i have a 93 civic ex coupe and i was wondering what the best wat to secure it is, i heard that the detachable steering wheel and mount is the best way????

 

That would work great... but also a really good thing to do is make your own security system! Nobody but you knows how to use it. Just give it some thought and something will come to you.

 

well if a theif really wants your car their going to get it one way or another... but to make it more secure.. layer your security.. dont just rely on one device to protect your car.. have several that work independantly of each other...

get an alarm thats installed well w/ the brain hidden and wiring all black.. have the wires run along w/ stock wire looms, and make it as stealth as possible.... have back up battery, internal/cabin sirens, pager, and you can get stuff like a proximity sensor, impact/shock sensor, and tilt sensor, also got the siren in the hood and also my air horns go off in conjunction w/ the siren in both the hood and cabin.. its pretty loud.. and if they cut the wiring to the siren.. still got batt back up and the air horns still go... have it auto arm and lock the doors in case you forget to activate the alarm.. after you close the door for 30 seconds it will arm the alarm itself, lock the doors, etc... I also have window and sunroof modules where in addition to turning itself on and locking the doors my alarm rolls up my windows and closes my sunroof... don't let this be your only line of defense though...

next up get an auto lock to lock the clutch.. w/ the clutch locked.. they 1)cant start the car until they bypass the clutch/starter safety switch... 2) can't use the clutch/drive your car away... you can also get a club/steering wheel lock if you can afford both and are willing to put on both.. if your picking one or the other.. get the auto lock instead of a steering wheel lock.. because the steering wheel can be cut... the Club twin hooks isnt bad.. but if your only picking ONE of these devices and not using both.. i'd pick the autoloc... if you can afford it.. get both..

in addition.. make some (multiple) kill switches.. w/o giving out the facts of my own kill switches.. I have to press a few different buttons.. some hidden, some stock/factory switches, etc.. in order for my car to start.. just be creative.. Im not gonna say more about my setup...

if you have access to a garage in your house.. use it.. park your car inside... I have all the security I listed above (alarm, pager, all the sensors, club, autolock, park in the garage at night)... and I have the alarm armed and all the locking devices, in addition to the doors being locked).. I also turn off the garage openers receiving module at night when I'm not going out (the opener has a "Lock" feature.. where it won't take remote codes until you unlock it from inside your house.. that way theives driving around w/ transmitters emitting random codes can't happen to stumble across the code and open my garage door... then there is also the house alarm (which would trip if sum1 opened the garage door, or broke the window to it) while the alarm on our house is armed at night... then theres dogs, and well my alarm pages me too in case I dont hear the siren and air horns going off in the garage.. so then theres me.. and guns.. and well yeah = )...

all this still wouldn't help against a theif w/ a tow trunk/flat bed and/or a gun.. i'd rather give up my car than my life...

 

anyone know how much is the hardware for the electronic alrm of ^^^'s car? Its probably around 700 id guess...
Can someone price the pieces below

 

Damn GSRaCeRbOI, you seem to know alot about car alarms. Do you work at a place that installs alarms or something? Or do you just do it yourself? The reason I am asking is because I want to upgrade my current alarm. I really like the Clifford ones but they are kind of expensive. Also finding a place that knows what they are doing is hard. I live in So Cal too so maybe you can help me out. Thanks

 

GSRaCeRbOI: Damn dude, can you say paranoid?!

 

OK lemme try to answer all ur questions.. well first off yeah Im paranoid.. after dumping over $10K into your car.. and having it been stolen 3 times.. you get paranoid after that.. it would be well over $10K if I just paid ppl to do installs (labor).. the 10K i put in is parts only.. a lot of the stuff on my car.. either I did myself.. or my frenz helped me.. and well thats a lot of time, sweat, tears, weekends Lolz.. so yeah.. Im paranoid and wanna keep my car..


as for me.. NO I dont work in the car audio or alarm industry..I know how to hook up car audio (amps, head units, subs, speakers, etc) and I can do some stuff on alarms and other electrical.. but I'm in NO WAY a pro installer... my homeboi hooked it up (both alarm products and installation) for the cost of food Lolz.. me and him go way back since like elementary school (and I'm in my 20's now) so you can see we go WAY back... too bad he moved to NY or else he could help you out w/ installation... I know he did a good job, he took his time, and he actually cared about the car he was working on (mine) versus a crooked worker at a shop for stereos and alarms (not all workers are bad) that might copy down my address to come back to my house afterhrs (based on the customer address form u fill out) and jack my car after work..

I got all my stuff for about $750.. thats the Clifford Avant Guard alarm, smart windows modules to control both windows and sunroof, internal and external sirens, batt back up, air horns, proximity, shock/impact, and tilt sensors, headlight activation and delay, pager unit, kill switches, etc... if a shop were to install a setup like mine.. I'm pretty sure it would be well over a G for all this and installation and everything...

 

do you think you could name me some brands and or places for buying all these things? Ive talked to people and there are sensors sold from 5 bucks to a few hundred...i dont feel like wasting money on pointless crap like that, can you give me names of good value products such as the sensors, horns, and places to buy all the moduals and headlight controls?
Also, what type of switches did you use (beside the factory ones that you used), i mean what type were they (toggle, push button, etc), and pictures or something if possible...

