Ive just started looking into some quotes. Tisonics have a decent package for about $500 - 3 point immobiliser, shock sensor, microwave, internal screamer siren, battery backup etc. No paging features.
Ive also looked into a Brant - these alarms have a pretty good reputation dont they? For $550, I can get a similar system to the tisonics system, but for an extra $400 can get a key code system (which adds an additional 3 points of immobilisation - so 6 point immobiliser in total). The great thing about have a pin code system is knowing that even if they break into your house and steal your keys, they are still going to need to know the code to start it up.
Id prefer to prevent my car from being stolen then be able to track its whereabouts or be notified by sms.
So what do people think the most important features of a good alarm are? Heres my opinions below, but looking to hear peoples feedback as I am yet to decide what to get.
Essential:
Dual cut immobiliser (or should 3 be the min?)
Boot, bonnet, and doors protection
Either glass breakage/shock/microwave sensor (which to get?)
Black wiring / australian standards approved
3 year warranty
Professional install (they always say an alarm is as good as it was installed)
Battery backup siren
Useful:
Auto windup of windows and sunroof on arming
Tilt sensor (if they jack your car up to take the wheels it goes off)
Interior screamer siren
Would be good but is the price justified?
Keycode pin startup (on brant systems, this protects your car even if they still the keys)
2 way paging remote
SMS alerts
Satellite tracking
Anyone in Sydney this is the guy to get your alarm off. I just had mine installed at my house. He comes to you. He mainly does import car alarm's and found the Legnum great to work on.
Platinum Performance parts and Imports. PH: 0411101737
He goes by high volume and low price. Top of the line alarm you will save a few hundred dollars and thats installed, what a great job you can't even see any of it under the dash, looks all standard. This is the same alarm the GPS tracking companys use just they add the GPS part to there's.
I got it all done for $450, The NRMA site say's about $700 for the same one. Extra $50 for auto up when arming for the windows which I didn't want.
I did however get the alarms turbo timer connected. It uses the hand brake to activate turbo timer.
Australian standars 3 point imobiliser. All black wires.
didn't brant go bankrupt or something?
i remember a big fuss about the keypads they used in the rex's as people had problems, and the company supposedly went under or something like that...
not too sure what happened, but it seems Brant are still alive - they are only installed by a handful of mobile installers these days though. They are still bragging about being used as standard items in Subaru's though. I was pretty close to getting one with a keypad, but I googled it, and everyone said they had a lot of issues with false alarms. That really put me off.
Im now looking into getting a Dynamco (I think this brand makes cyclops?). Apparantly to get auto window/sunroof close on arming of the alarm, this feature costs an additional $300, more than the actual alarm itself! Anyone else got this?
$290 of that is probably just to cover the time it takes the sparky to hook it up to your window loom, I doubt there's much in the way of extra equipment necessary.
H T Car Audio And Security
Paralowie SA 5108
ph: 0413 522 565
they come out to your house and install it for you, it cost me $200 to get the alarm put into my 91 Galant but the cost varies from car to car. but it shouldn't be more than $300 to install which makes up the $700 cost when you include the $410 for the alarm.
Ill be using the same guys again to install an alarm once i get my car, and buy another alarm
sounds pretty decent - the only issue is that Viper alarms are not Australian Standards Approved - Shannons require this - however if a place like Tonkins installs it, then they usually just write a letter to give to Shannons that states what features it has and generally its all good.