T4r 2004 Sr5

[Tearjerky]

im a newbie here, so please take it easy on me guys . i have a 04 SR5 T4R, and i just found out that this $30 gran car doesnt come with an anti theft deterrent system. like if somebody breaks your window and open the door from the inside, nothing will go off. to think that theres a panic alarm button with the remote . i called the dealer and they told me that it is an option, thats something. even cheaper cars have alarm. and i read in one forum that with the tacomas, theres this one wire from underneath the drivers panel which you cut and you have yourself an alarm. do T4Rs have this kind of trick? should i go with the RS3200+ then? how about pythons? thanks and more power!!1

 

[sharp4runr]

I wouldn't go with a factory alarm. In general factory alarms are crap. I'd go aftermarket if I were you. And actually in a sense I am you because I want to get an alarm soon too. I need to do some research to find some good ones.

Welcome to the board!

 

[Tearjerky]

thanks for the info man. give me some ideas on which would be best. i heard python is good and clifford matrix 3 is awesome, i just heard them anyways. i just still cant believe toyota didnt put anything on a 30 gran car. hehehe. can you imagine that. i bet kias do.

 

[CMiYC]

i just still cant believe toyota didnt put anything on a 30 gran car. hehehe. can you imagine that. i bet kias do.

I'm really kind of baffled why you think "cheaper" car manufactuers offer an actual alarm system standard. Almost all cars, including the 2004 4Runner, have a theft deterant system. These systems typically prevent the vehicle from starting if certain conditions are met. (e.g. Ignition is turned on w/out doors getting unlocked.) However, almost every car I have ever looked at, the "alarm" (aka horn-honker) was always extra.

Besides for the same price as a OEM alarm, you can get a "better" aftermarket alarm. Most insurance companies don't give a discount for an OEM alarm either. Just as a data point so that I'm not being vague with "every car"... Our company's fleet vehicles come from Ford. Over the years I've had both Taurases and Escapes. Neither of these cars (which are stickered $23-25k) come with an "alarm."

And... when was the last time you bothered to look around the parking lot when you heard a car's horn honking?

 

[Tearjerky]

what i meant was, the horn honker that you mentioned, like when somebody breaks your window and opens the door from the inside. usually what happens is the sound that the panic alarm button emits. they should at least came with the package, i was just concerned coz our neighbor had his head unit stolen with his passenger glass broken and it has been rampant in our place...

 

[DawgRunner]

Don't know what your budget is, but you guys oughta check out the Viper 800ESP... around $180 from www.nexxon.com. They're a really fair company with some great deals. You can get the 800ESP + the 150ESP remote start module for under 300 bucks from them.

 

[Good Times]

Do keep in mind that all alarms do work. Some come w/ cool features and others don't. Regardless factory is junk So go w/ a good aftermarket one if you plan to pursue this route.

But at the end of the day, if someone wants your 4runner, nothing will stop it. I had a friend that had 2 cars stolen w/ alarms too!!! (once at school and once in front of his house in his own driveway....)

Good luck! I'm sure others will be able to give ya some guidance on a good alarm to install.

 

[DawgRunner]

:iagree:

 

[Iman74]

I personally think alarms are pain in the rear, and are a waist of money. Let's just say you get one that functions how you want (good luck), then you need to consider the fact that people hear car alarms so often that they don't even flinch when one goes off. Also any good car thief I would think can disable an alarm within 10 seconds.

With that said if I were you, if you are hardset in getting one, then at least change your horn to an airhorn. So in addition to having your alram go off, also have the airhorns go off. That will get a lot of attention including pissing people off.

 

[DawgRunner]

I disagree. People will maybe ignore an alarm wailing away in a parking lot at the mall, but if a 125db siren in my driveway wakes me up at 4am, I'm damn sure gonna check it out. Not to mention the additional security features (interior motion sensors, starter kill, LoJack, etc), convenience features (keyless entry, remote start, windows up/down, power trunk, etc etc) and the peace of mind (whether it is a real or imagined sense of security) that come along with having your car protected. Plus, many insurance companies will give you a break if you have an alarm in. So there's pros and cons, but to me, the pros FAR outweigh the cons. But as always, it's all about personal preference.

 

[Tearjerky]

:awais: i agree:awais:

 

[Iman74]

:awais: i agree:awais:

You agree with what? Please specify.

