Real security

  I haven't started setting up security on or in my car yet but looking around at what's typically offered you are right about the low end alarms which are just keyless entry, door and shock sensors.

   For REAL security I'd add a hidden kill switch in addition to an alarm's starter disable, with a hood lock to complement the alarm.  As far as trying to blind the thief or annoy them by putting a siren inside the car I'd rather they steal my car for a joyride or until they get caught rather than risking them driving the car and trashing it because of flashing strobe lights or a siren that deafens them.  Of course I would hope to have reported my car stolen and have a description of the thief before they get away.

   Also the problem comes up if you setup things like a strobe and siren the theif could start trashing the inside of your car to shut them down.  I'm more of the mind that the alarm will deter joyriders and vandals.  A real thief will probably be able to get my car, but for me a good alarm with a pager system would allow me to investigate the incident and call the police with a description of the thief/thieves and report my car stolen as it happens.  There are definatly ways to make your alarm defeat a thief and as potentially dangerous to you as well as the thief should they be triggered accidentally. 

   To me detering; wannabe theives/joyriders,  vandals and alerting me that my car is being tampered with is the true value of an alarrm.   Protecting my stuff inside is nearly impossible once they get inside unless I've attached a steel cable to each valuable piece of equipment or start boobytrapping them.   

    When I buy and install my alarm I will disable the dome light 'on' and I have been thinking of either disabling the entire panic feature(lights/siren/horn) on alarm triggering to make the thief think it's not armed while I call the police, but that depends on how reliable I think/belive the transponder and it's range are in relation to where I am and where I leave my car.  I know most people and definitely myself ignore car alarms and are just happy to have them stop as soon as possible.  I'm still not sure if that's something I will do or not I have to see how my alarm ultimitly works and think it over more regardless, if I did do that the scare factor is removed and that's not good for detering joyriders and vandals. 

    Another real security type of idea might be to add a small smoke generator that burns oil and have it inside the car dash, but set it up so that it will not be able to go off when the car is running so it doesn't go off while driving but it would go off when the alarm is triggered and keep buring oil until the alarm is disabled. 

   One thing that you can do to make sure that they don't take your car is to use the starter disable wire and disable the fuel pump instead of the starter. The car will crank but without fuel the car is not starting.

   Another thing you can do is to install a few piezo buzzers inside the car and only have them sound off when the alarm is going off and you open the door. I have been thinking of doing it for a while but haven't gotten around to do it. Imagine two or three buzzers that are capable of producing 110db inside a car. I don't know of any thieve that carries ear plugs around.

Maybe I'm missing something but I don't see how this would be such a great idea?  Is it beause if they are ripping into your dash and the door is open then others will hear? 

                 Have you ever heard of pain? The sound comming out of the piezos is very loud and quite painful if you are close to them.