I've heard a rumour that it invalidates the thatcham alarm certification. Is this true as I was planning on having it installed when I get my MY00 in a few weeks...

Andy

What is one ?

Anti carjacking device - cuts off the engine after a short distance even if its been nicked with the keys. Need to disarm the blackjax first.

I'm not the biggest of builds, so handing them the keys and running like feck seems a good option. If they arent gonna get very far, then bonus :D

I'd have thought a device like this would get approval. I think you should be able get hold of thatcham an ask. There may be an alternative make etc that is approved.

Don't know really as I don't know much about this subject. Maybe that there is a website for thatcham somewhere ?

:confused:

Fraid so, I asked the same question to my insurance company and it does invalidate the Thatcham Cat. aproval and thefore your insurance would be void. So I didn't bother

Ive just had this fitted, it does not affect Thatcham certification..
Aftermarket turbo timers..... Now thats a different matter..
Rob:)

My Insurance co. told me that it doesnt affect it?? The guy who installed it also told me that??
Did tell me about the turbo timer thing though....
Rob

It's a shame that we have to think about this kind of device though.

I'll be having Trackstar on my new 03 STI as Standard + Cat 1

But what is worrying is the don't car and will break into ya house to get your keys and remeber you can't do anything because thats assault !! Great law

:(

It doesn't invalidate your Cat 1 as it has nothing to do with it as it can be fitted seperately and is an additional immobiliser.

This myth does pop up from time to time for some reason though....

Matt :)

Having black jax turned on can invalidate the Thatcham Cat 1 status of an alarm even if the black jax is part of the alarm system. Clifford have the blackjax incorporated into many of their Thathcm approved alarms but if you read leaflets etc they say in small print that having the blackjax turned on can invalidate the Thatcham recognition. I have the Concept 500 which comes with the Blackjax as standard. Had it fitted only recently by Doc Clifford in Birmingham. He also told me this about Blackjax. I have my Blackjax turned on. If my insurance company were ever to inspect my car for whatever reason then I would simply switch the Blackjax off.

oh so being on the car wouldnt mean they wouldnt pay out then? I quite like the idea of scum not being able to feck off and hide it in a big container before the police wake up!!!

Do i need to change alarm or will it work with the standard MY00 alarm/immobiliser?

Andy

As mentioned above, Black Jax can be fitted completely independently of **any** Thatcham Cat 1 immobiliser. I have a Cat 1 Toad alarm/immobiliser with Black Jax fitted as a seperate unit. It is completely seperate from the immobiliser and is no different to having a steering wheel lock, Tracking device etc fitted. I don't see how this would invalidate any mandatory security for insurance purposes.

Thanks for replies. I reckon i'll still get it then :D

ive got clifford 600 which is cat 1 and thought the black jax was part of the 600 system so if its not cat 1 why do they advertise?

mike

The Blackjax system is not related to the Cat 1 approval at all.

Having said that, Clifford can go fook themselves if they think they're gonna invalidate my insurance, by me using a part of their recommended and supplied part of their alarm. How the hell is anyone going to know whether you use it or not! That's like telling insurance companies that you always use a Cat 3 device (disklok) etc......!

Guys appart from Blackjax being a load of sh1te which effects the starting of my car until i dissarm the damn thing, it DOES invalidate your CAT 1 status. To those who have the G4 Concept 600 please read your handbooks carefully. The dealer SHOULD leave the Blackjax feature off as he is meant to be fitting a CAT 1 system and giving you a CAT 1 certificate.

Cheers

Gez

Gez,

Quote " Blackjax is a load of sh**e". Expand on this please?

I have been considering a Clifford with Blackjax however a friend of mine made a very good point - you get carjacked when they get down the road and the car cuts out what's to stop them coming back and 'knifing' you? or one waiting with you so that in the event that the car cuts out they 'persuade' you to make it run again?

btw the chances are these guys are complete nutcase all 'cracked up' there's no way of knowing what you are really up against to even if you think you are a bit tasty a well placed knife will kill you

Agreed - far better to let them have the replaceable lump of metal and track it via Navtrack or similar than come after a non-replaceable human...

if they want the car that badly they can have it - I am not risking my life for a car

Hi Wacky,
Since i had blackjax fitted ive had nothing but constant problems. For example i will get into the car, enter my valet code, start the engine and it will cut out 5 seconds after. I was once stranded for over 3 hours in the stick and could NOT get home. Thank god i had the instruction manual with me and i dissarmed the damn thing and the car was fine. The dealers had a look at it and all was fine (so they said). Nowadays it sometimes works but its too dangerous especially when it cut out on me when i was approaching a roundabout at 70mph.

Guys you are better off getting the Concept 300 which is CAT 1 and adding a few features.

Gez

Gez, it's been badly fitted or it's a faulty unit.

Don't generalise that your bad experience makes them all bad - they're fantastic devices.

The official line is...

If you have an integrated blackjax (ie concept 600) then the thatcham approval is for when the device is turned off. Officially, it is not certified with it switched on, but this is due to thatcham's testing criteria not having a clue on how to deal with it.

Nick.

Blackjax is wonderful if fitted properly!
No problems with mine, it's the only device that protects against my car being carjacked whilst my toddler is in the rear childseat and being dumped on the move several miles later.
I seriously doubt if the excrement-brains stole your keys from your house at night and the car immobilised itself 2-300yds later with alarm sounding that they'd then come back to your house for the code!
If carjacked in the street then clearly don't go back to the car 'till they've gone.
I've got a tracker too but that cost £430 plus the yearly £100.
Blackjax less than £200 and that's it.
If my car gets stolen that's purely financial pain. Carjacking is the thing that would most worry me or my wife and blackjax is great for that.
Finally, if you want trouble free instalation in the North go to MAXIMUM IMPACT in ARMLEY, LEEDS (i.e. Max the clifford dealer) He's the Man....

I'm about to have a Tracker and Blackjax fitted. My insurance is due for renewal in a couple of weeks, so I've done some phoning around. The cheapest I have come up with is Greenlight - I asked them about the implications of the Blackjax, and they confirmed that usually, this will invalidate the CAT1 status of your existing alarm, whether integrated or not.

HOWEVER, 'cos they are SUPERB when it comes to modifications, they also confirmed that THEY WILL accept it on the car as long as I have declared it and that it won't affect my CAT 1 status, because they think it's a brilliant device.

I was warned that other insurance companies might not see it this way, and if I change companies further down the line I should be aware of it.

By the way - the Blackjax system I saw when they first came out lets you get quite a distance away before it cuts out - this fear of someone carjacking you then coming back and beating you up when it cuts out is completely unfounded - who's gonna bother running half a mile plus to have a go at someone who's probably already phoned the police??

It's a very cool system.

This has been the way BlackJax has worked since it was launched around ten years ago. Allowing the thieves to think they've got away for a short time is key to it's operation.