looking at getting a car alarm for my octy 1 vrs

i really like this

Clifford Avantguard 5.5 Alarm, immobiliser & Remote start Fitted

£649.99 £529.99

expensive but does loads... also does anyone know if when they install it will they activate all of the extra's like turbo timer etc etc or do you have to pay extra for this??

what you guys think:thumbup:

I would double check with the installers if all the things you want are included in the price.

Only thing that concerns me in their description is "Dual Zone Sensor - Warns people away from up to 3 feet." It should only be set to warn away when someone gets their face right up to the window. And even then you might end up with it warning away if you park on a road and buses go past.

Do you really need remote start, turbo timer, and hijack protection? If not there's systems around that will cost a lot less.

Clifford were among the best around, but now they're owned by an umbrella company called DEI, and they make alarms under the name of Viper, Hornet, Python, and Avital. You would get more for your money with a brand like Viper, but not sure if they have an anti-hijacking system available.

I had the 650mk2 installed on me previous car. It had the dual sensors, anti hijack and turbo timer. Make sure it is installed properly by some the knows Clifford stuff. I have found that the self powered alarm can drain the battery if the car is left standing for a week.

A cheaper alternative is the Toad Ai606.

One of my good mates has a Clifford installed exactly like that on his mr2, it's amazing.

However, if your car uses transponder keys, the remote start will not work... it'll attempt to start but fail miserably because the ecu immobiliser wont let the car startup.

However, if your car uses transponder keys, the remote start will not work... it'll attempt to start but fail miserably because the ecu immobiliser wont let the car startup.

Professional installers have the appropriate equipment to deal with this. It usually involves a spare key in a box near the ignition which is made available to the ignition switch only when remote start is used - thereby preventing theft. I think there may be insurance implications with having remote start installed though?! Plus I believe it is technically against the law in the UK to have a car with the engine running while unattended.

Toad ai606. End of. Works well, is modular and doesn't make awful noises whenever people walk past the car.