Auto Security

Today's automobiles are very complex and built better than ever. That's the good news! The bad news is that although car theft is down nationally and locally, cars are more expensive and have to be protected more than ever. We at Rich's Car Tunes know that you've just put out a lot of money for your automobile, and the prospect of spending more money on an alarm probably doesn't interest you.

Let's review the myths and facts of auto security.

"If they want the car, they'll get it."

"I go by cars with alarms going off all the time and nobody is near them."
Again a myth that has grown without factual basis. The facts are first, if nobody is near the car, the alarm is doing its job, second, the alarm "falses" because the impact sensor is set with too high a sensitivity. The result is that any vibration such as a truck going by will set off the alarm. This is due to poor installation and quality control. If a cat jumps on the hood of a car at two o'clock in the morning, the alarm should not go off. Our experience at Rich's Car Tunes is that alarm problems are almost always installation related.

The Importance of Quality Installation

Poor quality installation is, unfortunately the standard way of doing business. You will find that as you shop around, everybody seems to have great prices for alarms. The truth is that the installation of an alarm is much more important than the equipment installed. Consider this scenario. A thief breaks into your car and sets off the alarm. The thief then opens the hood and cuts the wires to the siren. They still cannot start the car, but with the siren silenced, they are free to take what they want from the vehicle. At Rich's Car Tunes all alarm sirens are installed so the wires cannot be cut. It takes longer (more labor time) to properly install the siren this way, but the car has a greater degree of protection.

Another way to get that "great price" is to install the alarm CPU (alarm brain) under the dash near the ignition wires. The problem with this method is that if the car is broken into, the thief can easily bypass the brain and start the car. At Rich's Car Tunes we build the brain into the dashboard so it cannot be easily accessed. Again, by placing our emphasis on the quality of the installation and not the equipment, the odds of your vehicle being stolen or damaged go down dramatically.

"RCT Spec"

Rich's Car Tunes created the high end mobile electronics market over 35 years ago and continues to maintain this benchmark of excellence on a daily basis. Our master installers have years of experience honing the art of car audio and electronics to what we refer to as Rich's Car Tunes specifications or "RCT spec". When we admit your automobile to our shop, it is treated with the care and respect we give our personal vehicles.

Added Convenience

The addition of a security system to your vehicle can also make your life more convenient. We can interface your car's power door locks to the security system. By pushing one button on the alarm remote, your car's alarm is armed or disarmed and the doors automatically locked or unlocked. No fumbling for keys when it's dark or your hands are full. Adding dome light surveillance turns on the interior lights of the vehicle when the alarm is disarmed, a great safety feature.

Adding remote start to your security system enables you start the car from inside your home, warming it up the interior in the winter or cooling it in the summer before you drive off. Your alarm remote can also be programmed to operate your electric garage door opener or trunk release. The idea of a properly installed alarm system is to secure your vehicle with ease and convenience to you while protecting your large investment from a thief.

The Art of Car Audio

At Rich's Car Tunes we are serious about alarms, music systems and cellular phones. Our customers come to us from all over the United States and Canada because of the unmatched high quality and care that goes into each installation. After you shop around, you'll find that it may cost slightly more to get an installation done to "RCT spec", but it represents the best value available in mobile electronics.