I couldn't get enough info on wiring an aftermarket alarm in, so Custom Car Stereo in Houston is currently babysitting my A4 while they install a Clifford Concept 60.<p>They were the ONLY shop in town who knew JACK about Audi's (having done a lot of work for Don McGill Audi). Everyone else said, "oh no problem, we'll figger it out in no time...". Yeah sure, but not on my dime and my car!<p>Well, i thunk the concept 60 will do a good job of preventing the car from getting away...just need to add some rocket-propelled concrete anchors for when I'm parking, so no-one tries to flat-bed my car(grin).<p>The installers still haven't decided for sure if the factory alarm will stay active or bypassed entirely. Apparently the Concept 20 & 40 seem to make the factory alarm (convenience pkg) happy, but the 60 is "twice the wiring and four times the work of the 40". We'll see. The reason I hope they both arm at the same time is that they didn't think they could integrate the factory LED's near the door locks (1998.5), so I'm a bit bummed cuz they looked cool. Also they were easier to see than one on the dash.<p>steve.....cruisin' in a Camry<br>

Steve - Has Custom Car stereo done any work on integrating digital phones into the Audi? Where are they located? Also, why are you putting in an additional alarm system? What don't you like about the Audi alarm?<p>Cruising around in a loaner Jetta till my car arrives. It is sitting lonely at the Port of Houston waiting for me....hope to have it by tomorrow!

Custom Car Stereo is on 59 just south of Fondren...in the same strip center as Momentum Volvo. <p>My A4 was the cheapest car (by about 1/2) in their lot! I was parked between a Viper and a LX470.<p>Go see them at www.customcarstereo.com.<p>I would imagine that if the digital phone can be done...they could do it...for what price, I know not.<p>The factory alarm has no vibration/shock sensor & its level of protection is fairly minimal. The Concept 60 has hood protection & for $35 more, I got a trunk trigger (if it opens, the alarm is triggered...not a trunk opener). The concept 60 has shock sensors (with warn away) & a glass break sensor. Also, the 60 adds carjack protection...gets you out...vehicle dies a distance away while you call the cops.<p>Personally, I would just use my Colt Delta Elite 10mm as my carjack protection, but I've got a wife to think about, now. And, even tho' we're in the suburbs, there have been two stolen cars in our neighborhood recently & at least two carjackings at nearby stoplights. Rich kids who are bored & townies who come out to steal suburb stuff...<p>steve...advocate of the "one strike, you're out" punishment policy.

IMHO, I think that the factory alarm system is all the protection you really need. If a true professional wants your car, they'll get your car. For the other hackers out there who attempt a break-in here and there, I think the LED light alone is enough of a deterrent. Luckily, the cars that are stolen the most are not the cars you'd think. A '90 Accord is much more likely to be stolen than a new A4, because of the demand for parts out there.<p>Mike

I have an aftermarket stereo, which I would prefer to hang on to...AND the alarm is cheaper than my deductible & associated rise in insurance if the car is trashed or stolen. <p>So not only is there an LED, but if the thief goes one step further & taps the car to see if there is a warn away shock sensor (attached to a more complex than stock alarm), he gets a reassuring chirp to remind him that the next car will be easier than mine.<p>steve

sixhundredninetyninebonesplustax<p>other places would do it cheaper, but, like i said, they hadn't ever been through an A4...<p>steve

It's just a thought....<p>Cris

http://www.clifford.com/con60.html<p>It may be an .htm instead of .html<p>Try both...good explanation...

1 at service merchandise (59 @ williams trace) & 1 near boston market/chik fil a (hwy 6 @ lexington).<p>both within last 6 months<p>Attempted car jacking over near the whataburger in front of Randalls/Sears on Hwy 6...guy in a cherokee threw his keys away & ran off to call the cops, but the bad guys bolted when they couldn't find the keys.<p>Sugar Land doesn't usually get mentioned on local news TV, but if you read the area crime reports in the freebie local papers, you see lots of automobile type crime.<p>1 Civic & 1 Accord went missing from our neighborhood.<p>sorry for the lack of Audi content!<br>steve

I had almost the same alarm on my '95 Eclipse. It was called something else, and didn't have the Blackjax(sp?) protection, but everything else seems the same. I absolutely loved it! It was so easy to adjust and control because 99% could be done using the remote control. Beware though, the dual zone motion detectors on my system were very temperature sensitive, requiring me to reset the ranges every couple of months. Let us know how it integrates with the Audi alarm. When I had it installed, it ran completely independent of the Mitsu factory alarm.

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