Car alarm install - what to look for?

[john dough]

At the dealer, they wanted $500 to install a car alarm (yeah, right) for only the basic functions (no engine-kill switch). I know that an alarm can be bypassed by a pro, but really we are looking for a way to slow them down, if possible.

What is a good brand and what should I look for/avoid?

[davester]

I like the ones that yell "Help me, Help me!" or "Burglar, Burglar!". They provide amusement to the locals as the thieves drive off unimpeded (since nobody pays any attention to car alarms these days). Personally, I think car alarms are pretty worthless unless they can effectively disable the car. The other alternative is to check out Lojack.