Which is better a kill switch or a car alarm

[steppinthrax]

So which is better. Car alarms are cheap and really are ignored. Kill switches can be hidden in various areas of the car (under carpet, in radio etc...) Much cheaper and difficult for a car theif.

 

[NutBucket]

Both! However, the alarm is only useful if you can hear it inside your house/apt.

 

[brownboi512]

i say a cheap effective way is to install two different kill switches so a thief would have to spend more time to find them since a thief might panic if he cant find it in time.

 

[jagec]

Sounds like you answered your own question.

Lojack's better than both, of course, but it's $$$.

 

[steppinthrax]

Originally posted by: jagec
Sounds like you answered your own question.

Lojack's better than both, of course, but it's $$$.

Does Lojack require a subscription service. I heard it's like $600.00 for the most basic. I coudln't find the unit on ebay. I guess they don't want people undercutting them.

 

[shocksyde]

I simply remove the fuse for the fuel pump if I'm in a bad area of town.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Drive a Chevette. If you come out and your car is gone it's because the cops towed it.

 

[exdeath]

Get one of those pager sized GPS SMS transmitters with a prepaid sim card that you can activate remotely, and a 12ga pump shotgun. When the car is stolen, call the police with the location and say you are heading there now to recover your stolen property and you are armed for your safety. They will be there before you and have your car recovered guaranteed.

Most newer cars have electronics (RFID tags?) in the keys that are extremely effective. The car is basically useless and impossible to start without a programmed key and the signal exchange only occurs in the space of a few inches as you enter the key into the ignition so you can't really intercept or hack it.

The thing to be concerned about is pros who use flatbeds or box trucks that can wench and drag your car onto the truck in just a few seconds, in that case you want to park in populated areas and have an alarm system with tilt sensors. And park in a confined/tight area where they can't get such a truck in line with your car conveniently.

 

[T2urtle]

that RFID is too easy to get rid of. i've done it on accident a couple of times with the VW chips. i dont know how playing around i got it to turn on.


on honda's its very easy aleast for RSX/ TSX because hondata reflashes the ECU for performance reasons. another problem is that they disable the immobilzer in the process, no on purpose but by default. So often times all you need is get a ECU flashed. take it with you and rip the pass glove box cover and plug in the ECU and you bypassed that and then wire it how you normally would and gone...just and added 30 secs tops to a theif. i'm sure more cars are similiar just i dont have expereince with them as i do with rsx/tsx

so kill switchs are always a plus. more then one is great. fake ones are great as well. something that isn't obvious and home made is always better then store bought alarms and stock stuff. because there are some many out there and people are used to it.


remember tho. if a theif wants your car he can have it. All you can do is prolong it a little longer. Like the club, alarms and kill switchs. It might take him an extra minute to get pass all 3 and then take your car.

 

[b3av3r]

I would say the only effective thing about a car alarm is the built in starter kill. All the noise and sirens will only work if you personally are within hearing range because no one else will care. I have used my key to open my hatch a few times in crowded parking lots and have the car alarm go off and people just walk by without even looking at you.

I would say a kill switch rigged to the starter or fuel pump would be the best solution and it could be wired up to just about anything in the car. My friend had his wired to his headlamp switch so that he had to manually turn the lights on or the car would not start. A thief could spend an hour in the car and not figure this out.

 

[exdeath]

In non-commie-pansy states, the guy with the keys to that car and a side arm is an effective deterrent when watching the car like a hawk through a restaurant window.

Like said, if you leave your car unattended or not garaged, if somebody wants it they are going to get it, even if they have to drag it down the block with the parking brake on.

 

[SoulAssassin]

Most alarms that aren't just "keyless entry systems" will have a starter kill if the alarm is activated. If someone sets off the alarm it might be ignored by the neighbors but the thief won't be able to start it.