Hi everyone! Today I went somewhere and got a viper 5000esx something or other installed on my car. Here’s my problem, everything seemed fine, until when I got into my car there was an antenna in the upper left hand corner of my windshield!!! How tacky! Please, someone, tell me if this is a customary place for the remote antenna to be! I went back in and asked them about it. They said it has to be in the glass for reception reason. Is that true? Where should it be? Also, when you open up my hood, there is a fuse attached to what I think is the battery. The fuse is the on/off plug for the alarm. Should it be just out in the open like that? Where should it be if not? I paid almost 300.00 for this ghetto alarm system. Opinions and advice please!!!


[Modified by DixieH22A, 9:19 PM 8/22/2002]

 

 

Thank you!!! So about the antenna and fuse under the hood, should i ask them to move them. I am really wanting them to move the antenna from off my window and place it anywhere else. Wil placing it not right on the window kill the strengh it claims from being there? Does anyone know of a way to move the obvious on/off fuse or to make it not as noticable to thieves? Thanks again for your help!!

 

I totally disagree, nothing should be in plain sight, makes it likely a thief will disable it. I have my antenna in the center console (hidden) and it works fine. They should have gotten power off the steering column 12V wire. You can still shut the alarm off by disconnecting the battery when it's powered off that. BTW, this is a bad thing and you should get a battery backup (and hood pin switch!) It sounds to me like you got a generally $hitty install, it's all too common.

 

I agree w/ "ME" (above post)

it sounds like you got a crappy install.. I've never heard of the antenna being exposed in plain view unless its one of those paging systems sometimes they put those by the glass... I don't see why people want these super high ranges to disarm their alarms anyway... my alarms brain and antenna are hidden and I get decent arm/disarm ranges.. I don't see a need to disarm from 500 feet away before I'm even at the car or whatever...

seeing where the antenna wire is pretty much tells the theif the general area of the alarm brain.. making it easy for him to plan his strategy for a quick and easy break in and disabling of the alarm and getting to the wires even before he gets in the car...

 

Poor Christy...We should have gone to Auto Essentials...

 

Okay guys, well I called the place and they are willing to relocate the antenna to somewhere where I will not see it. Like it should have been done in the first place! Now, already knowing the fuse is hooked up to the battery, what should I tell them to do about? So I don’t just walk in there and sound lame, I kinda want to know what I am talking about. Is there an easy way for them to hide/move/etc the fuse and how should I tell/request them to do it? I REALLY appreciate all your help guys!!! Thanks again!

 

Okay...some of you out here are installers and salespersons,so you will/may get where I'm comming from....I'm gonna play devil's advocate on this one:

The HF based systems need the antenna to work,without it range is severly limited,so its normally mounted on the front windshield with the wire ran down on of the A pillars....whose idea was this...you the consumer. This is in response to what the public wanted...longer range amplified antennas ( not to mention as humans we are a lazy bunch...how many of you change your remote battery a least 1-2x a year or do you just tap or whack it until it responds). In the old days we used to extend the antenna wire up to that area anyway for those problem range customers. You can request to have them move it to a more asthetic local,but you are stuck with it on the windshield.

As for the fuse on the battery.....its kinda industry standard...what better place to get power from but the main source..its in their install manual. Yes..I will agree that your security system can be easily defeated,but there are solutions to that. I'll go back to a more understandable point...if you were stranded because of a faulty alarm and you needed a tow...you would expect the shop to pay for it...am I right? Do you really want to know how many people actually read the owners manual...not many. Many of the problems are caused by dead remote batteries,lost remotes,dead car batteries,etc...and there is a way for the customer to overide the system..but many forget how and just panic. I once had to pay a $175.00 tow bill because the customer could not disarm her system( dead remote battery)...had the car towed home...alarm was still blaring...ask the driver was there anything he could do...he looked under the hood and pulled the alarms power fuse ( after he got paid of course)..she was pissed. So after much debate..I refuned her tow bill ( it was a customer service thing...even though she caused it herself). To protect that fuse,you could elect to have a backup battery or a hood lock installed,but then there is more cost involved.

Which leads me to the last point.... costs involved. I'm gonna be frank..we all want the best service for the least coin out of our pocket..its only human. We want it quick and with least time expended. What if I told you to install a basic alarm with keyless entry,that the only indication would be the led and even that would be stealth.....but I needed your car for 2.5 days and labor would be $1000.00 plus parts. You would probably tell me to go #@$%$ myself...right? There are some shops out there that do charge this,and the customers pay it...because they see the value in it. You had an alarm installed for $300.00 and you had a few issues with the results...I can't fault you,but I bet that shop..in your mind... had what you thought was the best value .

Sorry for the long post...but I had to clarify a few points..we are quick to bash a biz,but in reality,we as consumers created this environment....Free installs..kits and harnesses included...$1.00 installs... no real value associated
...we have grown to expect this from retailers. They have no choice but to play along to be competative...but all this comes at a cost. In most cases its service. Just something to think about.

I'm off my soapbox now.

