A common question we get is "what alarm do you recommend for my car?" Unfortunately, this is a question that is not easily answered and there is no "right answer". The alarm that is right for you and your vehicle depends on several factors. First, you need to ask yourself why you want an alarm.  What are you trying to protect? Do you want an alarm simply as a deterrent to break-ins or are you concerned with protecting the contents of your vehicle? If you are more concerned with protecting what's in your vehicle, you will need to look for an alarm that can monitor all points of entry or be expanded to include additional sensors. Where do you park your vehicle? A car that is parked in a garage overnight will probably not need as much protection as a work van that is parked in the driveway or street overnight. Also, if you often park your vehicle in a parking garage or large lot, you may be unable to hear your alarm if it is triggered. In this case, you would want to consider an alarm with the ability to page you when the alarm is triggered.

What to look for in an alarm?

The most basic alarm will be triggered when a door is opened (but not necessarily the trunk or rear hatch) and if there is a sudden impact to the vehicle (such as someone trying to punch out a lock). For someone that parks in a relatively safe and secure area most of the time, but wants the piece of mind of having an alarm, a basic alarm is probably all that is needed.

More advanced alarms have the ability to add additional sensors or features so that you can tailor the alarm to your needs. For example, if you have a work van that you store your tools and equipment in, you may need to consider a more advanced alarm with the ability to add door pins or magnetic switches to monitor the rear and side doors. More advanced alarms also include one or more accessory outputs to control the operation of a powered trunk release or window roll-up. A more advanced alarm would be recommended for someone that often parks their car in areas where the car might be vulnerable to break-ins.

What additional sensors should you get or avoid?

Radar sensors

These are a popular add-on. Radar or "motion sensors" as they are commonly called work by emitting a field that can be adjusted to cover the whole vehicle. When someone gets too close to the vehicle, the alarm will away the intruder with a series of beeps or chirps. If the intruder gets too close, the alarm will trigger.

I don't usually recommend these. Setting the sensitivity properly can be difficult and due to this, they are susceptible to false alarms. For example, a few years ago, I installed a radar sensor on a client's Jeep. This customer never had the top on and whenever a breeze or strong wind would blow around the air fresheners hanging from the rear view mirror, the alarm would trigger. Also, they usually won't stop someone from grabbing an item from your vehicle. You may notice that most people don't pay attention to an alarm going off so there's little to stop a thief from grabbing anything unsecured.

Glass break sensors

These work by listening for high-pitched frequencies, namely glass breaking. They aren't perfect, but they are relatively inexpensive and work well. In most cases, this isn't a necessary add-on. Your alarm will probably include a shock sensor, which should also detect a sharp impact to the vehicle, such as someone striking a window. Also, your alarm should trigger when a door is opened. Bottom line, unless you feel your vehicle is vulnerable to vandalism, this probably isn't necessary.

Motion or "jacking" sensors.

These work by detecting if the vehicle is being jacked up in order to steal the car or its wheels. Usually an unnecessary add-on. In many cases, the alarm's shock sensor will be triggered by someone jacking up the car. You're often better off buying quality wheel locks.

Shock sensors

These are included with most alarms, but some people will purchase an extra one to protect the bed of their truck since a shock sensor in the cab of the truck will not always detect an impact to the bed of the vehicle. If you have a tonneau cover or camper shell and are concerned with someone punching out a lock to get into the bed of your truck, this is a wise investment.

Other recommended add-ons

Piezo siren.
You may want to also consider adding an interior siren or "pain generator" as they are called to help protect the vehicle.

Battery back-up.
This works by supplying power to the alarm if power is disrupted. For example, if a theif cut your battery cables, this would still allow the alarm to go off. In theory, this is a good idea, but probably not needed for most vehicles. I would really only recommend this for "show-car" quality vehicles or vehicles that a theif would take a lot of time and care to steal. A thief is not going to go to the trouble of trying to cut battery cables just to steal a radio.

What brand should you get?

Again, there's no "right answer". However, I would avoid some of the cheaper systems out there.

One reason to avoid "cheap" alarms is that the documentation that is included with them is vague at best and oftentimes poorly written or translated to English. There's nothing worse than wasting time during an installation trying to figure out what the manual is trying to explain. A big-name or commonly available alarm will usually be more install-friendly and user friendly.

Big-name or commonly available alarms are often better made as well. I've literally had control units and modules of cheap alarms fall apart in my hands.  An alarm should last the lifetime of the vehicle. That's why it's important to buy a quality alarm.

Another reason to buy a big name or commonly available alarm is that replacement remotes will be easier to find. Unfortunately, remotes aren't universal. If you need to replace the remote to your alarm, you will need to purchase a replacement remote and have it programmed to the vehicle. Before you buy an alarm, make sure that replacement remotes will be available.



Can you install it yourself?

Unfortunately, installing an alarm is not a simple "plug-and-play" operation. You will need to partially disassemble your vehicle, locate and test your vehicle's wiring, mount the various components, route the alarm's wiring, and make the necessary connections. Also, some vehicles are more complex than others and will require additional parts. Installing an alarm is not impossible, but it is time consuming and usually requires a few specialized tools such as a digital multimeter.

Generally, if you enjoy working on your cars and have experience installing car stereos, speakers, amplifiers, and accessories such as fog lights, you will probably be successful at installing your alarm. On the other hand, there's not shame in letting a professional install your alarm. Today's cars are becoming increasingly complex and there is little room for error. A professional installer will have the tools and know-how to install your alarm. However, there are a few things you should do before getting your alarm installed:
*    Ask friends, family, and coworkers for recommendations. This might help you determine where to go (or where not to.)
*    Ask to meet the installer in person. Some installers are better than others.  A good installer will be glad to meet you and answer any questions you may have before the installation.
*    Find out what is included with the installation. If you want the alarm to trigger when the trunk or rear hatch is opened, verify that the alarm will be wired to do this. Some shops or installers will not include features such as trunk trigger, hood trigger, or domelight supervision unless you ask for it (and pay for it, in some cases).


Ways to Protect Your Vehicle, With or Without an Alarm

Alarms aren't perfect and you may not know it if your vehicle is being broken into. However, there are some simple things you can do to protect your vehicle and make you less of a target.
Keep your vehicle empty. Even with an alarm, think about what absolutely must stay in your vehicle. If you have a work van, it may not be possible or practical to remove your tools and equipment from your van every night after work. On the other hand, if you have a car that you use to commute to work and school, I'd recommend against storing any unnecessary and removable items from your vehicle whenever possible. CD cases, ipods, cell phones, detachable car stereo faces, and personal belongings should be removed from your vehicle whenever possible. Even with an alarm, a thief may break a window to quickly take your purse, backpack, or any other visible items. If you have to keep anything in your vehicle, it is best to keep it out of sight in places such as a locking glove box or the trunk. Keep in mind that a thief may break into your car because they think there is something of value inside it, so it is best that you don't leave any items in your car and you avoid giving the impression that you may have items of value in your car.

Be aware of your surroundings. Park in well-lit, heavy-traffic areas. Thieves usually don't like to call any attention to themselves, so if you're parked in an area that gets plenty of foot traffic or is well-lit, a thief may be less inclined to try to smash a window.

Don't advertise what you have.Keep the volume level of your stereo down every time you come and go somewhere in your car. Loud stereos can be heard from a great distance away. Keeping your stereo level low will keep your car from the unwanted attention of thieves. Better yet, turn your stereo off when you leave or arrive somewhere. Don't place stickers in your windows advertising your equipment.