alarm install, did they do this right?

i just picked up my truck (F250) from circuit city (with a clifford RSX3.5). when i took a look under the steering column, all the wires were EASILY visable. my extra siren was right there with the wires EASILY visable. the valet switch was RIGHt there. the brain was just up a bit but could easily be reached. the shock sensor doesnt work (i know thats not done right). but according to the install guide that came with the alarm - all that other stuff shouldnt be there, and shouldnt be so easily seen. i went back and they said they would rewire it. am i out of line or am i right. should everything be right there, so easy to get at??

Sounds about right for a box store install. You are not out of line but it is kind of expected.

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Certified Security Specialist
Always check info with a digital multimeter.
I promise to be good.
Tell Darwin I sent you.

I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.

The idea for the alarm is to be a sleath and clean install and aparently they didint do it so u should go back up there and cause some chaos

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No security system can beat the tow truck :(

Hope you didn't pay what they normally charge for this type of service. If you did make sure that they do it properly and also make sure that they just didn't push up all the wires and give you back the vehicle. The wires should all be tied up together with electrical tape and also cable tied out of the way.

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Jeff
Velocity Custom Home Theater
Mobile Audio/Video Specialist
Morden, Manitoba CANADA

So whats the verdict on speed versus stealth? I've worked for a shop where they allowed an installer 2 days to do a security. Then I've worked for circuit that I punched them out in 30mins. How stealth do you guys get and how much time to you spend hiding the brain?

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Tell the Snap-On guy I'm not here!

well i got it back and the wires are certainly more hidden now. still not a fantastic job, but one i can live with for the price i paid. as far as speed goes they had the truck for about 5 hrs and then it was finished. even though thtey were willing to do the install again,  if i was to do it all over again and had a few more bucks in my pocket i would have had someone else do it.

a remote start alarm combo, depending on the car usually takes me about 6 to 8 hours. depending again on the vehicle and where i hide the brain, under the carpet of pass. seat or even in the trunk it all depends.but when im done you cant tell factory from aftermarket wiring. its up to the installer on how much pride he takes on his work. do it right the first time.

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gcorrea

with a remote start alarm it is a lot harder to keep it clean, but now that dei has those nice relay satalite's its become a hell of a lot easier. if an installer takes pride in their work, it will look good. i do alarms repairs all the time that somebody just teabagged and shoved the brain and harness as far as their arm would reach.  no matter what kind of car it is you should take the time to run your wires neatly and tape everything up. it doesn't take but an extra 10 mins to make it nice and stealth.

Did gcorrea and blazeronspokes just contradicted eachother? 1, I be damn if I spend 8 hours on anything 2, I'm still against taping. That stuff is nasty.

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Tell the Snap-On guy I'm not here!

i work at a circuit city and most of you guys are right that most circuit city and best buy installs are not very good but it all depends on the shop.  our shop is one of the best in town and we compete against award winning shops.  the owner of one of the shops here in my town is president of MERA!!

my opinion on speed versus quality, i work at the best pase i feel comfortable working at to get the job done in the shortest time i can while still making it look like a factory job, i know there was one alarm i did took me 4 hours. i ran the siren and underhood wires first and while i was showing the customer what i did i almost forgot where i ran the wires and they blended in that well with the factory harness's

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Tri County KustomZ
certified installer

in regards to 5150azn's comment about not using tape, how do you hide a bunch of wire that sticks out like a sore thumb?let me guess you probably use wire nuts too. what can i say im a perfectionist thats the difference from my installs and the "let me see how many cars i can do in one day" installs. all bashing aside, to each its own, thats just the way i work, always 100%.

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gcorrea

There isn't a bunch of wire when I'm done. Granted the wires are visable to the trainned eye; but they aren't all over the place. For example your ignition harness you have power, ignition, accessory and both sides of the starter. 5 wires running along the ignition harness... Thats it. Other than that you got your door trigger and your parking light wire. 2 wires. If all these are cut to length and either zip-tied or taped along the harness or out of the way... You are left with a clean install. 7 wires However if you end up with 2 feet of extra wire on each lead...... You may have to make a nest.

Not capping on people that tape up their wires. I just don't think taping the wires should be considered to be the "Only" Proper way to do it. Because it isn't, there are many ways to "properly" hide and run wires.

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Tell the Snap-On guy I'm not here!

the customer is the one with the untrained eye. but to i theif, he can tell and knows what wires belong and what dont. i was once 16, 17 "borrowing cars" we knew what wires to cut , studied install manuals on cars, alarms, where to look for the brain of a "basic install" or any other istall. thats why now 16 years later i take the time, what ever that is 4,6,8 hours on an alarm rs install to offer my custommer the best install he/she can get. if they are paying good money for it then they should get their moneys worth, dont you think.

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gcorrea

Remote starter's I do not tape up my wires ( no need to. Just cable tie then every 6 inches and tie up the wires so they are out of the way and your done. Security systems I always tape up all wires and where I can I loom them as well ( between the firewall & the first tie point under the dash ). This is just to ensure that a security system is just that, A SECURE SYSTEM. Nothing worse than seeing an installation of a security system look like a busted open pack of crayons under the dash !!

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Jeff
Velocity Custom Home Theater
Mobile Audio/Video Specialist
Morden, Manitoba CANADA