Your car is one of the most valued assets in your possession, besides for your home. Aftermarket car alarms have been developed to take that worry off of your mind and to give you the power to protect yourself from a car theft.

The best aftermarket car alarm system is the Clifford 5906X 2-Way Security System with Remote Start that ensures your car has the ultimate protection.

If you invest into a premium security alarm system for your vehicle, the majority of car insurers will take note. This means you will be able to get better insurance premiums as well as ensuring your pride and joy is kept secure.

Best Aftermarket Alarms For Your Vehicle

Aftermarket Car Alarm	Type	Our Rating
Clifford 5906X	Premium	4.9
Viper 4706v	Premium	4.7
EASYGUARD EC002	Mid Range	4.8
Viper 350 PLUS	Mid Range	4.7
Avital 4113LX	Budget	4.7
CrimeStopper SP-101	Budget	4.6

Many alarms come with useful features such as remote start, keyless entry, GPS tracking and smartphone compatibility. Back in the 1990’s, aftermarket car alarms were big money to buy and install but nowadays, the whole kit is much cheaper.

Aftermarket car alarms are mostly bought by classic car owners wanting to secure their vehicle. The majority of modern cars have expensive alarms and immobilizers already installed but not every car will have these.

The hardest decision is deciding which security system to avoid and whether it will work for you. Below are the best aftermarket car alarm systems for your car that include features from remote start, keyless entry and much more.

Clifford 5906X 2-Way Security System

The most expensive aftermarket alarm system is the Clifford 5906X, which is the most complex kit that Clifford have developed. The 5906X 2 way alarm system comes with an impressive one mile operating range so you can receive notifications, remote start, LCD remote for notifications.

Clifford are one of the best and well known brands of car alarm systems and I personally have this exact system in my Mercedes R129 SL convertible. It is an expensive option but you want the best in order to protect your pride and joy.

Using the excellent LCD remote control you are able to receive notifications from up to one mile away such as whether the doors are open or if the car has been disturbed. Using the remote, there are also icons that you can choose to remote start your car, lock and unlock and of course set the alarm.

The ability for trunk release is useful for when you are carrying large amounts of items and the Clifford 5906X has the capability to do this.

Using the FREE downloadable app called “SmartSmart”, you are able to have complete control of your cars security and remote starting, which is useful if you do not have the keyfob with you. It is the best aftermarket car alarm system you can buy but not suitable for those on a budget.

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Viper 4706V 2-Way System

The Viper 4706v is the top of the range aftermarket remote start system that Viper currently produce and an excellently designed LCD remotes. With a simple to use 5 button layout and LCD screen, you are able to view priority icons and text easily where you can read messages and perform commands.

A great feature that none of the above have is a temperature gauge inside the car that will tell you how hot or cold the inside of the car is. This is great because you are able to prepare your clothes beforehand and you can make use of the remote start feature to warm the car up before getting inside.

Like the Clifford 5906X, the 4706V has a one mile radius for messages to come through the LCD remote if the car has been disturbed and a siren will also output on the remote control.

The Viper 4706V can also be used with the smartphone application SmartSmart that allows users to read messages and perform commands, as well as track where the vehicle is located. The Viper 4706V is the top of the range remote start system that would be a great addition to any vehicle.

Overall, the Viper 4706V has the most attractive key fob and offers a lot of features but it is part of the high end aftermarket alarm category that many cannot afford.

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EASYGUARD EC002 Smart Key Car Alarm System

The Easyguard EC002 is slightly different from the average car alarm system because the kit comes with a keyboard entry system as well as a button to start the car. The keyboard system used in the Easyguard car alarm system has the benefit of being really easy to use with no messing around with transponders.

The push to start button included in this system will allow you to start your car with no keys, which can be very useful at times. It is recommended that you have a professional fit this system because there will be a fair amount of wiring to do however, the instructions are included in plain English.

If you are looking for a keypad password and also a push to start button, then the Easyguard EC002 will be the best car alarm system for you and its a big thumbs up for the competitive price.

Overall, the Easyguard is the best aftermarket car alarm as an all rounder with both plenty of features and value for money. The brand is not well known but you will not be disappointed with this car alarm system.

