Car Alarm

[Vez010]

Hi all,

I’m hoping to get an alarm fitted on my E30 but not quite sure what is suitable. I did a search for ‘alarms’ on the forum but haven’t come across anything insightful so starting a new thread to seek advice.

I’ve done a google search for alarm fitters near me and whilst there are some that have good reviews I thought I’d ask the question on here to see what fellow E30 owners have done to protect their prized asset(s).

Having been through the pain of my last 325i being stolen I want to make sure that I cover all angles with this one. Appreciate any pointers - thanks in advance.

[flybynite]

As you will have read, on an E30 an alarm immobiliser can be easily bypassed and ultimately if someone wants it they will get it.

A hidden kill switch linkng the fuel pump to earth as described many times here will stop most casual theft. One of the hidden GSM tracker apps might help get it back, neither of which cost the earth.

Making sure your steering is actually locked facing the kerb just gives them one more thing to contend with.

Some people do not rate them but on both my 323 and my old M3 I had a Clifford. I like the way it does an angry chirp warning if anyone comes too near. If they do not move the alarm goes off. It kept people away from the M3 and saved the wheels on the 323 as they lost their nerve fiddling with the wheels and the alarm going off in their ear.

I had one of the original trackers on the M3 and it amazed me that I was able to track all its movements after it was written off.

People did not have tracker signal detectors then though.

Out of interest where was yours stolen? would it have been a casual or targeted theft?

[ChrisHC]

A big obvious steering wheel lock, then hopefully no one will break in, and look for something easier to steal.

[flybynite]

A big obvious steering wheel lock, then hopefully no one will break in, and look for something easier to steal.

To be honest those days have gone. There are going to be very few cars up and down the street easier to steal than an E30. Days of there being Cavaliers, Escorts, Montegos, Maestros and Metros that could all be opened with the same key have gone.

I would guess an E30 going walkabout these days is one that has been looked at for a while.

[Vez010]

As you will have read, on an E30 an alarm immobiliser can be easily bypassed and ultimately if someone wants it they will get it.

A hidden kill switch linkng the fuel pump to earth as described many times here will stop most casual theft. One of the hidden GSM tracker apps might help get it back, neither of which cost the earth.

Making sure your steering is actually locked facing the kerb just gives them one more thing to contend with.

Some people do not rate them but on both my 323 and my old M3 I had a Clifford. I like the way it does an angry chirp warning if anyone comes too near. If they do not move the alarm goes off. It kept people away from the M3 and saved the wheels on the 323 as they lost their nerve fiddling with the wheels and the alarm going off in their ear.

I had one of the original trackers on the M3 and it amazed me that I was able to track all its movements after it was written off.

People did not have tracker signal detectors then though.

Out of interest where was yours stolen? would it have been a casual or targeted theft?

Thanks for your response... I’ll look into your suggestions. My original sport was stolen from a temporary work car park near Heathrow... targeted theft from what I gathered. Gutted as it was pretty well spec’d for the time.

[Vez010]

A big obvious steering wheel lock, then hopefully no one will break in, and look for something easier to steal.

Thanks Chris, my Christmas wish list is getting bigger.

[Brianmoooore]

Whatever you fit on the alarm front, it has to have its own power supply (as did the E30 OE alarm*), otherwise it takes seconds to open the bonnet and cut the battery earth cable, nd no more alarm.

*Unfortunately, a two foot length of wire with croc. clips, clipped on to two readily accessible points under the bonnet, totally bypassed the immobiliser part of this unit.

[DanThe]

/\ possibly why battery in boot kits are so expensive nowadays

[twenty]

If you have 13 button OBC, you can use the code function - no need to faff with kill switches.
See https://www.e30zone.net/e30wiki/index.p ... puter#CODE.

Still won't protect you from thieves willing to tow your car so a tracker is a good plus.

[Brianmoooore]

/\ possibly why battery in boot kits are so expensive nowadays

Unless the power for the alarm is taken directly from the battery at the rear (which no E30 alarm I've ever seen has been, but there's no reason why it shouldn't), it's not going to help. The phantom battery terminal and leads on the bulkhead is still readily accessible to bolt cutters.
An 'ordinary' immobiliser can be made much more effective, if a bit more creativity than normal is used when fitting it. Every one I've seen, without exception, has been connected either in the ignition feed, the starter control lead, the fuel pump feed, or combinations of these, Starter and ignition are bypassed in seconds, and fuel pump in a couple of minutes at most.
If you use a bit more ingenuity, and connect the immobiliser to do something like open circuit the blue temp. sensor, the car will start and initially drive as normal, but as soon as it warms up, it'll become undrivable, an will probably stall at some point and refuse to restart. You could also connect it to shunt a resistor across the crank sensor signal. Get the resistor value right, and it'll almost start, but not quite.
A car thief wants to be in the car, start it in silence, and then be away as quick as possible. The worst possible scenario for the potential thief is to make a noise, move the car into the road, and then be left exposed, unable to go any further.

[Brianmoooore]

If you have 13 button OBC, you can use the code function - no need to faff with kill switches.
See https://www.e30zone.net/e30wiki/index.p ... puter#CODE.

Still won't protect you from thieves willing to tow your car so a tracker is a good plus.

OBC is the easiest one of the lot to defeat. The short length of wire with clips, or simply disconnect the battery and reconnect it again.

[twenty]

It depends - because you'll have to disconnect the battery, wiat 5 minutes, reconnect and wait at least 15 minutes and know about the procedure to defeat the system.

