any good alarm review sites?

I was wondering if anyone knows of any alarm review site or sites? The last time I touched an alarm was many years ago and since I just started getting under my dash I wanted to read some alarm reviews and see what is out there. It doesn't look like they have changed much, but I like that the physical sizes have gotten better.

I'm a DEI user. I like their stuff now that I've learned the wire color functions, and gotten by the clunky language in the Install Guides.

There are so many DEI models to choose from. It's confusing. I found this site a few months ago. I don't know how current it is, and it's not a "review" per se, but it lists a bunch of DEI models in a manner that at least its kind of possible to choose a system that fits your intents.

Thanks! I have checked out their site and they have some pretty good stuff. It's interesting how things have changed, there's not much in terms of reviews or anything like it. I like to hear how a system has been once it's installed. I had problems with mine during cold weather for example. I liked Clifford alarms but they have gotten way too expensive, so now I'm just looking at other more affordable alarms since I want to install it myself. I pretty much had problems with every alarm I had installed in different places at different times. I do like the ones with a pager now though, because then I know if it's my alarm the one that's screaming outside. Plus I have pretty bad neighbors always hitting my cars so that helps.

I also just realized that many new cars come with their own systems and are more integrated. So I guess that's why you also don't see much in terms of alarm reviews and systems as you used to. Not to mention people hacking the older systems.

Clifford is part of Viper, now the same products different labels.
Frankly if you think Clifford alarms are too expensive then don't waste your time, you get what you pay for and all the decent product, DEI, Compustar, Avoxx are roughly the same price.
Too often seen people get into trouble with cheapo product which either doesn't work, fries itself or fries their car.


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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

Well I have a Clifford currently installed and was done by a "Pro" and that thing always acts up in different weather. My doors unlock when it feels like it, but aside from that the system seems to a least be a little better in terms of quality which was bought years ago though. Yes I remember they got bought out. The cheaper alarm has been working okay until I fried the relays on the door locks, but then again the quality I think is not quite there which is the reason I will try yet a different brand which I think I found. I'm just waiting to see if the manufacturer will reply to my email to see how their support is. I can also get the installation manual of the web which is not something you can say about Clifford. I understand why they do that, but it also comes down to the installation of any system on top of the quality. I understand that. So I agree with some of what you have said, but I have been installing my own stereos since I was in high school. Yes I know they are a bit different, but I like this sort of thing for my own cars. I don't do this for a living. And as I mentioned I have had problems with all my alarms no matter where it was installed. So this is the reason I want to do it, myself. Don't get me wrong, I know there are some very good people out there and alarms differ as well. So I'm not saying the alarms are bad either.

Here's an example...when I was in high school and just gotten my very first old car. I got a stereo and the darn thing would not sound good. I stopped by a shop and the installer was really nice and knowledgeable and looked under my dash, saw the mess of wires and put the wires together correctly. He fix my radio and I asked how much I owed him, but he didn't charge me anything. The shop went out of business years ago, but I have never forgotten that installer. So it was a good lesson for me. I try to help people where I can when I can, and most importantly it didn't matter that my car was old and beat up. I like my old cars and when I stop by a shop, I have gotten pretty much brushed off when they see my old car which I'm used to by now. Kind of like when a pretty girl looks down at you because you drive and old car.

In short please don't take it wrong. I'm not saying all installers are bad or trying to bash anyone at all. This has just been my experience with the alarms and when I went back to try and have them look at my last install because I couldn't start my car, they wanted to charge me again to unplug and test the darn thing. I ended up doing it all myself. I fully understand people have to make a living but the thought of me going to any shop for anything is not a good one anymore. But that's just me.

howie ll wrote:

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Clifford is part of Viper, now the same products different labels.
Frankly if you think Clifford alarms are too expensive then don't waste your time, you get what you pay for and all the decent product, DEI, Compustar, Avoxx are roughly the same price.
Too often seen people get into trouble with cheapo product which either doesn't work, fries itself or fries their car.

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Don't ever compare audio to alarm work, I wouldn't trust the average chain store audio installer near an alarm install.
The reason DEI don't let the customer access the install guide is because modern cars are so complicated, one broken wire can equal $$$$.
Back in the day here in the UK when Clifford was Clifford we'd get refresher courses at least once a year.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

LOl...I'm not sure how things are there, but here, many chains or non chain stores install both. But I see your point. Well any car can cost you a lot of money if you screw something up badly I'm sure. Stay away from the air bags...which reminds me, my module just broke of it's bracket in my car. I noticed it when I was working on the alarm. So yeah, I will have to take that out eventually and fix it. I guess It will have to wait until I get a 3D printer so I can make a new case for it.

howie ll wrote:

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Don't ever compare audio to alarm work, I wouldn't trust the average chain store audio installer near an alarm install.
The reason DEI don't let the customer access the install guide is because modern cars are so complicated, one broken wire can equal $$$$.
Back in the day here in the UK when Clifford was Clifford we'd get refresher courses at least once a year.

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Amazon and Youtube are the places I go to find reviews of most consumer products.

Alarms, remote starts, and the like are basic commodities these days. Essentially, very much the same no matter which brand you buy and likely why there are no dedicated review sites for them.

Thanks. I was just browsing amazon. I need to get me some new toothbrushes and the alarm there seems a bit less. I agree with you though, it looks like they are very similar. I was checking out some wiring diagrams and they look identical. At least at the basic units I was looking at from a different brand.

catback wrote:

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Amazon and Youtube are the places I go to find reviews of most consumer products.

Alarms, remote starts, and the like are basic commodities these days. Essentially, very much the same no matter which brand you buy and likely why there are no dedicated review sites for them.

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howie ll wrote:

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Don't ever compare audio to alarm work, I wouldn't trust the average chain store audio installer near an alarm install.

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Ouch. :(

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Kevin Pierson

Kevin I wish I had ten squid (£10) for every audio system where I've had to fight my way around badly or dangerously installed cables etc, plus the waste of time re-routing them.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

I can understand that. On my old cars all the stereo harnesses have been cut, so I finally found the reverse harness on ebay for this last car I got and decided to get it installed correctly. man it's so nice having everything in place once I soldered that in place. It took a while but I took my time. The good thing is that is was just a couple of bucks so it's nice to see those as many I'm sure cut their harness when they really don't need to. Well I guess we come a ways now with those adapters which is nice. Of course I had to run new wire to the amps, but now I have both setups which mean I can take my stuff out if I sell the car and the next owner can just get the correct adapter for it.