dcook22

Hi all,

For anyone in Queens, does $499 for a Clifford 7000 installed sound good to you? I can add a prox sensor for $100 more. Please don't call me a loser if this price is totally insane. I have never owned a new car before and I've never priced good alarms so please show some compassion

Thanks,

Dan

2002MaximaSE

I'm not sure about that price. I do know that I've heard bad things about clifford. They have a lot of great features but have electronic problems. I've heard from dealers that they have had a lot of cliffords in for repair. Directed Electronics bought the company and sells clifford now. They haven't changed anything on the alarm. They also sell Viper and Python alarms which I've heard good things about. I bought the Python 880xp for 220 and had it installed for 60. It retails for 499. I've seen them on ebay for around 300.

PoLo

iTrader: (7)

send a private messege to Pearl96Max or PearlMax96. he's in jersey and does Viper 550 w/remote start for WAY less than that. he's done many of the northeast alarms and seeing as he does about 90% maximas, i THINK he knows what he's doing.

dcook22

Thanks for the replies guys,

polo, I PM'd him (Don) about alarms and he was very helpful. he sent me a link for directed, and then i sent him another PM asking a few questions and about prices, but he hasn't gotten back to me yet. I'm hearing only good things about him, and if what you're saying is correct, I'd be happy to drive out to him. If I don't hear from him by tomorrow I'll PM him again. Thanks again.

Dan

PoLo

iTrader: (7)

my personal suggestion, if you want a good alarm with remote start and handles all the necessities (trunk, lock/unlock, remote start, dome light, etc...) the 550ESP is the best.
keep in mind that if you want remote start, you have to buy the 555U module, and you have to say goodbye to your extra key. this module holds an extra key and is wrapped around the key cylinder, and when you do a remote start, it sends the keys signal to the cyliner, therefore allowing the car to remote start. i dont' have a exact price for you, which is what don is there for, but i can say he will beat every price elsewhere.
i'm happy with my alarm. as are most people that have had his done. the 550ESP is the popular of the viper alarms.
when he gets back to you, tell him that ricecake told you to go to him, he'll know who you're talkin about
he's done my 550 and helped me with my window modules and also hooked me up lovely with some audio stuff for my car.
GOOD LUCk and the answer is YES, it is worth going there cause the prices are good and he's a pretty cool guy.

and if you're reading this don, where are my amps!!!!!!

dcook22

LOL, cool.

I'll let him know who sent me. TimW recommended him too. The remote start is cool, but I'm more interested in keeping my car and my HID's where they are. Security is my main concern right now. I got no garage, it's on the street in Queens. I want my Maxi screaming like a Banshee if some thievin' weasel so much as looks at her. I also hope he can disable that crap in the door handle so they can't roll the window down. And yeah, I'll talk price with him of course, but as long as it's the right number, I'm over the GW, or through the Midtown tunnel and into the Garden state to buy me some peace of mind.

thanks again polo,

Dan

packetattack

iTrader: (1)

You're not a loser. That doesn't sound like a bad price for a Clifford 7000 install. Not to take away Don's business but if you want a quality installer in Queens that has been in business for a long time, that has done lots of quality work on my car, go here:

Northern Auto Radio
152-12 Northern Boulevard
Flushing, N.Y. 11354
(718)359-3566

Ask for Frank, Rich or Carol. They are all owners of the shop. Tell them Richie with the White Maxima sent you :-)

Rafik

Go to P&A-Wirless,Auto Sound&Security
60-68 METROPOLITAN AVE
RIDGEWOOD,NY 11385
TEL:718-821-1111 ASK FOR MARIO.
RAFAL-RIDGEWOOD NY

PoLo

iTrader: (7)

if you want your car screaming, get the hella supertone horns (i believe there's a group deal on them. if not, rallylights.com has them for about $65. these are 140 decibal horns. they are the loudest and replace the stock horns. if and when you do the alarm, have the alarm siren wired into the horn at a pulsating state. i dont' think you can get any louder than the hella horns. this is what i have and i don't confuse my car with anyone elses. it's VERy.....VERY....loud.

packetattack

iTrader: (1)

While I don't deny what you've been told, I know for a fact there are a lot of shoddy installers out there that do crap work and a lot of alarm issues are caused by poor quality installs. Years ago, I think Clifford had a certain "brain" that was malfunctioning, but I've had the AvantGuard4, Intelliguard 9000 and 6000 on all my cars with no issues. I've also had Viper 500 series alarms with no issues either. I pay a highly qualified installer that works at a highly reputable shop, not some fly by night shop or ghetto installer, that can address all my issues and do the job correctly from the get to.

Some things are worth good coin for. Good security is one of them. I've taken quite a few alarm installs, neither DEI products to NAR to get them fixed, due to poor quality installs. Its amazing what you see sometimes.

dcook22

Thanks for the reply and the info, packet. As well as the reassurance about the loser status. My wife was leaning over my shoulder as I read this and she said "He just doesn't know you, Babe." This is what i live with.

