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I am picking up my MDX on Saturday. I was told by the dealer that if I want to have an alarm system installed(upgrade to factory unit to include towing and glass breaking detection). I must use their system (Checkmate Alarm system) for approx. $500. They also calim that a 3rd party alarm system have caused many problems with the Navi and/or electrical system.
I have called several car alarm installers and they all claim that they have similar systems that will work for approx. $200.
My question is; has anyone heard of, or had any problems with the Navi or electrical system with a 3rd party (not dealer installed) alarm.
I know would feel more comfortable with an alarm on the MDX but I feel at $500 it is way over priced, like all the other dealer options.
That's why I went to Tim at HondacuraWorld for my 7 options.
While I have some experiance working with cars, the options seem (at least on paper) very easy to install.
Any help is appreciated.
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| You can always get the alarm installed by the dealer AFTER taking delivery. Take your time to do the research, but IMHO, if all your looking for is an alarm that senses voltage drop (doors opening), sound & vibration (glass breakage) and tilting (towing), then a $200 alarm sounds like it can do the trick and interface to the factory alarm (door locks and ingnition kill (if any)). I think the dealer's comment re: factory alarm and NAV is just smoke to juice you out of $500! |
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| regardless whether it is a $200 or $500 alarm, how does it stop the crooks from opening the hood and disabling your battery or simply cutting the wires and then towing? |
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Well, thats what the extra $300.00 is for, it pays for the armed guard..
I had a third party alarm installed last november, and it integrated with the factory alarm just fine.
Now I have autolocking doors, and auto arming of the alarm. |
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quote:
Originally posted by larryk
Now I have autolocking doors, and auto arming of the alarm.
larryK,
Please explain autolocking doors... upon exit, while driving, etc. Also, are you using the key fob provided from Acura, or the aftermarket alarm's fob. Brand???
Thanks! |
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The alarm's key fob replaces the Acrua fob. When I start the MDX, the doors lock, when I park the MDX the alarm auto arms in 30 seconds, and also locks the doors, or if you don't want to wait the 30 seconds, use the key fob...
Now, if the replacement key fob would only make the suck a** Bose system sound decent, (boy I hate it...) |
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What brand of aftermarket "accessories" did you install to do these wonderful thing. I used to have all that (and window roll-up!) on my old car and miss it very much. Also, who did the install for you?!?
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The aftermarket alarm that I had installed is just a "standard" Clifford vehicle alarm system, I have no additional trick toys that you can add to these alarm systems, such as the auto closure feature for the windows (I know that Clifford at one time offered these, but I don't know about the current offerings...)My main purpose for having the alarm installed was to regain the autolocking "feature", as an alarm wouldn't stop anyone from stealing your vehicle, and if mine were taken, I would not want it back. Of last five cars that I have owned, four of them have been Acura's,(and this one is most likely my last) and I have had Clifford alarms installed in them just for this "feature"
The installers (just a local car alarm shop that I have used in the past, may have them redo the audio...)were able to integrate the new alarm with the factory one, it still functions as designed, including the red light on the drivers door.
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quote:
Originally posted by sgtglok
regardless whether it is a $200 or $500 alarm, how does it stop the crooks from opening the hood and disabling your battery or simply cutting the wires and then towing?
Good Point.
Has anyone installed a hood lock? Maxiguard use to make a pretty solid one. |
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My dealer told me if I put an alarm system on that it would void the warrenty. I guess she meant after market stuff. I don't know what she meant for sure. She didn't mention that Acura had one. I agree with Beige_MDX to take your time and look everything over before you install one.
Lmeans |
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quote:
Originally posted by sgtglok
regardless whether it is a $200 or $500 alarm, how does it stop the crooks from opening the hood and disabling your battery or simply cutting the wires and then towing?
Good Point.
Has anyone installed a hood lock? Maxiguard use to make a pretty solid one. |
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hey, since this discussion has gotten out of Navi & Factory Alarm discussion, here are a few things - IMHO ONLY:>
any alarm - be it a $50 do-it-yourself kit, or a $500 dealer installed - can be short circuted by either cutting the wire or disabling the source of power (battery), right? so the hoodlock is what i'd opt as well - it usually also comes with additional ignition kill, which is extra wire that is attached to the ignition cord (if i remember right)!
hoodlock is what it is - just a lock that requires some drilling under the hood and under the dashboard and is connected by a cable. if you install only the lock, you can have the hood locked at all times and use the key to unlock only when YOU need to open the hood; the lock is not that durable so heavy pry bar will not it open, but it may still pose enough of a problem timewise so the crook may leave.
next, the ignition switch has a code, which theoretically is hard to match w/out the right sensor (factory alarm), right? so unless there is some dumb 'hidden factory override', then i assume it is pretty secure that way.
i did not have the sensor in my Maxima, so i installed the custom one with addition to the armored egnition by Steadfast - which is a sort-of-lock mechanism that is attached inside the ignition lock and messes things up so they crook cannot just break the lock and use phillips-head screwdriver to start the car; this may be an overkill in case of Acura, but hey, if it makes you feel better and more secure... who said you can't, huh?
there are millions of products offered: alarms; ignition kills; electric clubs that pass high voltage discharge and fry the offenders (YEAH, BABY!!!!!!! :D) - but may be banned in some states; windows etching; ass scratching (purely optional); police community programs - you place the sticker and you basically authorize the police to stop your vehicle for no reason and do a routine check to validate that it is indeed YOU who's driving the vehicle (dont' do it if you land your Acura to your friends on the daily basis - yeah, right! :D); then there are some custom rigged devices such as poisonous snakes, killer pitbulls, nerve gas, shotguns in the driver's seat, anything else i missed?
oh, i just remembered another one - it's a remote ignition kill, you carry a beeper-like device and it beeps if your car is in motion (i think, again); then you can just dial the code and it sends the signal back to the car and kills the ignition switch - i dont know the range of this thing, though; i saw someone mentioned that new lowjack system will have something similar. |
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