I am looking to get a car alarm for my new element. Here are the stats. 2006 Ex-p 4x4 manual transmission. I am looking for a good alarm that has sensors at windows, doors, hood, remote car start (for cold mornings), power locks, and possibly power windows. Do you know what brand and model is your favorite? And how much it cost you? Thanks

I like the one it came with. :D

Any one of the various Directed Electronics (http://www.directed.com/) brands - Python, Viper, Clifford, Hornet, Avital - would have what you want. The different brands from DEI are all the same thing with different names on the boxes. With the remote start and the window modules, you'll probably be around $500 installed.

A Best Buy or Circuit City could take of this for you, but as the owner of an independent stereo store, I'd always encourge someone to search out their local neighborhood car stereo shop. You may usually get better service and often a better price. You'll also help keep them in business in what is a tough business climate.

2006 Ex-p 4x4 manual transmission.

It's not safe to have a remote start with a manual transmission. Also, any reputable shop would not install a remote start in a car with manual transmission.

Oops, I didn't notice that. You are so right, Mike.

Yeah I was starting to look at those brands also. Honda offered me an alarm, but it was some silent one that had no buttons, just allowed you to start the car. It was $375. I was not interested in that. I would much rather support the little guy instead of the corporations. I know it is not safe to put remote start on a manuel, due to the rolling down hill factor or something. I have known a few guys who had it in their sticks. I know places will do it...I park on a flat driveway, I do not even need to put parking brake on if I don't want to. It is that flat. Anyways, thanks for the help. I will shop around.

I've told this story on the board before but it bears repeating.

I had a car installer for my shop that had a manual transmissioin car. Pottsy wanted to put a remote start in it, just like you, and he never left the car in gear, so why not? After he installs it, he is downtown, drinking, trying to impress some girls. They are sitting in the front window of a bar and Pottsy's car is in the parking lot across the street. He's going to impress these girls with his work and how he can start his car from inside the bar. He does. BOOM! The car lurches forward into a post, causing many hundreds of dollars of damage to the front end. I guess he forgot and left it in gear that night. The girls all laugh at Pottsy. He didn't get laid. He did take the remote start out the next week.

The moral to this story? If you can't figure that out, then you deserve the damage you suffer with your remote start in a manual transmission car.

Clifford has offered a neutral sensing switch with there remote start units for years. This will ONLY allow the car to auto start if the gear is in neutral. Any "reputable" shop would be sure to inform the customer of this option. Unfortunately, some installers are just plain lazy and will not install anything that doesn't just plug in or use an inline splice.

The moral to this story? Pottsy shouldn't have bought a budget remote starter.

Clifford got rid of their manual tranny remote starts a while ago. Check their site (http://www.directed.com/default.asp). Even when they had them, the Directed rep told us not to buy them. I can't remember what the problem was as this was 3-4 years ago, but he didn't want to sell us one. That I remember for sure. It's sorta strange when the salesman says don't buy this.

You are right, though. Before Directed bought them, Clifford made a remote start for a manual transmission car.

Welcome to the forum, revnull. Please do continue to contribute.

This one says it's compatable with manual transmissions.... (http://www.compustar.org/security_with_remote_start.htm)