It's started.

[Chas]

I'm on the slippery slope. OK, the customisation of the new Cruiser has started, the thin end of the wedge? , today I had a Clifford Concept 650 alarm fitted, it's the dogs doodahs , I could never have fitted it myself, it took the fitter 4 hrs to dismantle the dash and the doors inside and connect up all the necessary wires. it does all sorts of magical things, sets itself if you forget, tells you if someone has tried to access the car while you were away, if you lose the remote that one can be deactivated and then you use the spare, and it chirrups at you if you just stand too close to look through the window

 

[Graham]

Sounds good Chas,

How much?

Gra.

 

[Chas]

Sounds good Chas,

How much?

Gra.

£399 fitted, and he did a very good job, nice and tidy cleared up all the bits and pieces.

 

[TonyP]

Out of interest Chas, do the 80's not come with an alarm/immobiliser? At £399 not the biggest of spends, but what's the real benefit, does it mean a reduction in insurance, or is it just piece of mind?

Not criticizing, just curious?

 

[Chas]

The 80 did have an aftermarket alarm fitted, but not working , Adrian Flux more or less insisted on a Thatcham cat 1 alarm be fitted and it was for my peace of mind as well another facility is if I get carjacked the alarm allows the car to be driven away but as soon as it slows down, for traffic lights or a turning, the engine cuts out and the 120db siren sounds I'm not sure yet how that is activated, I'll have to read the manual

 

[LandCruiser1978]

you want to buy the intelli start module and window closure system ..

takes the clifford to a new level

mine will start itself from the fob when i ask it to ,, will start itself if the batterys go below a certain voltage to recharge them
and when i arm the alarm it closes all the windows and the sunroof
i can turn lights on from the keyfob
open the boot
and has a range of about 400ft

also if my car gets hijacked it will cut engine out , wind windows up ,deadlock the doors so whoever has hijacked can't get out , and according the original owner will set smoke bombs off inside the car (this i can't verify)
but it does do everything else

it will also tell people to move away from the car or the alarm will sound ( i've turned this feature off )
it chirps instead if you get to close
when it was fitted the alarm was close to £2500 but that was when the car was 3years old

and the best bit

even if someone broke into my house and stole the keys they couldn't drive it away

I LOVE CLIFFORD ALARMS they are so clever

 

[nivapilot]

Mine was already fitted to my 70 when I bought it, never could get used to it...damned thing, forever going off..never could set it properly....ended up disconnecting the siren, and alarm, but left the unit in, left me with cetral locking and auto window roll up.

 

[wobbly]

How does the alarm know the car has been carjacked?

 

[nivapilot]

Once "carjack" mode has been selected...everytime a door is opened and closed, you then have to input the code into the two buttons on the dash or else, engine cuts out, alarm sounds and if it is anything like my car, takes an age to get the code reentered to drive away again....A right royal PITA.
Theory is that if your car is carjacked, then you just need to exit the car, let the thiefie drive away and 20seconds down the road, or the first time he slows down, engine cuts out and alarm sounds...you then walk up to your car and retrieve it..or you are far enough away from thiefie that you can get out of the way safely, and let the local plod deal with it.

The sequence goes like this,
Enter car via remote control,
put key in and switch on,
start engine, 20 seconds to input code
drive around, open door, close door.....CARJACK...20 seconds to re-enter code or else.
EVERY TIME THE DOORS ARE OPENED OR IGNITION RESET..

Clifford alarms have some very nice features, remote engine starting, carjacking, auto window wind up amongst others, but miss that code input, and all hell breaks loose.
I disconected mine, left the central locking part, the auto window roll up and flashing lighht on dash, everything else was by passed.

 

[Rodger]

I had a Clifford on an Audi Quattro in the mid 90s.... with most of the bits that you mention however i don't remember having to input codes, just a sequence on the key fob but then I don't think it had anti carjacking. But remote start, autolock, window closure and certainly no smoke bombs.
Great in winter for defrosting and my then young son's friends thought it was related to Kit in Nightrider as i could start it remotely and it would turn off if they got too near.
It were great and very reliable

Regards,

 

[LandCruiser1978]

the anti-hijack is called BLACKJAX

 

[james-c]

Mine also came with a non functioning Toyota alarm and I fitted a TOAD alarm myself - it took all day to take panels of and figure out where everything is. No wonder it costs so much to install.


I think the toad and Clifford alarms are very similar - even seem to be made in the same factory. Very pleased with mine, does what it says and can be programmed too and has plenty of other functions I'm not using (yet). Very happy with mine.

Insurance company insisted I had a working alarm and immobiliser and did't mind if I installed it myself.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Insurance company insisted I had a working alarm and immobiliser and did't mind if I installed it myself.

I have had that on two previous 80's but strangely not this time - I told them AFAIK no working alarm or immobiliser because at that time I didn't know the state of play with the OEM jobs and they just said ok I would probably have gone for a self fit toad off ebay anyway but it turns out the OEM fitted stuff is still working so no need. Their database must have known more than I did - that my 80 came with an OEM immobiliser that uses transponder keys.

 

[Chas]

Right, I suppose you all know what next Tuesday is? of course you don't so I'll tell you, it's the day I get behind the wheel of a Land Cruiser again

insurance has been swapped over and it's going to Julian V for pre-MOT inspection checks it's been so long (last Lincomb) I've had withdrawal symptoms for months

 

[Ben]

Right, I suppose you all know what next Tuesday is? of course you don't so I'll tell you, it's the day I get behind the wheel of a Land Cruiser again

insurance has been swapped over and it's going to Julian V for pre-MOT inspection checks it's been so long (last Lincomb) I've had withdrawal symptoms for months

great news Chas!

have you not even test driven it then?

 

[Andrew Prince]

one Green 1FX-FE 160k mls, with no extras except LPG

A little OT but Chas, what is an FX-FE? Is that the model code for an LPG truck perhaps?

 

[Chas]

what is an FX-FE? Is that the model code for an LPG truck perhaps?

Well spotted Andrew Actually I hadn't noticed that, it was a typo, now corrected

 

[Andrew Prince]

one Green 1ZX-FE 160k mls, with no extras except LPG

I thought a ZX was a sports car made by Nissan in the 80s? Your mods are going too far!
I think the truck should be an FZ-FE?

 

[Chas]

Another bloody typo!

 

[Andrew Prince]

I'll keep quiet now and stop being a smart @rse