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Viper 350 PLUS 3105V 1-Way

The Viper 350 aftermarket alarm is a 3 channel 1 way system with the added feature of keyless entry. Other features include a remote start for your car as well as GPS tracking from your smart phone to track where your car is located.

The 350 3105V is one of the Viper’s popular aftermarket car alarm systems and for good reason. The FailSafe starter kill system and Anti-Carjacking mode will ensure that thieves will not be able to drive away in your car. However, if a criminal chucked a brick at the window, there is no stopping them taking goods left in the vehicle.

The Viper kit boasts of a flashing blue LED that warns thieves from the off what they are up against if they decide to steal the car. If they do get in the car through a smashed glass, then the 3105V will output a rather loud 6 tone alarm siren that will be sure to wake all your neighbors and of course yourself.

The 3105V comes with all the kit you need and is a cheaper system compared with the Clifford alternative. It is the best car alarm system for the money and the 350 is still rated highly over the latest model.

The Clifford includes more features and is the better system in the majority of case but that is if you can afford to buy it in the first place.

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Avital 4113LX Car Alarm

The Avital 4113LX is a highly rated aftermarket car alarm and has the ability for remote starting. The remote start allows the engine to start up without the need to be in the car and turn the key, which is ideal for warming up the car on cold mornings.

There are also several modes such as “Valet” which won’t output your alarm if the car is being washed. Another mode is “Panic”, which will output an aggressive alarm as well as flashing the parking lights. The Bypass module will also be required for this aftermarket car alarm system to be installed if not already in the car.

The Avital 4113LX Car Alarm offers great value for money and compared with the other Avital models, the 4113LX is the best buy.

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CrimeStopper SP-101 Kit

The CrimeStopper SP101 Car Alarm system offers great value and comes with everything you need to wire in an aftermarket alarm on a budget. As peace of mind, the CrimeStopper SP-101 comes with a lifetimes warranty and they claim their product is recognized by insurance companies to reduce your premium.

The alarms siren output is measured at 125 decibels and will be triggered on force entry via a 2 stage electronic shock sensor. Also provided in the kit are various LED’s that provide information of the alarms current state (triggered, armed/disarmed), which also acts as a deterrent to car criminals.

The CrimeStopper SP-101 is excellent value for money and comes with all the kit you require for a reliable alarm. As there is no complex features such as remote start and so on, this alarm system is probably the easiest to install compared with the other systems.

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Aftermarket Car Alarm System Buying Guide

There will always be car thefts in America no matter what car alarm that you may or may not have. What is important is making the theft of a vehicle harder for the criminal and thus potentially saving your car being stolen. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, there were almost 700,000 thefts from a motor vehicle, which is truly shocking.

Of course, many new cars will have a car alarm as standard, but are these car alarms secure enough? Do they provide tracking and other useful security features that all car alarms should have? Many car alarm immobilizers from premium car manufactures can even be cloned within minutes allowing a car criminal access to your car. The age of going equipped with a screwdriver are long gone, now all you need is a blank key and a computer.

The best alternative is to go with an aftermarket car alarm kit where you can choose the features and complexity. You are able to choose from anything such as GPS tracking via your smartphone to video surveillance and even remote car start systems.

You may live in a sketchy neighborhood that has high crime rates or just want peace of mind that your pride and joy is safe. Without an alarm system in place, the worry will start effecting  your sleep and worst comes to worst, you may have your car stolen. Some aftermarket alarm systems can be installed by yourself at home but I would highly recommend a professional fit the alarm and give you a run through on how the car alarm works.

There are a wide ranging selection of car alarm systems and remote start kits available but some are good and others are very bad. In my opinion, if you are happy to fit the system yourself because you have good knowledge, the cheaper alarm systems will be ideal. I say this because if you have the cheaper alarm system and had it professional installed, you will have paid by the hour for the installation as well as having to pay again if something were to go wrong. The Avital 5103L alarm system is a very good amount of kit for very little money, which you could install yourself with some background knowledge.

