Looking into options to stop the chavvy drugged up neighbours messing with my car, so basically looking for a proximity-based alarm that will emit a very loud sound that I'll hear in the house whenever someone goes close to it. Are there any alarms that fit this bill? It's either this or a CCTV system.

Are these alarms easy to install? I presume they just need to be mounted somewhere, wired to the battery, and the sensors/accessories fitted?

Thanks in advance.

My Clifford Concept 500 on the Scooby had just this. It was installed professionally but it basically maintained an adjustable elipse of proximity around the car and would "bark" if anyone stepped into it. Seemed to work quite well.

A student friend of mine fitted one of the cheapy talking ones which told you to step away from car and they just seemed to encourage people to set it off.

Chris

I had a clifford with the same proximity sensor on it was very good.Used to give a single chirp as a warning and if something stayed to close it set the alarm off fully.The proximity was easily adjustable from inside the car aswell.

It's just a red rag to a bull.

I'd avoid personally and deal with the neighbours another way. CCTV and the police?

I have cctv watching my drive.Mainly because someone used to let there dog mess on my drive while i was at work.They didnt notice the cctv but they did notice the return of the dogs mess through there letter box.I didnt want to do this but it happened 6 times in 2 weeks.

I agree - the proximity alarm is only good if it pages you silently to come and have a look. Otherwise it's fun for them to set off and then leg it.....

CCTV will give you proof to back up any complaints to the police....

It's just a red rag to a bull.

I'd avoid personally and deal with the neighbours another way. CCTV and the police?

I was thinking that at first, but the camera would have to face across the neighbours garden which I think is technically illegal, and also the view would be restricted by an electricity substation. If people were irked by me plonking a camera on my wall they could hide behind that and throw a brick at the car.

For illustration, this is about the best view I would get with a camera... I usually park in the space where the silver car is (currently the other end so I'm not parked in the disabled space, (but only person with disabled badge I've seen parked there is the old guy who visits the said neighbours in a new Vauxhall, but he looks fitter than me and wears sports wear, probably got it on motability or something - suppose there may be an unseen disability, but with the company he keeps....), as you can see there are lots of potential neighbours to annoy with an alarm.

It's difficult to know what the best thing to do is really. I'd hope that if a loud noise is made when they get closer to the car than they should be, they would stop what they're doing, go away, and not try again at risk of *them* upsetting the other neighbours by f****** with other people's property and setting alarms off.

If guns were legal I think my problem would be solved. I suppose I'm lucky nothing more serious than chewing gum, saliva, rubbish depositing and writing in frost has happened to the car. I'd be very unhappy if the tyres were slashed or windows smashed. Although a dent or two has appeared that I hadn't noticed before, not sure if it's from the supermarket or them, but with their lack of respect for other people's property....

On the alarm itself, I have come across the Microscan AN414 and AN424 Microscan Car Alarms - From easy to fit car alarms to professional Thatcham cat 1 alarms Seems to be the cheapest that has all the features I'm looking for. Unfortunately don't have too much money.

Do you have allocated parking or can anyone park in any space? It may be that 'they' consider that space to be theirs or do you get the same problems not matter where you park?

I had the microscan on my old Saxo. Was quite good but I did have a few people get too close to it on purpose to set it off saying "protected by security system, stand back." However on about the 3rd attempt they got the works! I've never heard such a crazy alarm!! Any sound you can think of came out and I instantly knew it was mine!! It also had a pager which worked quite well! I wanted to fit one to the superb, but with the standard alarm and imobiliser I think that it cannot be done!

You Could just get a pitbull with AID's dare say that would keep them away.

but on a serious note i think i am in 2 minds about the alarm can see it working but then can see the taking the pi$$ out of you as i no you would be up every time it went off

I agree - the proximity alarm is only good if it pages you silently to come and have a look. Otherwise it's fun for them to set off and then leg it.....

But if it pages you silently then it's no deterrent at all unless you fancy going down and sorting them out yourself, which I don't really think is a wise option. The "bark" is loud enough to scare the cr@p out of anyone not expecting it (my team leader will testify to that ) and the alarm will go off if they remain in the proximity. I can't see many kids thinking setting the alarm off is a good game to be fair as they'll not even know it has a proximity sensor!

Chris

Do you have allocated parking or can anyone park in any space? It may be that 'they' consider that space to be theirs or do you get the same problems not matter where you park?

As said I usually park in the second bay from the front leaving the disabled bay, which their visitors usually use. The neighbours in question are the ones the camera is overlooking from my house and their visitors usually park in the bay marked as disabled. They don't have a car themselves, and if they did I doubt they'd be messing with other people's.

