Does anyone use these anymore.... at all ?
 

CAR ALARMS............................................


So I have been driving my bucket of bolts a little bit more often these days since having a few things done to it. I've been so happy with getting it dialed in that I've just wanted to drive it a bit. (Over the 27 years I've had it, here have been times where I haven't driven it for 6-9 months at a time)

Anyways...... this has led me to think about the alarm I had installed 20 years ago and the fact that I never ever use these days. I don't even know where the FOB is if I'm honest.

Does anyone ever use OR buy car alarms anymore these days?

With the decline of car audio these days, I never hear or see anyone talk about alarms anymore. I remember part of the car audio shops, alarms were a big up sell to buying a stereo.

THOUGHTS?

Pre-H20

I gave up on alarms many years ago on my P car. There is something to be said about an immobilizer or a hidden kill switch however.

With the value of these cars now days, one can't be too careful.

Mine has the factory alarm and I use it all the time. I like the fact that it is loud and causes a scene when it goes off. But as mentioned a kill switch along with an alarm is the way to go. They want to be able to get in and leave quickly a kill switch and an alarm will slow them down too much. Remember though if they want it...…...

ya... that's what I was thinking and made me think about the alarms. The prices are crazy and it makes me think of just parking on a quick errand and someone swiping it, which brings us back to the alarm conversation.

Just thinking aloud.......

So far, no one has stolen it so....................................

ya.... that's true for sure. If they really want it...... I had a friend who had is car swiped..... Homies brought a tow truck, loaded it with ALARM AND LIGHTS going crazy......... pooof gone.

I'm.curious how.many guys use their factory alarm...

I just read how to use it in my Bentley guide. I noticed the horn down by the fuel pump, now I know what it does haha

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

Fortunately, most of our air-cooled cars have a natural defense against thieves: a manual transmission. Wrangling a manual is becoming a dying art. That said, a kill switch is among the next things that will be happening to my car.

If someone really wants it they will show up with a tow truck and take it.

If I'm ever parking somewhere public for more than a couple hours, I open the frunk and pop out the fuel pump relay. Drop it in the smuggler's box and no one is going to drive it anywhere.

Yea, car alarms are just urban crickets. Just noise makers that 100% of the the people ignore, and are just annoyed at when they go off.

A secret immobilizer makes sense. Something done in the trunk, and then lock the trunk shut. That is what I do when my car is parked at a hotel while on road trips. Unless I can park it in a very secure place. I usually end up at the far end of the lot to avoid door dings.

Car alarms have cause more problems for the owner than they are worth, and I doubt they have ever stopped professional thief. If you can 100% remove it and repair all the wires with solid reliable fixes, get rid of the alarm.

I use a club when I park downtown.

These guys of been advertising in panorama recently. I looked into it. Kind of interesting. I have NO affiliation with the co.

www.waylens.com

Pelicans-

I’m not home to check my manual...but pretty sure if the alarm is not deactivated (with the alarm key) a 911 with the factory alarm system CANNOT be started.

Either the fuel system and/or ignition system will not function.

Of course physically taking the car....(flatbed)... is another manner.... which is why you need a declared value insurance policy!!!

Regards,
JT

Maybe some tips: (?)

Pull the fuel pump relay when you walk away from the car.

Install a GPS tracker on the car that is always on. They draw very little current and I’ve seen some use an old cell phone in place of the more expensive solutions.

Be very aware of who is around you. Don’t get complacent. Watch the people watching you.

Declared value is huge.

If a thief wants something they will take it. End of story. There is no safety net.

-Steve

Don't take this the wrong way, but I am genuinely curious about other aspects of your life where you are somewhat paranoid and clinically risk averse. For example, is your investment portfolio located under your mattress? How many kids do you have? etc.

Get a GPS tracker instead. Any report of movement or speed alert can be instantly sent to your phone. My insurance company offered a discount on my GT2's insurance if the car had a GPS tracker. The only thing is that after a "spirited" drive, you'll have a bunch of speed alerts on your phone. ;-)

Does anyone use these anymore.... at all ?
 

That’s cool and I almost went for it but I realized that when installed, it needs to be low on the windshield (near the dashboard)... And the windshield wipers would be right in front of it and most likely would block the camera view.

Yeah, right. As in I agree. Their install method on that sucks imho. That’s exactly why I didn’t order either.