Car Alarms...
My car got broken into over on Thursday at this roach motel I live in, so I was looking into a few car alarms, and I'll regale to you SOME of my experiences...
Car Alarm:
The two big brands (AFAIK) are Viper and Compustar, both Viper and Compustar have a nice model that will (supposedly) go 1 mile or longer.
Compustar:
http://www.compustar.com/products/P2WSSR.htm
http://www.compustar.com/products/P2W9000FMR.htm
Viper 5901:
http://www.viper.com/P-5702V/Viper+5901+Responder+Lc3+Supercode+Sst+2-way+Security+And+Remote+Start+System
There's also this no name brand Carvox CX-2300 (Goes by many other names) it's from China, here's a link: http://carvox.en.alibaba.com/offerdetail/212958541/TWO_WAY_CAR_ALARM_REMOTE_STARTER.html
Installers local to me:
I live in Hamilton, but I'll go as far as Toronto to save some cash, almost all the installers I found were WAY over priced, and when asked WHY, they simply couldn't give me a good reason. The actual alarm itself is usually between 350-400 dollars, it also requires a bypass module costing 60 dollars, everything else, is labour.
Company: TECH TRONIX
Alarm: N/A
Will not work on the car at all. They claim after 2-3 months the alarms fail. I wouldn't really trust someone that can't make electronics work, electronics don't suddenly fail 3 months later unless they are under some kind of extra stress or some such. Again, I only have a basic understanding of electronics, and this explanation doesn't fit.
Company Level 12
Alarm: Compustar P2WSSR
Installed Price: $850
The person answering the phone didn't even identify himself as working for the company, background noise tells me it's forwarded to his home phone or he works out of his basement. $850 dollars installed. $450 dollars in labour? Talk about milk run! I work in a mission critical environment, but 450 dollars in labour, for one days work, works out to being 56.25 an hour for labour, assuming an 8 hour work day, I dunno, seems a bit steep. The fact that he couldn't justify _WHY_ I should spend the money with him really made me not want to do business with him. His response was, there's professionals and then there isn't... Way to sell your product. Also, the add says $499 installed, what's with tacking on 350 in extras? Quote one price and charge another? I'm sure there's a word for that, ah yes, FALSE ADVERTISING.
Company: Safe & Sound Installations
Alarm: Compustar 2W900FM-S
Installed Price: 650-700
I really liked this guy, he gave me confidence when he was speaking with me, and didn't make up bullshit stories as to why labour is what it is. I would have honestly gotten the alarm from them if they could have gotten me in the day of. Good job!
Company: Independant
Alarm: Compustar 2W900FM-S
Installed Price: $510
I searched on Kijiji and found another fellow Mayu who will install a similar model for 510 dollars. Just for kicks, he said he could order the P2WSSR for $50 dollars more.
There is also RadioActive in Burlington who deal with Viper, but I wasn't really looking into Viper, if I did, I'd have gone there only because I know they do good work.
On a side note, check out www.rentabay.com, that's the coolest shit EVER, and for automotive glass repairs, check out Star Auto Glass (www.starautoglass.ca) they also have a place next door that will do tints.
Car Alarm:
The two big brands (AFAIK) are Viper and Compustar, both Viper and Compustar have a nice model that will (supposedly) go 1 mile or longer.
Compustar:
http://www.compustar.com/products/P2WSSR.htm
http://www.compustar.com/products/P2W9000FMR.htm
Viper 5901:
http://www.viper.com/P-5702V/Viper+5901+Responder+Lc3+Supercode+Sst+2-way+Security+And+Remote+Start+System
There's also this no name brand Carvox CX-2300 (Goes by many other names) it's from China, here's a link: http://carvox.en.alibaba.com/offerdetail/212958541/TWO_WAY_CAR_ALARM_REMOTE_STARTER.html
Installers local to me:
I live in Hamilton, but I'll go as far as Toronto to save some cash, almost all the installers I found were WAY over priced, and when asked WHY, they simply couldn't give me a good reason. The actual alarm itself is usually between 350-400 dollars, it also requires a bypass module costing 60 dollars, everything else, is labour.
Company: TECH TRONIX
Alarm: N/A
Will not work on the car at all. They claim after 2-3 months the alarms fail. I wouldn't really trust someone that can't make electronics work, electronics don't suddenly fail 3 months later unless they are under some kind of extra stress or some such. Again, I only have a basic understanding of electronics, and this explanation doesn't fit.
Company Level 12
Alarm: Compustar P2WSSR
Installed Price: $850
The person answering the phone didn't even identify himself as working for the company, background noise tells me it's forwarded to his home phone or he works out of his basement. $850 dollars installed. $450 dollars in labour? Talk about milk run! I work in a mission critical environment, but 450 dollars in labour, for one days work, works out to being 56.25 an hour for labour, assuming an 8 hour work day, I dunno, seems a bit steep. The fact that he couldn't justify _WHY_ I should spend the money with him really made me not want to do business with him. His response was, there's professionals and then there isn't... Way to sell your product. Also, the add says $499 installed, what's with tacking on 350 in extras? Quote one price and charge another? I'm sure there's a word for that, ah yes, FALSE ADVERTISING.
Company: Safe & Sound Installations
Alarm: Compustar 2W900FM-S
Installed Price: 650-700
I really liked this guy, he gave me confidence when he was speaking with me, and didn't make up bullshit stories as to why labour is what it is. I would have honestly gotten the alarm from them if they could have gotten me in the day of. Good job!
Company: Independant
Alarm: Compustar 2W900FM-S
Installed Price: $510
I searched on Kijiji and found another fellow Mayu who will install a similar model for 510 dollars. Just for kicks, he said he could order the P2WSSR for $50 dollars more.
There is also RadioActive in Burlington who deal with Viper, but I wasn't really looking into Viper, if I did, I'd have gone there only because I know they do good work.
On a side note, check out www.rentabay.com, that's the coolest shit EVER, and for automotive glass repairs, check out Star Auto Glass (www.starautoglass.ca) they also have a place next door that will do tints.
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