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| Has anyone considered additional security for their MDXs. I live in NYC and would feel more comfortable if I had more than the factory installed alarm system. Please provide insights from research and experience on locks, passive alarms, tracking devices, etc. |
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I had a Clifford alarm system installed on my MDX, and it adds auto arming which will automatically lock your trucks doors, when you leave the truck, and set the alarm (which I would always forget to do...)and the doors will lock when you start the truck. It does integrate with the factory alarm system, so you actually have both of them running. You must use the alarm's keyfob to operate it, and not the Acura one (just stick it in a drawer and forget about it) - but that doesn't bother me at all. The main purpose for me installing the alarm system was not for anti-theft, because if "they" want it, "they" are going to get it, it was to all the auto-locking - this is a MUST.
Just my .02 |
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| marne |
Check out this URL. It's worth the wait for the damn thing to load. Keep clicking the Continue button -- there's usually more!
Why 'for guys?' See Dave Berry's column on humor ratings. |
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| Xtreme MDX |
| are now offering Lo Jack as on option on all Acura vehicles. For $ 500.00 which is comparable to an aftermarket alarm, this option might now offer much for protecting your vehicle from theft but what alarm does anyways, at least with the Lo Jack it can be recoveres within a reasonable amount of time. |
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| paul123 |
quote:
Originally posted by larryk
I had a Clifford alarm system installed on my MDX, and it adds auto arming which will automatically lock your trucks doors, when you leave the truck, and set the alarm (which I would always forget to do...)and the doors will lock when you start the truck. It does integrate with the factory alarm system, so you actually have both of them running. You must use the alarm's keyfob to operate it, and not the Acura one (just stick it in a drawer and forget about it) - but that doesn't bother me at all. The main purpose for me installing the alarm system was not for anti-theft, because if "they" want it, "they" are going to get it, it was to all the auto-locking - this is a MUST.
Just my .02
I have the Solaris and I love it with auto lock and unlock and the auto start feature. The quick-stop is great also for leaving the SUV running while going into a store and come out and don't have to re-start, and the alarm was on during the duration. It's great!!! |
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| MDXtrous |
| Could you guys shed some light on pricing for the Clifford and Solaris? |
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| Wongster |
You may also want to consider the Viper 550 ESP. It is an alarm/autostart combo, integrates well with the factory alarm, and cost around $400 Cdn.
Good luck. |
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| paul123 |
quote:
Originally posted by MDXtrous
Could you guys shed some light on pricing for the Clifford and Solaris?
About $600 with the auto start, and I added a digital tilt sensor and a battery backed siren. I added the tilt sensor in case they try to tow and the battery backed siren incase they drain battery or if battery goes low the siren tells you. Other than those two add ones everything comes included. You could add auto open and close of windows and sunroof but that may add a bit to much. The website has all the local authorized dealers listed. You may be able to negiotiate $550-$650. I strongly advise the clifford over the viper if want the high end package. It has a unique kill switch that is coded so you don't even have to hide it. Most alarms have a hidden kill switch that will disable alarm once ignition is turned on. The clifford kill or diable switch is not hidden because if you don't know code you can't disable the system. This is one of the unique items of clifford. Viper and clifford are both owned by the same company directed, but clifford is there most advanced system. Check the details out below on their website.
www.clifford.com |
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| MDXtrous |
quote:
Originally posted by Wongster
You may also want to consider the Viper 550 ESP. It is an alarm/autostart combo, integrates well with the factory alarm, and cost around $400 Cdn.
Good luck.
What's the difference between the Viper 550 ESP and the 300 ESP? Any difference? |
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| paul123 |
quote:
Originally posted by MDXtrous
What's the difference between the Viper 550 ESP and the 300 ESP? Any difference?
Check out this site for all Directed Inc. Alarms. It should have all the details.
www.directed.com |
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| Wongster |
The main difference is 550 is an alarm/autostart combo, where the 300 is just an alarm system. Other differences include 550 uses Super High Frequency (vs High Frequency in 300), 550 has 4 receiver channels (vs 3 in 300), 550 has 5 zone identification (vs 4 in 300). For more detailed info, check out www.directed.com, there are certainly other alternatives you can consider.
Good luck. |
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| dmyles |
How careful do you have to be when choosing someone to install an alarm system? May be silly, but the thought of someone other than Acura tinkering under the hood makes me a bit nervous. Seems like the electronics could be fairly complicated and it could be easy for someone who thinks they know what they're doing to mess something else up in the process. I'd just hate to go through the process and then spend the next 6 months trying to have them figure out why interior lights don't turn on anymore or something like that..... :3:
Any tips on what questions you can ask to make sure they really do know what they're doing? |
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| MDXtrous |
Besides the auto-lock, auto-start, shock sensors, what additional benefits do you get from an aftermarket alarm? Doesn't the factory alarm come with an immobilizer?
