reign

I'm thinking about picking up one of the Viper 2-way alarms at best buy (I also work there ) I'm assuming that the alarm replaces the keyless entry system ... does that have any problems with the trunk and it's button thing?

lilman4210

I'm not really sure about on the tC. It's such a new car that you should talk to your install bay about it.

They will tell you what parts you'll need and exactly how it'll work.

___

reign

I dont' trust the guys in my install bay. Haha I worked with one of them on my Tech Bench before he got transferred, and he was a complete moron.
I'd most likely be doing the install myself. I've done keyless entry before. Besides, my dad's a Toyota mechanic so he has to know these cars.

___

zilasram

I am totally satisfied w/ my Scion Security system . . .

I also checked out a Clifford system w/ remote start and two-paging. Got a price quote around $500. Cool stuff.

But then I saw the Scion system for only $230 w/ self installation, I was sold.

Remote start is cool, but I have a Manual. And paging is neat too, but I don't know how practical and reliable the
technology is right now, to me its just bells and whistles at this point.

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reign

I just picked up a Viper 771XV with remote start from best buy. Most likely going to do the install myself ... havn't decided yet. It has a kill switch for the remote start so I'm just going to keep it off unless I know I want to use it (like cold days) or make sure it's off when other people drive my car ... I park in neutral.

Are there any wiring diagrams available for the tC so I can just map out what goes where ahead of time? Also is there an install manual for the Scion Security system for the tC in PDF form anywhere? I could use that as a reference for wire locations and all.

jlaznlover

I was going to get an alarm when i first got my car. but I decided not to. because its a new car, i want the install guys to get know the wiring diagrams a bit more. so when they finally work on mine, they don't F up. haha

Big insurance drop? hmmm I'm with State Farm and I asked my agent how much of a drop it would be by adding an alarm. she said very little. like 5 bucks off a month. not a very big drop in premium. but at least it is something.
Most likely I will get an alarm by the end of this year.

__________________

zilasram

go here for the scion system install manual . .. .

http://www.toyotaparts4u.com/installation_manuals.htm

. .look under tC .. .


tC VIP parts include a wiring harness and two modules that fit up behind the glove box .. .and of course the security light w/ glass break sensor

... all wiring is done behind the dash .. .

PDM72

Knowing nothing about alarms, I got the ultimate in overpriced offerings--Lojack plus an alarm with early warning. I didn't want remote start because I couldn't really see myself ever using it--but Lojack with an alarm is a mandatory 35% discount here, so over time, it will pay for itself, I think, considering insurance is pretty expensive here. The early warning is cool because it will notify you by cell phone, e-mail, whatever, if your car is moved--not a bad thing in these tow happy parts, and you don't have to be within a certain range of it. Since I have no time, ability, or inclination to attempt to install anything myself that involves wires of any kind, I had to factor in the time I'd spend obsessively trying to pick something else and then having it installed--it just seemed like the easiest option for me. I'm finding myself a bit overprotective of this car.

Shadow_tC

Okay. I had Scion Security on the other tC that I had and I noticed that I paid $469 for a blinking light and an "alarm" that let me know if someone had already broken into my car. Yeah...alot of good that's gonna do me. Who cares if they've already broken in?! The damage is done! And you don't need an alarm to let you know that your window was broken. You can see that on your seat.

So here's the list:
Intrusion Detection - Useful AFTER someone has broken into your car...not a deterrant.
Audible Warning - Only activated when glass is broken or a door is opened without your Scion key. And if you want to test it, you have to have a certain tool with a certain frequency that only your Scion dealer will have (as told to me by a Scion Rep.). Ask them, and they won't know what you're talking about (as told to me by my Service Manager).
Passive and Active Arming - Same as keyless entry, except this time it's "armed", not just locked. Peace of mind, I guess.
Starter Disabler - Standard with Keyless Entry.
Panic Feature - Standard with Keyless Entry.
LED Status Indicator - Blinking light. I swear you won't care about this after your window is broken. If you have tint, you won't even see this...trust me.
Dome Light Illumination - Standard with Keyless Entry.
Valet Mode - na
Flashing Parking Lights - Standard with Keyless Entry.