I know you shouldn't have too, but have you tried parking in a different space, say the one on the far end next to the kerb? From your pic it looks as if your normal space is just outside their gate and so an easy target for them. Maybe if you parked a bit further away they wouldn't show so much interest?

i have a webcam which cost about £100 which i have set up with motion detection and it emails me pictures everytime its triggered. ok a clean car with bright headlights hitting it often sets it off but it lets me know the before, the triggger point and after trigger pics to show whats going on. Its not 100% reliable as sometimes it does miss things all together or snaps at notihng, but ive certainly have had a couple good pics including the paperboy banging my car with his bike which got forwarded to his boss

I know you shouldn't have too, but have you tried parking in a different space, say the one on the far end next to the kerb? From your pic it looks as if your normal space is just outside their gate and so an easy target for them. Maybe if you parked a bit further away they wouldn't show so much interest?

Yeah that would make sense. Just wouldn't want to upset the people at the two end houses by making their visitors park in the space I usually do and taking away the spaces they usually park in, although I had to park in that space yesterday due to the other cars being there. I think I am the only car owner who lives here and uses any of those spaces there.

But if it pages you silently then it's no deterrent at all unless you fancy going down and sorting them out yourself, which I don't really think is a wise option. The "bark" is loud enough to scare the cr@p out of anyone not expecting it (my team leader will testify to that ) and the alarm will go off if they remain in the proximity. I can't see many kids thinking setting the alarm off is a good game to be fair as they'll not even know it has a proximity sensor!

Chris

Obv never been to Staines

Was in the 2 rivers once, nice new M3 with Clifford G5 fitted outside Vue.

The kids kept setting it off after accidentially doing it, until the owner came out of Nando's and deactivated the proximity alarm to cheers of the kids. The next part of the game seemed to be what else would set it off.... then what other cars in the carpark could be set off, and how....

Obv never been to Staines

Was in the 2 rivers once, nice new M3 with Clifford G5 fitted outside Vue.

The kids kept setting it off after accidentially doing it, until the owner came out of Nando's and deactivated the proximity alarm to cheers of the kids. The next part of the game seemed to be what else would set it off.... then what other cars in the carpark could be set off, and how....

I think a crazy man running toward them with an axe shouting would be enough to make them get lost and never come back If the police say anything you were calmly taking it to your car as you were off to a friends to cut down a tree.

Thanks for the advice people. In the end I decided to order a Clifford Arrow 5 for £87.98 delivered. The Clifford brand seems to be well renowned, and this price isn't much more than the Microscan models. Just need to buy a proximity sensor if I want it to go off when people stand close to the car. Also tempted to buy a central locking kit from Maplins for £22. Suppose the only negative of it all is I have to install it and adjust the sensors etc.

It's just a red rag to a bull.

I'd avoid personally and deal with the neighbours another way. CCTV and the police?

I adgree and iam speaking from experiance i have the clifford 950 with the proxy and it was a FKing knightmare, Made aload of noise and the people like c h a v s etc know all its going todo is chirp. Plus they can still damage the car by Keying it etc.

The only way they can steal the car though is with the key so if i had my time again id just save my money and keep sleeping with the car key like i still do.

I know how u feel though by wanting to protect your car etc and youve prob done the best valued thing by buying the clifford arrow. But i wish i had of saved my money based on the fact mine cost about 600

If Only Clifford made these....."YOU HAVE 20 SECONDS TO COMPLY!!!"

the people like c h a v s etc know all its going todo is chirp. Plus they can still Key it etc.

It seems to be the next door neighbours messing, so I know where they live. At least if a sound is made when someone is closer to the car than they should be I will know and can go out and maybe take pictures or something. I can't keep looking out of the window all the time, and given I've caught them at it once, it shows they like messing with other people's property. It would give me a bit of peace of mind knowing a loud noise is likely to go off if something happens to the car so I can sit here without looking out the window every-so--often, and run out whenever my alarm goes off.

I suppose you need something like this to really deter people from messing... CNN - Flamethrower now an option on S. African cars - December 11, 1998

I've just thought of a great car security invention. Components required. Washer spray jet with tank, relay, cable, and a bottle full of foul smelling urine. Wire up with the relay so if someone is stood next to your car you can press the button on the alarm key fob that activates extra accessories (usually boot release, headlights, remote start ect). You can then literally **** all over the c**ts, and aim to get them in the face. All from the comfort of your own home. They'll never mess with the car again.

This invention is for the good of all mankind and to p!ss on all ch@vs, I therefore do not copyright it or patent it etc. Please use at will, and take pics of ch@vs you have ****ed on.

Ultimate car security South African style (this is actually legal):

YouTube - South African Car Flamethrower

I suppose spraying them with urine and a warn away recording announcement of "you are currently being sprayed with highly inflammable petrol, please step away from the vehicle or I will ignite ... and you will burn f****r" would be enough to scare the crap out of them - as they wouldn't be expecting anything spraying at them.

Installed and here's a vid of the alarm triggered sequence. YouTube - Skoda Favorit - Clifford Arrow 5 alarm Must admit I'm not 100% sure if all those tones are a deterrent - oh well.