Recommendations for an alarm < £200 possibly

[antc101]

Hi guys,

Okay so I've been eying up a Toad AI606's on ebay, contemplating buying then naturally taking to a certified installer for a cool £50 off insurance

Anyways, so I phone up this place - they have been very good in the past, but they turn around to me and say Toad is the worst system ever, and that particular model won't help me at all seeing as it's a punto Mk2 it's being installed in.
He then recommended I give them £350 for the Clifford concept 650 (naturally, that includes fitting), and be done with it.
Not to mention as he starts to list a load of features of the 650 in an attempt to dazzle me by the endless list so I'd just crack and book a fitting there and then.
At this point I'm thinking 'dude its a punto, I know it's easily broken into, so unless clifford concept 650 is litterally grow legs and kick any thieves attempting a break in square in the face, the toad would do just as good a job right?".

So I need answers, is this guy correct and the Toad just wouldn't protect my car? Or is he just trying to peddle the more expensive to me?

Personally I am leaning towards the latter, but don't get me wrong I know the 650 has an assload of features more than the AI606. Also baring in mind that I initially wanted to spend around £200, a little under or a little over don't bother me. But £350 is pushing it to the extreme - just a tad. Esspecially seeing as I forked out £350 on a head unit 2 weeks ago, I don't feel like parting with £700 in 2 weeks. That's just bad money management

Opinions anyone? Very valued opinions welcome

Antony

 

[T14086]

Will it stop someone smashing the passenger window & stealing wallet/camera/CDs etc from your glovebox?

 

[antc101]

Which one, the Clifford or the Toad? In my opinion neither will stop anyone from smashing my window and stealing stuff unless like i said, there is an alarm in existence that will phyiscally grow body parts and smack em in the face...

But I might as well get what is seen as "the best" for under £200 - even though an alarm won't actually stop anything. It's all a load of crap really, just paying a lot of money for a silly little LED in hope it'll deter theives.

But still I'd like opinions on which they think is the best choice for around £200

Cheers for reply dude.

 

[T14086]

wasn't been sarcastic......just something a policeman told me,thefts from cars is rife but actually car theft isn't mainly due to thatcham cat 2 immobilisers fitted as standard these days.
I have fitted Meta alarms for 9 years odd now.....never had a faulty one & that would be the one I would go for,I have trouble with laserline,maystar,toad,cobra & even the odd clifford however they all have similar features(some totally useless)& its basically a personal preference or what your local fitter stocks.
Me....what alarm have i got?.......none cause my cars look worthless & often leave doors unlocked overnight(forgetful)but still there in the morning(i'll get that insurance money one day!)but so many of you take great pride in your car let alone the financial investment so I understand your concern.I'd go for the cheaper option & money you have saved on locking wheel nuts,removable facia stereo (dont leave facia in glovebox!) and park under lights/sensibile places & fully comp insurance if you haven't got it already,bar that what else can you do?

 

[antc101]

Totally understand what you mean mate, and by that reply you just confirmed my already slightly biased decision towards the Toad.

Man, it's not that my car has anything worth stealing. I have absolutely nothing in my glove box - although I don't actually leave the glovebox open overnight like my mate does, so people can see I have nothing to steal. I never leave my head unit in the car, always goes where I go... but having said all of that I have a 7 inch monitor moulded into my centre airvents and theres no way of hiding it other than draping something over it to conceal it.
So only options in my eyes atm are 1. alarm, and 2. tinted windows so people can't see what I have (altho front windows wouldn't be able to go dark enough to totally hide it...).
And I don't have any body kits, alloy wheels or any of that sort so I wouldn't really need tilt sensors or anything so yeh I better stop rambling now lol.

Thanks for the reply, will just get the Toad I thinks!

 

[T14086]

although I don't actually leave the glovebox open overnight like my mate does, so people can see I have nothing to steal.

Good idea that leaving it open then again maybe some sad git would want my collection of mcdonalds straws & ketchup sachets

 

[antc101]

lol tbh man, my mate (same one) had his punto broken into simply because they wanted a trampy looking empty box with no lid on that had a pair of £2 gloves in it with a couple of burnt CD-R's worth a whopping 10p :\

crowbar'd top of door downwards and hey presto, running down the street with a cardboard box worth £2.10.

 

[T14086]

thats sad!!!

 

[justus3]

You could always look at one of these as a cheaper option than the Toad?

https://www.fiatforum.com/showthread.php?t=53395

Bearing in mind that there are plenty of add-on options for the alarms that are available for purchase.. such as 2 or 4 door central locking kits, recordable voice modules etc!

 

[professor clifford]

hi ya mate, go for the clifford or toad, ive been fitting both systems for over ten yrs now and cant really fault either... they both have good and bad points... dont get stung on the price of the clifford, shop round, we do it for £290 fitted use that as a guide line... itr might only be a ''punto'' but its yours, wots it worth to you, also watch if your buying it off ebay the cert wont be stamped and the insurance wont accept it...

 

[drunknspike]

got a toad ai606 on corsa no faults at all bought off ebay for £108 and got the installers certificate for the insurance


got a question for installer guys can i get a toad ai606 fitted on a bravo and have remote cent locking? its got cet locking but only with key at moment