My point is, why spend $469 for a system that will only go off after the damage has been done? Then you have to pay for a new window or door repairs, which would bring your total to around $900, right? ($469 for an alarm that did nothing + repairs) If you had a system that warned people that your car has an alarm, they'd be less likely to mess with it.
Last time I went into the Scion dealer, the service guy told me that he thinks Scion is putting a shock sensor with their Scion Security systems. This is the only way I would purchase that system again.
It's cool that you don't have to use 2 remotes to disarm your car, but I would rather go through the hassle of using 2 remotes if I knew that theves would be deterred by my alarm system.

- Desi

zilasram

. . .blue

. . . sorry . .but it sound like they didn't turn up the sensitivity on you glass break sensor. . . and how many tC's do you have anyway????

. . . mine goes off when you start fiddling with the door or the glass. . . you don't need a tool. . . .that's what the manual said .. . .i just used my hands and fumble around the doors abit . . .


. . .and if you have tint, what makes you think that they'll see that light instead of the scion one. . . .


. .if they're going to break into your car, they'll do it regardless. . . maybe someone did it for sh!tz and giggles .. .

i'm sorry you got burned, but sounds like sour grapes to me .. . .

komik

My friend has one of those 2-way viper alarms. Her window still got broken while she was in the restaurant next to the parking lot. The remote didn't make any noise.

Shadow_tC

Alright dude. You must think I'm an F***ing idiot. There IS NO WAY to turn up the sensitivity for the alarm. There is no "glass break sensor", just a microphone that is supposed to detect certain sounds (like glass breaking). I took it back to Toyota and they said that there's nothing they could do about it. Also, no one, and I mean NO ONE could make the alarm go off...and I wasn't willing to break my window to see if it worked or not. Oh, and just quoting myself from my last message: "I had Scion Security on the other tC that I had..." meaning, I don't have that one anymore. I have a different one now. I have 1 tC...but what does it matter if I have more?
I read the manual. It said that if you hit the glass in the center with your key, it should give you some type of warning sign. I did that, but I didn't want to hit it with such force that I might crack or chip the window. I also tried it by locking myself in the car to see if the "microphone" would better detect the glass ticking. Nothing. I tried it with other objects, too. Still nothing. I called Scion and talked to some guy who couldn't tell me why my alarm didn't go off. All he could say is that it will go off whenever the glass was broken or the door was opened by force. The only way that I could test my alarm would be to take it back to Toyota/Scion and have them use some special tool that will use a certain frequency to make the alarm sound. Don't believe me? Call them yourself. And what are the odds of a thief hitting your glass with that exact frequency? hahaha Little to NONE.

Ugh. Did you not read my message? If you have tint, they're not going to see the light. Maybe you'll feel better that you have a cute little red blinking light in your car. Not me.
And yes, I know that if someone really wants to break into your car, they are going to do it. It's a fact. But don't you think that if someone heard your alarm chirping as a deterrant, they'd be less likely to actually break in? I'd rather have my car make tons of noise and bother everybody than to have my car broken into. But that's just me.
Viper alarms have 2 shock sensors. Their alarm should have gone off with the shock of the glass breaking. That alarm you can adjust. The Scion Security you can not.

- Desi

zilasram

blue,
. . .first breath in , breath out .. .

. . .i don't know what they told you, but i installed the system myself. . . .. and YES you can adjust the sensitivity of the GBS . . .

don't look in the instruction manual . .. . look in the installation manual .. . .

. .. apparently, they set it too low or at the default. . . . i had to increase my sensitivity . .. .

. .don't use a product as a scapegoat, when most likely it was put in my some jackazz who didn't give a damn if your car was broken into or not .. . .

example. .. . i have a dodge neon that need an alignment .. . .brought it in to dealer . .. they tell me that the power steering pump is bad and that's why the vehicle pulls to the right .. .but guess what, i didn't have any issues with my power steering (keep in mind that i know i needed an alignment) .. i thought they are educated technicians, so they must be right. . . . . .so i get the car and still pulls to the right .. . . i go back and i talk to the techs and the manager and get some bullsh!t story . . . .i also needed a number of other things to get done, that weren't even addressed. . . .AND THEY HAD MY CAR FOR THREE DAYS!!!!!!!!!!! . .. please take what they say to you with a grain of salt. . . .