However, the best alarm system and car remote start has to be the Clifford 5906X 2-Way Car Alarm, which beats the more expensive Clifford. The complexity of the alarm system is second to none and the full kit comes with all the equipment you require. The best remote start system would be the Viper alternative that has an excellent 1 mile range as well as a LCD remote. In my opinion, the LCD remote is great looking compared to all other competitors.

Alarm systems and additional security such as high quality locking wheel nuts or tinted windows is a great way to protect your car even further. Sadly car theft is still a popular act by car criminals worldwide and as car owners we need to spend on car security.

Type Of Car Alarm

The choice on deciding what type of alarm system can be based upon two primary types of automotive alarm systems. The two types of systems are active and passive alarm systems.

Passive alarm systems are automatically set when the car has had its engine stopped and the doors are shut. In essence, the car is in the passive mode, and henceforth, so is the alarm system that is protecting it.

Active alarm systems have to be manually activated by the car owner. The usual method for a person to activate their car alarm system would be to press a button to arm the system.

Features and Advantages

Most car alarms have the basic features that can be operated by the unit, but the device can be operated with additional settings that may have interests for an automobile owner.

There are settings that can be implemented into the system that allows for an automatic rearming of the alarm. The system will rearm the alarm and lock the doors if the automobile owner doesn’t disarm the system before opening the doors. This is a helpful advantage if the car owner is distracted and forgets to arm the system or lock the doors when they depart the car.

When the ignition is activated, the doors of the automobile will be locked. The doors will unlock when the ignition is turned off and the key is taken out. This feature can be programmed to operate in many different modes and combinations, depending on the situation.

The trunk can be programmed by the system to open by itself in order to allow the car owner to have easy access. This can be very helpful when you are carrying a large load and need to place something into the trunk of the car without having to place items onto the ground. (d) The system can be set up to have a car location feature that allows the car owner to discover where their car is by pressing a button. The car will send out several sounds as well as flash lights to signify to the owner that this is where their automobile is located. This can be very helpful to the automobile owner when they forget where they parked their car.

Car Alarm Sensors

Sensors that are located on the device must be able to operate without failure or complication. The best automobile alarm systems have a multitude of sensors that can detect many different types of variables. More sensors, mean more eyes upon those who are trying to steal or rob your car.

For most systems, door sensors are the basic need for a system, but other more expensive systems carry additional sensors that can be installed or that come with more complex systems.

Movement sensors can detect when the car is bumped or disturbed. This means that any type of touching or intrusion that is done to the car will activate the alarm system, and alert the owner.

Broken window detectors are used to alert the system when an intruder tries to break one of the windows of the car. A microphone is used to detect if such a situation has happened to the car. A pressure sensor is also used to detect motion on the window to see if it has been broken. Pressure on the window alerts the system that the window has been vandalized or robbed and the system needs to be alerted.

Motion sensors are incorporated into the system to allow for detection of motion near the automobile.

Alarm Sirens Once Activated

The sirens that are used by the unit to alert the owner and others that the car is being vandalized, robbed, or stolen. The sound is strong and disturbing enough to force any would be criminal to avoid your automobile.

Some car owners may not have used their car horn for many months so be sure that it is working whilst wiring in the alarm system. Even better, at the same time you can upgrade your car horn with a loud car horn to increase your security system awareness when activated.

Installation and Use Documentation

Does the device come with good documentation that allows the owner to understand the many different components? Is there information that is located on the internet or does it come with the device? If the owner is attempting to install the automotive alarm system into the car, then they need good information in detail in order to place the system inside the car.

An automotive multimeter for testing is a vital tool that you would require to wire in any aftermarket car alarm system properly. You will be able to ensure that electric is flowing to the features of the security system.

What Should You Consider Before Buying

For most people who are on a limited budget will discover that a door sensor will fit into your finances better. The problem with using door sensors is that they are easy to circumvent and in the end, cost you more money than you hoped to expect by using a cheaper system.

A window can be broken, allowing for the thief to gain entry into your car. Usually, motion sensors will accommodate for the lack of detection from purchasing less expensive alarm systems. The problem with motion sensors is that they have to be accurately calibrated in order to work properly. If they aren’t set at the correct setting, then any type of motion will set off the alarm all the time because of the most moderate of movement on the car.

