For those of you who have an alarm with a motion sensor would you let me know how responsive you feel the motion sensor is, what brand / model do you have installed and would you buy it again.

Also, have any of you installed your own alarm with sensor, how hard was it and did the alarm come with instructions.

The factory alarm is very weak and as I drive top down all year and park top down I would like the extra alerts.

 

I like my Alpine SEC-150R. My installer said that the cabin motion sensor will not work 100% of the time. I find it works most of the time. If I had my top down I would still lock anything lying around the cabin inside of the trunk. I feel safe with the rest of the alarm with hood and trunk pins. The sensor will go inside the center console under the piece that can easily be removed which is where your right elbow would be if lying your right arm on the console.

The alarm gives me piece of mind that I have done all that I can do to deter a thief.
I also got the alarm because it gives off sounding chirps when someone is hanging around my car or they impact it. I am hoping that this will save me from getting some door dings and if I do get one, maybe I can catch the person in the act.

 

I do not have an alarm on my car other than the immobilizer but I had a fairly high end one on my Viper. Most of the better "motion" sensing alarms are "dual" zone. The sensitivity can be set to suit your car and your needs. The 1st zone is usually the one which extends to about 1-2 feet around the car's perimeter. If someone get into this zone, the alarm will give a warning beep (you can even get one with a voice that tells the "intruder" whatever you want it to say). If the intruder stays within the zone for more than a preset amount of time, the alarm is tripped. The second zone is the one within the interior of the car itself. If someone should put an arm into the car or get into it, the full alarm mode trips. This, too, can be set for sensitivity (size of object). Once the alarm is tripped, you can have a multitude of different things happen from sirens & horns to fuel shut-off to ignition defeat to flashing lights or all of these. My favourite thing to do was to install a 2nd siren inside the driver's footwell as this is where a thief would spend most of his time trying the hotwire your car. The ear-splitting noise makes it very painful to remain that close to the siren for more than a few seconds. I also had a shock and tilt sensor (in case the car was lifted and towed).
Something else to think about. Most alarm installers will set the alarm for "automatic" arm (you walk away from the car and 30 seconds later, it arms by itself). I found this to be a bit of a nuisance if I was at home and taking things in and out of the car or trunk. You would come back for the next load and find you either trip the alarm yourself or you have to push the button on the key fob. I elected to have the alarm set for "manual" arm where you must push the button to arm it.

 

Thanks for the replies guys.

Has anyone installed one themselves? (not OEM, but aftermarket with motion sensor)