What the price of a car alarm depends on
What the alarm does affects the price the most. There are 3 types:
An alarm with a sirenIt sounds when someone opens a door, hits or moves the car.
An alarm that alerts your phoneIt has its own SIM card. When the alarm goes off, you get a message or a call, and in the app you see the status of the car.
An alarm with GPS and an engine blockIt shows where the car is, and the engine will not start without your fob.
Besides the type of alarm, the price depends on
- Engine block. On some alarms it is a separate part that costs extra.
- Movement sensor in the cabin. It senses a hand through a broken window.
- Tilt sensor. It senses when someone lifts the car with a jack or tows it.
- Siren with its own battery. It sounds even when a thief cuts the cable or removes the battery.
- Remote engine start. In winter you get into a warm car.
- The work on your car. How we connect the alarm to the car electronics and where the parts go.
Why the same alarm does not cost the same on two cars
Because the work depends on the car. On a newer car we connect the alarm to the car electronics. From them the alarm reads whether the doors, boot and bonnet are open and whether the ignition is on, that is whether the dashboard lights are on.
The alarm then arms when you lock the car with your factory key, so you do not carry another remote. An older car without those electronics gets an alarm with its own remote.
Some cars also need extra parts. When the alarm cannot see from the car electronics that the bonnet is open, we fit a separate switch on the bonnet. On some alarms the engine block also needs an extra cable.
Which functions the alarm has on your car depends on the model and equipment of the car.
What the price includes
The price we give you before the appointment is for the alarm with all parts, fitting, setup and testing. These jobs also make a difference to the price:
- Parts fitted in the right places. We hide the control unit, the box that runs the alarm, behind the dashboard, because under the bonnet it cannot take water. We put the siren under the bonnet, away from hot engine parts, where it cannot be reached from under the car.
- Setup by computer. We set the sensor sensitivity on your car, so the alarm does not sound when a truck passes or in heavy rain.
You pay in cash or through a company.
Does an alarm have a monthly cost
An alarm with a siren does not. An alarm that alerts your phone has a SIM card, so there may be a cost with the operator.
Keep an eye on the status and credit of that card. If the card is blocked or faulty, the alarm cannot alert your phone.
The fob battery is replaced when it gets weak. The alarm tells you with beeps, so replace it before the fob fails you.
An alarm warns, an engine block stops the engine
A siren warns, but it does not stop the engine from starting. For these thefts you need more than a siren:
A thief makes a new key through the OBD portThrough the OBD port, where diagnostics are plugged in, a thief makes a new key and opens the car like the owner, so the alarm stays silent. OBD port relocation closes this way in. More about OBD port relocation
A thief unlocks a keyless car with the signal of your keyA keyless key unlocks and starts the car while it is in your pocket. An alarm that only sounds helps little here. An engine block with a fob, an immobiliser and a pouch that blocks the key signal help. More about the immobiliser
A thief starts the car through the wires behind the headlightAn alarm alone does not stop it. An alarm that blocks the engine from starting or an immobiliser helps. More about the headlight attack
A thief breaks a window to take thingsAn alarm with a movement sensor in the cabin senses a hand through the broken window and sets off the siren.
Do you need an alarm with GPS
You need it if a pricier car stays on the street. The alarm tells you when something is happening, GPS shows where the car is, and the block does not let the engine start without your fob.
An alarm that works only over Bluetooth alerts you only while you are near the car. An alarm with GPS and a SIM card alerts you wherever there is a mobile signal. More about a car alarm with GPS
Does an alarm make sense for an older car
Yes. According to the Serbian police, the most stolen cars in Serbia are Golfs, from the Mk2 to the Mk7. These models have the biggest market for used parts. Some stolen cars are taken apart at scrapyards.
If the car stands in front of the house or in the yard, take at least an alarm with a siren, because you hear the siren from the house.
Is comprehensive insurance cheaper if the car has an alarm
It can be. Some insurers give a discount on comprehensive insurance if the car has an additional anti-theft device. When you tell the insurer the car has an alarm, they tell you how much it lowers the price of the policy.
If after a theft you do not hand over all the original car keys and the fobs of anti-theft devices, some insurers do not pay for the theft. That is why you should keep all the fobs you get with the alarm. More about kasko and theft
