanted to. Who the hell figured someone would break into the car at 1 IN THE AFTERNOON ON THE 4th OF JULY?!?!?!?!)

Reply to
Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B

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