Alarm systems - oem or after market

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DennisLJacob
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Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2016 9:31 pm
Location: Genoa, Nevada

Alarm systems - oem or after market

Post by DennisLJacob »

So my '87 M6 has an alarm system installed in it. The unit was/is mounted to the top of the glove box ceiling. I've pulled it out to inspect it, and it has a huge "BMW" trademark top cover sticker all over it. I have no idea who made it or whether or not it is even functioning. I have a little 4" by 5" cheat sheet card with "BMW Security Alarm System" as its title with it identified as the "quick reference card". Anyone familar with this thing? Anyone have a installation or removal manual for it?

I use to install UnGo Box alarm systems in the late '70's and early '80's, but this one is a mystery. The UnGo box systems had an ignition cutoff as part of their system. So if you cut the wires, the car still wouldn't start. So I don't want to just start cutting wires and hope everything works afterwards. So if anyone has a manual for this thing, I'd really appreciate it.

Now for replacement. What are folks using and are they happy with them? Does your system lock and unlock doors? How about ignition cutoff? What other features do you like? Dislike? Would you install something different? If so what?

Again thanks for your input, Dennis
1987 M6, 1998 Dinan SC MZ3 Roadster
francoid

Re: Alarm systems - oem or after market

Post by francoid »

Picking this up. I don't really believe in these systems. In my experience they are the source of more pain than they are worth...

No idea how to remove an unknown system. Pictures maybe?
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DennisLJacob
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Re: Alarm systems - oem or after market

Post by DennisLJacob »

Is that a Newfoundland as your sig? I used to have Akita's and Newfies where also on my list of breed choices. That was when I lived in Denver, Colorado. They had real winters there. Not so much here in Northern Nevada. I'm on the east side of the Sierra mountains, so snow and cold is a 50/50 proposition. We really haven't had a "winter" here in the last 5 years. I'm not complaining, it just that winter never missed hitting Denver. So double coated dogs weren't out of place. Here it would be quite a bit harder for a double coated dogs to live happily in this climate. Cool dogs though.
1987 M6, 1998 Dinan SC MZ3 Roadster
francoid

OFF TOPIC - My sig pic

Post by francoid »

Yes it is! We have had Newfies for more than 12 years, all the while in Colorado. Unfortunately, our oldest passed 2 months ago. We still have a 6 year old Landseer. We also have another double coated dog, a Bernese Mountain puppy. Colorado is not easy for these big dogs either. While we indeed have a real winter that they really enjoy, it can get really hot and dry in the summer... When I built their doghouse, I put a swamp cooler in it!!!
I love Akitas. Very, very different temperament though!
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DennisLJacob
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Re: Alarm systems - oem or after market

Post by DennisLJacob »

Francoid, Where are you in Denver? I moved to Nevada in 2009. Wish I hadn't made that change now. But I'm doing my best to make it work. Family health problems. I sold a Historic home in Mayfair (between Park Hill and Hilltop). A one of a kind home that I spent 24 years restoring. Had it just right when life changed. Are you in Denver proper? Or elsewhere?
1987 M6, 1998 Dinan SC MZ3 Roadster
francoid

OFF TOPIC - My sig pic

Post by francoid »

Here are the girls:
Image
The one on the left passed in June at the age of 12.
I am in SW suburbia but I see where you home would be. Worth a lot of money these days...
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DennisLJacob
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off topic akita photos

Post by DennisLJacob »

