Advice on installing an alarm
 

I have an '84 Carrera. I'm a new owner and a bit caught offguard with all of the attention a 911 gets from onlookers. We live in a pretty low crime area but with the initial TLC I've put into, I would be mighty bummed to find it ripped off someday. Does anyone have advice on a good alarm system to install. I'm looking for something that will disable the starter and/or fuel pump. I don't care much for alarms with sirens. I just want to make sure they can't drive it away.

-Tom

You might try a Quick disconnect at the battery terminal. I think our host has them. Some guys disconnect the relay under the drivers seat. I am sure if the 84's are equipped that way. One of the wiser members will weight in on that. And other ideas as well.

Pull the DME Relay, it will kill the pump.

Remember it can always be towed.

Tom,

You'll notice that 2 respected members suggested something other than an actual alarm. If you do a search of some earlier alarm threads, you'll probably find out that our 3.2's had factory alarms which were a bit of a PITA. Then, to make things worse, some owners replaced their stock units with aftermarket alarms, which exacerbated problems like voltage drain and starting issues (Viper seems to have gotten a bad rap).

But, it can be done. I have an aftermarket that hasn't really given me any issues yet (knock on wood). I'd venture a guess that a good high-quality unit installed by someone who really knows what he's doing would eliminate possible problems down the road.

layer a system with the final being a delayed engine kill after the car is driven away

NYPD auto squad friend suggested this to me. No crook is going to stay around in traffic on the side of the road with a dead hot car

pelicanhead bell says that if you break into a parking light and jump the bulb wires together the black box will kaput after the alarm is triggered.
ie: don't rig up into the flashing lights when alarm is turned on & off


South Africa experiences many violent car jackings. They had some radical systems installed in cars that would prevent this. One system turned the near outside of your car into a blow torch toasting the crook

I just bought my '89. It has the Porsche Alarm System decal on the "vent" windows. The prior owner had installed a Clifford in the late 90s which I just had removed by a local "I've been doing this for 15 years" expert. He left the Siren/speaker (noisemaker) in the engine cmpt. Is that part of the Porsche system? I had assumed that it was Clifford.

Alarms are annoying and when they screw up, YOU are the one stranded.

Put a blinky LED light in the dash, pull the DME relay or install a cutout. If they REALLY want it, they will use a tow truck. Insure it for full value.....

Alarms are as worthless as wheel locks, VDO clocks and the oil level gauge.

I had this on another car. Besides the regular alarm the car had, it also had another layer with a device that had two buttons that you had to press x amount of times in the right sequence to disable. If car was started you had 1 minute to press the right combo or car would shutdown. Can't tell you how many times I forgot about this.

+1 for NOT installing an alarm.
I am still removing the bits and peices after an alarm was partially removed.
My experience is that unless you have a modern car with factory alarm DO NOT install ana aftermarket alarm as it will go off when you don't want it to and if thieves really want to steal your car, they will.
Removing DME relays or fuel relays etc, plus the blinking led is a deterrent.
just my 2 euro cents

You want to untangle the pandora's box in my 85 Carrera? I will give the alarm to you free of charge!

Do what the first two folks said....I really really really wish my car didn't have an alarm, it is starting to get a bit fishy, and I am dreading the day when I have to cut into it...

-Jack

i did my own alarm install and can remove any part of it anytime


my engine kill after it's started gives a chirp in about a minute to warn that you have to punch in the code or engine will soon die



old crazy story from the late 1960s
A group of guys was stealing Corvettes around my area and all the owner guys knew to be paranoid. Sometimes the "group" would make multiple attacks if they failed the first time. Anyway one guy just about slept in his car with a gun to ward off the crooks. One day he's in traffic with his 'vette and gets bumped in his rear fender. He gets out to see rear damage and bs with the driver who hit him. When he gets to the back oif his car a crook gets into his car and drives away while the guy who hit him drives off.

Instead of alarm systems that are complicated and have the probability to fail...I suggest a simple switch...installed in the fuel pump circuit....or maybe a 2 sided one that kills the power to the fuel pump and the starter at the same time.
Conceal the switch in an easy to access spot...someplace where you can turn it off without arousing the suspicion of onlookers.
I use an old foot operated dimmer switch...the ones you used to operate with your left foot...high up on the firewall.
Many of the car thieves were not even born when these were being installed.
Conceal it under the carpet....it's a push on/push off type switch...and if you route the power to the middle tab...the power goes either to the pump...or starter....and in the other position...the horn...through a relay.
This gives potential thieves a real problem...because every time they try too start the car...the horn blows....and if you get creative...the relay can also operate headlights...to show which car is being stolen!
Bob

My 88 had a Clifford alarm that was installed and it has the Porsche OEM alarm. Needless to say the Clifford alarm was removed because all it did was cause trouble.

I would simply install a battery cut off switch or pull the DME as others have suggested. As well if the thief really wants the car they will find a way to get it.