If you have 13 button OBC, you can use the code function - no need to faff with kill switches.
See https://www.e30zone.net/e30wiki/index.p ... puter#CODE.

Still won't protect you from thieves willing to tow your car so a tracker is a good plus.

OBC is the easiest one of the lot to defeat. The short length of wire with clips, or simply disconnect the battery and reconnect it again.

[Bonymaenjack]

It depends - because you'll have to disconnect the battery, wiat 5 minutes, reconnect and wait at least 15 minutes and know about the procedure to defeat the system.

If you have 13 button OBC, you can use the code function - no need to faff with kill switches.
See https://www.e30zone.net/e30wiki/index.p ... puter#CODE.

Still won't protect you from thieves willing to tow your car so a tracker is a good plus.

OBC is the easiest one of the lot to defeat. The short length of wire with clips, or simply disconnect the battery and reconnect it again.

Not sure about waiting 15 minutes but I agree about knowing how the OBC works .

[Vez010]

Wow, lots to think about.

I think I’ll just keep the car garaged and not let it out of my site when I’m out and about with it!

Thanks for all your input.

[twenty]

It depends - because you'll have to disconnect the battery, wiat 5 minutes, reconnect and wait at least 15 minutes and know about the procedure to defeat the system.

OBC is the easiest one of the lot to defeat. The short length of wire with clips, or simply disconnect the battery and reconnect it again.

Not sure about waiting 15 minutes but I agree about knowing how the OBC works .

If a code is set and battery disconnected, the OBC will do a 15 minute countdown.

[Brianmoooore]

If a code is set and battery disconnected, the OBC will do a 15 minute countdown.

Powered by what?

[twenty]

If a code is set and battery disconnected, the OBC will do a 15 minute countdown.

Powered by what?

Oops. Meant to say on battery reconnect after the disconnect.

[Brianmoooore]

This alleged 15 minute delay is news to me, although admittedly I've never knowingly or unknowingly tried it, but as a practising electronics engineer, around the time E30s were being designed, I can't see how this could work.
The default of the OBC immobiliser's relay is closed or not immobilised. NVMs were still experimental when these things were designed, and the OBC has no internal battery, so shortly after being disconnected from the battery it would lose all memory of whether it was set or not. It could easily be designed to provide a 15 minute immobilised delay when powered up, but this would happen whether the immobiliser was previously set or not, and I know this is not the case.

[DanThe]

On another note, most decent alarms ive seen/fitted have sirens with backup/internal batteries, so if somebody does come along and cuts all the wires the siren will keep howling away, just make sure you don't screw it to the strut top next to the battery or it will end up being launched into somebodies back garden rather quickly..

A 120db siren hidden inside the car is also something thieving scum wont expect and would be rather annoying

[Vez010]

On another note, most decent alarms ive seen/fitted have sirens with backup/internal batteries, so if somebody does come along and cuts all the wires the siren will keep howling away, just make sure you don't screw it to the strut top next to the battery or it will end up being launched into somebodies back garden rather quickly..

A 120db siren hidden inside the car is also something thieving scum wont expect and would be rather annoying

Do you have any suggestions of which make/model you’ve found to be pretty good?

[DanThe]

Ive fitted plenty of Toad alarms over the years but they no longer exist as a company, ive been recommended the Sigma S30 alarm which is very similar (same manufacturer apparently)

https://www.southerncarsecurity.co.uk/i ... duct_id=73

[Brianmoooore]

https://www.southerncarsecurity.co.uk/i ... duct_id=73

Plenty of bells and whistles, and a self powered sounder, but the problem still exists of how to connect its two immobiliser relays to an E30 in such a way so as they can't be bypassed in seconds. As I've already written, it can be done, but I've yet to see it.
I once collected an E30 I'd just bought, and a couple of miles down the road, it's alarm went off, while I was in a suburban street. I pulled in and 'dealt' with it, but, apart from the odd black look because of the racket, no one took the slightest notice of me working under the bonnet of a car, parked amongst other cars, with its alarm sounding at full blast.

[flybynite]

Plenty of bells and whistles, and a self powered sounder, but the problem still exists of how to connect its two immobiliser relays to an E30 in such a way so as they can't be bypassed in seconds. As I've already written, it can be done, but I've yet to see it.
I once collected an E30 I'd just bought, and a couple of miles down the road, it's alarm went off, while I was in a suburban street. I pulled in and 'dealt' with it, but, apart from the odd black look because of the racket, no one took the slightest notice of me working under the bonnet of a car, parked amongst other cars, with its alarm sounding at full blast.

I do get the theory, coming properly equipped, you could start the car. You would struggle to do it without tripping the alarm and many have pagers and mobile connection so at least you would know when it happens

Some of the bells and whistles will let a thief think he has got away with it, then leave him doing his bypassing in the middle of the road 100 yards from where he took it. Add to it the 127 db internal self powered sounder (which from experience is physically painful) and smoke billowing out of the car, most would lose their nerve.

The only person it would need to attract the attention of is me, anywhere near home and the 12 bore would sort the problem

Ive fitted plenty of Toad alarms over the years but they no longer exist as a company, ive been recommended the Sigma S30 alarm which is very similar (same manufacturer apparently)

Heard lots of good things about Toad but always had Clifford. The perimeter warning saved my cars on two occasions that I know of, so I stuck with them.

Clifford had a bit of a bad reputation for reliability, but they always worked for me (I did fit them myself though)

Bad fitting can make a £600 alarm no better than a £50 one

[Vez010]

Thanks again... this is all very helpful!