[vdubpower]

best buy has a couple models price ranging from 370-500, and 100 for iinstall,

anyone have experience with these, is there any special instructins i need to tell them

 

[andrew6981]

As a former installer myself, I would NEVER go to Best Buy or any other large retail chain that isn't totally dedicated to car audio and accessories. The product of course is the same, but the quality of their installers...well, I spent about 12 hours doing a COMPLETE re-install in my friend's R-32. He had the Euro-spec nav unit installed and a small amp for a sub. A pretty basic install in all honesty, but they managed to screw it up. I'm getting off topic here, but I'd go elsewhere for the install. The only thing to make sure they do is the 3second lock/unlock pulse. If I was at home (i'm @ work) I could upload the wiring diagram, which is very similar to a 5-wire system. We have vacuum locks, and the vacuum pump is activated by a 3 second pulse coming from the unit. These wires are in one of the harnesses behind the drivers side kick panel. Also, make sure they do the factory alarm arm/disarm. If it's done correctly, you can use any combination of key or remote to lock and unlock, and at the same time arm and disarm respectively. Other than that, our cars are super easy. A full install should take about 2 hours, start to finish.

 

[vdubpower]

thanks, ill look into a different installer. they we charging 150 for the alarm/remote start install, and then more for options, but i dont think i will get m y windows done, thats just something else that will break, and with the trunk, seems pointless too cuz we dont have shocks to lift it anyways.

can u email or post that wiring diagram when u can.

my car didnt come with a factory alarm, so i guess theres nothing i need to do for that. we used to have a cheap clifford alarm in the car, but something just wasnt right in it and it drained the battery continously or something.

are their other brands u recommend.
my reason for remote start, besides its cool as heck, is that im moving to chicago and might not have a garage, and i want to warm the car in teh AM
thanks

 

[vdubpower]

i was on the dei site and saw that viper, clifford and others are made by them, but there was not clear cut place that mentioned the differences??? are they the same alarms but with diff names???

theres so many dif options too, keyless entry, keyless with remote, security, security plus remote.
heck i thought all alarms are security but i guess not,

 

[jhodg5ck]

It may just be me, but I would NEVER buy a car that had remote start installed.. Sitting and idling a car causes the formation of excess acids on the cylinder walls thus contaminating the oil. A surefire way to cause excess wear on your motor.

And Andrew is right.. For me I'd never let anyone install anything on my car, but for those that don't have that option do your best to find a reputable mobile audio shop etc....

Jonathan

 

[vdubpower]

the remote start would just be so i can warm the engine for 5 min before i get going, i assume on those cold chicago winters ill need it,

 

[jhodg5ck]

Really, you shouldn't need it at all. Ideally from all the reading and talking I have done via informed sources it's best start your car, let the fluids get moving for about a minute while you get sorted in the car and drive gently until up to operating temperature (i take pains to keep the car under 2500 until the t-stat opens).

Jonathan

 

[vdubpower]

good points,

when starting a car with remote start, does it need to do anything differently than when we would with key, i mean does it put more wear and tear on any components.
i had a viper system in my jetta mk3 for about 5 yrs, everything alright with it, i think.

 

[jhodg5ck]

Not quite sure what you mean... Aside from causing un-needed wear to your cylinder walls and engine internals from higher then normal acididy in your oil..Doesn't make much difference to the rest of the car.

Could cause excess wear on your exhaust if you fire the car up then turn it off w/o driving due to excess moisture accumulation.

Jonathan

 

[86560MBSEC]

as to your question about dei and making the same product with different names... yeah that is pretty much what they do. my roommate has a clifford RSX 3.5(?) and it is just about the exact same thing as my viper 790, python has one too but i forget the model number, the remotes are different color but have the same screen and button layout as well as make the same paging noises when the alarms go off. As to your install, i work at circuit city and my roadshop guys installed it and did a fine job i don't know what they did but my doors un/lock and if someone hits my car or messes with it i hear about it [] .

my 2 cents,
Jared

 

[cyberdrakon]

Yes, good systems come with an 'anti-grind' sensor, which will prevent the alarm from destroying the engine. I'm pretty sure the Viper has it, my old viper system had it. It's actually gentler than starting the car by key.

 

[vdubpower]

why would it cause un-needed wear to your cylinder walls and engine internals from higher then normal acididy in your oil. any more than starting the car with the key.

i guess what i mean to say is, if i start the car from inside the house and let it idle for 2-3 min until i get it, is no difference than key startng it and waiting. ?

 

[JR_Rider]

Compustar makes the best alarms, though they are pricey and hard to find.

 

[JR_Rider]

Compustar makes the best alarms, though they are pricey and hard to find.

 

[andrew6981]

DEI products are my favourite (as you will find with most installers) since they build some of the highest quality products, and they actually DO the install in just about every car you can imagine, so if there's any issues, they can sort it real easily. I'm still confused as to how idling can cause acid to form...please explain Jonathan, that one baffles me [] I can agree that Compustar has pretty good products, but their remotes are HUGE. It's like carrying around one of the old brick type cell phones on your key chain. well...not quite that huge, but close. The tradeoff there however, is that the range on the Compustar remotes can NOT be beat by anyone. I've seen them communicate 2way flawlessly from up to 2.5 miles (granted, there was a clear line of sight with no obstructions between the remote and car...) and I believe they guarantee up to 1/2 mile with normal obstructions (walls, trees, other cars, etc). If you're looking for range, go with Compustar. Otherwise, I'd stick with some variant of DEI. The Viper's are one of my fav's, no reason really, just preference. Also, as an FYI, anyone can do the window mod, regardless of whether or not you have an alarm/remote start. It will give you one touch up/down, and can also be tied into your alarm/remote start to roll the windows up whenever you lock the car or hit a specially programmed button, and also down by hitting a button. Pretty snazzy, I've installed them in several cars and plan on doing it in mine soon. That runs about $45 for the module, and one module controls 2 windows (so we'd need 2 mods for all 4 windows). Installation shouldn't be more than $120 for all 4.
Good luck!

 

[vdubpower]

i decided on the clifford rsx 3.5 i found it for 200 on ebay, brand new with warrenty cards etc. . does anyone know of any good installers in the city of orange calif. area

 

[SaleenS7]

I went to best buy to get one of those viper alarms installed on my W126 but they said they can't do that car.

Oh and about the remote start...It's unnecessary, cars only need to be idled for 30-45 seconds even in the cold. The trick is driving it at low RPMs for the first few miles. If the car idles for more than three minutes ANYWHERE then turn it off. It does no good to the engine nor the gas.

 

[dtkw]

Since my Clifford is going nut and went off a few times at night by wind. I am replacing it with Audiovox VX200 at BB tomorrow morning. The BB guy said he can do it and with vacumme windows system, he just has to add a module to it. And because the clifford is already there, he might not even has to do that.

 

[vdubpower]

how old is yor clifford, i just got my rsx 3.5 today, gonna call al and eds autosound to do my install hopefully soon

 

[V8BENZ]

Hey Andrew, care to check out a problem I posted on the site for me. I would appreciate yoru input. Thanks.

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=1208631&posts=6


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And dtkw,
If you installes it yourself... do you have a manual? If a shop did it, take it back so they can adjust the sensitivity. I turn mine way down so that wind or cats don't set it off, however, opening a door or the trunk will set it off.