Dawg,
That is why I say if you are to have an alarm at least get one that can be hooked up to a set of air horns. Those I am sure will get many people's attention.

 

[DawgRunner]

Iman,
That's very true; hooking an alarm up to airhorns would get everyone's attention. But, as has been stated many times before, if someone wants your car or something in it, they're going to get it, airhorns or not. But, if a would-be thief approaches your 4Runner and sees a blinking red light and PROTECTED BY VIPER stickers on the windows, he will be more likely to move past your truck to an easier target. Which sucks for the next car he comes across, but works out pretty well for you. To effectively protect your truck, you need to make it as unattractive to a prospective thief as you possibly can; having an alarm is no different than a detachable face CD player, cargo covers, or even hiding your CD book under your seat. They are all attempts to convince the thief that it's not worth his time and effort to break into your truck. So, then, the primary function of an alarm is not protection, but deterrence. That's the main reason you hear stories about people with alarms having their cars broken into but never hear stories about people with alarms NOT having their cars broken into. It's virtually impossible to measure the deterrent effects of crime prevention techniques.

-- Dawg

 

[Iman74]

You will get a kick out of this. I had an old Blazer which the only thing worth anything was my rims. Well one day I saw some where this cheesy thing, but I had to get it, was a small black box with a blinking red light to make it appear the car has an alarm. I got so much slack from passengers in my car when they saw that.

Thought you guys would get a good laugh out of that one.

 

[Bluto]

I like DEI's Viper series:

http://www.directed.com/


With an alarm, most thiefs will hit the battery or siren first. You'll want the siren tucked out of reach, and a backup power supply if possible. They will pry open the hood.

Stealing vehicles using a tow truck also happens.

With lojack or GPS, you are limited to the available signal coverage. Any location insulated, underground, or shielded will block coverage. It probably won't work in most garages.

A good alarm will stop the average thief, they can find an easier target with no alarm.

 

[DawgRunner]

:iagree:

Love your solution with the fake alarm too... A buddy of mine who just bought his first house, got his hands on a Brinks Security sign and a bunch of window stickers and plastered his house with them for that very same reason, even though he didn't have the alarm service... That's a great idea

 

[Tearjerky]

how about dei's python series? has anyone heard any reviews from this or have one at all? need some inputs. thanks guys.

 

[DawgRunner]

Had a Python many many moons ago... System 90, if memory serves. It was just fine. Like Good Times said, all alarms work as long as you don't need a bunch of bells and whistles. If I remember correctly, my Python did have some sensitivity issues; it would go off at the drop of a hat and had to be turned all the way to least sensitive in order to not go off at every little thing. Even then, loud thunderclaps would set it off.

 

[JSB]

I have to agree that alarms aren't going to keep your car from getting stolen. I have the factory system, and it has a blinking light that flashes. That's good enough for me. I used to be crazy about this crap though. I had a clifford (I forget that model number) that was kick ars. It had it all. I kid you not. From the remote, I could program the micro waves in and out, I could turn the lights on, I could open the sun roof, and windows, crack the windows, roll the windows up, pop the trunk, start the car, put it in valet mode, change the sound it made when you armed it, pick a choose what sound it made when it was set off. It was rediculous. Now I never had that car broken into, but my previous car, which had an alarm did. They took my head unit, cross over, xql, and cds. Man was I pissed. Was it any safer? Probably not. It's the luck of the draw. Now that I'm getting little older I just don't really care anymore I guess. If some one steals it, I've got insurance. I'll get new. When I was younger, I was so paranoid that it would be the end of the world if someone stole my car. Now I was a little more concerned with my 94 RX-7, because the pickings were very limited considering they didn't make the car anymore. I'd come running out side with my beater, if I heard anything.

 

[dancojgl]

I personally think alarms are pain in the rear, and are a waist of money.

I concur.

I had an alarm in my '96 4Runner, and the only time it ever went off was when the battery in the remote died and I had to open the truck with the car keys. Both times it was in public parking lots, and no one came running to see if I was stealing the vehicle.

Heck, even I think "first day with the new alarm" every time I hear one going off...

I opted not to get the alarm with my new '04. I don't leave valuables in the truck. If someone tries to steal it, it's got an engine immobilizer. If they do manage to swipe it, I've got insurance.

—Dan