Right, the alarm needs to go. I've 3 options:-

1) Brave the Hondacare Warranty / Honda main dealer minefield, pay for the 'inspection time' (sic) and hope it doesn't go wrong afterwards, and doesn't turn out to be 'wiring' (not covered).

2) Pay someone private to rip it out and refit a new (Toad/Cobra) Cat-2 to Cat-1 upgrade package - cost <

 

Despite the Honda alarm being a POS i'd still want one for insurance reasons.

I'd certainly be looking to redeem the money for the purchase of a new alarm through a reduced purchase price for the vehicle to bring it up to standard specification.

An aftermarket alarm would, however, be far more appealing than the factory fit alarm to me butm only because I know how poor the OEM one is.

It also depends on who buys it and for what purpose. A buyer who garages the car and uses it at weekends will probably be less concerned about the lack of an alarm than someone who's using the car as a daily driver and parking in places where security is more of an issue.

Ultimately, the lack of an alarm will, in all likelihood, narrow your market when it comes to sell.

 

If I was a buyer, I would want it fitted.

Im a fussy bugger and anything which sounds a bit suspect would go in the "dont buy" pile - even if its genuine as in your case.

You would have to advertise it as having no alarm, and id then think that if you didn't get that replaced, you may not have looked after the car either.

If the rest of your car is in top order then get the alarm done and sell it for a decent price.

All IMHO of course!

 

[QUOTE=havoc UK,Oct 22 2007, 05:27 PM] 3) Pay someone private to just rip it out and leave me with only the Cat-2 immobiliser (cost <=

 

according to the cap book, ur gonna lose around

 

Except that they demanded a Tracker on an NSX I wanted.

The Prelude has an alarm and it's come close to stranding me.

So AFAIAC, they are NFU for insurance porpoises & NFU for practical reasons.

 

Come on, be sensible

Martin, I've buy an aftermarket one -you will get cheaper insurance, have peace of mind and the car will be much easier to sell

 

As Nick and I have already pointed out it doesn't make any difference to the insurance.

 

I agree - when I came to insure my car for the first time in June, the fact that it didn't have an alarm made zero difference (it's a UK-spec Euro import, BTW). The fact that it had an immobiliser was enough, with no further discount available.

As to whether it makes a difference to potential buyers, you might not be narrowing your market as much as you think. Lack of alarm clearly hasn't bothered several of us, but you may need to be prepared to drop a few

 

I think my insurance is cheaper because I have a Cat 1 alarm.

I'd certainly look for one. I think it's a question of why you wouldn't want an alarm, and that would tend to put you off as a potential buyer as where else have they cut corners. Also, for this market, a buyer would question why it isn't the standard Honda alarm, and again it might put some people off because an aftermarket one is a mod.