Couple of questions... First, pre-amp out... Is it true that for every two volts you go up in pre-amp that your amp becomes 10% more efficient in turning signal into sound? I used to have a flip-out screen but it got stolen so I just stuck in this junky Kenwood thing... I'm running my subs off the rear pre-amp outs... (it doesn't have sub outs). Is it true my subs will hit harder and cleaner when I get a good, sub pre-out?

also, do I need a farad capacitor? I have Optima yellow top, 200 amp alternator, new solenoid, new negative battery cables and a new positive terminal. but my lights still dim a little bit when my subs are really thumpin, I have a memphis 1100D and 2 M3 12's in a ported box. I'm also planning on putting a good size door speaker amp back there... What kind of cap as well?

lastly, just a friendly reminder, if u don't feel like having to rebuy all your stuff... insure it!! I wish I had done that with my screen. Its only a few extra bucks a month... An alarm is really meaningless as well, it might deter a random hoodrat but the professionals that really want the stuff will just go right around your alarm and probably know good and well how to just turn it off.

 

need some info...

 

I learned that the hard way when my last car was stolen. The punks were able to open the hood from underneath the car, and cut the alarm wiring! No one heard or saw anything. Also not a broken window on my car, the ignition was punched though. I still haven't figured out how they did it.

It did prep me for my truck though, Alarm, kill switch, Lo Jack, pedal club, and a lil something else. If someone wants my truck, they're going to really have to work to get it.

 

A well-hidden siren with a built in battery backup would address this shortcoming. You can also get a battery backup for the alarm brain as well.

They likely used a slimjim.

 

If alarms deter even a fraction of theft attempts, then it can hardly be labelled "meaningless." Just because a device is less than 100% effective does not make it "useless." Consider the following analogy. Most intelligent people will agree that seatbelts will greatly help prevent injury and death in most types of auto accidents. It would be foolish for someone to say that it's pointless to buckle up because if they were to get in a high speed head on collision, they would die anyway, seatbelt or not. Of course, not all potential accidents are going to be that extreme. The same can be said for the skill and determination of car thieves. While there are veteran and experienced "pros" out there, the majority of car thieves are the amateur "smash and grab" variety who will likely pass on your vehicle if they see that you have an alarm.

While not 100% failsafe, a good auto security system will definately make it more difficult for even a pro thief to take your vehicle. Think about this...if you do not have any sort of security system or device, an amateur thief carrying only a couple of basic hand tools can easily steal your pride and joy in less than 15 seconds!

Among many other things, a good install involves hiding the alarm brain well and camouflaging all its wiring. I've heard the installers at most retail chains will just zip tie the alarm brain in plain sight underneath the dash. It wouldn't take a genius thief to figure out how to defeat an alarm system installed in that manner.

A combination of a hidden kill switch, a well-installed quality alarm system with a starter kill, battery backups for the siren and alarm brain, hood lock, a mechanical pedal/steering wheel lock (eg. Autolock, Club), along with simple common sense will make any vehicle VERY difficult to steal. Each of those items is an independent "layer" of security in which a thief would have to defeat, one by one, in order to take your vehicle. A thief would wish that he had brought a tow truck!

Here are a several links for some more advice on car alarms and auto security in general...

http://forum.sounddomain.com/forum/u...c;f=9;t=001941
http://audioforum.termpro.com/cgi-bi...;f=40;t=007929
http://www.directed.com/security/sec...e/article3.asp