Car Alarm fitting

[classic2cv]

are there any electrnics boffins out there ?

after having my car broken into i'm about to fit an alarm to it

I have 2 new alarm sets made by Laserline



they came in a bundle i bought as a job lot a little while ago

they were made to be fitted into Daewoo cars

after looking at the laserline web site i think that it should be possible to adapt it to the Bx ?

Btw. my first Tzd had an alarm fitted that also worked the central looking

[jonathan_dyane]

Feel free to ignore the below, because I'm sure it isn't what you want to hear.

I *detest* car alarms, both those fitted to other peoples cars and those I have owned or had to fix. IME they are unreliable and generally far more trouble than they are worth. Their tentacles spread deep within the wiring loom of your car, where they are spliced in causing bad connections and electrical faults galore, ultimately leaving you stranded in the middle of nowhere attacking wires with a pen-knife trying to get the car to start again and/or stop ringing. The plips are relatively fragile and don't survive terribly well, and tend to eat batteries, particularly when they get old.

The irony is that invariably if enemy action occurs you still get your window smashed anyway, unless the 'This car is alarmed' sticker or flashing LED deters the tealeaf's in question, both of which can be easily fitted without the alarm...

Anyway, if it were me, I wouldn't bother. Not in a million years

[Way2go]

To qualify for an insurance acceptance with some companies(&premium reduction) , I think you'll find that the alarm needs to have a 'Thatcham' certification and must be professionally fitted.
DIY installations seem to be frowned upon and I guess will only be accepted if you have a company with professional standing to certify your work on completion.

[DavidRutherford]

I'd agree with all that. Car alarms are no more than a public nuisance these days. After all, do you go running to have a look when an alarm goes off, or do you just thing "another bloody car alarm going off... SHUT UP!"

The law even insists that they go off for no more than 30 seconds and then reset.

Far more useful would be deadlocks and an immobiliser (something very basic that you install yourself, and only you know where it turns on and off)

Either that, or use the theory some people use: leave nothing of value in the car, and don't bother locking it. That way you will never have to deal with a broken window.

[classic2cv]

I wont be leaving anything at all in the car when next park it at my flat (in the yard behind gates)

the place where i live has wall to wall scrotes, i don't spend any real time there and really don't want to

an unlocked car is a nicked car around here

i'll have to fit a pull out hifi (back to the 80s then) and i'll remove the lock buttons and rods to the doors

that way they won't be able to unlock the door by breaking the glass and reaching in for the lock

[ken newbold]

I had my TZD estate broke into a few years ago, same window smashed as well

Had a local guy from Leeds came to fit an alarm, took him a couple of hours including a shnazzy strobe thing in the windscreen, cost about £150 and the car never got broke in again.

Money well spent IMHO.

My car was always full of my junk, mostly work stuff, cheap sockets, switches, cable and stuff. Too big a temptation for some scumbags.

[classic2cv]

if i can mod this alarm i'll fit it

i've been offered a few replacement glases for the car

so if they try again i'll make sure that they wake up the whole block

i don't see any reason why i shouldn't have anything to listen to in my car

and if i can get the central looking to work too i'll be happy

then i can around to fixing the rusty bits and repainting adding alloy wheels ...............

[mat_fenwick]

I did once see a disaster warning siren for sale which - as it was just after my car was broken into - I did think of adapting for a car alarm... It was about a million* decibels and had a range of 15 miles, so if that went off next to some theiving scrotes ear he wouldn't be bothering me again for a while.

Trouble was, it was the size of a small engine, and cost £1500!

*I know this isn't actually possible, but I have exaggerated for comic effect

[DavidRutherford]

a million decibels and had a range of 15 miles,

Trouble was, it was the size of a small engine, and cost £1500!

A touch of the overkill perhaps?

[classic2cv]

a million decibels and had a range of 15 miles,

Trouble was, it was the size of a small engine, and cost £1500!

A touch of the overkill perhaps?

But sooo good

[MULLEY]

Might as well get that flame thrower system fitted as well, nothing like burnt legs to put off car thieves

Must admit, the only time a car alarm is of any use is when its directly outside your house, as you can hear it going off & rush outside to see whats going on. So i would fit one if i had gotten broken into....

[classic2cv]

my car is parked outside my flat (in a gated yard)

i don't park there a lot because the area is the pits

the locals are skilled in the art of "here no evil , see no evil" until some brakes into their car

so i'll be fitting an alarm

waking the locals up 3 or 4 times a night would be a good thing for a few weeks

until they go off to find someone else or until i catch them

(not good if i do)

[CitroXim]

I'm not the biggest fan of alarms but if the little red light puts them off then it's worth it. A Xantia looks like a Christmas tree when fully locked. The Alarm, radio and keypad LEDs all flash

I'm sure the mere fact it's a Xantia puts most off but the thought of getting past the keypad after breaking in through deadlocks must be the final straw for all but the most determined (or stupid or just plain crazy) tealeaf.

An alarm is only as good as it's visible deterrant so make sure it has some nice bright flashing LEDs on it when set.

Rather than an alarm, if the car is empty, why not just get a good steering wheel lock. They're an excellent visual deterrent and stops all but the very determined.

Else, buy an angry dog and keep it in the car.

Deliberate vandalism is the biggest problem in my mind but nothing can stop that.

Sounds like a rum old place you live in. Given that you hate it there anyway, is moving to a better district an option? Drastic perhaps but it has a lot of benefits beyond protecting the car.

[classic2cv]

Hi jim

the problem have been the nasty little braking into the car to steel stuff

(it stays empty and the alarm will be fitted)

it's the only Bx for miles so steeling it wouldn't be good idea

(look for the car that stands out)

i have no time for the locals and will be moving as soon as possible

(it's a dumping ground for the sort of people that kidnap their kids and try to make money out of it)

[Mike E (uk)]

I have always fitted alarms/immobilisers on my BXs. These cars have almost no security features as standard,so are easy cars to steal, and even though they are not desirable as joy riding cars, the scum will take whatever is available if it has no immobiliser.

Most (if not all) modern cars have these as standard, so the BX stands out as being easy to nick.

The alarms/immobs may not save you a broken window, but that is far easier to replace than a well maintained BX.

Once near Wakefield, the alarm saved me, my wife, mother in law and our 1 year old a very long walk home at night because the scum ran off when the alarm sounded.

Most false alarm soundings are caused by crap installation or by ultrasonic sensors. Leave these off the system, but use the door switches and a shock sensor near the drivers door.

Alarms are quite easy to fit to BXs because the wiring is exposed at many places. Central locking with an RF remote control is good to have too.

I solder all the critical connections, and wrap them with self amalgamating tape. (Some alarms have an overide key which is handy in case of a fault)

For extra security, fit a second sounder inside the cabin, they will not loiter with that going off. The flashing dashboard LED is good too.

Mike