Keyless entry

[Zeroyon]

I shopped around at a couple different Toyota dealers before deciding which one to buy my Celica from. When I got it, it was from Carmax Toyota in Laurel, Md. The price was great and the car was exactly what I wanted, except lacking keyless entry. They said we could add it on as an option and have it installed later, so we went for that. What we actually got was some P.O.S "Rattler 100" system installed by the local Circuit City Roadshop. Pretty much since I got the thing it has had a mind of it's own. For instance, when I go to the mall or something, lock the car with the remote, leave it for a few hours and come back, it refuses to unlock by the transmitter. Only after using the key to unlock it manually does the remote work normally again. A different dealer I had browsed before I bought my car at Carmax had a keyless entry system already installed on a Celica (not the VIP alarm) that worked fine. Did any of you get your cars with a genuine Toyota keyless entry system? I think what I'm going to do is get the money back for the crap system Circuit City installed and check with different dealers about getting one made by Toyota, for Toyota's. I was just wondering if any of you guys got one with your car (like as a part of the option list and installed when you bought it) or if you've been having any similar problems. Thanks

[GReddy Celica]

I got Toyota VIP RS3200 alarm system as a factory option from Toyota, great security system, no problems so far, however its a quite expensive. I believe you can get one from www.toyotaguys.com for $199 shipped, and get it installed at your local dealership, not shure how much install is.

[Pribilof]

I had the toyota vip whatever in my car. Got rid of it. IMO it worked great as keyless entry but was worthless as far as security went. Got the Alpine unit instead. Awesome security, features, and the capability to add on most any feature you want at any point in time. True, it's expensive, but can you really put a price on peace of mind? :D

[djm221]

Any security system is essentialyl useless. Assholes have a way of getting around everything it seems.

[Pribilof]

True, but I don't know what else I could possibly have other than lojack system. I have radar, impact, glass, door, etc, and a hood lock so they can't cut the battery cable. And I replaced the 120db Alpine siren with a 140db one. It's REALLY goddamn loud. Any theives would have hearing damage if they stuck around too long.

[djm221]

Damn, do you live in the ghetto? That's a hell of a system.

[HilfigerCelica]

I have the Viper 550. The car didn't come with a secrurity system so the dealer add it on for me. It's bee two yrs and I'm satisfied.

[Pribilof]

Originally posted by djm221
Damn, do you live in the ghetto? That's a hell of a system.

I live in about as much of a ghetto as you get in Charlottesville. Where I live in St Louis I only lock my car at night whe it's at my house. But here in C'ville my roommate's car got broken into and subs, headunit, etc jacked. His alarm never went off. I was up all night and didnt hear a thing. The same theives have jacked systems from about 10 cars in this neighborhood. And I got a hella expensive system for around here. Sh!t, the first night I was here I hadn't completely moved in yet and I had an OLD kitchen table on the porch and THAT got stolen. I only paid 9 bucks for it. Who the hell steals a 9 dollar table?!?! So, yeah, anyone trying to break into my car is going to have a HELL of a tough time actually getting away with anything. BTW I also sleep with my window open even if its freezing outside just to be sure I can hear my alarm going off. One time my roommates set it off as a joke when I was in the shower and I ran out of the house bare-a$$ naked. Yeah, they didn't do that again.

[BoonyBoun]

THe VIP alarm sucks!! The only way it will go off is if you either open the door, or break a window!! I bet if i kick the **** out of the side of my car, that POS alarm still would not go off.

[Pribilof]

It won't go off if you hit your car with a jackhammer. I didn't think the VIP would go off if you broke a window either. I thought it only monitored a voltage drop.

[BoonyBoun]

It monitors the doors and back latch....it also has a glass break sensor thingamajig. My alarm has yet to go off. It's pretty much useless, except for the keyless entry.

[Coolwheels00]

Actually, I have the factory alarm too. When mine is armed, you can fold the side mirror in and let it pop back out and the "pop" will trigger a warning from the alarm. It beeps the horn real fast like 4-5 times. If you take your hand and pop the windshield, it'll set the alarm off. Seems to work fine for me.

[BoonyBoun]

I don't think you have the VIP alarm....did your alarm come installed in the car, or did they install it later on?

[Coolwheels00]

Ummm...brb. Well you got my curiosity up so I got my window sticker out of my dash. It was installed already when I bought the car. My window sticker has it listed in the Distributor's Installed Options and it's listed as QS1 Remote Security System $399 Mine is different than Liquids (Dan). I dunno? Anyone?

[BoonyBoun]

Yea, thats not the crappy VIP alarm....you got the good one.

[Coolwheels00]

I think it's pretty good. In addition to the door/hatch sensors. It also protects the hood, has shock sensor (as described above), turns on the drl's for 30 secs, turns on the interior lights, etc....
My Alpine alarm (old car) was sweet. It had the interior and exterior motion detectors. If you stood by the car for more than a few seconds it would chirp the alarm. If I left my T-tops out, windows down and you stuck your hand inside (without even touching anything), it would immeditately set the alarm off.
It was badass!!

[Pribilof]

Yeah man, thats the one I got. Badass is an understatement. You gotta add a hood lock so thieves cant just cut your battery cable though.

[redtuna]

If a professional thief wants to steal your car, he'll have a way to do it, the only reason I have the alarm is so those punks don't mess around with my car, and not to keep the thieves away. Plus its a Celica, I don't think people will jack it, but of course there are always bastards who for no reason go around and **** up your car, so an alarm MIGHT discourage them from doing so. Plus I got the factory alarm free with the car so can't complain :D

[Pribilof]

Originally posted by redtuna
If a professional thief wants to steal your car, he'll have a way to do it

This is true. If somebody wants your ride badly enough they're going to take it. I figure that's just the way life is. Of course, if they take it from my driveway I'm going to know about it really damn fast unless they can disable my alarm without setting off my siren in some way that I havent figured out yet and tried to prevent.

Anyway, I guess I'm more concerned with jackasses messing with my car and people trying to jack parts off it and/or my system. All I know is I sleep a lot better now than I used to when all I had was the VIP alarm.

[GTS LAID]

anyone ever pay $1175 for an alarm and think it worth it...

me says I.

alarm was 600 extra sesors were 200 and install was 375. took them 4 days to do it.

oh its an AV4