bobz

Having ordered a MY02, i am doning some research into which alarm system to install. My first instict was to go with a Clifford system, but many installers have said Clifford are a load of c**p and they keep going wrong. Then they recommend other brands like Sigma, autowatch etc.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

kryten

most installers who've had problems with clifford alarms are the ones you wouldn't want installing yours!

the installation is critical!

Boost II

iTrader: (1)

Top of the range Clifford has a lot more to it than a standard Cat 1 alarm. Also means there is more to go wrong - the laws of probability take over.

Max the Clifford dealer

Hang on a minute, Clifford has been my living for the last eight years or so. If there were problems with product, because of how many installs I have out there I'd be spending all my time dealing with faults and not being able to go about my daily business. But I'm not. As Kryten has mentioned, the skill of the installer is paramount and if an installation is not up to scratch, Clifford ownership becomes the bane of your life. Often, those installers who berate the Clifford product are those who either haven't been able to obtain dealership and just want to flog whatever other brands they have, or they've had limited experience of the product and made a horse's *** of the job and discovered it's not the product for them.

Clifford is the only product capable of doing what it does which is why if ever you visit a sound off or custom car show, every car has a Clifford on board, and those guys tend to know what's best. Clifford did invent the remote controlled car alarm back in the early 70's you know (-:

Nathan L

I have had two Clifford alarms and neither have ever gone wrong.

Make sure the dealer you choose is VSIB registered and you should not go too far wrong.

After talking to Max (above) I went for a Clifford Concept 500 and it does exactly what it says on the box Great toys aswell. Hours of endless fun winding the neighbours up with all the different alram tones

Nathan..

chiark

There are dealers out there who bad mouth clifford. It's because the alarms are extremely sophisticated and you simply cannot take any shortcuts when installing them. The power supply needs to be spot on, everything needs to be done properly.

Install them quickly and they'll give you trouble.

Max installed mine. It took two days, and is superb.

Nick.

David_Wallis

And Mine..

David

Nick@avs

I assume the car you have ordered is not UK sourced and therefore has no "OE" Alarm System. If this is the case then I think it is wise to install the Sigma M30 alarm as installed by Subaru UK. The most important reason I feel for this is to protect the future resale value of the car. If your car has a spurious product installed it will be seen as a negative by a dealer taking your car as a trade in and the price offered to you will reflect the need for a genuine alarm on a car of this calibre. Secondly, from a warranty issue, you are more likely to experience a problem because most dealer technicians do not understand aftermarket alarms and will often blame the alarm if given half a chance. If installed to as near as possible factory specification the Sigma will not bring about these painful scenarios.

I respect other peoples views on the Clifford system, but I can assure you the Clifford has no tangible benefit to the end user over and above the Sigma M30 or any other category 1 system. (Despite costing in some cases more than double the price!). I also respect Max as a business man for his commercial reasons for installing Clifford.

Let's all be honest with ourselves here and ask what you are purchasing. That's right - A SECURITY SYSTEM! Any Category 1 system has been evaluated and is considered to be "suitable for the purpose". The only other thing that remains is to ensure the installation is up to scratch.

kryten

Sorry to disagree, but all Cat 1 does is say that an alarm exceeds a minimum standard. There is nothing above Cat 1, so how do you know which alarms 'far exceed' it?!

There's no doubt that the Sigma is a good alarm, but standard fit alarms that are all the same have that exact disadvantage. No alarm is 100% thief proof, but the more they do then the better.

Examples of where a Clifford Concept 600 gives advantages over the M30:

Tilt/motion sensor: triggers the alarm if someone tries to jack the car, or even drag it onto a low loader.

Wireless fuel guard: no wires from alarm to the module. If its hidden properly (ie somewhere that takes a while to get to) then even the person who fitted it can't disable it without significant effort).

Blackjax: If you don't key in a code, a short distance down the road, the engine dies and the alarm goes nuts. Can't steal the keys from the house and easily get away with the car.

