Globetro

I need to get an alarm installed on my S2K soon... was wondering how long it usually takes for a shop to do an install? Do you usually have to leave the car there, or can you wait for it? Maybe it's just me, but I don't feel really comfortable leaving the keys to my baby to someone for a whole day....

turbo_pwr

This really depends on the shop and what additional features you are adding to the standard alarm. But most of the time whatever they tell you the time will be add an hour or two. In the end you will have wasted a day.

xviper

I've always gotten the basic alarm kit and this takes 2-3 hours. I've always sat and waited. Just make sure the shop knows you're going to do this so that they get you in when they can start on the car immediately.

MarkS2K

My friends who used to install alarms can do a car in about an hour. It really depends on how good the installers are. When I had them install my car alarm, it took a lot longer (4 hours) since they were taking their time and we were shooting the bull.

nEVERCLEAR

Mine took 3-4 hours and most installers will run from an S2000 it is hell to get under the dash and stay there for an extended amount of time.

MarkS2K

I forgot to add that the S2000 was the first S2000 that my friend did. It took him a little longer to figure out how to wire the alarm remote to unlock the doors and the trunk. He actually ended up documenting everything and giving it to the alarm company for future reference.

Schatten

Mine took two full days and then some to install. I say that because I dropped it off at ~9:30am one morning, wasn't ready by early afternoon like they said. Nor that night, nor the next afternoon. I came by their shop at 6, and waited till ~7pm to get it back from them the second day.

I was pretty pissed about that, but they scratched up my center console, installed the brain where I requested that it had not be installed, now they want to charge me another 100 bucks to move the damn thing. Not one, but BOTH alarm remotes went dead within four days of having the alarm. It has probably been sitting around for a year.

I will not be going back there, and recommending people to stay away from this particular installation shop.

Prelude

Another way is when you drop off the car reset your tachometer in front of them. That way they know you don't want them to drive your baby. Make sure they see you going into your baby and reseting her.

wantone

The entire installation takes no more than 1:30mins unless you're also installing power door locks, air horns etc. ONE WORD OF ADVICE: Never never never never never never, leave your address, unless PO Box, with them on their invoice. My friend had a $5K installation and by night, 'someone' took it back out without the alarm chirping... catch my drift?

xviper

You must mean "trip" odometer, right? Also, resetting it is a bad idea. If I were to take it for a joy ride, I'd just reset it again before you came to pick up the car. A better way is to write down both the odometer AND the trip odometer in front of them.