Some have mentioned on the acura-tl and acura-cl forums that they have chosen to add shock and motion sensors to the factory alarm and that was sufficient/cheaper solution.
Just weighing the value of spending a few hundred dollars more. |
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| paul123 |
quote:
Originally posted by MDXtrous
Besides the auto-lock, auto-start, shock sensors, what additional benefits do you get from an aftermarket alarm? Doesn't the factory alarm come with an immobilizer?
Some have mentioned on the acura-tl and acura-cl forums that they have chosen to add shock and motion sensors to the factory alarm and that was sufficient/cheaper solution.
Just weighing the value of spending a few hundred dollars more.
There is an immobilizer system in the MDX separate from the stock alarm. The stock alarm has no glass no tilt sensors. The factory alarm can be quickly disarmed by putting a knife in the keyhole to the door and twisting. The keyhole in door is a manual diactivation switch. If you set off the factory alarm try putting your key in drivers door and unlock this will disarm the system, not to good! Then they can steal anything inside your SUV. The immobilizer is still on and they won't be able to start the car, but can tow it!! The clifford will protect the interior, and from they removing the SUV from the area. Once you have the clifford installed you will actually have two immobilizer systems going plus the interior protection. |
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| paul123 |
quote:
Originally posted by dmyles
How careful do you have to be when choosing someone to install an alarm system? May be silly, but the thought of someone other than Acura tinkering under the hood makes me a bit nervous. Seems like the electronics could be fairly complicated and it could be easy for someone who thinks they know what they're doing to mess something else up in the process. I'd just hate to go through the process and then spend the next 6 months trying to have them figure out why interior lights don't turn on anymore or something like that..... :3:
Any tips on what questions you can ask to make sure they really do know what they're doing?
The dealer are using audiovox systems to protect the SUV's. IMO I would not want an audiovox system protecting a 40k SUV. They are not to well know for quality equipment. They also tend to false trigger alot. I would of had the dealer install a system but they refused to use anything else, saying theirs was the best. I did alot of research to find out all the problems with the audiovox system. |
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| MDXtrous |
quote:
Originally posted by paul123
There is an immobilizer system in the MDX separate from the stock alarm. The stock alarm has no glass no tilt sensors. The factory alarm can be quickly disarmed by putting a knife in the keyhole to the door and twisting. The keyhole in door is a manual diactivation switch. If you set off the factory alarm try putting your key in drivers door and unlock this will disarm the system, not to good! Then they can steal anything inside your SUV. The immobilizer is still on and they won't be able to start the car, but can tow it!! The clifford will protect the interior, and from they removing the SUV from the area. Once you have the clifford installed you will actually have two immobilizer systems going plus the interior protection.
So, I can be parked on a NYC street, and someone can just break my driver's side window, climb in, steal everything and the alarm won't even sound??!! |
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| paul123 |
| I just got back from my installer who was finally able to arm both factory and clifford alarms thru the clifford remote. I can also disarm both the factory and the clifford thru the aftermarket alarm. At first I had to manually arm the factory even though you really don't need it once the cliifford was installed. I just wanted the flashing stock alarm to light together with the clifford alarm light. It works great, never false alarms and gives warning chirps if someone opens a door and hits your SUV. Even if someone walks by and accidentially hits the side mirror it will give a warning chirp. NEVER FALSE TRIGGERS AT ALL. The less expensive alarms false trigger more often. Clifford uses a digital micro-computer to analyze the triggering. :2: :D :eek: :5: :7: :15: :26: |
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| paul123 |
quote:
Originally posted by MDXtrous
So, I can be parked on a NYC street, and someone can just break my driver's side window, climb in, steal everything and the alarm won't even sound??!!
Yes the factory alarm has no glass sensor or motion sensor. It will go off if the door is opened. All you have to do is put a screwdriver in the driver door lock and turn to unlock breaking the lock cylinder and the factory alarm is disarmed. The key in drivers door is a manual arm and disarm. Audiovox is not a good system at all. The immobilizer only protects the ignition and starting of the car, nothing from being stolen from the inside. Radio, Navi, Video. or leather seats and so on. That's why IMO it's a must for an aftermarket alarm. The dealer can add sensors made by audiovox to the existing system but IMO they are no good and the system can still be disarmed threw the door lock!!!!:13: :3: :eek: |
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| DaleB |
| Seriously Paul, that's priceless info you are providing. We need to better 'arm' our X's from predators. I don't want nobody in there, whether they can drive it away or not.. I want them gone! |
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| paul123 |
quote:
Originally posted by DaleB
Seriously Paul, that's priceless info you are providing. We need to better 'arm' our X's from predators. I don't want nobody in there, whether they can drive it away or not.. I want them gone!