Probably more, but I can't think of them right now. All depends what you're after.

chiark

Nick,

I'd never want an OE alarm system - if I'd bought a UK spec, it would have been replaced. Once you know how one of them is installed, you know how they're all installed. I personally feel that the different alarm is a feature come selling time...

The concept 600's extra security features are fabulous IMHO. We'll have to agree to differ

Nick.

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

Have to agree here, clifford are the ones you want!
I dont know of any scoob with a clifford thats been stolen on here, but ive heard of a few with the sigma that have
also the benefits of a clifford is that you can have a turbo timer fitted, remote boot release, the anti hijack (thats saved my mates car from being driven off after they got his keys!!)
Go for it as you wont regret it

Tony
(a happy clifford customer! )

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

Oh the clifford 600 is a 3point immobiliser, i think the sigma is only a 2point, please correct me if im wrong

Tony

Charlie H

Have to agree with the clifford route, after sorting out a dodgy bonnet switch I've had no problem with it at all and the blackjax system is top notch. It works very well (i set it off accidently when it was first installed) I was sat in the middle of the road 600 metres from my house with the car alarm going nuts and the engine dead. I had my stereo on too loud and didn't hear the warning beeps it gives you

adge

iTrader: (22)

I also concur that a Clifford is much better than the standard sigma M30 as I have had both. I had a Clifford 50X fitted to my MY98 and had no problems in 2 years. Then had a MY00 UK model with the sigma M30 which I didn't like at all, no sounds when arming/disarming and no extra's(remote boot opening, remote headlights, antihijack etc) and of course they are all fitted the same, just like having one fitted after by a subaru dealer, therefore easier to get round as everything(wiring/sensors/etc) is in the same place.
Then had Clifford alarms fitted to my import MY00 and 22b, cheers Max.
Also Clifford alarms come with a lifetime guarentee for as long as you own the car, which a subaru one wont.
Personnally I would prefer to buy a car with an after market alarm fitted by a VSIB approved installer.

Gary- X705+++

I've had two clifford alarms in 4 years and problems here,

Gary

CRAIGFIN

Hi Guys,

I have had 2 Clifford alarms in about 6 years and they have been terrible. One was fitted to an 16v Astra GTE and the other a Clio Williams. They were both fitted by different companies and both had the same problem of the alarm not responding to the keyfob. I honestly don't know whether it was the alarm's or the installers fault. Both installers were qualified. I'm not sure whether i will use Clifford again. I also had my motorbike nicked from my garage by the thieves who disabled my alarm and pushed my Williams out of the way to get to the bike. To this day i still don't know how they disabled the alarm.

Craig.

Mo

Craigfin,

it would be interesting to know what clifford you had. Back in the days of the Eagle and such like battery back up was an optional extra. Disconnect from battery no alarm.

It also depends where the siren is, if it can be reached from underneath it can be blocked so it cannot be heard. If you didn't have the appropriate sensors there was absolutley nothing to stop anyone with some knowledge gaining entry to the car without triggering the alarm.

All of these facts still apply unless you have the appropriate technology fitted, and as stated time and time again, fitted properly.

I used to work with a salvage yard so I've seen what can and can't be done with alarms over the years and a Cat1 alarm certainly is not the be-all-and-end-all.

chiark

No matter what the brand of alarm, the majority of its effectiveness comes from the knowledge, cunningness and effort put in by the installer. You could have the "best brand" in the world, but if corners have been cut, you're knackered.

The easiest place for an installer to install any immobilisation, for example, is in the most accessible place. This is also the easiest place for a thief to find and re-make...

If anyone told me that they can install a cat-1 alarm in a couple of hours, I'd look elsewhere. It takes time to do well - no matter what the brand.

There was a point to this, but it has escaped me now.

LeeMac

iTrader: (1)

Ive had a Clifford concept 50x on mine for 3 years and only had problems cos ive messed with it but know how to set it up myself now and no one gets near it (touch wood).
Get a Clifford