has anyone fitted an alarm to there octavia? is it possible to wire it up so i wont have to loose my normal key fob? and what alarms have people had installed?

I self-installed a Clifford Arrow 5 (this is their entry level model, more expensive models have more buttons etc on the remote fob that can be configured to do various things) to my old Skoda and added central locking. The alarm fob activates and de-activates the alarm and controls central locking.

I'm no expert but only the alarm fob would control the alarm, and can control central locking, so it seems to make sense to use that instead. The fob supplied with the car would control only what it controls currently.

You can IIRC get ones from clifford and others that can use the OEM fob. Not sure if they are cat 1 though.

Sorry I can't help more.

I have a DEFA. It is connected to the CAN and is fully inegrated with the other relevant systems of the Octavia, including the remote opener. I am very satisfied with it.

This is a link: DEFA Can-bus alarm.

Good luck securing your car!

You can get an upgrade to the CAT2 imobiliser already fitted, to make it CAT1. This will use the OEM key to arm/disarm. I had a sigma system on my old mk1 vRS.

If you wish to retain the thatcham rating of both the inbuilt imobiliser and the installed alarm, it must be installed by an approved fitter. If you install it yourself you invalidate the thatcham rating of both the imobiliser and alarm.