Car alarm installation - fit yourself UK alarms or by installer

An aftermarket car alarm installation should integrate with the existing central locking system so that the remote control key fob will both arm and disarm the alarm at the same time as locking and unlocking the doors. Some alarms such as the K9 has keyless entry which unlocks the doors as you approach the vehicle and locks the vehicle as you walk away from it. If your car has key operated central locking fitted then choose a car alarm with a pair of remote control fobs that can operate the locks as well as the alarm, a connection from the alarm main unit to the central locking system is required. For cars that already have remote controlled central locking installed you can choose an alarm that utilises the existing remotes to operate the alarm and locks but it makes better sense to install an alarm with new remotes and just use the old remotes as back up. Aftermarket central locking systems can be fitted to all other cars and it makes sense to have it installed at the same time as fitting the car alarm.

A compact alarm is ideal for smaller cars or where there is not much space to easily fit a standard car alarm system. The best compact car alarm installation kits combine the siren together with the main electronics unit to save on space and ease of fitting as they do not require any cable connections to be made between the main control box and the siren. Some newer vehicles make car alarm installation very quick and simple as they have plugs and sockets already in place in the wiring loom to accommodate modular alarms such as the Cobra OEM alarm which simply plugs in without much need to cut wires or make manual connections.

Unless you are a competent auto electrician car alarm installation should be left to a professional fitter especially if the alarm has an integrated immobiliser which requires a number of connections to be made to the engine electrical systems such as; fuel pump, ignition or starter motor circuits. A car alarm installer can also ensure the warrantee is valid if the alarm fails due to any manufacturing defects, a good manufacturer will offer a lifetime guarantee for the original owner on an alarm provided it has not been transferred and fitted to another vehicle.

In the UK a Thatcham car alarm installation is approved by motor insurance companies and by fitting a Thatcham security system you can benefit from cheaper insurance as well as having a very secure, best quality alarm system. Some of the extra features you will find on a category 1 alarm and immobiliser are; a battery backup siren that will still work even if the wires are cut, secure remote control that cannot be copied, two or three circuit immobiliser, perimeter protection which operates from the door courtesy light switches and an ultrasonic or microwave interior sensor. After fitting the system a car alarm installer will issue a Thatcham certificate which must be presented to your motor insurer. Thatcham do not make car alarms, they are a non profit organisation set up by the insurance industry to work with manufacturers to improve safety and security of all vehicles. Thatcham approved car alarm installation kits are available in the UK form any of the following manufacturers; Avital, Cobra, Clifford, Gemini, GT, Toad and Viper.

An existing car alarm installation can be enhanced by fitting extra security features if the main electronic unit has any spare inputs or outputs left. Extra sensors should be connected to the input of a car alarm and the alarm output can be connected to an additional siren or better still a car pager alarm that lets you know if the alarm has been triggered when you are out of earshot of the siren. The two types of pagers that you can install are; radio controlled which works in a range of between one to three miles or an SMS pager which sends a text message to any mobile phone to let you know which zone or sensor has been triggered. Some extra sensors that you could fit are; dual zone pre warning bleep to warn off intruders who get too close, glass break sensor and a tilt or motion sensor to prevent the car being jacked up and alloys stolen or just driven off.

If you do not require an insurance approved security system or one without an integrated immobiliser and you are looking for a cheap car alarm then DIY car alarm installation is an option. Choose a security system designed for easy self installation with easy to understand car alarm fitting instructions, Microscan make a wide range of easy to fit car alarms for the UK.