Just kidding my, wife's the coolest.
I appreciate the recommendation and letting me drop your name. very cool of you.

Just to be cool to everyone though, I'd appreciate any and all recommendations from people, but I'd rather not have too many references to Don in this thread without his knowledge or stamp of approval. I'm not bargain hunting or anything and I wouldn't want him to feel he needs to defend his work or anything. He's been very helpful to me so far and I don't want to step on his toes. if he pipes in to the thread, then that's great, but until then i feel like it's gossip. ::

Like I said, I've heard nothing but great things about him and if he'd be willing to install the alarm, then it's business and we'll handle it.

And packet, I realize I placed this little note in my reply to your post, but PLEASE don't think i'm talking to you. I just want to nip it in the bud, ya know? I really appreciate your help and your generosity about the name thing.

And while I'm feeling all concerned about everyone's feelings, I'd just like to note that I've been part of this forum for about a week and everyone has been very cool, from moderators on down to other newbies. Thanks to all.

Dan

dcook22

I'll keep this in mind bro, but I do have to live with my neighbors, and I live in a quiet neighborhood. But thanks for the advice.

Keep it coming folks!

Dan

Rafik

DONT PARK YOUR CAR ON THE STREET!!!!!!!!!!
MY HEADLIGHTS (HID) WHERE STOLEN FROM MY 2002 ,I WAS PARKING ON FRESH POND RD.
I HAVE FACTORY ALARM ,AND THE PRESTIGE,I ALSO HAVE THE MILLENIUM SF VECHICLE MONITORING SYSTEM.(NOTHIN HELP)
YOU NEED PLACE FOR PARKING!
RAFAL-RIDGEWOOD NY
2002 BLACK,6SPD.

dcook22

OK, cool, no issues with either type is good to know, but since you've had both do you find you've had a preference? Anything you like better about one or the other? Clifford or Viper I mean. Also, have you had prox sensors as well as shock sensors, and if so, which do you feel is better? Or is a combination best?


Dan

dcook22

If I had a choice, I'd garage it, but I can only afford a good alarm right now, not a house

So, I realize it is an imperfect solution, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to at least try to make my car and my HID's undesirable.

And if my HID's get clipped, then I'll just install 2001's and hopefully the problem goes away.

Dan

packetattack

iTrader: (1)

Dan,

I can honestly say I have not been happy with the Proximity Sensor on the Clifford but in all fairness, this most likely the situation I have it placed in.

It does not work well when the car is parked on the street. Now to be fair, I do have an EZ-Pass right next to it, including lots of coins in my sliding draw below the stereo, which Clifford states can affect it greatly. After I had the Proximity set at the shop and brought the car home, I was getting a lot of false alarms. Not sure from what.

I did lots and lots of research on other owners having the same issue, it appears that leaves, overhead branches etc. can set it off. I did notice that during that week it was extremely windy.

I was able to lower the proximity sensor from the inside of my house which is a very good thing the Clifford offers, directly from the remote. I've managed to set it so the interior zone is highly sensitive and the exterior zone is almost non-existent. I would have loved to have it set so that when people get close to the car, it chirps but I think its just too hard getting it set on the street correctly with so much foot and vehicular traffic.

In the shop, I had it working perfectly. It would chirp only if you put your hands close up to the window. The way I have it now is that if your arm reaches into the car to touch the stereo, it sets off the alarm full blast, I am happy with that and can live with it.

I will try removing the coins and EZ-Pass this weekend and resetting the sensor, to see what happens.

As for the alarms that I prefer, like I said, I've had the Vipers before, which were great alarms, but the Clifford is definitely a step up, I like the BlackJAX anti-car jacking feature, the SmartWindow modules, the FACT false alarm monitoring and the quality of the Omnisensor (that works VERY well) including the fact that I can leave the car running when running into the store, with full alarm protection enabled. The advantages are too much too list, I highly suggest looking at this guide for the AvantGuard4: http://www.clifford.com/guides/ogs/a...rd4_owners.pdf --> See page 2.

Again, like I said before, this is the advantage of working with a good shop. My installer said if there are any issues with the PROX, to bring it back and they will relocate it for me, as shop conditions to street conditions are very different. Currently its mounted underneath the rearview mirror but can also be placed in the center console.

LatinMax

iTrader: (1)

Al I can tell you is that most of the time it is not the alarm as it is the quality of the install.
No matter what go with a good installer....the alarm is only as good as the installer.
I installed lots of alarms in my day and hated to see someone install the alarm brain were anyone with half a brain could look under the dash and find it. That needs to be well hidden (somewhere that it takes some work to get to)
Thats my $.02

Pearl96Max

iTrader: (151)

Try moving it to the center console. Laying completely flat unobstructed by any sort of metal, and I can *almost* guarantee zero false alarms. I have done at least 8 4th gen Maximas this way, which have been in there ranging from 2years to present all of which with zero problems.

Just trying to help with some hopefully usefull info.

--Don

packetattack

iTrader: (1)

That is very useful info indeed. I shall try that. Thanks Don.