Which to install first?

I have a remote start car alarm system (Boomerang a-2002 system; comparable to 2000 Aladdin car alarm system), JVC head unit, and speakers and amp being shipped this week all to be installed soon in my 1997 Nissan Pathfinder. In preparation for the install. Which system is best to install first, the car alarm or the stereo? Installing the car alarm will be my first time, so I'm trying to gather information. A professional installer I got a quote from told me it would take 6-hours to install a "remote start car alarm system" is that true? Any tips and advice would be great.

Since it your first, it is possible that it could take that long for you. That vehicle shuld not take a professional anywhere near that long. Advice: Get a wire diagram for that vehicle. That vehicle looks pretty straighforward to me, so it should be a good first install for you. If your alarm does not have a programmable relayed output that you can program as a 2nd starter output, then you will need a relay to power the 2nd starter wire. Look in the relays section on this site for relay help if you need it.J Rilla

Owner/Installer

i have heard on other forum when takin on a DIY install, it would take them up to 2 days. since it first time its good to get at least two diff source of wire diagram. dont forget ot test them each. i would install the alarm first and test them out for several days. then after you know that ur alarm doesnt mess anything up (it shouldnt), install the audio part.Houston,TX

"The two most common elements in the universe are H+ and stupidity" (Ellison).

it all depends on your install some times you have to make wires longer in order to have a stealth install. that takes time. but if you have the experience on certain  types vehicles you cut your install time since you already know what to expect.gcorrea

my first alarm on my '97 Accord (Fusion F-2000) took me about three days +...i went without the starter kill connected for the longest b/c i was afraid i'd not ever be able to start my car again. nowadays, Remote Start/Alarms do take me about 6 hours to install. but i'm starting to get quicker at Remote Starts, so my RS/Alarm install time *might* be down to about 5.5 hours. :( mounting the siren, led, and valet switch REALLY bog me down for some reason. :(

idk.. i'm gettin really quick at them.. last remote start i did was 2.5 hours and the last alarm r/s i did was 4 hours..   not bad concidering i've been doing them for 4 or 5 monthsDriving a Bagged, Caddied 02 s10

Right now I am collecting the wiring diagrams I need, and re-reading the installation manuals. The major reason I waited so long to install the alarm is that I had no place to sit the car down for 2-3 days because I lived in an apartment back then. And leaving my car at a friend's house was iffy, cause if I left the car all disassembled, who knows who could come around, and mess with the car? Then I always said I'd do the install once I bought myself a new stereo system, but that project sort of got forgotten. When I got a car stereo system for Christmas this year that's when interest into doing this install was revived. I think making the correct connections into the vehicle's electrical system is the challenging part. In one of my manuals it warns not to tap into the airbag system, even if it is to probe for a reading, you could set off your airbags Also I can see where mounting the different components could take up time; you wanna make sure nothing gets in the way of the normal operation of the car, while at the same time keeping everything "stealth". Yeah I bought a bunch of relays and diodes just incase I needed them. For now I am waiting for everything to arrive in the mail.

My first remote start took me about 12 to 14 hours. Now I can do them in 2 to 6 hours. 2 Hours for cars that I have done before and know exactly what to do (what screws to take out, which dash panels to remove, etc.) But on a year make and model that is my first time doing, it takes me longer to take the dash apart, find correct wires, etc. and that takes me about 4 to 6 hours sometimes.(and that usually includes a small break where I get somethin to drink or go pee or somethin, lol!)