I want to install my own alarm. I am able to install a straight forward keyless alarm as long as I have schematics. There are new Viper and Clifford units on ebay for under $150.

Here's the dilemma: I am tempted by the great deals on ebay for full-featured Viper and Clifford alarms. These have responder remotes, remote start, etc. How much more work are these to install? Were talking about $500 installed at a shop vs. $250 boxed unit from ebay. Can they be installed one feature at a time, that way I can still drive it and put a new feature on when I'm ready?

Anyone who has alarm installation experience, please post your advice.

Caution: Please don't turn this into a thread arguing the virtues and failures of vehicle security.

 

its easier to just go ahead and do every thing at one time. it might take longer but it will be neater by not having to go in and dig up your wiring over and over.

 

http://www.designtech-intl.com/Conte...il?modelID=881

 

Hey, thanks for the wiring diagram!

 

The pager-type alarms aren't any harder to install. The basic difference is the antenna you have to mount in the car -- but there's nothing to that.

 

Wow, 88, you just helped alot of us out.
Thanks,

Raj

 

Yea that really does help, but for those of you that have installed remote start on a stick car what do you do about bypassing the clutch switch? The way i see it is that the neutral wire on the remote start system could just be grounded out to solve that but I would love help from an expirenced person.
Thanks
Scott

 

Get a clifford and here is why. Biases reasons: I think they are the best. The prox sensor works really good. Unbiased reason: The AG4 & AG5 systems have an automatic mode for the remote start units. You can hook the nuetral switch from the tranny to this input on the alarm and have a really safe manual remote start setup. Not many cars have a nuetral switch on the tranny so that helps us RX-7 guys out. Further more the Cliffords just happen to do the auto mode via a wire.

Anyway, you can do the alarm yourself if you have some patience. Also if you have another car or another form of transportation then you can easily take your time. The high end alarms have many relays built in so that simplifies some of the install.

 

Ive done it. What you need to do is interface your clutch switch with your reverse light. You need a relay that ties in the two clutch switch wires while normally closed, but when the car is in reverse gear, power from the reverse light will cause the relay to switch to normally open which will not allow the car to start. Only thing you will need to remember is if you normally put your car in gear when you park, put it in reverse rather than 1st gear. Hope i didnt lose you? Anyway, this was done on a civic with only two wires coming from the clutch switch. PM or email me if anyone need help with this.
techsupport@motormusicinc.com

 

I did a lot of research a while ago into which alarm is the best. All alarms with the "pager" thing have ~1/4 mile range except the compustar one, which has 1.5 mile range. the clifford and viper ones won't work very far if there's stuff in the way, but i talk to compustar installer and he said people report using the remote inside a mall and theater. Then you actually know when someone boosting. You can get on ebay for like 300.

 

so how are you suppose to use the remote start if you park you r car in gear? this will just cause the car to stall when you try to operate the remote start wouldn't it?

 

True, plus the car will lurch forward and potentially smash it's nose and whatever is in the way. If you install an autostart alarm in a 5-spd car you must remember to leave it in neutral.

 

I have previously described a method where there is not a possibility of the car starting in gear. If you have a 3rd gen, then the transmission has a nuetral switch that supplys a gnd when in nuetral. This can be used as in the basis for logic to keep the car from starting while in gear. Some alarms make it more easier than others.

Just to be clear, you DON'T start your car in gear. The extra wiring prevents this situation from happening.

 

Good idea spyfish. BTW, I went with a Python remote start system (same as Viper). I'm surprisd how much I use the remote start. Now I want to put one in my wife's car.

 

I regret getting my proximity sensor. I don't know about the Clifford ones, but my DEI sensor always sets of my alarm off (so the installer says). He said that the heat rising from underneath the car sets it off. It mostly just gives warning chirps though and doesn't fully set it off.
I was thinking about getting the remote pager along with my alarm, but my friend got one and says every time the shock sensor sets off the alarm, he gets paranoid and it's a big distraction. It's either just a loud exhaust setting it off or someone just backed into your ride while pulling out of the parking lot. You never know till you get out there. It's pretty cool knowing whats going on with your car while your away though.

 

Proximity sensors are sensitive to any barometric pressure change. Where I live (Houston) the good shops do not recommend using them as they always go off.

I have had no false alarms yet, fortunately. BTW, Clifford is also manufactured by DEI.

 

True that Clifford is made by DEI ... but the prox sensor by Clifford was designed and made by them before they were aquired by DEI. I haven't had that heat problem with my prox sensor, but I have had the heat problem with my digital tilt sensor. I relocated it and everything was fine.

 

Where do you recommend placing (or not placing) the tilt sensor?

 

Do not place on the transmission tunnel. You need a nice flat spot to mount the sensor. You could mount where the factory center channel was mounted or you could mount underneath the rear storage bins. It all depends on where your alarm is located.