Just upgraded my alarm for the second time to a CODE ALARM remote start/security system. Was wondering what everyone else out there has on their MAX... Pros/Cons??? Opinions are very welcomed!

Also, I've noticed that whenever I remote start my MAX, it ALWAYS kicks on the "AUTO" climate control w/ the "fresh air A/C" setting, no matter what setting I leave the vehicle in when I last turned off the car. The guys @ the install place explained to me that the auto climate control is kind of tricky in that it has it's own brain, "so to speak", and will always kick on to provide the best climate in the vehicle via the climate control computer..."nature of the beast" kind of thing... Warm air blows through the vents when it's cold outside, mind you...even w/ the A/C on, so I guess the climate control feature is more "intelligent" than I thought... I kind of get it, but just wanted to know if everyone else's did the same...

 

 

I have the Clifford Matrix 3.5 as well and my A\C always comes back on in the same setting that I left it. That's weird that you are both having the same issues...I would e-mail Clifford/Code Alarm and see if they can offer any help. Obviously it's not standard because mine works just fine...
And as 2k4 said above...ditto. All the features on the alarm are great.
2k4, you said you have the proximity sensor, how much extra was that to add? And do you have any other options with it?

 

jsmith, when you say that yours works just fine, what do you mean? Everytime you get out of the car, the remote start remembers your last setting? If so, where did you get your alarm and who installed it?

 

Yeah it's always exactly how I left it. That was one of my main reasons for remote start, to cool my car down in the summer and heat it up in the winter before I get in it. Autobacs here in Cali did the install...Tel714)903-9900 Give them a call they might have some insight for you...
J

 

Thanks for the info! And BTW...

I LOVE UR MAX!!!

Not too many silver cars that I like, but yours is hooked up! And I like your custom HU and iPOD... I just have my Rio digital MP3 running thru my tape player...but I must admit, it sounds pretty damn good... It actually pushes my stock BOSE subs to their potential! They bump even more w/ my MP3 plugged in...about 50 - 75% more than my SAT or CD!!! I'm pleased for now... But I really wanted a more permanent setup so that I don't have to keep hiding my Rio in the center console and popping in/out my tape adaptor (w/ ugly wire attached) everytime I get in/out the car... Any suggestions?

 

Come on all you MAX owners! There's got to be MUCH more of you out there who care enough to upgrade your alarm system from the cheezy, "not-so-secure", stock alarm system provided via the manufacture!!! Chime in! I want to know who has what and why!

(unless you guys really do have a false sense of security for your MAX...oh, and BTW, the MAX is @ the top of the list for cars stolen around the nation--especially if you have HIDs! Better think twice about how secure your car really is!)

 

I think the stock alarm is just fine. I doubt any aftermarket alarm is going to be more effective at keeping your car from being stolen... however, having a pager that tells you when your alarm is going off is certainly a cool feature (bet it's not cheap, though).

Personally, I *HATE* aftermarket alarms with the rotating alarm sound that's loud enough to rattle windows. Especially the ones with proximity sensors and motion sensors so sensitive that something as small as a cat can set them off. I want my alarm to go off when the car is being stolen, not when some old lady in the parking lot leans on my car. I swear, those super loud, super annoying alarms just make me want to throw cinder blocks at the offending car until the alarm turns off.

Alarms don't stop professional car theives, and the stock alarm is enough to stop punk kids, so why wake up the entire neighborhood for no reason?

-Nate (Can you tell it's a pet peeve?)

 

OUCH!!!

Point taken. But, for me, I absolutely love that I'm notified via my extended range 2-way remote when something happens to the car...commands I send to the car are verified as received via the remote...oh, and yeah, the remote start is practical for those cold mornings/hot afternoons and...REALLY COOL!!!

 

how much was installation for you guys ? roughly...

 

How much do alarms like the one you have cost? And how much for install? I was thinking of a clifford myself but I want all the bells and whistles. (no pun intended) Is the one you have their top of the line?

 

Thanks for the compliment! I'm stoked the way everything came together. I noticed with the new HU the stock Bose speakers sound way better. I have some MB Quart separates sitting under my bed but I don't think I need to put them in (at least for now) If you don't have the SAT I would get the PAC adapter that plugs into that input so you can run your Rio straight from the HU instead of through the tape. Bryan at Berk carries them...

 

I don't know about you but I don't wany ANYBODY leaning on my car, not even "some old lady" I hope my alarm goes off and gets her off my car!! I don't hate old people or anything and I mean no harm to them, but it's my car dammit and only I can lean on it, but I don't even do that!!!

 

I paid $500 installed...it is the top of the line. There's plenty of features you can add to it though, like sattelite tracking (lo-jack) but you can see your car on your computer at any time, location speed etc...you can also start/unlock lock your car from any computer anywhere, pretty cool. Proximity sensors, elevation sensors all kinds of stuff...

 

I'm installing one right now. I shopped around and am putting it together with a bunck of features. standard w/ shock sensors (beeps if touched, sounds alarm if hit hard (adjustable). I am adding a motion sensor beeps if too close (adjustable), glass breakage sensor (only sounds alarm if metal on glass sound occurs (adjustable), extenage range antenna, and back up battery. Also ordered a birght sranning led to make sure you know i have it. pain in my **** stripping and crimping these tiny wires. All for about $150 total.
[Just hope this added weight doesn't slow me down, 265 hp; doubt it...]

