werewolf

I was talking to guy who installs the Viper system. I'd like a glass breakage alarm, but I'm a bit worried about complicating the electronics, battery drain, malfunctions, non-factory remote...

loganberry

look into prestige alarms, one of the best most inexpensive alarms you can get imo

zer0cool

Werewolf, I've only had mine a day, but no issues so far. The remote start works flawlessly, and I've found no glitches yet. (The installer did tell me that he had to wire into a lot of systems in the truck, but if anything started acting funky, just to give him a call. even gave me his personal cell #).
I went with the Compustar over the Viper, and the glass breakage sensors were included. It was about $60.00 less than the Ford Alarm/remote start, and had a lot more features.
I was on the fence about getting an alarm myself (would have preferred spending the cash on a spray-in bed liner), but having an attempted break-in/theft in broad daylight two weeks after buying the truck swayed me.
Do you have the Nav system in your truck? It seems to be awfully enticing to thieves.

Willywaxer

I've never heard of any cases where an alarm stopped a thief. But if it makes you feel better...go for it!

werewolf

What's Nav, GPS? No, I always use my own portable GPS. Right now I'm trying to figure out where and how to attach it and whether it will be feasible to run the GPS antenna to the roof (on my '97 I ran it through the manually sliding rear window).

I haven't been able to find any place where they objectively review alarms. I don't think Consumer reports ever has. I have, however, found random comments by people complaining about just about all of them, including a guy who complained that the Compustar drained his battery. I haven't heard about Prestige. I'll do a search.

My '97 F150 came with an alarm that always worked flawlessly and saved me from thieves a few times, and it used the OE remote, but i don't even know what kind it was.

loganberry

if people want whats in your vehicle an alarm will not stop them...it will help in preventing tho as if your in a public place...but wont stop them

werewolf

My old one saved me a few times. The thing started squawking loudly when the glass was broken and the thieves left in a hurry and I came in a hurry. They still broke the glass and in one case snatched some things, but they didn't get to take everything.

werewolf

Sure, it's just a little deterrent.

werewolf

Of course an alarm can get a feller killed too, say if the thieves have guns, or there's a backup thief in the shadows that you don't see...

The Boz

True, but the same logic could be applied to locking your doors. I have never seen a lock truck door stop a thief but if a thief had a choice, a lock truck vs a unlocked truck, I bet 9/10 they will go for the unlocked truck. People always seem to take the path of least resistances. Someone looking to steal a truck may pass on one with a decent alarm versus one without.

I plan to buy this: Compustar P2W900FM-AS Alarm System