Welcome to “Dear Cody” where I answer some questions from concerned and confused customers!

Today I’ll be answering a thought provoking letter I received from someone who does not understand why anyone would ever want to buy an aftermarket car alarm. Let’s help him out!

Dear Cody,

I hate aftermarket car alarm systems. What’s the point? I already have a factory alarm and most car manufacturers already include alarms on cars nowadays. So why would anyone buy an aftermarket one? It’s not like aftermarket ones are better. The car manufacturer is THE CAR MANUFACTURER. The manufacturer is going to know what’s best for the cars they make. Aftermarket products are just asking for trouble. All it takes is someone cutting or splicing the wrong wire, and the entire electrical system is gone! Poof! As a concerned consumer, I strongly urge you to stop selling aftermarket car alarm systems. I HATE THEM!!!!

Sincerely,

The Rollin’ Troller

Dear Rollin’ Troller, 

You bring up some great points. A lot of cars DO come with factory alarms so let me lay out some of the benefits:

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2-Way Paging

2-Way Paging– Many aftermarket systems use 2-Way paging to alert you if your vehicle has been tampered with. This feedback can be audio, visual, a vibration or a combination of all 3. Some even allow you to sync up your system with your Smartphone and you can receive SMS or email alerts.

Extra range– Most aftermarket systems have a range between 1000 feet to 1 mile. The range isn’t a benefit for its lock and unlock abilities; it’s for the 2-way paging system I just mentioned (although if you want to unlock your car from that far away go for it, but it can be useful if you forget to lock your car). The longer the range, the more aware you’ll be of your vehicle’s status.

GPS Tracking– Oh yes, aftermarket alarm makers now offer GPS capabilities on their alarms. This feature allows you to track your vehicle’s location in real time – great for parents with teenage drivers. Not only that, you can set curfew and perimeter alerts. If your teen is out too late or goes outside the perimeter you’ll be notified straight away. And, if your vehicle is ever stolen, you can track its location so the authorities can find it faster.

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Expandability Options– Aftermarket alarms usually come with ports to connect additional sensors like tilt sensors or proximity sensors, backup batteries to keep your alarm going even if your battery is disabled, or even additional sirens like the piezo siren which emits an ear shattered 125dB tone. And that bad boy siren gets mounted inside the vehicle too, so it’ll absolutely destroy any would-be thief’s ears.

And as far as messing up your install, alarms nowadays come with detailed instructions and wiring diagrams. If you’re not the DIY person, just take it to your local installer, or if you’re in the area, bring it to our Valencia location and   our skilled installers can hook it up for you.

Buying an aftermarket alarm and the cost of an install is still going to be less than you pay from the car manufacturer AND it’s going to be better. So to answer your question: Why would anyone ever buy an aftermarket car alarm…

Because it makes sense! That’s why!

Sincerely,

Cody

Don’t let your stuff and your car get stolen, invest in a car alarm security system today!