Effective Car Security

[nirtime]

We have quite a few threads on car security but here are the most proven methods that I have found as of my interests as of late:

1. GPS Module. A well placed GPS module is difficult to trace and takes a lot of time to disconnect/deactivate.

2. Factory Upgrade Alarm. Many new cars come with oem security systems but with how mainstream factory service manuals are its sort of easy to bypass oem security.(I am talking about being practical here in reference to the majority of our average joe cars, not Mercedes, BMW,etc...). A factory upgrade alarm will easily integrate with the oem security and will even allow itself to be armed and disarmed using the factory key fob. With a factory upgrade alarm you gain all the benefits of an aftermarket alarm without having to interfere with the oem security. Glass break sensors, additional doors, etc..

3. Kill Switch. As simple as it might be its a very effective deterrent. However it needs to be properly installed or else it is as simple as cutting out the switch wires and rejoining the starter wire at its broken point.

 

[grimreaper009]

most people use the kill switch and it is a pain depending on where it is installed and it starts to malfuction lol but sure to keep bandits away lol

 

[nirtime]

most people use the kill switch and it is a pain depending on where it is installed and it starts to malfuction lol but sure to keep bandits away lol

Lmaooo good point with the malfunction!

 

[grimreaper009]

Yea I have seen it happen before and it wasn't enjoyable nah but it was also good to see a good job was done with it lol

 

[nirtime]

I think the installation is pretty much the make or break in whether car security is effective or not. Having seen siren ground wires grounded by a self tapper that was used to hold the siren in place where only 1 strand, yes 1 strand of wire was grounding the siren, it made me really reconsider whether I should allow anybody else to interfere.

Sad thing is these days you buy a brand new car and its already coming butchered because the dealership had a shop install a "free alarm".

 

[LadyDeath]

My uncle have an old Escort. Being a Mechanical Engineer he installed buttons on his dash since 1997 to start his car. It's a puzzle how he starts it . No Key Required. A few turns, clicks and switches and then to press a key somewhere on the dash to start it LOL .

 

[The Dude]

Sad thing is these days you buy a brand new car and its already coming butchered because the dealership had a shop install a "free alarm".

I always wonder how much damage they do to your car before you get it. I remember seeing a guy on his way to get the new eleantras licensed (d plate on the back) and he we driving that car like he stole it. X to board and then mashing brakes in traffic on wrightson road, and you know you supposed to baby engines for the first 1000 km.

 

[grimreaper009]

lol @ladydeath starting some vehicles does depend on your ability to time with the alarm system which is a rare thing lol as it not easy to do if you have never seen it b4

 

[nirtime]

I always wonder how much damage they do to your car before you get it. I remember seeing a guy on his way to get the new eleantras licensed (d plate on the back) and he we driving that car like he stole it. X to board and then mashing brakes in traffic on wrightson road, and you know you supposed to baby engines for the first 1000 km.

They really do mess up the electrical. With my own hands I pushed a brand new at the time Mitsubishi L200 with a blown fuse that caused the ignition to fail. Mitsubishi came and changed the fuse. Same day it blew. The truck was taken to their branch on a flat bed tow truck and it turned out to be very poor aftermarket alarm wiring. A "dealer" installed accessory.

Have heard the story of a Hyundai h1 burning through brake pads every 6 months. The van spent a long time at Massy only for them to realise some wiring for the aftermarket alarm which they installed was shorting out the brake switch causing excessive wear on the pads.

The current Kia Sportage 2.0 manual highlights that the engine must not be raced for the first 1200 kms, it must not idle for long periods and some other things. Seen these idiots pull the car out of the port with the foam still on the doors and they racing going down south in the night with it.

Seen a brand new Navara last month being driven through a bad spot on the road, the man's head shaking like a dash board bubble head. I pass through the same spot at a much slower speed and had no bubble head lol.

New cars are treated very poorly. Even the paint is damaged before you get it because you buy a brand new car and there are tons of swirl marks on it already which you must now take care off yourself and tell them don't touch your paint at any service because they will mess up your hours of hard work detailing to get out the swirls.

 

[The Dude]

I never understand why mechanics don't protect a car when working on it. Anytime I doing work with the bonnet open I have an old shirt thrown over the fender where I know I leaning up against the car and resting tools. Anytime I gave my last car to someone to work on it always came back with some fine scratches on the front fenders from resting tools by the battery on the bare paint.

Worse yet for bikes. It is almost impossible to change brake fluid with2 spilling some, and with the resevoir on the handlebar, the brake fluid drops on the most visible part of the sode fairing of the bike. This is one of the major things that got me into DIY maintenance. If you want it done properly...

 

[grimreaper009]

so vehicles come with paint damage on a certain location of the car as a marker..and well for me it makes it easy as I know they bought it from the firm lol

 

[nirtime]

so vehicles come with paint damage on a certain location of the car as a marker..and well for me it makes it easy as I know they bought it from the firm lol

The damage is in the form of correctable scratches which really and truly wont matter since most people get their cars washed by a car wash that adds to it.

I agree with Dude there, mechanics very often make a mess and scratch up an otherwise good car. Modern clear coats are very soft and it is never advisable to rub up against it or rest tools on it.

Really and truly thats a good reason to get into DIY. Only I or the factory must wire the alarm. Not the dealer and their installers. The wiring they do is really poor and realistically the alarms done by most shops are easily ripped out since the brain is right under the right hand dash around there. If not that then the wiring is easily cut since it was just poorly twisted and taped with speaker wire that stands out. There is no inclination to at least make it look neat and presentable.

Could barely get the kick panel on and off on the last car and some of the wires came apart when I was running my speaker wire into the door since since the shop tapped them right at the modules in the kick area. It was so scrappy, loose and disorganized I put a cable tie after bundling them to a factory harness.

 

[grimreaper009]

nope the mark is from the factory itself for that specific model all of the vechiles from 06 of that certain gen still has it..I noticed it on ours and checked the others lol from pb go straight to pd directly from the firm

 

[nirtime]

nope the mark is from the factory itself for that specific model all of the vechiles from 06 of that certain gen still has it..I noticed it on ours and checked the others lol from pb go straight to pd directly from the firm

Ohhh I misunderstood you there. I was referring to the swirls sorry

 

[LadyDeath]

I don't think this might work here in Trini

 

[nirtime]

If they want it, they will take it. Dont see that working anywhere for that matter.

 

[grimreaper009]

once if running must have some useful parts lol

 

[nirtime]

So apparently Kia Trinidad thinks its ok to have their shop or installers do total crap. I pulled the fuse cover for the junction box on the driver's side of a new Sportage. To my surprise I find 2 aftermarket alarm relays completely loose and blocking access to fuses. If someone pops a fuse and needs to change it, they will have to pull down the whole piece of plastic to shift the relays out of the way. That is total madness and I will be fully documenting this utterly disgraceful install as time goes along.