thatcham approved

[pierce]

I want to know how to become an approved alarm fitter I have fitted a couple its not hard and the way the so called professionals fit alarms anyone could do it

[Savvi]

I wouldn't bother mate.

 

I have only had about 6 enquire's for alarms so far this year, fitted 5 of them the other thought it was too expensive.

 

That's compared to 4 a day back in 2000

 

You need to open an account with a alarm company then go on their training course and they should be able to give you a certificate.

 

Then you used to join the VSIB pay a shed load of money,( bit like Corgi) they come and inspect your premises, tools and working practices, do a practical i:e fit a approved alarm for them and they decide if you can sign the cert when finished.

They went bust last year, Thatcham was going to do a similar scheme but decided it was not viable (not enough interest) so gave up.

 

So at present the only way in is through Fitus (Mesf was the old name) which again you pay a fee they train you alongside you working for a alarm company and give you a certificate after the 4 years

 

 

As for your comments on us "pro" fitters you will probably find that they were fitted by a large installation company who pay peanuts and expect the fitters to do the job in an hour !!! This gives us all a bad name, as does Halfords with fitting radio's & phone kits trapping the wires and wiring feeds incorrectly etc.

 

I allow a full day for a Cat1 and do it right with very little comebacks when finished.

 

As for easy, i'm not sure what cars you've done but it's far from easy on modern cars with multiplex and can systems....... i've done this for a long time and still find problems and pull my hair out late at night when the customers wants the car back and it won't start !!!!!

 

Good Luck ................ you will need it !!!!

[Guest cortinamad-gonetoo]

it took me nine days to fit my alarm

[Savvi]

I'm sure you did a good job though Dave

[Guest cortinamad-gonetoo]

yeah got it all working well but fook me why so many wires

[Savvi]

Try fitting a Clifford 950 with remote engine start, turbo timer, and all aux channels for lights on etc.

 

Last one took me 2 days to do !!!

[Guest cortinamad-gonetoo]

mine has remote engine start i think thats the only thing i didnt wire in i got no need for it

 

it has central locking shock sensors loads of other stuff

[Savvi]

With the Cliffords it also has inhibit wires so you can't start the engine in gear.

[flyingbanana]

its fun fitting a alarm and while trying to work out what each wire does when you have no manual and only find a crap scanned copy of instructions in Russian

 

even switched part of the system off while testing.......

 

got English instructions now .......but still cant switch the part back on that i switched off when trying to work it all out

[Guest cortinamad-gonetoo]

i had instructions but some of the wires were different colors to the diagram

 

but i did have a help line i kept phoning

[pierce]

how much do you charge savvi? had safe and sound out to a car a few months back because the alarm wouldn't disarm he charged £80 an he just disconnected the alarm but left it still in the car so I still had to take the dash out to remove the rest of the alarm. Sorry if I offended with my coments

[Savvi]

Call out and remove the alarm unit, very rarely leave unit in place, averages at £65, but that depends on how long i'm there and where i have to travel etc. the most i've charged was £120 travel to Milton Keynes remove and back home, basically 1/2 a days work and he wanted it done there and then so i couldn't tie it in with another job.

 

Fitting a Cat1 starts at £350 and goes up from there.

 

A Clifford concept 650 cost's me around £150 now so £200 for a days labour, insurance, fuel and running cost's of the van advertising and some wages etc.

 

When i was working for someone else i thought he was raking it in, then when self employed i realized where all the money went.

 

I'm now doing more car kit's trackers and car electrics and diagnostics.

[pierce]

thats what I was quoted by safe and sound but they fitted the original alarm and nothing was screwed down. do you have to pay a subscription for a tracker

[Savvi]

Depends which tracker, but yes normally a sub has to be paid.