Topic: What New Vehicle Alarm Should I Buy?

[chrisfranklin]

The alarm I have on there now is a bare-bones CrimeStopper unit that actually hit the market during Bill Clinton's second term.  It's been on there since I bought my 4banger YJ in 1999.  Overall it's worked surprisingly ok over the years

To give you some background for this post, I'll mention something that happened late last year in mid-December.  

Then I was away doing some work on a job.  I left my 4banger parked on the streets where I usually park -- residential neighborhood that has street-cleaning once a week.    Knew I'd be back before the street cleaning business that week -- if you leave it parked when they clean the streets you end up getting a $60 ticket, so it pays to move the thing.  

However, when I return after a few days to where I parked my Jeep, I see that it is gone!.  

Now generally, if you have parking tickets in arrears, you get booted, not towed off.  However, I didn't have any outstanding LA parking tickets!  

So, in mind there was no reason for a boot or tow away.  Still, I concluded that my Jeep was apparently either towed away or stolen -- I presumed "stolen" since I believed my conduct eye-to-eye the LA's meter maids was blameless.  

Here's where things get ugly.  @hit got so backed up on me job-wise that I did not make a call to the LAPD for two full weeks in December after I found my Jeep missing.

Yeah it was just a phone call, but I didn't want to then talk to my insurer  after the LAPD and hear how they'd only be letting me recover $2500 on the thing.  Finally, I call LAPD after two weeks of putting it off.  I say, "I want to report a stolen vehicle" (my first time doing this).    Switchboard lady says, "what's the license plate #?"

I give it to her and instead of saying, "well, we don't have it," she says, "your vehicle has been impounded by the County...somebody called  a couple of weeks ago to have it towed off the street since the alarm on it was going on and on and on continuously and nobody was shutting it off."  

I am thinking, "Ahhhhh (Rhymes with Luck)!!!"  So, I say, "how much and where is it impounded?"  She says to the effect, "since it has been 2 weeks since it was towed and it runs $35 a day sitting in the impoundment lot, the fee now totals close to $700 (35 x 14 days + $185 for towing, so $675 total).

(LA gets away with this crap because the city itself is essentially bankrupt.  Rip off apparent parking scofflaws and nobody gives a darn and they know they can score easy additional revenue for the city).

So I am forced in to paying the $675 to get the Jeep back.  Later, I also disconnect the alarm and then fall-back on locking the pedals with a long pad lock.  

This has worked for the last few months, but I think its high time I update my alarm system for convenience sake and since I have lost confidence in the old CrimeStopper (I spent several days testing this old alarm, changing the fob batteries, hitting the disarm, disconnecting the battery, getting the old instruction manual for it by PDF -- still no joy)    

So here it is 4 months later and I have to ask, "what do you guys like for vehicle alarms?  Or what about LoJack maybe?"  Thanks  



  
 

  

[Jeffy]

I don't even bother with alarms anymore.  I've gone with a starter and fuel pump interrupt and will probably end up with a steering wheel disconnect as well.

Most of the time you have to worry about someone stealing stuff form inside the Jeep and not stealing the whole thing.  Lock boxes and storing stuff goes a long way in helping.  For actual theft, I'd keeping full coverage insurance and keeping receipts will at least let you recoup the money invested.  Lo Jack only works in certain cities and won't help if it goes across the boarder.

You might also look into something like the Escort Entourage.

[TrailsLessTaken]

You need one of these

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/xWtBghktOlE&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/xWtBghktOlE&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;</a>

[stan98tj]

nothing in my jeep worth stealing. most of the time it remains unlocked (dont want them cutting the windows). Around here jeeps arent high on the theft list (thats according to my insurance company) so i really havent thought of getting an alarm.

[Jeffy]

nothing in my jeep worth stealing. most of the time it remains unlocked (dont want them cutting the windows). Around here jeeps arent high on the theft list (thats according to my insurance company) so i really havent thought of getting an alarm.

