Car Alarm Reviews


In the USA, a car is stolen every 25 seconds which costs the driver and the insurance industry $9 billion a year. There is a vast aftermarket for stolen car parts which are used for repairs or to enhance the look of a car so car theft has long been a big business. For this reason car alarm systems have moved on considerably in recent years in a bid to combat car crime.
Car alarms are wired into your car’s electrical system and use sensors to monitor doors or windows being opened while locked, windows being smashed, vibration of the vehicle and tampering of the ignition system.
Wiring in door sensors is very straightforward. The use the wiring that is in place that activities the dome light when a door is opened – this will trigger the alarm and sound the siren. This car alarm system will be wired into your car battery. In additional, some car alarms come with a provision for a battery backup in case the main battery is disables or disconnected.
Shopping for a car alarm is easy to research as there are many, many websites to compare and choose from. A basic budget car alarm system will start at around $40-$50 and will come with a couple of shock sensors, and alarm controller unit, siren, hand held remote control unit and wiring harness. An example of a budget car alarm system is the Astra alarm system and you can get the Astra 200 car alarm at $47 and Astra 600 at $50.
There are more expensive alarms such as the Galaxy 2100 priced around $200 which allows 2-way communication between your car and a handheld monitoring device. It will let you know if your car has been started and will allow you you switch off your engine at the click of a button.
Other sophisticated car alarms have a remote transmitter pager and a remote starter which allows you to control your car from a half a mile away. The Commando FM870 is one such system and will alert you if your car is tampered with. This system retails at round $170.
Other car alarm systems support keyless entry, providing convenience and ease of getting in and out of your car. Ideal if you hands are full or you are in a hurry - or in fact you are in the middle of a rain downpour!
It is recommended that your car alarm installation be carried out by a professional. This will cost you around $50-$100 depending of the type of car alarm. If an alarm is not installed correctly, its not worth having it in the car.