Winds, the leaves from a tree, or even hanging ornaments from your rear view mirror can also set these alarms off if they are not calibrated correctly. Another problem with these types of sensors is that if they are calibrated too low, then they will not work if the car is moved or bumped by a car thief. Motion sensors are very good for those who own a convertible. In the end, the wrong setting can either make your neighbors upset or your car can end up being a target for car thieves.

The siren needs to be powerful enough to make the thief stop or to think twice about pursuing their crime. The idea of the siren is to draw forth attention so that the people will be able to notice that your car is being robbed, vandalized, or stolen. Some alarms can also be used to disturb or to cause pain to the car thief, stopping them in their tracks. Some of these alarm systems are installed in the cabin of the car to cause the thief pain while trying to commit the crime.

Install the Car Alarm Yourself or Professionally?

Sometimes installing an alarm can be a difficult as the work may be too much for one person to handle. You will have to come to a decision to hire a professional or to do it yourself. One of the first steps will be to see if the documentation is good enough to explain the installation procedure accurately.

After the work has been surmised, the next step is to determine the cost of the procedure and to see if it is within your budget. The work may be something that you can handle physically, but if you don’t have the finances, then you will have to abandon the project.

Some of these features, as discussed in the guide above, can enhance your system, but they may be too complicated and expensive for the average system. Extras features that can be installed into the car also include:

1. A Key Fob or App Control which is used to activate and deactivate the system. Most of the best alarm systems have this feature installed with the car alarm.
2. A door locking system can also be installed with the system if it wasn’t already installed. It speaks for itself and primarily locks the doors to stop intruders from gaining entry into the automobile.
3. Driver’s door priority unlock means that the door can be remotely unlocked, but only on the driver’s side of the car. The other car doors will remain locked and secure, allowing for the driver to get into the car safely.
4. Window controls allow the car owner to control the windows from a distance.
5. The system can also have a remote starter that is attached. This device allows the person to start the car remotely without locking the doors or even leaving the house.

Using a remote system, such as a remote car starter, is one of the best features that are associated with having a car alarm. The best thing about having this feature is the added security, but it also brings with it added costs as well. The labor on this type of project will be extensive and may need the hand of a professional to be accurately installed into the car.

What About The Remote Starter?

If you do decide to install an added feature into your car alarm system, then adding a remote starter would be the logical course. These types of units allow a person to remotely start their car while remaining in a safe location.

The car also remains secure and safe when it is being started from a distance. This can help in a dangerous situation when you are trying to get away from an assailant. It is also covenant for those who live in rough weather and would like to warm their car up before they walk through the snow or rain.

When you are deciding on purchasing a remote car starter, then you may want to consider some steps to make sure that you end up with the right remote starter.

Range of Remote Starter

Check the range of the unit and make sure that it has the accurate distance that is needed to start the car. Check to what type of interference you may be dealing with when you are using the unit.

You may realize that there is no way to get around the cost, but the important point is will it work when you reach your car. You will be relying on this feature, you may want to make sure that it works when you decide to use it.

Buy Cheap Buy Twice

Make sure to install a good quality starter that is reliable. Make sure that it is installed by a professional or the quality of the unit may be lower.

Over-the-counter remote units are not good as good as the better-quality units that can be purchased and installed. Having a professional opinion can make a big difference when the device is installed into the car.

Ensure Your Car Is Compatible

The proper feature set must be included in the unit in order for it to perform as expected inside of the vehicle. Check to make sure that certain features will work and don’t just assume.

Check to see if the car is setup with keyless entry, or you will have to turn the car off again in order to gain entry because the factory entry settings will be in place and you will have to use the key to gain entry into the vehicle.

Installation Help

Buy and have the remote starter done at the same place. This will help to avoid issues when installation is being performed on the vehicle. Many times, a shop will not install a remote starter that was purchased from another store. If the place that you have purchased the remote starter from doesn’t install the unit, then don’t buy it.

Never compromise professional service and the quality of the unit, or you may discover that it will cost more when your car is stolen or robbed.

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