Some thoughts. First, alarm systems (especially the cheap ones) have conditioned people to just ignore them due to the constant blaring of these alarms when there wasn't an active theft/crime happening. How many times have you walked through a parking lot to hear an alarm going off and you just kept on going?

Second. An alarm system is just an inconvenience for a good thief. If they want your car, they're going to get it. Even with sophisticated factory systems that are integrated into the car's electronics won't prevent a good thief from taking your car.

Third. What are you going to do if you're alerted to your car being tampered with? Are you going to confront the thief?

Fourth. Do you really want your car back after it's been stolen?

Fifth. Not to sound harsh. But we're talking about a Corolla here. It's not as if we're talking about a McLaren 675 LT. I used to have alarms on my sport bikes which are definitely more apt to be stolen. The alarm systems ended up failing over time. I didn't even bother replacing the alarm systems. That's why I have insurance. When I bought my 2013 BMW 135i new, I didn't bother with an alarm system. And with my 2019 C-HR, no alarm system.

If you really want to put a theft deterrent system on your car, I'd look at a LoJack or other vehicle locator type system.

 

Words of wisdom from a fellow Kawasaki rider there.

Besides having to cut into your intricate and delicate electrical system, it also adds constant current draw which can eventually render your car impossible to start, regardless of which dangerous situation you might have found yourself in.

 

where are you in Canada where you think you need it ? just curious

 

I'll take a wild guess and say Quebec.

 

You should have just purchased it at the same time you bought the car. Granted, it's a larger expense, but it's warrantied.

Now, you run the risk of messing something up.

 

It seems that car alarms have fallen out of favor with consumers

As other have said :
1. Alarms are less and less popular as car now have devices like immobilizer and chipped keys.
2. That and other electronics complicate their integration and reliability.
3. So many false alarms that people don’t pay attention anymore except with annoyance.
4. If by any chance someone react, a good thief would already have gotten what he/she wants.
5. A better thief would easily overpass it anyway.

I'll take a wild guess and say Quebec.

Probably Moncton, New Brunswick.

Maybe not . According to Statistic Canada, the champion province is Alberta and the champion city is Calgary. Québec and, not far behind, New Brunswick, have the lowest average insurance cost for a reason.

 

Maybe not . According to Statistic Canada, the champion province is Alberta and the champion city is Calgary. Québec and, not far behind, New Brunswick, have the lowest average insurance cost for a reason.

I heard that QC folks are known to prefer buying poverty spec versions of cars with no A/C

 

I installed Compustar’s top of the line system, see my previous thread link for more info: 2019 Hatchback KeyFob useless distance-Compustar T12Pro FTW

 

Are you sure your car has no alarm?

-Lock yourself in the car
-Roll up all the windows
-Press "lock" on the key fob
-Wait 60 seconds
-Manually open the door

See if the car horn gets activated. The reason I say this, is because my coworker bought a 2020 SE and we all thought it didn't come with an alarm until we tried this. It actually came with one.

 

I am in the same situation. And

As other have said :
1. Alarms are less and less popular as car now have devices like immobilizer and chipped keys.
2. That and other electronics complicate their integration and reliability.
3. So many false alarms that people don’t pay attention anymore except with annoyance.
4. If by any chance someone react, a good thief would already have gotten what he/she wants.
5. A better thief would easily overpass it anyway.​

I don't think any professional car thief would be interested in stealing the Corolla anyway. But I kind of hope that by install the alarm will deter the thief from breaking window to look for contents inside the car. Then I have to go through all the hassle with the insurance company, and then have to pay excess very much the same with the cost of the alarm anyway. The only thing I am worried about is that they will mess up with the car electrical system even if I was assured by the auto electrician that the Canbus upgrade will be much easier and won't interfere with my car electrical system. So still deciding..

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