 

That is exactly, almost word for word, what the guy at the shop told me, that they place the fuse there for a reason. I understand that, but also does it not, almost defeat the purpose of having an alarm in the first place? Having it at such easy access? But then again, I suppose if someone wants to take my car, they will find a way. Well, I appreciate all your answers guys, thank you. But on another note, is there another place i can ask them to relocate the fuse too? Thanks again...

 

Yes, you can ask them to move it elsewhere in the car..it is very possible. Think of what you are asking: " I want a way to have the fuse placed where it is readily accessable to me,without using basic hand tools,but a thief or other unauthorized user can't access it"....I'm I on the right track? If this is what you desire...it can be accomplished by using a backup battery or some type of hood lock system...The reality is that you will have to spend more money to achieve this goal. Just my 0.02.

 

Thank you Chuck, but how much would a back up battery cost me and how does it work?

 

I do totally agree about the money issue, $300 is not going to get you a well installed Viper 500ESP. You should spend more like $400 (more for extras.) As far as the antenna thing it's a non-issue on the new DEI stuff with the xhf antenna. They could have at least hid it behind an a-pillar. And putting the power wire out in the open completely negates the point of having an alarm. Learn to use the valet switch. Unfortunately most alarm installs have become keyless entry systems with the illusion of security. Yes, customers are to blame for not spending the money and/or not educating themselves. BTW, $1k will get you a Clifford AG4 installed that has every security and convenience feature (your car can't be driven off - period!) And the experienced Clifford shops can do this in a day. $1k for a basic alarm insall is laughable (sorry)

DixieH22A a battery backup should cost maybe $75 installed. It's an alternate power source, if you're main battery is disconnected it will trigger the alarm and power it. Before I did that though make sure your alarm brain isn't under the driver's side dash. If it is than it can easily disabled, battery backup or not. Also, you want well blended wiring and a unreachable siren. I would also recommend a hood pin switch. For the love of god tell them to get alarm power off the column (thick white wire.)


[Modified by ME, 9:22 AM 8/24/2002]

 

Although I do agree with what all of you have said here...It is slightly difficult for her to walk back into this shop after the fact, and ask them to change THE ENTIRE install. Yes, there is a 90% chance the alarm brain is just sitting under the dash...Yes the antenna could have been easily hidden behind the a-pillar, and yes the power could have come from a better source.

So what most of you guys are asking her to do, or as it appears to me is to have her walk into the shop that just 3 days ago installed her system, and re-do the entire job. Most likely the guy is going to tell her to f*off, and she's going to get upset. Unfortunately in my opinion, there's not much she can do here, other than ask the guy to re-do what in my opinion is a text-book install, or take her car to another shop and pay them to install the alarm system properly. There is no way she could have avoided this type of install, which is what angers me. She is simply a young girl, who has little to no knowledge of cars in general who has been taken advantage of. I wish there was something we could do "legally" to make this situation turn out right.

 

Thank you!!! My thoughts exactly...poor me!

 

Excuse me, but I completely disagree. Your post assumes that I did no research and that I am just a mindless girl who spends all her time and effort into getting dressed in the morning and doing my make-up. You are mistaken, I called around, asked friends and obtained opinions other than yours online. Yes, I could have signed on and asked first, but I didn’t. This is not because I am lazy or mindless, I assumed the research I did was sufficient. I spoke with the alarm installers beforehand and asked the questions I had acquired and was satisfied with the answers I received; and for the most part, I am pleased with the alarm. I am not asking, nor was I expecting, a three thousand dollar installation. I simply was anticipating the installers to mount the alarm in an aesthetic and nonconspicuous way. Having a large and noticeably black antenna right in my plain view is unnecessary. They could have made the effort, which should have been made in the first place, to remove a panel and attach it underneath, out of plain sight. I, as a “consumer,” would simply expect to have an alarm installed that is not horribly obvious to an outsider/thief. If one were to walk by my car and see the large antenna in my window and their license plate frame they, without asking, placed on my car one would know exactly how to go about handling my car to avoid or minimize the effects of the alarm. I am not saying they ripped me off, I am saying that if I was a 42 year old man who pulls up in his E430, would they install the alarm in the same noticeable manner? I highly doubt it.

 

Teken: I am noticing more and more frequently that a general lack of respect, and authoratative attitude does not help fellow members much at all. I guess if it makes you feel better to spout off towards someone, (which I personally feel you could have done a little nicer) go right ahead.

In simple fourth grade english: How would you like it if I spoke to your girlfreind in the same maner as which you have done towards mine? She just asked simple questions, which did not call for your pompous response. I find that someone in the field will always speak down towards someone who knows little about the subject. It's just how it goes I guess.

And FYI: This was her first purchase for her vehicle period, ever. I think she did very well, and it just goes to show that she is a smart consumer for asking questions about what she recieved instead of just living with something that could potentially cause problems down the road.

Hopefully you don't take offence to what I have wrote, but instead maybe think about how you adress people in general. And remember afterall, you are here to help fellow members.