. .. know you understand. . . this is why i do as much of the work as possible on my vehicle myself. . .. .i understand what was done and what wasn't . . .dealers and technicians don't really give a damn .. . .they lie, make you wait . . . . dodge your questions, etc. . .

.. . i am sorry that your car was broken into . .. .but it happens, and taking a dealer/techs word doesn't help .. . .read the forms, you'll see .. .

. . .and get the security system you want .. . .its your car .. . . i am on the record as being satisfied with my scion system . .. you don't have to be . . . i'll understand. .

peace
z

Shadow_tC

zilasram,
I took my car to the dealer to have them turn up the sensitivity on the alarm, and when I went back to get my car a day later, they told me that there was no way to turn up the sensitivity. I was like, "What? You can adjust the sensitivity on ANY alarm!" and they said that this one you couldn't. So of course, I left ____ed. I had an '02 Corolla S and I knew how to adjust the alarm on that one. I even asked if I could just have a regular Toyota alarm put on instead of the one I was unhappy with, and they said no. Toyota makes their parts easy to install, basically plug & play as I was told, and it wouldn't work with a different vehicle, esp. a different make. They would have to cut wires and I could have problems later.
If I would've installed it myself, I would've known that the sensitivity could be adjusted. I purchased the parts when I purchased my vehicle, so the dealer installed the alarm.
I had my work done at one dealer, but called my usual service guy at another dealer to see what he would tell me. He said that as far as he knew, there was no way to adjust the sensitivity. I felt like I was left with an expensive blinking light! I had gotten nowhere with going to the dealers or calling Scion directly. The system worked exactly the way it did before I had the "alarm" installed. If you're alarm goes off when the car is being messed with, that's cool...you got a good alarm. I at least wanted it to do something to warn you when you beat on the car! My car never made any sounds except when I pushed the panic button.
My car was never broken into...but I know if someone wants to break in, nothing is going to stop them.
Last time I was at the dealer, the Scion Tech. told me that he believes the Scion Security system for the tC is going to have a shock sensor soon, along with the microphone to detect window tapping/glass breakage. If the new alarm has a shock sensor, I would be more inclined to re-purchase this system for my current tC. I would much rather not hassle with 2 remotes, but if it's the difference between having an alarm that will warn others vs. one that will go off after the vehicle has been broken into, I'll take the 2 remotes.

- Desi

ScionLawyer

I had the Scion Security installed today. I will not rehash all that has been said, but Scion gives you a guarantee that provides that it will reimburse you for your insurance deductable (up to $2,500) if you car is stolen. Another point is that Scion Security uses one of those blanks next to the mirror adjust. That is the part that has the LED red light and the glass break sensor. I'm on a mission to fill each of those blanks...LOL

jglonek

Yeah, I had the security system installed too. It seems to be fine for me; the only bad part is it takes 30 seconds to arm, eek!

But it has window break sensors, sensors if the door is forced open or unlocked from the inside.. so thats fine for me.

And ya, I want to fill all the blanks too! One is the LED's, one is the Security.. one is the fog lights I believe.. what would the final one be?

JasonH

I think there are four blanks, right? Well, I have the under-dash lights and a switch for my sub, so two of them are used. If I got fog lights and the alarm they would use the other two. I find all but the leftmost switch pretty hard to see, so don't put anything there that you want to keep an eye on.

ScionLawyer

I believe that the Scion Security System manual states that the arm set time is adjustable. I recall reading that you can set it to arm in 15, 30, 45 or 60 seconds. You may want to check that out.

There are four blanks. One is the light set. Another is the alarm. Third would be the fog lights. Forth....hummm....what can I put in that blank?

lucky

"Forth....hummm....what can I put in that blank?"

Garage door opener switch.

JasonH

That's in the mirror.