Alarm System?

When I initially purchased my Honda I was told it had an alarm system. But no matter how many times I tapped it or tried to open it, the alarm would never sound. I then called Honda and they told me that I did and it would sound if a window was broken or something damaging like that. I was wondering if there were any suggestions on an upgrade or anything of that sort.

Well it seems like everyone is leaving this question alone so I guess I will try and answer it.It seems like a lot of the Honda's, especially the Civic's have this type of so called Alarm System. My suggestion to you since Honda ranks among the top of list for automobile theft is to get an upgrade or a completely new system. There are many different systems out there but if you want you can check the links/resources page for some links. I hope you plan on installing a system especially if you are modifying your car. Protect your investment.

i was told by my dealer that the newer civics have a coded transponder in the key that tells the ignition to start however i also have remote start which works just fine without the key.

sometimes the dealers know less about the cars they sell than the people who buy them.

the OEM alarm is an optional item that alarms when the doors trunk and hood are opened.

get an aftermarket alarm one with an impact sensor not just a motion sensor so the alarm dosn't go off every time somebody walks by it.

[Accord Man]

I'd upgrade if i were you..

It was the first thing i did when i got my car..
I'll admit it doesnt give you a lot of pleasure, but it'll save you
sh!t load of pain!

Definitely upgrade with a system that has an impact sensor. Like abswainer said, the OEM alarm will only sound if the trunk or hood are forced open or if the window is broken. Just upgrade to avoid dealing with a headache. It is most definitely a worthwhile investment!!

[ChrisCantSkate]

lock doors leave windows down come back 10 mins later and unlock from the inside w/o key, that will tell you real quick if you have one. but i would agree with everyone else a upgraded alarm is a must, expecialy on a honda and a hooked up one at that.

[2000Pimpinex]

Get a viper alarm, you'll love it. In my book they are the best.

stock alarms are very easy for theives to get around so id recommend upgrading to some sort of aftermarket alarm. I personally prefer Clifford, which is owned & produced by DEI now.

I noticed that you guys mentioned two good alarm companies, but do you have any model suggestions? I've got a 98 Honda Civic.

Will the factory alarm really go off if the window is broken? Most Honda alarms won't go off unless a door or something is opened....thus one can climb in the car and steal what they want out of the car without setting off the alarm. Alarms are usually voltage sensing, so they tie into the lighting system, which is why they go off when a door is opened. Impact and audio sensors are different, though.

DEI is the alarm company to go with. They make Viper, Python, I guess Clifford, Hornet, and a few other names that I can't recall right now. Go to www.directed.com and check out their site. It's not the best site, but it's a place to start.

Viper and Python are two of the most common models you'll tend to find. Around where I live nobody seems to carry Python, but they all carry Viper. As for models, it really depends on what you want. For the Viper, you can go with a 300 ESP, or you could go 500 ESP or 600 ESP, depending on some of the novelty features you've got. If you have an automatic and want remote start, then I'd recommend the 550 ESP.

You can always add modules to get extra functionality. You can add solenoids to pop your trunk, window modules to roll down your windows with your remote, remote start module (if you get 500 or 600, for example), audio sensor, hood pin, trunk pin, etc. It really depends on how much protection you want and how much you're willing to spend. I wouldn't recommend getting a motion sensor, those are usually useless and just cause people to get annoyed with your alarm.

Just bear in mind that an alarm is only a deterrant, if someone wants your car, or what's in it, badly enough....they'll get it.

When it comes to getting your alarm installed, trust your car to a trained and certified professional. It'll cost you more initially, but in the long run it'll cost you less.

b

damn u guys, sorry i didn't answer this sooner just got home... But they all answered the question pretty well......

[black95gs-t]

truth be told DEI products have started to majorly suck as of late IMO. the bought avital and now avital just plain sux if you ask me. also as far as i know, and i do work in this buisness, clifford is just a name now. you will never be able to get any warranty work done on a clifford. DEI did pick them up temporarially, but now has dropped them. if you have a clifford, sorry to inform you of this but if you have a problem with it, you gotta buy a new one. personally i like the autopage alarms myself. i have one in my truck, my car, my sisters car, and my moms van. never had any problems with them. it is YOUR money though. feel free to do what you want. oh and by the way, it takes anywhere from 1-4 seconds to disable a factory alarm. you just pull one wire and its done. thats "IF" it even goes off.

well i havn't had any problems with dei vipers line, but i use compustar. It's all about how it's installed. If it's done correctly, it will slow down the proccess of someone find any wires

[black95gs-t]

after reading over what i wrote, i realized that i am a rather bad explainer. let me try to rephrase what i said. well i recently dropped avital which was something i thought i would never do. i haven't really been having problems wiring the dei's, just with their reliability. and the 1-4 seconds to disable the alarm is on factory alarms. i was not talking about aftermarket.

ahh ok, well most factory alarms aren't hidden.. i know in my si it's visible and so are all the wires if u look underneith the knee panel

[black95gs-t]

exactly. the problem is that is how it is in most cars.

Now that you're a better explainer, please explain more. In what way are the DEI alarms not so good for reliability? Do they not go off? Do they burn up internally? Do they malfunction when a decent alarm shouldn't???

I'm considering getting a Viper, so I'm very interested in this subject.

b

spooogenet, not to knock on this kid, but DEI is one of the best alarms out there. They don't have any problems, and if he continues to say they do, then the installer he goes to or has dealt with doesn't know what he's doing. Get a viper one, you won't be dissapointed i can assure you. I had one in my S10 Xtreme..

i hope i didn't come off to harsh, if i did TO BAD! lol just playin ;D

[black95gs-t]

Well, I don't go to an installer. I work for a car accessory company. The reason that I say this is because at our shop we have had a hard time getting warranty work done through them. Them being DEI. I'm not saying that they are total crap, but what I am saying is DEI is not what it used to be. Alot of this could be considered opinion and personal preference, but like I said, look at the Avital alarm systems prior to them being bought out by DEI. They are just cheaper now. Cheaper in quality and construction. The installer is not the problem. He has been doing this longer than I have been alive. He has I think, well I'm not gonna guess cuz I don't know how many different certifications he has, but when he stopped competing on the circuit he had won 50 shows out of the 57 he had gone to. He teaches a class here about how to install anything 12V and he is one of the most knowledgeable people that I have ever met and had the privelage of working with. Now don't get me wrong, there are many worse products out there than DEI, but there are also many better ones too.

Originally posted by black95gs-t
Well, *snip* too.

Great props, but my question still remains.

b

[black95gs-t]

oh sorry. totally forgot about that part of what i was saying. well, in my experiences with them, and this is not everyone that has ever owned one's experience, but the remotes wear out rather quickly as compared to other brands, a more limited range of the remotes as compared to other brands, not so much "burning up internally" as just cheaply made. cheap stuff just breaks. and always at the most inconvenient times. with some alarms, if you have a problem with it, the dealer you bought it from can just open a new box and give you a new one. DEI is not that nice. they make you take it out and send it back to be fixed. some shops do still give you a new one but then they have to sell the old one. we do not do that. at my shop, the owner is rather cheap and once you get something, its yours. unless otherwise specifyied by the manufacturer. (yeah i know i still can't spell) i like some code alarm, not all but some, auto page is ok, and i also like don't laugh at me for saying this but, prestige. they have a good warranty program.