In CA and especially in San Diego, they are sought after.  Mexicans steal them and then take them across the boarder.  Not so much further north you go.

[chrisfranklin]

I don't spend a lot of time at JeepForum, but I read some recent post there that mentioned how one of their long time Ca.-based members had just had his Jeep ripped off.  All the aftermarket stuff on it was not covered by his policy, so the jf post suggested members there donate money to the guy to help him to equip any replacement Jeep he buys.  

His was a TJ, though.  The last YJs were made around a decade and a half ago, so I wouldn't be surprised if the newer, better- looking TJs tend to be ripped off more.  

But, I wouldn't put it past motivated types to rip off a YJ if they see parts they like or can resell.   And YJ or not, an old 4x4 in good condition will probably still sell well in Mexico -- about a decade ago, I was hearing 3x what it would sell for in the U.S. (this might have been in Colombia, not Mexico though)

I'll do an interrupt, but I'll probably still go ahead and get some kind of new alarm too.   Around my parts, people still seem to pay attention to everybody either working on their car on the street or otherwise appearing to set off a vehicle alarm without a way to turn it off.  Any seemingly suspicious activity associated with cars/trucks on the street, and the bystanders I've seen still seem to pay attention.  Of course, car alarms are certainly defeat-able by people who know what they're doing.  But I figure an alarm is one of many things that might slow down less-capable thieves out there.

I may modify my insurance policy, also.  And of course, I still have the long padlock I've been using to lock the brake and clutch pedals together -- I read some deal a while back that using a padlock on the pedals was a cheap method that a few Tijuana locals had been using to slow down car/truck thieves there. Of course, these days, every car and truck thief down there and in So. Cal. have probably long since invested in bolt cutters or maybe acid to handle the low-tech stuff

 

[aka-justin]

Here's my 2 cents   

I had an alarm, I ripped it out.  It was a Clifford with the vibration sensor, tilt sensor, and proximity radar sensor.  Man, all it did was go off for no reason A LOT.  Locks keep honest people honest, alarms really don't add much in way of detouring a crook.  Pretty much if they want it, they'll take it.  They're already defeated OnStar's tracking system with cell phone and GPS jamming devices.

Did you know they actually make most arcade games easy to break into with cheap pot metal locks?  Why you might ask, it's because it costs more to repair or replace the broken cabinet then it is to let them defeat a $10 lock and get what they want.  You have to weigh the cost to protect vs. repair/replace/or extra insure.  For that reason, I always keep my comprehensive deductable to at least $100 or lower, usually never cost much more ($20-40 a year more than $500 deductable).

Speaking of car alarms, I just watched the movie Noise on netflix.  Tim Robins plays a guy sick of hearing the car alarms going off in his NY neighborhood and starts cutting the car's battery cables at night so he can sleep.  Oddly entertaining. 

[chrisfranklin]

You need one of these

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/xWtBghktOlE&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/xWtBghktOlE&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;</a>

Yes, a trunk monkey would probably put a car thief in to a state of shock.  And chimpanzees are supposed to be very strong for their size also.  

I say that the possibility of recording a pet chimpanzee going nuts on a car thief is probably one of the key reasons why the video camera was originally invented.  That kind of scene just demands to be filmed

[Mozman68]

I guess this is one of the few things I like about living where I do.....no alarm....Tuffy center console....I should probably get the Tuffy glove box since that is where I keep my iPhone when I'm just running in places....

[TrailsLessTaken]

I have the tuffy glove box and that thing is heavy duty, the lock mechanism on it is heavy duty looking

[Jeffy]

I'll do an interrupt, but I'll probably still go ahead and get some kind of new alarm too.   Around my parts, people still seem to pay attention to everybody either working on their car on the street or otherwise appearing to set off a vehicle alarm without a way to turn it off.  Any seemingly suspicious activity associated with cars/trucks on the street, and the bystanders I've seen still seem to pay attention.  Of course, car alarms are certainly defeat-able by people who know what they're doing.  But I figure an alarm is one of many things that might slow down less-capable thieves out there.