And I'm doing it all w/o drilling or cutting OEM wires. so it can in no way void any warranty. I am leaving out the installation details, so no one can disable it easily.



OEM alarm only goes off if electrical is turned on (door, hood, or trunk open) and "prohibits" theft w/o your key. but is disabled if power is cut.

therefore: somone smashes a window to grab what's inside, steals wheels, or headlights, NO ALARM. this is common knowledge for factory alarms.

(lean on? I don't want anyone 2 feet near her!)

 

Mine was $440 installed and out the door! Couldn't pass that one up!!! I posted a pic of my 2-way LCD command confirming keyfob on my MAX webpage...weatherproof'd carbon fiber shell and all. (Looks like a mini cell phone! lol) As for all the "bells and whistles", my CA-645 offers every feature the Clifford does, but the company is still developing the SAT tracking...no matter to me since I had Lo-Jack put in as soon as I bought the car anyway... I can't wait until the Japanese car makers start buying into the On-Star thing...that service is quite unbeatable! Lock your keys in the car and just dial a # from your cell phone and "wah-lah"! UNLOCKED! Awesome! Plus, GPS tracking and so on and so on... Right now, only select GM cars offer it... It's like having a scaled down mobile ADT in your car! lol

BTW, NismoMax80, you never mentioned what brand/model you were installing... Curious to know...

 

Oh, and BTW, I was going to go w/ the Viper 791XV...that is, until they quoted me how much it would cost to install it... I believe it went something like, $420/system + $50/parts + $250/installation + tax ... ... Did I just say that?!! Well, you do the math!

Yeah, believe you me, it was a total "no-brainer" when it came to making my decision...

 

Just installed everything. I got Black Widow 1800. At first I wanted the most basic model just to add shock sensors. Then I saw I could add motion, glass, and antenna extenders. Works great so far. Still need to get adjustments just right. Has so many other options, but don't care, keyfob/oem already (locks, trunk, horn, lights, windows) Did the install at night too (couldn't wait) so many freakin wires. But I hid everything, drilled and cut nothing on the Max. Awaiting led scanner in mail. May add a second horn. maybe someday i'll add a pager. everything came to about $130.

 

Well, I stand corrected. Today, when I visited my installer (who just so happens to have the same alarm) to fix the memory setting for my climate control, I verified that the CA-645 does have GPS tracking via the internet and even has "Car Link" paging via the phone...(you can remote start, arm/disarm, page, etc...via the telephone)... The GPS tracking offers even better features than On-Star and Lo-Jack combined from the way it was explained to me. For example...say if you were to loan your car to someone, you have the ability to track that person via the internet and if they exceeded a preset speed threshold set by you, you would be alerted via e-mail or phone... REALLY COOL STUFF!!! Boy, technology today! Of course, I'll have to pass on all the advanced gadgetry for now...but maybe some day...

Oh, and jsmith, I got the climate control thing fixed. The installer found a way to link my info display center (which previously didn't come on when remote started) to the alarm as an accessory, which made it work correctly. I can now remote start and the MAX remembers my last HVAC setting. He even made it so my signal/amber lights blink slowly while the car is in remote start mode... I'm satisfied! Thanks for your help!

 

durrnit, realized my alarm antenna extender cancels my oem key fob until I'm right on top of it. unplugged the end with just the wire and it doesn't work. I guess this is okay (but in the summer, i like to put the windows down from far away) but guess I can't accidently disarm it either.

should i leave it as is? or try to swap the og antenna? that will be a PITA to pop it open and swap internal connections with it already hooked up.

what do u guys think? anyone else experience shortened range?

 

No worries, that must be the proper way to hook it up because my parking lights blink as well...glad you got it figured out!!

 

Yeah, there are 2 accessory wires in the car that need to be powered up when remote started. Powering up only one of them will do what you described above.

Also, if you keep you lights on Auto. Make sure that when the remote start shuts down that it kills your lights.

 

My auto lights don't shut off when the remote start shuts down. Rabenoja, do you know the fix for this?

And Hof, do your auto lights shut off when the remote start shuts down?

 

Tell your installer to cut the door trigger wire in the car with a relay on remote start shutdown.

Factory Re-arm to trigger the relay - Pole 86
Fused 12 volts constant - Pole 86

Cut door trigger wire

One side goes to pole 30, the other side goes to pole 87A

Ground - Pole 87

Make sure that the door trigger input from the alarm is hooked up to the 87a side of the relay, so that your alarm won't go off when the remote start is shutdown.

 

Not sure... I did notice that when I leave my lights on "auto" that they come on when I remote start and the parking lights don't blink. But I don't keep my car in remote start long enough to see if it shuts down w/ the lights still on... Will have to play w/ it later today...

And, thanks a bunch, rabenoja, for your input! Even though you were a few posts late, your advice about the 2 accessory wires is exactly what my installer told me was the problem... Now I'll have to see about the "auto" lights shutting off when remote start shuts down... Tell me something... If the lights do stay on when remote start shuts down, doesn't the "auto" feature take over and shut the lights off in the specified time that's set in the MAX's "personal settings"... I have mine set to the minimum (30 sec.)... Won't the lights just shut off after the prescribed time? Thanks again for your insight!!!

 

Unfortunately, the lights won't turn off until you open the door. Then it will follow the setting that you set in your personal menu. The solution to the problem is described above and it will simulate the door opening.

Yeah sorry for the late post, I'm not on here all the time... :-D Glad I could help though.