Aftermarket Alarm Systems

[fulani 4]

After spending a not inconsiderable sum on my 205 over the years, I was wondering about getting an aftermarket alarm installed. It is locked in a garage every evening, but if I take it to work it is in an unsecured car park on an industrial estate, plus of course using it for shopping etc.

I've always promised myself a car that goes "plip" from a keyring, so I want one that will do the central locking, and arm an alarm from a keyring. What should I be looking for?

Any ideas of a cost would be good as well, and where I could possibly get it done (I live in Southampton).

[GLPoomobile 958]

Going by your circumstances, I'd say that a.) you don't need to spend a fortune and b.) it would perhaps be better to install it yourself if you can.

 

Why do I say this? Well, you don't need a thatcham approved alarm by the sounds of it, so no need for a costly install by an approved installer (which is likely to be gash anyway ), you just want a deterant with the convenience of RCL and the 5 minute novelty value of the 'plip' sound It WILL be just a deterant by the way, and won't stop your car being broken in to. The most effective deterant though is to make sure your car has nothing of value on show and isn't an attractive proposition to joyriders (I use a removable steering wheel for this).

 

I've not installed an alarm myself - I was going to rip out a Microscan alarm on my old 1.9 and re-fit it but never got around to it - but loads of people on here say it is easy with some basic electrical skills and tools. In fact I'd say most of the effort will go into stripping your interior and routing the cables, and taking the time to do things properly. This is where professional installers tend to scrimp. They don't actually charge that much money and need to turn the job around quick, so inevitably your car is treated with no respect, things can be left loose and the wiring will probably be s*it even if the system works OK. If doing it yourself you are better off planning to take a day or so, strip the under side of the dash and center console out, lift the carpet if you need to route cabling around the car and just make things as neat as possible.

 

If you look on eBay there are loads of alarms for sale. Some of these will be dirt cheap, gadget laden things with names you've never heard of. I can't speak for them but personally would avoid them. "Oooooooh, an alarm and immobiliser with paging system and remote engine start all for £99.............errrr, no thanks!"

 

If you can get a Toad system (A1201 IIRC) then that's the jobbie to go for. Probably pay about £120 for that. Should get an alarm with door, bonnet and boot current sensors and interior ultrasonic sensors (detects movement inside the car), a central locking interface and an immobiliser in this package.

 

The Microscan alarms are very cheap (I think Demon Thieves stock them) for what you get, but I had one in my 1.9 and it seemed to work fine even though it was a rush install by the previous owner so could have been done better. That had had a shock sensor included too plus an optional transmitter and pager so if the alarm goes off it pages you (up to about 0.5km away).

 

If you absolutely must get it installed professionally then look to pay at least £180 for a basic system (such as laser). The are all pretty much usable systems and will do what you need, but as I've said before, I'd have concerns about how my interior trim is treated. The more complicated the system (Clifford systems for example) the more likelyhood that it will start being annoying and going off randomly etc. It's all down to how the installer configures it. KISS - keep it simple stupid! . I also wouldn't trust mobile installers* but that's just my opinion. Not saying that one based from a premises will necessarily be better, it's just a real minefield out there!

 

*My first alarm was installed by a mobile fitter. It was crap. My 2nd alarm on my 1st GTi was done by GAP Security, who at the time were recommended by PGAC and Herts Insurance Consultants. The guy turned up in a battered Sierra with a spotty school girl in tow, and I have no idea if she was on work experience, part of his family, or even his girlfriend (eeeewwwwwggghh )!! But she was helping him. He tried to bugger me about on extra parts that I wasn't told about before booking the install, the install was sloppy, he crammed the control unit behind the drivers kick panel (usually gets put under the center console where there is loads of room) and had to cut the panel to get it to fit, which it still didn't properly, and the door current sensors didn't work as my switches (the interior light switches on the A pillars) had corroded contacts, so I had to replace these myself.

 

 

 

Sorry for the long reply, but I noticed no one else had offered advice

[Richie-Van-GTi 71 2 Cars]

Maplins offer a quite basic alarm that will immobilise the car and also send the appropriate signal to trigger the central locking, alhtough the interface is seperate but only costs £12. It will beep when armed and has the above mentioned features glpoomobile advised on. Fitting is pretty straight forwards, just choose the wire to immobilise wisely

[fulani 4]

Thanks for the replies.

 

I was looking for a professional install, so I could get money off my insurance (I have been quoted £60 off my current £600 premium for a Cat 1 alarm for instance), as well the convenience and deterrent.

My car looks completely standard, and if I'm honest, a little knackered anyway. It only has a tape player, so no need to even take that out (I once left the door wide open while doing the weekly shop in Morrison's, nothing happened at all!).

I know what you mean about the professional installers not doing it correctly. My mate paid over £200 to have a new sound system installed in his car, and I had to rip out half of the cabling and do it again for him. Trouble is, doing it myself, I don't get that certificate.

Would a Peugeot dealer be able to offer anything? I know it's a long while since they sold 205s, but they seem to have loads of other random parts for them.

Having said that the "Peugeot fit" immobiliser in my XS is just two switches in the glovebox!

[GLPoomobile 958]

Is the risk of buggered interior plastics etc worth the meagre insurance discount?

 

If I HAD to have a Thatcham cert for the insurance (for instance HIC and some others insist on a CAT II Immob if the cars worth more than £2k) I'd seriously consider installing it myself and taking it along to somewhere that can give it a quick inspection for a fee and issue a certificate. Hopefully that would give you the option of leaving the trim out for them to inspect it all and then carefully replace it yourself.

 

The Toad alarm that I mentioned earlier is a Cat I system as long as it is installed, or inspected and passed by an accredited Thatcham installer.

[damien 22 1 Cars]

have a look here - http://www.directcarparts.co.uk/buy-car-ac...ms-c-74_78.html

 

i had the toad ai606 fitted to my 2305 cj, it was very OTT for the car but it did the job. the fitter turned up in the eary morning and didnt finished until gone 5pm, he done a very good job and got rid of afew rattles behind the dash.

[fulani 4]

Cheers for the links, I will investigate further.

 

Where's that cheap thing at Maplin's? I might give that a go, installing onto my project car. If that goes well, I could attempt to install a decent one on my main 205 I guess.

[fulani 4]

Maplins offer a quite basic alarm that will immobilise the car and also send the appropriate signal to trigger the central locking, alhtough the interface is seperate but only costs £12. It will beep when armed and has the above mentioned features glpoomobile advised on. Fitting is pretty straight forwards, just choose the wire to immobilise wisely

 

Is it on their website?

 

Had a look in town today, but couldn't see it in the catalogue.

[fulani 4]

Anyone know of this budget Maplins alarm?

[Dream Weaver 2]

I'll be going for a Toad Ai606 when I get chance for about £100 on eBay.

 

Wiring them in yourself is fairly easy to do and if you really want the certificate, you can ask a local alarm place to check the install and then issue a cert - this costs about £35 when I asked.