I may modify my insurance policy, also.  And of course, I still have the long padlock I've been using to lock the brake and clutch pedals together -- I read some deal a while back that using a padlock on the pedals was a cheap method that a few Tijuana locals had been using to slow down car/truck thieves there. Of course, these days, every car and truck thief down there and in So. Cal. have probably long since invested in bolt cutters or maybe acid to handle the low-tech stuff

Out here, no one really looks at a car with it's alarm going off anymore.  It's become too common place and people don't set their alarms correctly so false alarms are common.  If you're worried about the smash and grab, then an alarm isn't going to stop them.  Unless you have a 'radar' alarm that throws microwaves around inside the Jeep, the alarm most likely won't go off.  Also, considering how most people don't have a hood lock, they can easily defeat the horn for the alarm.  I think you'd be better off buying a lock box of some type and storing all your important stuff in there.  Then there will be no reason for anyone to break in other then to steel the whole vehicle.

In that case, you'll only need to install a tracking device of some sort and or fix it so it's more difficult to start.  A pad lock is easily defeated with bolt cutters.  There is a nice size gap between the pedals so bolt cutters can get in there.  The problem with installing kill-switches all over is that if you want to go anywhere, you have to remember to flip all of these switches and anything else to be able to drive it.

[sharpxmen]

i got an alarm with an immobilizer after my Jeep was stolen back in 2004 - luckily was just taken for a drive and had no damage other than the key/contact. I never leave anything valuable in the Jeep and it's always unlocked (no reason since I only have a soft-top).

I got a parking ticket for the day after it was stolen from the city and was the same spot where the cops found the Jeep a week later, the moronic city clerks still sent me the ticket and i had to dispute that to get off the hook (retards).

[stan98tj]

if you must secure it i would say do enough to make it no longer worth the effort. Lock box, alarm and hidden kill switch (that may even be too far). id like to think that any measure of protecting a jeep may actually deter a thief. if a thief is going to rip a car, wouldnt it be worth his/her effort to rip a civic, or camry or other popular brand, than take the time to fiddle with a jeep that has an alarm, hard top and locked doors? If they are in fact going to take the time to fiddle with an alarm, locked doors and anything more, they prob would want to get their money's worth and rip a civic or something like that over a jeep. just my opinion...feel free to refute.

[Sine Deviance]

This is one of the best parts about living where I do; I'm still close to Charlotte but with none of the car-theft worries of Charlotte living

Alarm systems are seriously overrated. Nobody pays attention to them and in some situations they actually help car thieves. The best way is to forget about an alarm and plant your own silent GPS tracking device. Escort makes a good one for ~$399.99. It even sends you emails and text messages when your Jeep moves without you (and the key fob) in it, so you'll instantly know when you're getting jacked. After that it's just a matter of tracking it online and telling the cops where to go. This is the route I'm going to go if I ever decide I need such measures.

When I do have to go to Charlotte in my Jeep I usually take the doors off and the soft top down (so there's nothing to cut) and I take all of my valuables with me in my pockets. Anything that stays with the Jeep (like the stereo faceplate) goes into my console, which is a Bestop Trailmax and has a lock. Then, I find the nearest telephone pole and park next to it. I take a chain and a big padlock and chain my rear axle to the telephone pole. This keeps the thieves from driving away in it or hauling it off on a flatbed. I use dockyard chain and a large industrial-strength padlock; they'd need a plasma torch to cut through it. My reasoning is that if they are willing to go to that much trouble to get the Jeep, I wouldn't have stopped them anyways, no matter what I did.

[Mozman68]

I'd love to see a picture of your Jeep padlocked to a telephone pole....something extremely hilarious about that when I picture it in my mind...