Most people don't realize how little the factory alarm protects you. Almost all car manufacturers use this type of keylock cylinder arming which is really useless for reason stated above. In the past before the imobilization, it was really scarey to think you could smash glass climb thru window ripe out ignition start and your car is gone!!! To this day I don't know why alot of car manufacturers are using Audiovox alarms which are a very low end system. I believe this is going to change in the near future like the quality of radio's have changes in the past few years. |
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| larryhot13 |
i dont know what other police departments offer this service for free, but the NYPD offers free window etching at your local Precinct. Insurance companies give a 10% or 15% discount if you have it done.
What is window etching??? your VIN# is etched onto the bottom corner of every window of the car-very small font. . It is barely noticeable to the uninformed eye. What does it do??? No chop shop owner wants a thief to bring in a car that has the VIN# etched all over the car. Car thiefs know this and usually pass on cars that have the etching, because it is a traceable, obvious link to the stolen car. I am in the business(law, not illegal chop shop!) and I know car thieves/chop shops that would never take a car with the window etching.It does drastically reduce the odds of a car thief stealing your loved one, proven out by the nice discount all auto insurers give you if you get it done.
LARRY
ps- if you think the vin# on every window would bother you, answer me this one question- do the 2 stickers acura put at the bottom of you drivers side window stand out and bother you? if not, the etching is even less noticeable. PLUS- if you want- you get to re- memorize your whole VIN#, like you did while waiting for you baby to get to the dealer! |
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| paul123 |
quote:
Originally posted by larryhot13
i dont know what other police departments offer this service for free, but the NYPD offers free window etching at your local Precinct. Insurance companies give a 10% or 15% discount if you have it done.
What is window etching??? your VIN# is etched onto the bottom corner of every window of the car-very small font. . It is barely noticeable to the uninformed eye. What does it do??? No chop shop owner wants a thief to bring in a car that has the VIN# etched all over the car. Car thiefs know this and usually pass on cars that have the etching, because it is a traceable, obvious link to the stolen car. I am in the business(law, not illegal chop shop!) and I know car thieves/chop shops that would never take a car with the window etching.It does drastically reduce the odds of a car thief stealing your loved one, proven out by the nice discount all auto insurers give you if you get it done.
LARRY
ps- if you think the vin# on every window would bother you, answer me this one question- do the 2 stickers acura put at the bottom of you drivers side window stand out and bother you? if not, the etching is even less noticeable. PLUS- if you want- you get to re- memorize your whole VIN#, like you did while waiting for you baby to get to the dealer!
That's a good idea, I remember my mother had that done in florida. The sticker on the driver's and passenger doors do bother me and I had them removed when I had my tint put on. I actually relocated at bottom of windshield. The etching isn't that large as to bother you. With the insurance discount and knowing the thieves will avoid it's worth it. But still remember without the clifford alarm they can still strip the car on the street and not bother taking to chop shop. The interior components can add up to a large amount of money! |
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| henry_atwork |
having just recently picked up my MDX, i have been thinking about adding an aftermarket security system. thanks to paul123's very informative posts in this thread, now i finally understand what the factory alarm offers ... which seems VERY little. i had a old Clifford system in my old integra and was very happy with it, i guess i'll go research the Clifford's again.
anyone know if the touring package memory seat feature can be integrated into aftermarket alarm systems? my wife and i use the memory seats alot when we switch cars and it's nice to have the seats adjust themselves to our FOBs when the car is unlocked. i guess this is nice to have but not a necessity since we can just push the memory seat button by the driver door.
-henry |
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| paul123 |
| I've had no luck with my solaris from clifford, hopefully clifford will update shortly. I have to use the buttons on doors for the memory seats. I don't believe any systems offers this feature. I know I can use both remotes then it works. But it's easier to use the clifford remote which arms both alarms at once. If I used the acura remote first the memory seats would work. |
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| Cat |
Hi all!
