Factory fitted alarm v Dealer fitted

mobpd

Hi
another question realting to our new car purchase - immobiliser is fitted as standard but not an alarm - for factory fitting it would be 350 euro or the dealer can do it for 300 once the car is delivered....any one have any comments on going one way or the other? The dealer said it would be the same sensor activated type of alarm and would have its own warranty . Is this something we could reliabily get other garages to fit for even cheaper?
thanks

Seth Brundle

Dealer fitted alarm may be an aftermarket jobbie and they may not be competent to service it. A factory fitted alarm is often tied in with the ECU and may be easier to fix.

stratos

I'm with Kb on this one, also dealer alarm will probably be fitted by a mechanic not an auto electrician. I have see'n some appaling work. I'd go with factory fitted.

unkel

mobpd wrote:

factory fitting it would be 350 euro or the dealer can do it for 300 once the car is delivered

The reason for the price difference is that aftermarket installation does not attract VRT, hence it's cheaper

stratos wrote:

dealer alarm will probably be fitted by a mechanic not an auto electrician

Not in my experience. The dealer will outsource the job to an alarm installation specialist

bazz26

A factory fitted alarm would be better fitted and wiring better conceaed. No cowboy removing/drilling holes in panels for the sensors or messing with the imobiliser.

I would spend the extra €50 on that peace of mind alone.

unkel

bazz26 wrote:

A factory fitted alarm would be better fitted and wiring better conceaed. No cowboy removing/drilling holes in panels for the sensors or messing with the imobiliser.

I would spend the extra €50 on that peace of mind alone.

A professional fitter could do just as good a job, but I agree, for €50 more I would have it factory fitted too

lomb

kbannon wrote:

Dealer fitted alarm may be an aftermarket jobbie and they may not be competent to service it. A factory fitted alarm is often tied in with the ECU and may be easier to fix.

i personally would stear well clear of a factory alarm tied to the ecu. there are numerous articles on cars where alarms go off for no reason. one article i read a guys merc jeep spent its days in the dealer due to a alarm that went off for no reason. vws also are afflicted with this problem.
at least with an after market one repair could be as simple as pulling it out. if u are going to keep the car for the long term out of warranty definately go with the dealer option.

DirtyDog

unkel wrote:

Not in my experience. The dealer will outsource the job to an alarm installation specialist

Spot on....they rarely do it them selfs, its always farmed out to guys.

Seth Brundle

lomb wrote:

i personally would stear well clear of a factory alarm tied to the ecu. there are numerous articles on cars where alarms go off for no reason.

I personally have come accross more problems caused by aftermarket jobbies, the most common being the cause of dead batteries through leaking current (somehow!).
On a similar note to your example though, I had a neighbour a few years ago who had an E36 320i which went off at exactly the same time (according to my clock radio) every night until he sold it!

stratos

Why did you let him sell your clock radio?

lomb

kbannon wrote:

I personally have come accross more problems caused by aftermarket jobbies, the most common being the cause of dead batteries through leaking current (somehow!).
On a similar note to your example though, I had a neighbour a few years ago who had an E36 320i which went off at exactly the same time (according to my clock radio) every night until he sold it!

Yeah i have experianced the top point, but the latest alarms turn off the ultrasonics which are a heavy drain on the battery afte a few days if the car is not used. at least you can tear an aftermarket alarm out. im not so sure its this easy with a factory fit job. if u pop over to uk-mkivs.net or that dody mercs website cant remember the name of it their are numerous examples of people tearing their hair out with defective unrepairable factory fit jobs.

Peace

Plus you'll have to drop the car in somewhere for a couple of hours.... maybe most of a day.

For 50 euro just get it done before it arrives.

Seth Brundle

stratos wrote:

Why did you let him sell your clock radio?