 

most of the stuff I have is Clifford.. Clifford dual zone proximity sensor Clifford Digital tilt sensor (senses tilting up to 1 degree or sumthing)
Clifford Dual Zone Piezo sensor/remotely adjustable
my alarm is a Clifford AvantGuard and it came w/ all the controls for the headlight activation, multipoint kills, immobilizer..
as for the air horns their Hella.. I think its a german brand.. and they make foglight kits and headlight kits for cars like BMWs and VW's... but yeah the brand is Hella...the windows modules that I have are Clifford Smartwindows...
the switches are push button switches... as for where to buy all this stuff like I said.. my homeboi hooked it all up for $750 for all parts and he did the install which is pretty cheap because if you walked into a shop and wanted a Clifford AvantGuard and all the windows modules, stealth install, all the options hooked up headlights come on when its dark outside, wiper/headlight activation, trunk pop, hood pin switch, batt back up, internal sirens, air horns, hood siren, independant kill switches, pager, all the additional sensors, I'm sure it would cost WAY over $1K..

maybe someone who works in a shop can give you a quote of how much it would cost if someone walked into their shop askin for all this equipment and installation... I know theres a few guys who work in a shop based on their posts.. so maybe they can give you a better idea of the costs..


[Modified by GSRaCeRbOI, 6:58 PM 5/7/2002]

 

Im just interested in parts...install will be done by me and a friend.
also, how is the unit wiper/headligh activation? does it have a light sensor so it knows wheather to turn them on? and a water sensor for the wipers?

 

the headlight has a photo/light sensor... the wiper is just when you turn on your wipers.. it figures your in inclement driving conditions so it turns on your headlights for you (if the photosensor hasnt already)..

 

I hope your'e not thinking of installing an Avantguard 4 yourself? There's about 40 different wires to interface with. Take a look at the install manual at clifford.com, it ain't even remotely easy. I know you think it's just a matter of hooking up a bunch of wires but that doesn't even begin to describe the reality...

 

illl try...i cant afford to pay anoyone 500 for an install job...thats a lot of money for something that isnt really worth that much labor...Ive installed other security systems and remote starters, it can only be so difficult.
The hardest part for me will be figuring out how to wire the sensors, and a friend is going to help that does it for a living.

 

You're worried about the sensors??? That's the easiest part, they just plug in. The sheer scope of the AG4 is a force to be reconned with. If anything is worth $500 it's the labor to install this alarm. I'd say it's doable if you have an installer with you but make sure to read the manual and understand how to hook up everything before starting. Are you ready for one hellish weekend

 

If it really is that hard, I would rather pay someone to do it than mess it up and end up having to pay more for them to fix it. Or pay the same amount but you just wasted your time messing with it.

 

When I get it and read the manual (couldnt find one online), Ill tell you how hard it is. It is just hooking up wires. no matter how you put it, you are just splicing into wires and connecting. The hardest parts are finding those wiring and making it look stealthy.

There is only one sensor channel on any alarm. when you hook up the sensors, you have to hook them up in parallel with directional resistors so that none of them go to each other and set each one off.


Edit:

These are the things the Acant Guard 4 does not include, can someone price these for me.
Glass Tampering Sensing
Dual-Zone Vibration/Impact Sensing
Dual-Zone OmniSensor (what the hell is this thing?)


[Modified by integra-modder, 3:59 AM 5/9/2002]

 

Go the clifford.com, click guides at the top and then install guides.

 

These are the things the Acant Guard 4 does not include, can someone price these for me.
Glass Tampering Sensing
Dual-Zone Vibration/Impact Sensing
Dual-Zone OmniSensor (what the hell is this thing?)

anyone know this?

 

ttt

 

[QUOTE]well if a theif really wants your car their going to get it one way or another... but to make it more secure.. layer your security.. dont just rely on one device to protect your car.. have several that work independantly of each other...

ok so how much will all that cost me in the long run, i am thinking more than my car is worth, right now i have just have a simple alarm, and there is some stuff i do under the hood to make the car not even start that most people do not know about

 

more than your car is worth? well what your car is worth is up to you.. to me my car is worth not only what its worth on the retail market.. but ALSO the value of a new car.. I mean if my car was gone I would be FORCED to purchase a new car (which I wouldnt have to if my car was still here) since I need transportation..

so the cost is what the car and its parts/add ons are worth AND the cost of its replacement.. I kno thats a wierd way of calculating what its worth..but seriously.. Im not sure how much disposable income you have.. but the cost of an autotheft is not only the loss.. its ALSO the cost of the replacement.. to me at least..

what it all cost me?
$750 - alarm components + install (friend hooked me up w/ the parts and installed it).. if you were to walk in a shop and want something similar to what I have it would cost at least $1,000...
$50 - Autolock
$50 - Club
$30 - misc kill switches, wire, relays, etc..

 

(afstlsvtec also knowen as low93ex) right now it just has a sohc, but i am going to do most of those securiety when i get a motor but my car is probley wrht nothing compared to yours