Got a new alarm...I remember why I work on my own shit

Dozerboy

Well-known member
Jun 23, 2009
4,809
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Took my truck to have my old AstroStart replaced after it quit. Looked at some reviews went and talk to the shop before I had them do it. They were listed has a pro dealer on Compustarts website which obviously doesn’t mean much. Next day I’m driving my truck and my horn and starts honking when I hit a bump. This is what I find a bunch of exposed wires under my dash. They actually cut all the wires for my previous alarm that was soldered and us d scotch locks to tap in to the main wiring harness.
 

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RMJ_LB7

Member
Feb 25, 2020
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Ive been wanting to upgrade my alarm system as well to the compustar and now this is making me want to do it myself...
 

1FastBrick

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Dec 1, 2016
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UGH... wanted to get the same exact set up. Just had my truck broken into. The places listed as Pro in my aea Look Janky to say the least...
Seeing what you got, is EXACTALY what I fear I will receive and why I have been putting it off.
 

Dozerboy

Well-known member
Jun 23, 2009
4,809
391
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TX of course
I found a better shop they reinstalled it. They said they took the whole thing out and soldered all the connections . I didn’t pull the dash apart to look to see what they did, but considering they actually took the time to remove some of the components of the old alarm I feel they did it right. Not to mention while I was there thry show me another hack job they where fixing. Charged me $270 which I’m going after the other shop for. Discover Card seem to be willing to take care of it for me, so I don’t have to go to court. I had the new shop document it on the receipt that the charges were for repairs that the other shops install caused.

Compustart gets you over a barrel where you kind of have to have a dealer install it. My understanding is you have to update the firmware of the alarm and only authorized dealers can do that. I can be a little overbearing when it comes to other people working on my vehicles. I kind of thought the original shop seem like they have their shit together, so I didn’t really intrude too much. I should have. One thing I learned for sure is you can’t trust online reviews for nothing.
 

JoshH

Daggum farm truck
Staff member
Vendor/Sponsor
Feb 14, 2007
13,597
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Texas!!!
Some of the worst/most hack installation and wiring jobs I see are car audio/alarms from so-called professional shops.
 
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Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
21,123
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Phoenix Az
I found a better shop they reinstalled it. They said they took the whole thing out and soldered all the connections . I didn’t pull the dash apart to look to see what they did, but considering they actually took the time to remove some of the components of the old alarm I feel they did it right. Not to mention while I was there thry show me another hack job they where fixing. Charged me $270 which I’m going after the other shop for. Discover Card seem to be willing to take care of it for me, so I don’t have to go to court. I had the new shop document it on the receipt that the charges were for repairs that the other shops install caused.

Compustart gets you over a barrel where you kind of have to have a dealer install it. My understanding is you have to update the firmware of the alarm and only authorized dealers can do that. I can be a little overbearing when it comes to other people working on my vehicles. I kind of thought the original shop seem like they have their shit together, so I didn’t really intrude too much. I should have. One thing I learned for sure is you can’t trust online reviews for nothing.

You're not alone Dozer. 😁
 
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TheBac

Why do I keep doing this?
Staff member
Apr 19, 2008
15,310
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Mid Michigan
Hmm...thats interesting that Compustart makes you do that. I just installed a Fortin 3-lock-button remote start setup in my daughter's Cruze. That unit was a piece of cake to install. Uses a T-harness for the main plugs, I only had to splice in OBD and parking light wires. I just used my name and addy, plus "Dad's Garage" for my business name, and had no problems updating the firmware. Seriously considering buying another Fortin unit for the Vette now.

If you want to talk about involved, I had to make the entire harness to upgrade the radio to MyLink and add the backup camera in that Cruze, but it all works like OEM now. :) Reminded me of the LUX Bose days.....
 
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DAVe3283

Heavy & Slow
Sep 3, 2009
3,681
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Boise, ID, USA
My dad bought a used Jeep Rubicon that was all stock except an aftermarket alarm. Sometimes it just wouldn't start, but if you tried again later in the day, it would fire right up. I suspected it was the alarm, and we both feel that alarms are worthless (when was the last time you saw someone give half a crap about a car alarm going off?), so I pulled it out.

before.JPG
Lo and behold, scotch locks and crimp connectors everywhere. I guess they worked OK for a few years, but eventually the wires inside the scotch locks broke, and things stopped working. I cut the damaged section out of each wire and properly soldered them together, using marine heat shrink. Has never missed a beat since, and looks almost factory.
after.JPG

Because of how often I see abominations like this done by so-called professionals, I end up doing all my own wiring. Actually, I should make a thread for the stereo mods I am doing to my Duraburb. Not the LUX amp swap (thought about it, have one sitting in the garage even), because I wanted to try something different with the sub setup. Hopefully I get a chance to wrap that up in a couple weeks, and I'll post up a thread & photos.
 

1FastBrick

Well-known member
Dec 1, 2016
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I found a better shop they reinstalled it. They said they took the whole thing out and soldered all the connections .
Was the other shop a Compustart dealer or just another stereo/alarm Shop?
My local options are either Best Buy retail stores with install shops, Al and Ed's Autosound, Or the few Pro Shops that all seem sketchy just from the neighbor hood and outside appearance.
 

Dozerboy

Well-known member
Jun 23, 2009
4,809
391
83
TX of course
It was another Dealer. I haven’t been into car audio for a long time, but Best Buy wasn’t very good. But you can hold them to it if they do a bad job. I would start by asking if they solder the connections if the don’t just move on. The discussion ends there. Neighborhood wouldn’t matter to me to much since upscale isn’t most audio shops clientele.
 

1FastBrick

Well-known member
Dec 1, 2016
2,184
805
113
Junkyard
It was another Dealer. I haven’t been into car audio for a long time, but Best Buy wasn’t very good. But you can hold them to it if they do a bad job. I would start by asking if they solder the connections if the don’t just move on. The discussion ends there. Neighborhood wouldn’t matter to me to much since upscale isn’t most audio shops clientele.
Lets just say in my area its mostly beginners or hacks at these retail places. I have not found any shops in my area that used a solder gun let alone do a Quality install on an alarm. It was rare to find any one that used heat shrink or Heat activated self sealing connectors. When I worked in a Shop, I removed Countless faulty alarms and a Few aftermarket radios that either went bad or were installed poorly. In some cases we would sublet to another shop if they wanted it replaced.