Is this alarm system suitable ! (1 Viewer)

Mr porky

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Hi everyone.
I’m about to pick up my motorhome end of March and just getting the final pieces into place.
For my insurance I need a cat 1 alarm and a cat 5 immobiliser my dealer has proposed a Autowatch CAT1 RL695CAN and a smartrack CAT5 Tracker TQA248.
Any idea if these are any good.
I have also sent a email to vanbitz after reading the great reviews.
 
Jul 29, 2013
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The tracker will be a yearly fee as well as installation cost your van has probably got an immobiliser built in by the base vehicle manufacturer.
 
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Jul 5, 2013
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The trouble is most alarm systems are designed for cars, not motorhomes. They can be used in motorhomes but are far from perfect for them. Eddie's alarm is designed specifically for a motorhome.

To give you a little example. At night you want the alarm to be on, but you do not want the internal sensor to be armed, otherwise you will not be popular on the site when you get up in the middle of the night to have a pee and set the alarm off. Switching off the alarm on the Cobra car alarm in my previous moho involved a rigmarole or switching on and off the ignition and giving a sequence of presses on the little fixed button on the dashboard. A pain to do when the seats were swivelled round and in the way of the ignition and the little button, and no way of knowing if you have got it right until the alarm goes off after a minute or so to tell you that you haven't. Eddie's is much easier to do, just a couple of presses on the correct button on the key fob and some peeps to tell you that it is switched off.
 
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scbunurse

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I did a lot of research before booking into Vanbitz. Going for a growler and their own tracker as Comfort only asking for 'a' Thatcham approved security device so happy with just the alarm. Their tracker seems much better than the 'approved' ones. Not a lot of help if your insurance company insist on it tho'
 
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Oct 29, 2008
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The system is fine and will be accepted by all insurance companies as long as you have the certificate of installation by an approved Thatcham installer

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Lenny HB

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Had Autowatch alarms on all 3 vans never had any problems with them, not familuar with the 695.
I suggest to goto an independent fitter it will be far cheaper than a dealer.
 
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Two on Tour

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The trouble is most alarm systems are designed for cars, not motorhomes. They can be used in motorhomes but are far from perfect for them. Eddie's alarm is designed specifically for a motorhome.

To give you a little example. At night you want the alarm to be on, but you do not want the internal sensor to be armed, otherwise you will not be popular on the site when you get up in the middle of the night to have a pee and set the alarm off. Switching off the alarm on the Cobra car alarm in my previous moho involved a rigmarole or switching on and off the ignition and giving a sequence of presses on the little fixed button on the dashboard. A pain to do when the seats were swivelled round and in the way of the ignition and the little button, and no way of knowing if you have got it right until the alarm goes off after a minute or so to tell you that you haven't. Eddie's is much easier to do, just a couple of presses on the correct button on the key fob and some peeps to tell you that it is switched off.

We have the 695 fitted on our van and two clicks of the arm button locks the van and switches off the internal sensors but keeps the perimeter armed while we are inside.
 
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eddie

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Hi everyone.
I’m about to pick up my motorhome end of March and just getting the final pieces into place.
For my insurance I need a cat 1 alarm and a cat 5 immobiliser my dealer has proposed a Autowatch CAT1 RL695CAN and a smartrack CAT5 Tracker TQA248.
Any idea if these are any good.
I have also sent a email to vanbitz after reading the great reviews.
Any modern alarm will be OK Just ensure that you have seperate radio key fobs to arm and disarm the system, not tied into the chassis key/central locking, that way if the vehicle is attacked electronically your alarm wont be disabled along with the central locking.

Ensure (check) that the system isn't simply plugged into the OBD plug in the fuse board as so many dealer fit alarms are, this is appalling lazy obviously ridiculously simple to unplug. Often this is done this way as the dealer will get a local mobile fitter in and who isn't paid a lot, so want to install it, get paid and move onto the next job.

Yes we think our alarms are better for motorhomes, but the differences are subtle, things like external LED's to deter thieves at night when blinds and screens are shut and the ability to export the alarm out vis a security loop to protect bikes and trailers, which is why we ended up having a bespoke system not simply bulk buying from one off the shelf. Our sales blurb list al the differences and why we think it should be done in a certain way.

If you have contacted us we will send you an information pack which will include a check sheet to allow you to make a direct comparison, not only between products, but how much the dealer knows about their product and how well they will be able to offer you ongoing support in the years to come

The only problem that I can foresee is being able to get you an appointment early April, as with nearly thirty years of specialising in motorhome security we have a large customer base so are always solidly booked

Bet you can't wait to get your new toy (y)

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Blue Knight

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.................. and a smartrack CAT5 Tracker TQA248.

You will get two payment options for airtime subscription when your Smartrack is fitted. The first is via an annual payment scheme (circa £130/annum) and the second is lifetime membership. The 2nd option costs £395 and it will cover your tracker airtime for as long as you own the van, whether that be 1-year or 10.

All the best,

Andrew
 
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Teasy2007

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I have just insured our Globecar 2015, it has a factory fitted immobiliser which is rated Cat 2. We were going to upgrade to a Cat 1 alarm but the difference in price of the insurance is only £12, so we are not having the alarm.

To be honest we are glad we won’t be having an alarm, the number of times our alarms have set off at the wrong time, thanks to Charlie (dog) or one of us pressing the wrong button!

Ginny

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soreeyes

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I had a Autowatch 695 fitted but no tracker and insure with Comfort . As said the insurance just need a copy of the installation certificate .
 
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Blue Knight

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I had a Autowatch 695 fitted but no tracker and insure with Comfort . As said the insurance just need a copy of the installation certificate .

It was the opposite for us and our new van - Comfort required a tracker but no alarm.
 
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Jul 5, 2013
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It was the opposite for us and our new van - Comfort required a tracker but no alarm.
Same with us when I moved to them last year. Insisted on a Category 5 or 6 Tracker but not interested in Eddie's Category 1 alarm.

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Oct 19, 2013
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Have the 695 on my van. Works well and no problems with it
Simple to set it using the van's remote fob - also two clicks sets it without arming the inside sensors so easy to leave the dog in the van or set it when we are sleeping...
 
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DuxDeluxe

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The trouble is most alarm systems are designed for cars, not motorhomes. They can be used in motorhomes but are far from perfect for them. Eddie's alarm is designed specifically for a motorhome.

To give you a little example. At night you want the alarm to be on, but you do not want the internal sensor to be armed, otherwise you will not be popular on the site when you get up in the middle of the night to have a pee and set the alarm off. Switching off the alarm on the Cobra car alarm in my previous moho involved a rigmarole or switching on and off the ignition and giving a sequence of presses on the little fixed button on the dashboard. A pain to do when the seats were swivelled round and in the way of the ignition and the little button, and no way of knowing if you have got it right until the alarm goes off after a minute or so to tell you that you haven't. Eddie's is much easier to do, just a couple of presses on the correct button on the key fob and some peeps to tell you that it is switched off.
Spot on there Peter. I hate the Scorpion alarm in mine with a passion for that very reason. The alarm also sounds very much like a slightly frightened but very timid mouse
 
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