Car alarm brand question!

[Iceman112k3]

well Ive been shopping for car alarms all week and am trying to decide on the brand name of alarm:
theres a guy who is willing to sell me a viper for a pretty good price adn install it.
and there is another called "autostart" i've never heard of autostart but it's a 2 way pager type taht lets you know if something is happeneing. anyone heard of autostart before adn can testify to them?

[funkdaddysmack]

What are you planning to pay? Darryl (mazdaracer) would probably be able to reccomend a good one if you let him know a pricerange

Welcome to the forum, btw

[Iceman112k3]

thanks fun.
well Really it's nota huge matter of money but keep in mind I'm operating with CDN funds.
the Viper was dual stage two remote with remote car starter adn power locks (Actuaters as well mine are manual right now) for 530$ installed. but he wanted to cahrge exra for teh hood and trunk pins, and teh backup battery unit.

The second one, autostart (different guy) wanted to sell me a 2 way system with pager to elt you know if your car is being tampered for 395 $ (car starter included along with trunk and hood pins) and the two door power lock addition would be an extra 140. the backup battery another 40. my only quam is that i'm not sure of teh quality off the autostart alarm. any help?

[MazdaRacer]

I recommend anything from Viper or Clifford. Find a different Viper shop, for that price, the pins should be a part of the install. I can understand the extra charge for the back-up battery....I know they cost alot, but they are VERY VERY reliable, as long as they are professionally installed.

Thats another thing to look at in a shop. Make sure there installs are clean, soldered and loomed like factory wires.

[Iceman112k3]

so yeah youve never heard of suto start either?
so i should take tehm out fo teh equation?

what do you think of teh two way pager systems? worth teh extra cash?

[MazdaRacer]

There are so many brands nowadays popping up all over the place....hard to say.

People here have had good luck with compustar, Alpine and some other brands, but i still recommend Viper or Clifford. I personally have dealt with Viper since 92 and it's a quality product, fairly easy to install and it's easy to use.

I like the 2way systems, it gives you immediate confirmation from an out of range sight/sound distance, thats pretty cool. The remotes may be kinda large (even for thier tiny size) will use batteries faster and may break down easier than a conventional remote. More electronics inside, means more potential for failure, screen gets cracked/scrathed, button icons get rubbed off...all totally typical stuff, but differs from a regular system remote. But i feel the pros out way the cons.

[Iceman112k3]

Now my real question:
deos viper make a 2 way?
is it worth giving this "brand" a chance?
iscompu starworth teh price?

[charles]

Don't use whatever that put on the new Mazdaspeed. They are awful. Hehe sorry, back on topic, please

[customprotege]

I have a question. I already have the keyless entry. as you already know, I just want to add an alarm. Is there one out there just for that, or do I have to put up the extra money and get the full system?

[MazdaRacer]

Originally posted by customprotege
I have a question. I already have the keyless entry. as you already know, I just want to add an alarm. Is there one out there just for that, or do I have to put up the extra money and get the full system?

Yes sire! And again with the Viper...lol DEI has a brand called Automate and they have a system designed to work with existing keyless entry systems. You use the same remote you have now (your OEM one, as no remotes are provided) It gives you ALL the features of an alarm system. (Siren, LED, hood/hatch pins, starter kill, shock sensor, 2nd and 3rd AUX channels, and more) since you retain your OEM remotes, they continue to function exactly the same (i.e trunk/hatch pop, panic, driver unlock priority, etc)


I happen to have a brand new unit leftover. If your interested, PM or email me, we'll discuss it.

[MazdaRacer]

Originally posted by Iceman112k3
Now my real question:
deos viper make a 2 way?
is it worth giving this "brand" a chance?
iscompu starworth teh price?

Yes Viper has a 2way, along with Python (it may be cheaper, but the quality is IDENTICAL.

DEI makes alot of different brands, they all carry the same quality and most of them have the same security features, merely the conviencence features get added as you move up the models. DEI makes Viper, Python, Automate, Sidewinder, Rattler and they also make all the Clifford models, as well as Avital and some others.

Yes, i whole heartedly believe in my recommendation of Viper (DEI)

I've installed a few Compustar's, while some of it is pretty ass backwards, i imagine it's as easy to use as others once you learn it...but what kinda price difference is there between Viper and Compustar? More than $150?? i'd maybe start thinking about it, but anything less and i'll spend the extra for the best. Although, i never have to worry about whether it's installed well, as i am a 15 year 12volt tech, so my choice of the best system is only based on quality. Ya, i get them for less than retail, but never the less, it's well worth it and i guarantee you'll have many years of trouble free operation, providing it is installed professionally and i mean that.

[Iceman112k3]

Alright I got a complete Rundown of the two alarms that I have it narrowed down to.

Valet (some number) Alarm/remote Car starter combo
Made by DEI equivalent to the Hornet (I believe)
-The normal Viper thing deul shock sensors etc.
-door/hood/trunk engine kill etc.
-2 remotes with car start door lock/unlock and alarm panic (not 2ways or anything, regular)
-having actuators for power locks put in my front two doors.
Installer is Atlantic Car Stereo They said they sodder "almost" everything.
550 +tax


AutoStart (www.autostart.ca)
-two way alarm notification with LCd tranceiver
-internet vehicle tracking via gps
alarm notification via text message from phone to company will trigger immediate police notification and search.
-engine kill
-dual stage shock sensors
-quick lockout
and all teh hood trunk door monitors
-comes with sapre regualr remots (none 2 way) for the misses :D
-backup batterry unit incase main siren is disabled.
All this coupled with teh fact that every connection is soddered padded and shrink wrapped helps.
And from extensive asking around I've heard this guy is teh best in the buisness and only does security systems.
-plus teh two door actuators for my car.
535 + tax

I think I'm going to give this guya chance and go with this system
If he is as good as everyone says he is then I trust his product.
I

[MazdaRacer]

well, looking at those 2 options and as a complete outsider (meaning putting aside my affection for Viper) I think you may be right in your decision.

I see it like this, if the installer is as good as you (others) say, then he's been around for a long and will probably continue to be. So your main concern now is with parts failure, not an install failure. I would assume he offers a labor warranty along with the product warranty, so your pretty much covered. I always offered a full lifetime warranty on both labor and product (Viper) but limited the remotes to 1 year. They get the most abuse

But my question is, why isn't he a DEI dealer? (i know there are limits, like distance between dealers and there's a decent $$ first order that must be placed and other monthly quotas....but i would think the best around would install the best product is all

[Iceman112k3]

I'll go out on a limb with this since I don't actually know but I have few theories:

1) like me he found viper to be very expensive and gave another company a try, after much testing and use (14 + years) he has decided there less expensive but high quality system is what teh consumer wants.

2) when he started his buisness this is who allowed him to sell with lower quotas.


3) he's making his living by offering the alternative product, by offering teh smae products he would have to enter Direct competition.

4) He is the best in teh city (or so i'm told) but he may only be the best installer because the other ones suck.


just a few ideas.
either way it seems i'm the test pilot, I'll let you guys know how it goes, I'll probably have it installed sometime in teh next week or 2. I have exams to deal with right now. and work.

[whistler]

arent the Hornets good?? since they're also made by DEI?