Car security system

[rob walker]

As my car is going to be used quite a bit over the summer and will be parked in the evenings off road but in an open barn type garage, I am thinking of purchasing a car alarm. Can any of the UK or European members recommend a system which works effectively in our cars. Searched the archives but nothing since 2004.
I have looked at the Cobra system either 3193 or 3198 with a hyperfrequency sensor any experience of this type, thanks

[jameshoward]

Rob,

As I am moving back to London, I am also looking into this issue and will follow this thread with interest - assuming it produces any top tips. My thinking was more along the lines of a Tracker system in combination with an immobilizer of some kind. I have little faith in alarms and they seem to be ignored on a regular basis. I am also not sure how the relatively thin cabrio roof (compared to more modern cabrios) would impede the effectiveness of any alarm system.

I had a cobra immob on a car a while ago. It was a good system but again I do not know whether the lack of any sophisticated computers on our cars would make an immobiliser very easy to bypass. I am sure a Tracker is must, though.

JH

[rob walker]

James, have done some research as it seems to me that the best option for our cars in something like an alarm and immobiliser combined.
Cobra do a model 3193 which can be upgraded to having a microwave bubble which operates with either the top on, or off on anything that penetrates the bubble.
Fitted it comes out at GBP 250.00 which for me is not expensive for the peace of mind.
Anybody on here having experience of any such model would be welcome.

[seattle_Jerry]

James...port cities are always popular for car thief rings. Cars can be stolen and in a container within the hour. The alarms will only deter the amatuers and joy riders.

Insure well and install a tracking system someplace they won't find it...but they probably will if they are pros. They could put the car in a sheilded container/garage and find it at their leisure.

As for alarms, they do work for most cars because it is just as easy for the stereo or honda thief to pick another car without one.

I guess with that logic you just have to make your SL harder to steal than one other local SL.

[rob walker]

Jerry, I feel we have to face the fact that if its specialists that are after your car, not a lot can be done to stop this happening. It really is the amateur and opportunist, that at least we should be able to deter. For this the alarm and immobiliser should help and a tracker, but I think in the UK for a tracker its a heavy cost particularly for my car that is only used currently for the 4 weeks I am back in the UK each year. The rest of the time its in secure dehumidified storage.

[mdsalemi]

Perhaps the best immobilizer is a very inexpensive one indeed on our car: a hidden, lockable key switch for the fuel pump.

No fuel pump=car won't start.

Does not prevent the car from being flat-bedded away, but if that's what you are up against you may as well not drive it--or you are simply flirting with trouble in where you go.

[seattle_Jerry]

I don't think a locator has to be fancy. An old cellphone with the GPS chip for locating people in an emergency, wired into the car works just as good.

Do they have family plans over there where an additional phone on a cell plan is only $10 per month? You could easily hide one under the carpet on the parcel shelf.

Taking the rotor off and putting the dist.cap back on works well too because it looks like everything is there.

Immobilizing any one of the cold start solenoid valve flux capicitors
or whatever it is that is always keeping our cars from starting would work too.

Its even better than a fuel cutoff because if most of us don't know how that system works even though we own the cars, what luck will joe blow off the street have?

[rob walker]

agree rotor arm is the obvious easy immobiliser.

[DB280]

Alarm paging
I have just had a cobra alarm(thatcham Cat 3) installed in my car.Not sure of the model number(car still at Hi tone garage) but I was offered the option of a paging device using a pay as you go sim card.The 'car' calls a designated number informing you that it is being tampered with.My alarm also has the microwave bubble for when the roof is down.I will install the pager when the car is finished in a few weeks.From memory the cost of the pager was under £100.The alarm was around £250.  
It was fitted by Chris Cooling Ltd of Banbury   01295 277660 who did a very neat job.

Garry

[rob walker]

Garry, thats very interesting, it sounds like the same alarm..same cost which I am having fitted by the Cobra dealer in Devon. It also has this microwave bubble. I will ask them about this sim card option.

[TheEngineer]

In reference to cut-off the fuel supply by removing the power to the fuel pump: When the fuel tank is full the engine will start and run without the fuel pump energized.
Removing the rotor in the distributor is such an old trick, it was popularized in the movie "Sound of Music". Anyone would check for spark if the engine doesn't start.
There is already a solenoid installed to cut-off the fuel supply: It is the lower solenoid on the injection pump. It is used to cut the fuel supply when coasting. Rig a switch to energize that when the ignition is switched on. The engine will not start or run and all systems will indicate operational.