alarms

[minimole]

need to get an alarm for bertie but i dont really know where to get one from and where to get it installed,. and also how much it cost.
thanks in advance

[MiniGT5]

Hi Minimole,

what type of mini is bertie i.e. age and value wise.

I ask this because you dont want to spend the value of your mini on an alarm system.

have you got any security at the moment

do you have secure parking?

I'm sure steve will ask more questions and make some suggestions

N

[minimole]

currently bertie is worth around £1500 but i will be investing alot of time, effort and money in to him, so i will need a good alarm but i dont want to pay the earth. no secure parking and currently no security, and the year of him is 1985. i am looking to speend around £200 - £300 if i can dont really want to spend anymore.

[MiniGT5]

I wouldent have thought you would want to spend any more than that. are you capable of fitting an alarm yourself? the reason I ask is because if it goes wrong at least you will beable to removit to get the car going again.

I used to have a Moss DIY alarm in the garage in fact I still do, fitted it myself 8 years ago. Never had any problems with it.

A couple of years ago I had a clifford alarm fitted in an Escort I bought it was always going off and sometimes you could not turn it off or get in the car.

Also it always used to drain the battery.

Personally now all I would use is a DIY alarm with good locking wheel nuts and maybe one of the funky removable steering wheels.

cost

DIY alarm = £100
lock nuts = 25
removable wheel = £150 - 175+ (depending on style)

Stephen is the best person to ask about security though although avoid clifford alarms if you can.

N

[minimole]

well i was thinking of getting a toad alarm. but i reckon i am capable of fitting the alarm. i think i will probally try and get a diy alarm for the time.

thanks for the advice

[Stephen]

Hi mini mole

your car is definately worth alarming and the DIY fit alarms are good like neil said, but also a mission to fit especially if you want to keep all of the wires away from view like behind the dash if you have one. I have a 'laserline' alarm but these are only available fitted from somewhere specialised like 'street stereo' or 'in car' or u can get them in a box if you know someone in the trade like I did. The alarm is good but very complicated to fit because they are universal for all cars and the wiring of cars varies so much. Plus on a mini there tends to be a lot of features that you do not need or cannot use like alarming electric windows etc. It probably goes without saying but make sure you get a suitable alarm for a mini. The alarm I bought was good until I realised that it would not work without central locking installed as well- mini trailers do a decent kit but with rubbish instructions! Lots of alarms work from an electronic signal from the central door locking interface. Remote central locking is much easier..again mini trailers do a kit.
If you are confident enough to do it then go for it. If not I have a friend called mark who fits alarms and sound systems into cars... and probably a lot cheaper than street stereo and in car. we don't fit alarms at halfords and if we did the labour charge doesn't bear thinking about. Just trying to find marks number....

another thing u might want to consider is fitting an imobiliser such as a hidden battery cut off switch. Its a cheap way of stopping someone nicking your car but not the things in it. If someone wants your car that bad they will be able to steal it but u can slow them down a lot.

Stephen

[Simon1275mpi]

Solution..... Part with your old mini.....

Get a late mini, post 1996, alarm and imobiliser included! And maybe fit central locking?

And they go well.

;D

[Stephen]

the older the better simon although thats an advantage of the newer ones

Stephen

[vtec steve]

I have always had Toad alarms and they are a good bit of kit. Just had one fitted to the Vtec. Warning though do NOT get one fitted by car alarm uk. The fitting in mine is very bad and they are not in a hurry to get it sorted.

[minimole]

no way would i part with my mini to get a rover mini, i like my carbs and older minis dont rust as bad plus i reckon bertie would be really annoyed