So here are my three kids. Dad is Striker - aka Strike a Deal - I Struck a deal ($0) and rescued him from the original buyer. Mom is Mani - aka Mani Happy Returns - I picked her up on April 15th, 1991, Tax Day in the USA. I was a CPA tax accountant. Mani was my first Akita. She was a lover of everyone, great temperment. Then daughter Sweetie - aka Mani Strikes Again. Mani decided Striker would be a good dad. She made him do it. Sweetie also has a nice "sweetheart" shaped marking on her right side. Striker was a Champion, Mani was almost a Champion, but had emergency surgery shortly after giving birth and couldn't have more kids and had to be spade. Sweetie too was heading towards her championship when she developed a medical problem and had to be spade too. All where "family dogs" first, and then for fun in the show ring. Mani and Sweetie died in the same year, only a few months apart in 2005 with Striker going a year earlier. I would really like to get another Akita, but my home is in an area where neighbor dogs run free, and we know Akitas can be rather protective of their property and family members. It is also rural and could be confused with prey and get shot by local ranchers. So for now, no Akitas, but my father has a nice Golden Retriever that's "all in the family". For me - dogs have been my family. I don't have any kids or a wife. So dogs are family to me.
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1987 M6, 1998 Dinan SC MZ3 Roadster
francoid

OFF TOPIC

Post by francoid »

Note: this may best be moved to the saloon :)

Nice Akitas indeed! And yes, they are family, here as well!
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Re: Alarm systems - oem or after market

Post by Tommys 89 635 »

I've had my Alpine alarm since 1995 with a radar sensor and it still works great. The radar sensor, senses movement inside your car and it triggers the alarm, either chirping, blinking lights or both. I chose blinking lights just best in case people are standing by your car window, trying to get into their car it will sense it. The cool thing is, if I have the window rolled down half or all the way - you stick your arm in, it will trigger the alarm.
Tommy
1989 635 CSI (Second owner since Jun 1995, driven daily and retired in 2013 with 295k to occasional driving)
2011 335D (Daily driver) with 103,550
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DennisLJacob
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Re: Alarm systems - oem or after market

Post by DennisLJacob »

Tommy, does your alarm system look like this:
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1987 M6, 1998 Dinan SC MZ3 Roadster
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DennisLJacob
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Re: Alarm systems - oem or after market

Post by DennisLJacob »

This box was glued to the roof of the glove box. I've removed the wiring loom and nearly all of the cabling. I have one non-oem cable that I'm worried about though. It is grey in color and seems to disappear into the A pillar. But the car starts without anything connected. I tried starting the car with just the wiring loom disconnected from the alarm box, and that worked. Then I disconnected the grey wire, and the car still started. Now I've completely removed the wiring loom and the car still starts. So - so far so good. But I don't have any seats in the car, so I don't know if the car will actually drive anywhere. I would have thought there would be a disconnect disabling device that would make the car undrivable or not start if the wires to the alarm were cut. But may be not. But that’s what I’d use the grey wire for if it were me.

I use to buy and install UnGo Box alarm systems back in the late 1970's and early 1980's. If you cut the wires to that alarm system, you still weren't going anywhere. There was a wire that if cut would disable the car from starting. But those alarms were designed by a couple Porsche owning brothers who got tired of their cars being stolen. They even mastered putting additional batteries in the car for their systems. Apparently the oem battery was located right at the front of the car, and could be easily disengaged or rendered dead by drilling a well placed hole in the undercarriage that would pierce the oem batteries.

Tommy, what does your dash light/led/mic/? look like? I don't have a photo of mine at the moment to share. On mine, one of the wires was cut from the back side of the device. The white wire was cut at the back of the dash plugin. The red, blue and yellow where intact. Included in the wiring loom was a 3.5mm male plug and female coupler. Only it wasn't attached to anything. It was just wrapped up and taped to the rest of the wiring loom. I'd call the installation mickey-mouse. I'm uncertain on what to replace it with. I'd like something that at least has door locking and unlocking. Glass breakage and movement or bump triggers. I hate it when someone does a big door ding or a parking lot bumper hit and then leave as quickly as possible before anyone can write down a license plate number. It costs a lot of money to fix these cars and with 30 year old paint, uncertainty about easy paintless repairs or color matching and accident reporting on carfax reports.

Any suggestions on a replacement?
1987 M6, 1998 Dinan SC MZ3 Roadster
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