Car vandalism and MB factory alarm systems

[PJayUK]

For the second time in about 6 months, I caught some drunken youths standing on my car this weekend. It’s a long story but basically I heard a noise at around 1am on Saturday and when I looked out of the window a small group of yobs were walking down our high street damaging cars. The only reason I heard it was due to the noise they were making, but for some reason they decided that my neighbors Lotus and my ML were fair game to stand on and generally “set about”. My question to this group is around the way the car alarm operates, as in this case it did not go off at all which I am disappointed with. In the old days of the early vibration sensing alarms, a little tilt switch would trigger the alarm if the car was rocked or moved. Annoying if you live near a busy road or on a windy day but effective for this kind of vandalism. So why is it that the factory fitted alarm doesn’t trigger this kind of attack?

So I am looking at options to improve the security of my vehicle. Apart from moving (we live in a quiet Surrey village so this is not a “bad area” problem) or lying in wait with my Beretta 12 gauge every weekend night (no doubt resulting in yours truly ending up behind bars) I think I have a couple of options and would really appreciate some opinions or advice on where to go next.

Could I install an additional sensor that would detect if someone gets too close to the vehicle or if the vehicle is rocked? Or would something like a simple movement or vibration sensing alarm be worthwhile? I think Sparkrite do some of these types sold as “easy fit” alarm systems. Basically I just want something to trigger if the car is rocked or moved as the existing alarm appears to be useless for vandalism like this. Someone I know even suggested a motorcycle alarm as these tend to operate on movement or vibration.

Any ideas guys would really be hugely appreciated as this has really annoyed and upset me

 

[television]

What a shame and I am so sorry to hear that,,the second one in two days.. There are some movement alarms in the range, but not current. You may have to put on a separate system , but I can check tonight

 

[Miffy]

one of these might work

It sounds a BEEP if someone gets within the personal space of your car

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-DUAL-ZONE...56358e0bb5&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14#ht_4889wt_754

 

[PJayUK]

Thanks guys I would appreciate some help here as I want to install something that alerts me preferably before the little scumbags have time to do anything. I looked at these proximity sensor things (As per Miffy's post above) but I cant see how I would interface it to the existing factory fitted alarm system.

In all honesty I was hoping the the little S&*T would have fallen off the roof of the ML and smacked his head open on the kerb!

 

[Miffy]

If you want it to interface with your alarm, it comes with a wire that pulls down to earth on activation, this would just need to be attached to the nearest door / boot / bonnet switch.

 

[Alex M Grieve]

A word of caution

When I worked for Shell, it was written in the specification for all company cars that they must be fitted with an alarm system during procurement.

Where this was fitted to a car which had already been fitted with a manufacturer's system, then no end of trouble resulted for the user with the two systems frustrating each other, usually ending up with a car that would not start or an alarm that wouldn't go off until you disarmed one of the systems.

There were cases where the central locking could not be activated, so the bonnet could not be opened, so the system could not be neutralized.

I suppose the road side assistance companies learned to love them and learned how to deal with them, but it was a real issue at the time, and a possible pitfall in the situation the OP describes.

 

[PJayUK]

Seems daft though that the factory fitted doesnt detect vandalism. I wonder whether the system sensitivity can be adjusted via Star Diags?

 

[television]

With the anti towing sensor,,this is used with the interior motion sensor and should detect any movement of the car, but the iside one must be left turned on

 

[type49]

I think the MLs have only a glass break sensor & no tilt sensor. The glass break sensor detects noise. You can test it by locking yourself in & then rattling some keys or coins after a couple of minutes. The sensor is in the dash, near the radio.

 

[television]

I think the MLs have only a glass break sensor & no tilt sensor. The glass break sensor detects noise. You can test it by locking yourself in & then rattling some keys or coins after a couple of minutes. The sensor is in the dash, near the radio.

I looked on WIS and it said that there different versions,,one is code xxx another was code yyy and they all of the sensors

 

[HelpThisDude]

Im sorry to hear it, and it an issue that I used to suffer with living in east london. Drives me raving mad how people have no respect for other people stuff.

If it makes you feel any better, the community sprit on our road used to be quite good within the long term residents. When we had a bunch of drunken yobs (West ham is close by) trashing cars on our street one night, they ended up delt with by the residents. One yob ended up with an angry residents car up his behind, and then into a metal ralway fence. When the police arrived, and the yobs were all rolling around in the road.... no one saw a thing, and the police were quite happy not to ask any more question.
Over 20 cars were damaged by this bunch, including a young girls little run a around with a gas bottle thrown into the rear window!

But I, in no way, agree with violence- of course.

 

[PJayUK]

Police round tonight would you beleive! I am surprised how seriously they are taking this, which is good. Anyway I doubt anything will come of it but I am determined to upgrade my alarm system to offer some protection from this kind of attack in future. I have just confirmed by a good rocking of the car that the ML alarm system does not respond at all if the car is rocked, as hard as I could.

As far as these microwave proximity alarm thingys (mentioned in Miffy's post earlier) could someone provide some more detailed information on how these would be fitted? Sorry if I am being a bit thick but auto electrics are not my strength!

 

[television]

Do you leave the tow sensor switched on, that is coupled to the inside motion detectors. The is an MB detector the goes off if anyone touches any handle or lock, but they are so complicated for the 163

I will see what else I can find