Aftermarket alarm - worth it?
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 4,026
Likes: 7
From: Walnut Creek, CA
Vivid Racing '09 C63 AMG
Aftermarket alarm - worth it?
Before you say "yes" or "no", bear with me for a second.
I called my local shop who specializes in alarms. They told me that with the newer european cars, there tend to be compatibility issues with the aftermarket alarm speaking to the stock alarm. They recommended a specific Viper alarm (not the model I was originally considering) that would integrate with my stock alarm, but it wouldn't have a 2-way system so that I could be alerted when one of the sensors was triggered. Also, the only notification that something went off would be when I unarmed the car after I got back to it. There would be more chirps and a number of light flashes that would indicate a zone...similar to a home alarm system.
That being said, is it even worth it to get an aftermarket alarm considering the limitations? I feel like I would be paying $400 just to get some extra sensors and a different alarm sound.
Edit: This shop sells Clifford, Python, and Viper alarms - I know they're all basically the same company and practically identical.
I called my local shop who specializes in alarms. They told me that with the newer european cars, there tend to be compatibility issues with the aftermarket alarm speaking to the stock alarm. They recommended a specific Viper alarm (not the model I was originally considering) that would integrate with my stock alarm, but it wouldn't have a 2-way system so that I could be alerted when one of the sensors was triggered. Also, the only notification that something went off would be when I unarmed the car after I got back to it. There would be more chirps and a number of light flashes that would indicate a zone...similar to a home alarm system.
That being said, is it even worth it to get an aftermarket alarm considering the limitations? I feel like I would be paying $400 just to get some extra sensors and a different alarm sound.
Edit: This shop sells Clifford, Python, and Viper alarms - I know they're all basically the same company and practically identical.
Last edited by CoolBDPhenom03; Mar 21, 2012 at 05:10 PM.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 4,026
Likes: 7
From: Walnut Creek, CA
Vivid Racing '09 C63 AMG
I would rather be notified as something is happening rather than find out later. It seems that most stock alarms these days are just noise makers and not much of a deterrent to a serious thief.
@ Sheep: I do carry a knife on me always, but CA is really strict about firearms in vehicles these days...they just did away with open carry, which I'm told was legal in your vehicle or on a moto, but it doesn't matter now.
@ Sheep: I do carry a knife on me always, but CA is really strict about firearms in vehicles these days...they just did away with open carry, which I'm told was legal in your vehicle or on a moto, but it doesn't matter now.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 2
From: bay area, california
Aston Martin V8 Vantage
the shop i work at specializes in alarms as well and i would tell you from my perspective that i would not touch your car alarm and put an aftermarket one in for jack squat. i could not stress this enough, do not let anyone put an aftermarket alarm in your car. (yes, DEI is aftermarket, not OEM) i think i know which system they are talking about, although we do not stock them. we did a 2006 ML350 last week and put in a paging alarm system in it by viper, it just needed a module to make it work, but like you said, making the factory system talk to the aftermarket one was tricky and required alot of time for programming. it came out great, but was not worth the time, money, and effort IMO. so good luck with what you choose to do.
Trending Topics
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,899
Likes: 93
C63 AMG
Break-ins are one thing but if your car is stolen most likely it'll be towed to a parking lot and dropped. After a waiting period for a possible Lojack recovery a tow truck will pick it up again and complete the theft. Nobody will think twice about the alarm going off.
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used
Verdad Gallardo
Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 235
Likes: 1
From: Lower Mainland, BC
2009 C63
There's just almost no point these days. Aftermarket alarms, along with car audio, is more or less dead when it comes to modern cars. Like you said, alarms are just noisemakers, most OEM "alarms" aren't alarms even - its just a keyless entry & immobilizer system. The real purpose is to prevent the car from being stolen. You really can't prevent smash & grabs anyway - just don't leave anything of value or in plain view when parked is about the best you can do.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 2
From: bay area, california
Aston Martin V8 Vantage
There's just almost no point these days. Aftermarket alarms, along with car audio, is more or less dead when it comes to modern cars. Like you said, alarms are just noisemakers, most OEM "alarms" aren't alarms even - its just a keyless entry & immobilizer system. The real purpose is to prevent the car from being stolen. You really can't prevent smash & grabs anyway - just don't leave anything of value or in plain view when parked is about the best you can do.
Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 235
Likes: 1
From: Lower Mainland, BC
2009 C63
Not dead (yet) but it's on life support. So long as there are older model cars, there will be a business case but those days are coming to an end as cars get more and more complicated & sophisticated in their electronics.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 4,026
Likes: 7
From: Walnut Creek, CA
Vivid Racing '09 C63 AMG
Well, there were also alarm systems that had GPS trackers and remote "kill switch" abilities. I have a similar one on my moto. It requires a subscription, but I can check it any time from any mobile device.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 2
From: bay area, california
Aston Martin V8 Vantage
cars come with alot more power and over all performance than they did a while back, therefore no one is buying aftermarket performance parts right? It's the same concept in the car audio world. There is no "good enough"
Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 235
Likes: 1
From: Lower Mainland, BC
2009 C63
And I would agree but for every ten car enthusiasts, there may be only one car audio enthusiast. How do I know this? I used to be in car audio and even briefly competed in IASCA but car audio is a lost art form. Maybe in your neck of the woods, it's better but around where I am, there are practically no car audio/alarm shops left.
Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 201
Likes: 1
From: Buffalo, NY USA
2012 E550 Cab
What about theft insurance? Let them take it if they really want it so badly. Spend the extra alarm money on a good policy and save your receipts and have current photo's. I'd just as soon let the PD and insurance Co. deal with all the nonsense. Certainly don't want to shoot someone over a silly car.
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
From: Adelaide, Australia
2011 AMG C63
I'd rather get a brand new replacement C63, in the very unlikely circumstance my car gets stolen from the insurance company. To me, aftermarket alarms on modern cars are more of a piece of mind thing these days.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,601
Likes: 10
From: San Diego/San Francisco
AMG GLC63. Audi R8
The stock system demobilizes the car so all they can do is drag it on a flat bed. The only good an aftermarket alarm would do is if it called your cell phone when it was tripped. Other than that it would serve no other usual purpose than your stock system.
