question about alarm

[Bek31]

I have a VS series 1. i am interested in getting an alarm soon coz i have heard too many stories about cars being stolen lately, and i dont need my baby stolen! im just wanting to know if you can get an alarm that uses the same buttons on the original key, so that i only need to press one button to turn off the alarm and open the doors? also what kinda prices am i looking at and what exactly do they do? i dont know much about alarms or immobilisors and such....

thanks for your time

[DJ Majah]

Im looking at the same thing. Theyre called factory system upgrade kits, and they turn on when you lock the doors, so if you deadlock your doors, you may have to use the remote to lock them, and then turn the key in the lock.

There are a few different models, the model Holden (I believe) uses is called the Dominator or something like it and for one of those its about $320 fitted. There are cheaper ones you can get fitted for $250 or so too.

[stootles]

You have a number of choices. One thing I could not find was a system that could upgrade my alarm, immobilise and be operated from my key. (edit: and meet australian standands)

Just a guess here but I think it would have something to do with different cars have different remote controls and you can not guarantee that the remote would be the australian standards.

The one I found that I liked was from cyclops http://www.dynamco.com.au/ which are sold at strathfield(yeah I know many people dont like strathfield). That upgrades the alarm and the immobiliser.

As I had already done an alarm upgrade, I was going to go the above system, but after catching on that it does not have a certificate to say it meets aussie standards, I will probably just find a nice aussie standards compliant transponder type immobilisr (thus no extra button to press to diable the immobiliser).

Remember upgrading the alarm is great - if the car is somewhere it will be investigated - but having an immobiliser might actually stop them from driving off with the car.

If you immobiliser, check your insurance comapny likes what you are doing, sometimes they give a discount for having one, other times they might waive an extra excess if your car is stolen.

Also for reference, the current VX immobiliser was given a 0 by RACV in therir ratings, so obviously holden still have not gotten it right.

Hope that helps, its just about everything I found out in regards to alarms/immobilisers in the last fortnight

Cheers,

Stewart

[DJ Majah]

The VS already has an immobiliser and theres nothing wrong with the quality. The ECU requires a stream of information from the BCM to turn off the immobiliser, otherwise the fuel pump, ignition or starter wont do anything. So its not just a case of rubbing two wires together.

I've had many experiences when Ive left my keys in the ignition, only to turn the car on again and have nothing work because the immobiliser hadn't been turned off. Theres nothing wrong with it.

[stootles]

The VS already has an immobiliser and theres nothing wrong with the quality. The ECU requires a stream of information from the BCM to turn off the immobiliser, otherwise the fuel pump, ignition or starter wont do anything. So its not just a case of rubbing two wires together.

I've had many experiences when Ive left my keys in the ignition, only to turn the car on again and have nothing work because the immobiliser hadn't been turned off. Theres nothing wrong with it.

That is just what I thought as well, but with RACV giving the current immobiliser a 0/100 (http://motoring.racv.com.au/racvm/wh...escription.cfm) I figured there must be something to it.

I also had a mate who was on jury duty a couple of years ago - the case he was a juror on was to do with car theft. Their popular car to steal were VS commodores, on which the jury got a description of how they did it - he reckons it didnt seem too hard.

Dont forget, the most commonly stolen post 1991 vehicle is VT then VS (http://motoring.racv.com.au/racvm/pe.../security6.cfm).

I know the car has a built in immobiliser, but, once I thought about the above I could not help but think an aftermarket immobiliser would probably be a good idea. One that operates independantly of the factory system (transpoder type) even better - simply because I do not know how they are stealing these vehicles, but they are doing it. And of course my mate who was told how they did it could not remember - was a few years ago.

I know a friends VS Berlina was taken right from his driveway, so you can understand my thoughts that there is a fault in the commodore alarm/immobiliser - as does RACV according to their rating of the current one.

On top of which fitting the immobiliser made my insurance company happy enough to waive the excess if my car is stolen. SO I think of it as added insurance if my car is ever stolen (touch wood) as I would have less excess to pay aswell.

Every one is free to draw their own conclusions, these are just mine, I would really like to know how they are stealing these cars though.

Cheers,

Stewart

[markovr]

I put in a mongoose upgrade to my vr and it adds the feature of a audible alarm, shock sensor , bonnet and boot entry triggers as well as normal doors, a visible flashing extra led indicator .It has a few handy features that you can program in like a timeout that will inhibit a circuit(I picked the feed to the starter solenoid) in a few mins after you turn the key off and open and shut the door.
I kept the original key controls and it works well.
Cost about 300 and I picked it as mongoose have supplied inhibitor set ups to gmh for a long time and have a good reputation and are helpful if you have a problem.