Hi ppl, looking into putting a Clifford Concept 650 Thatcham Cat 1 alarm on my Octy II.

Now after speaking to a local fitter, they offer a system with Proximity Sensor and one with the anti-tilt and ultrasonics.

I would have thought the anti tilt would have been included in the 650 mk2 pack at least.

Now im a little unsure on the proximity sensors.......can be a pain in the butt if your parked on a street.

Im not sure what would happen with proximity sensors, if anyone went upto the car and put a window through. If it would sound or not?

One of my previous cars had a TOAD alarm with anti tilt and ultrasonic sensors fitted, that never had a problem with it. But i dont believe it was thatcham cat 1 approved.

Looked at the clifford alarms mainly so far, but im a little uncertain on them.

Can anyone give me any input on this?

I have the Clifford/DEI 508d proximity sensor which I self-installed. The sensor false alarmed quite a few times but hasn't done it in a couple of months now (had to set it off to test it was still working ), not quite sure why. You're supposed to set it so it warns away when someone gets right up to the glass, and goes off full when you put a hand through an open window. So I would say it's a safe bet a proximity sensor would go off if one of the side windows was broken - although there's a chance it might not for the tailgate one. I think they probably would keep warning away if you parked on a narrow street and buses/lorries went past. You can disable the warn away noise by pressing two buttons though once the system is armed.

Clifford do a glass tamper sensor which will (almost) definitely go off if any window is broken. It's supposed to listen for metal on glass type sounds but I have no experience of it.

Ultrasonic sensors work based on cabin air pressure, so if someone broke a window I think that would set off those.

Anti-tilt might be useful if you park in an area with scrotes who like to let tyres down. Most alarms work based on shock etc so wouldn't necessarily go off when someone lets tyres down, or tries to nick the wheels. I picked up one of the tilt sensors cheaply off ebay and it can be set to detect 1 degree changes in the inclination of the car (which I guess might go off in strong wind) or 3 degree changes. Not yet installed though.

Either way, if you start getting false alarms I'd be taking it back to the installer to sort out, as that's what you paid them for

Make sure it is a well respected and experienced Clifford alarm fitter. If the kit is badly installed you will have not end of problems. You can adjust the proximity sensor via the remote for sensitivity. I found that in the past Clifford alarms that use battery back up cause drain problems. You can have the 650 with Blak Jaxx which is very good. Plus you can have a turbo timer feature.

A Toad Ai606 is a very good alarm as an alternative. Thatcham 1 approved as well.

The fitter is very reputible and has been around for donkeys!

They did my friends saxo, needless to say the alarm is outlasting the rest of the car!

He caught some lil scrotes peering in his car one morning after he heard the proximity sensor go off.

Im just a lil lost what the dual proximity sensor would cover (i.e windows being smashed etc etc)

And only the protection i can see for my alloys is hoping the proximity sensor goes off.

As above..The toad ai606 is cat 1....comes with ultra sonics or you can add a microwave sensor/ vibration sensor/ etc etc.

Proximity sensor works as a bubble for the interior and exterior. The idea being that if you peer into the car, it will beep to warn you off as you have entered the bubble. They need to be checked every so often. Personally if I was spend money now on an alarm, I would go for the Toad.

Personally if I was spend money now on an alarm, I would go for the Toad.

Would you please explain why you would go for a toad?

Id go for the toad aswell I had the ai606 and NEVER had a single problem with it

Iv had a few cliffords including the top of the range avantguard 5 (it was at the time) and have had nothing but problems really mainly false alarming !!!

the dual zone proximity sensor kept going off when it rained which was most anoying and when it was turned down it wouldnt chirp when you looked in the window so I couldnt seem to win with that one :(

alot of people seem to say the more acessories you add to a clifford the more unreliable it is which I fully agree with since having the AG5 !!!

Some people say its down to how installs it but thats ****** IMO, my clifford was installed buy a guy who has been doing them for donkeys years and it took nearly 2 full days to do aswell which I watched for most of them so I knew it was no botch job !!!

I had the toad for 2 years and never had a problem with it.

One of my previous cars had a Toad on it, i would have thought if a Clifford came with a Proximity Sensor. Then there would have been at least tilt sensors on it too.

Alot of money for fluck all imo

Never been to sure on Cliffords myself, may see if any local fitters do TOAD alarms.

Technicar do Clifford/Laserline and another brand but not Toad :(

have a look on the clifford website if you havent already and it will tell you what sensors and other things come with which model alarm

Toad AI606 Doesn't come with tilt sensors as standard by the looks of it.

you could soon add them though !

Gone for a Clifford Concept 650 Mk2 with Proximity Sensor and Tilt Sensors.

Technicar only wanted £350 for the alarm an extra £25 to supply and fit the tilt sensor.

Source Sounds sadly wanted £400 for the alarm and a further £90 for the tilt sensor.

Bet you can guess where my moneys going!

£25 definitely a good price on the tilt sensor as they're at least that much for the sensor alone on ebay.

Let us know how you get on. I've been told the prox sensors are best installed in the headliner rather than under the centre console etc. Not sure why.

Let us know how you get on

Being someone who knows nothing about alarm systems, how do these work with the existing alarm system? Also, once fitted, do you then need to press two buttons on two different fobs (1 being the key) to first disable the alarm and then open the doors?

Sorry if these are muppet question, I really do know zilch - but I am interested.

Cheers

The Astra Hatchback that i got had a TOAD alarm, it totally overrulled the standard alarm.

And i think the factory alarm was disabled and the new one linked into the system.

My friend had his alarm done at the same place, and they put the prox sensor under the headlining just to the side of the interior light.

My friend had his alarm done at the same place, and they put the prox sensor under the headlining just to the side of the interior light.

Sounds like they know what they're doing then

He's been around years, my dad bought a alarm from him and gave him copies of all the wiring diagrams so he could fit it himself and this is going back some 10 years now.

Would you please explain why you would go for a toad?

Cliffords can be too hit and miss for my liking. They are very good when their working, but as soon as they play up, you're in trouble.

You'll be surprised at how cheap Cliffords really are, the RRP is all profit, which is why there tends to be price differences between fitters. Are they worth the money - in my opinion - no. I've had Cliffords and Toads in the in past.

Never had an issue with Toads.

The unit i've got has a lifetime warrenty, so at least thats covered.

The guy fitting it to the Mk2 Octavia said it was different to the mk5 golfs he got in, and took him all day to fit. Had it on since saturday and its given no problems at all.

But now i have remote central locking, autoclosure and a cheaper insurance premium