Is VIN etching really a good theft deterent as advertised? Many thanks. |
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| nyc |
planning to get the
Viper 790 VX .... |
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| JL889 |
| I have a Viper 350 Installed in my X with the new audio system, i needed increased Protection. The Glass break sensors were worth it |
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| wkramer |
For the best in protection I have used the compustar spread spectrum model 2wss in my last 4 vehicles. $900 installed on Long Island.
www.compustar.org |
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| mdxxxx |
quote:
Originally posted by wkramer
For the best in protection I have used the compustar spread spectrum model 2wss in my last 4 vehicles. $900 installed on Long Island.
www.compustar.org
Hmm, looks almost identical to my Prestige security system... I like the two way feature myself... Remote start was a bonus... comes equipped with glass break and tilt sensors... $500 installed... |
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| TYP |
Hi..
I am trying to find one that can work without having another remote..
I try to instal one of the python one.. forgot which it was.. it supose to be "add on" to the factory one.. but didn't get it to work.. #$@$#
I really don't want to lose the factory remote cause of the memory seats..
Anyone know a system that will work for that?
:confused: |
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| wkramer |
What I like about the Compustar is the range it will operate from. Up to 1.25 miles. I have tested it and if you are outdoors the range is 1.25 miles and 1 mile if indoors. The range on the Prestige is (per the manual) 800 - 1000 feet. Its nice to be able to start the car from a long distance and have it be warm/cold when you get to it.
It also has an anti-grind feature that disables the ignition if you have already auto-started the car so that you cannot make a mistake and turn the key to far when you get in.
Another feature is a sensor on the windshield that allows someone to tap on the windshield with a key and the pager lets you know (does not set off alarm). |
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| mdxxxx |
quote:
Originally posted by wkramer
What I like about the Compustar is the range it will operate from. Up to 1.25 miles. I have tested it and if you are outdoors the range is 1.25 miles and 1 mile if indoors. The range on the Prestige is (per the manual) 800 - 1000 feet...
Wow 1.25 miles! I don't know if I'd want to start if from that distance, but wow!.... 1000 feet is fine for me...:D |
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| paul123 |
quote:
Originally posted by wkramer
For the best in protection I have used the compustar spread spectrum model 2wss in my last 4 vehicles. $900 installed on Long Island.
www.compustar.org
Pretty cool system and love the details, but not sure how reliable and how hard for the crimunals to break thru. There transmitter technology sounds excellent, but would like to look into the false trigger and reliability. I know clifford is the top end, especially when Viper purchased the company. Viper is incorporating cliffords technology into their own line. I'll let you know what my research finds. Awesome transmitter on that compustar. |
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| MDXRAT |
Anyone else with LowJack?
Living and working in all the covered LowJack areas (especially Los Angeles), I had the dealer install it for aprox $700.00.
Please discuss. |
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| mdxxxx |
quote:
Originally posted by MDXRAT
Anyone else with LowJack?
Living and working in all the covered LowJack areas (especially Los Angeles), I had the dealer install it for aprox $700.00.
Please discuss.
Lojak is on my 'to get' list... I got a quote for $475 install... |
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| TYP |
I am not 100% sure.. but my lojack was around $375? or was it $400?
Anyways.. with the AAA discount on lojack, it pays it self with in 5 years or less.
:4: :4: :4: |
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| paul123 |
quote:
Originally posted by MDXRAT
Anyone else with LowJack?
Living and working in all the covered LowJack areas (especially Los Angeles), I had the dealer install it for aprox $700.00.
Please discuss.
The problem in the past with low-jack was that the system is not satellite based. The police car tracking a stolen car has to be a certain distance from the vehicle. In cities there recovery is excellent, but in the suburbs they rarely recover. Once the system goes to a satellite, then it will be excellent. They had said about a year ago they were looking into it. In New York State they have an excellent recovery in New York City because it is so small, In Nassau and Westchester they very rarely recover. Even the police had stated not to waste your money if your in the suburbs. Even in the city there has been trouble with the tracking police cars getting the signals if the car is stored in an underground garage.
PS - Until the system is satellite based, I would spend the money on a high end alarm and add sensors to increase the protection. |
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| supplier |
Excuse my stupidity, but how exactly remote start works if MDX uses immobilizer and needs a matching key to start the fuel system?
(not just a questions, I’d like to add remote start but still not sure if I want to spend $600 for that) |
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| The X-men |
| I would think the remote starter would have to have the same code as the key, maybe thats why the remote starter cost $600 instead of the usual $200. |
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| smg1062 |
I went with the top of line VIPER system....love it.............most top brands are similar with pricing and features.
Good luck!!
PS: Im in the NYC area as well.......
2004 MBP Touring, NAV,DVD
Goodyear Eagle GTII 275/45
EPIC STING 20" rims
Wood dash kit & wood shifter
MANIK front & rear grille guards
HIDs and addtional front lights coming soon!!! |
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