Factory BMW alarm or others?

[m3f_Dionisis]

Hello all, I'm new to the forum and wanted to say hello. Just picked up a 1997 M3 (Cosmos Black on Black) 5spd manual with 28k on the odometer and it's completely bone stock!! No upgrades yet (but I do have an idea of what i want on it some day) For now..I wanted to budget myself with maintenance right now and see how that goes so not looking to make any big purchases with performance parts just yet but I did want to at least purchase a car alarm w/ remote key door opener. After that (several months) was going to replace the factory radio with something else - so appreciate your advice,pics,etc. !!! Thanks all and ///M 4ever! :thumbsup2:

[m3f_Braymond14_63960d99c1]

28k miles? Leave it the hell alone... Please. If you're going to change things, factory BMW ONLY!

[m3f_white-hot_43c6fde783]

^THIS!!! X1000000



Others may argue but an E36 M3 with that low a mileage should be maintained in strictly OE fashion IMHO. A VERY rare bird these days for certain. You can still find some OE alarms and even though it is quite dated it does work and these cars are generally not broken into that often anyway (too old to attract much attention from thieves, it came with a cassette player, LOL!).

[m3f_cscat87_de4dcd692c]

I have a Clifford alarm w/keyless entry in mine and it works great. Only downside is having a bulky key fob in your pocket.

[m3f_El Stig_6dc9ddf7d2]

The good news is that if you DO decide to get an alarm... OEM is literally Plug-N-Play as your car is pre-wired for it.



You can either go OEM



http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bmw-E36-E34-OEM-Alarm-Keyless-Entry-Security-Complete-New-/200707491656?pt=Car_Audio_Video&vxp=mtr&hash=item2 ebb194748#ht_798wt_1163



Or Non-OEM which is also Plug-N-Play



http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-PLUG-IN-KEYLESS-ENTRY-SYSTEM-E36-3-SERIES-M3-2-KEY-REMOTES-/250981660080?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories &vxp=mtr&hash=item3a6fac35b0#ht_5814wt_1163



or a good old Viper Alarm System with Remote Start



Whatever you choose i see nothing wrong with adding a Security System to your vehicle.

[m3f_djjvr_d625d979e9]

Go OEM! Just like everyone else said, something like that should be purely OEM. I have the original alarm in my E36 and it's been just fine.

[m3f_falciott_f45480ed5a]

I have a UAS alarm, has worked great since I installed it, completely plug and play, and it's got the modern looking flip key, with a little bmw logo on it, looks completely factory. I can also arm/disarm my car in the parking lot from my 16th floor. I don't agree that the car should be left completely stock because of its low mileage, there is nothing wrong with putting better components on it as long as they're not tacky. Infact, the next thing I'd rip and throw in the trash, are those stock headlights.

[m3f_John Fires_314302721f]

For readers outside the U.S. and Canada, the above BMW alarm is not the one that was installed at the factory as option 302. It is a dealer-installed, BMW/Alpine alarm with an adapter harness that plugs into a prewired, 12-pin, American-market alarm connector.


I suppose you could call it a post-production, Original Accessory (OA). Not that there's anything wrong with that. Many would have liked to have had their cars prewired for this different, BMW-specified alarm.

[m3f_DLite_d1a5feb693]

I have a UAS alarm, has worked great since I installed it, completely plug and play, and it's got the modern looking flip key, with a little bmw logo on it, looks completely factory. I can also arm/disarm my car in the parking lot from my 16th floor. I don't agree that the car should be left completely stock because of its low mileage, there is nothing wrong with putting better components on it as long as they're not tacky. Infact, the next thing I'd rip and throw in the trash, are those stock headlights.


I also have the UAS system.

[m3f_white-hot_43c6fde783]

You can either go OEM



http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bmw-E36-E34-OEM-Alarm-Keyless-Entry-Security-Complete-New-/200707491656?pt=Car_Audio_Video&vxp=mtr&hash=item2 ebb194748#ht_798wt_1163



FYI This is not an alarm for an E36 past MY ~96, that is the older version and will not work on the OP's car.

[m3f_Braymond14_63960d99c1]

FYI This is not an alarm for an E36 past MY ~96, that is the older version and will not work on the OP's car.



? 6/96 production can use the 3-button kit or the better 2-button. Forum member had the 3 and I ran the the 2, same production cars.



I don't know anything about that 3-button kit though. Pictures indicate the same harness plugs as the Alpine.

[m3f_Braymond14_63960d99c1]

82111469444 Alpine 2-button is listed for all 92-99 E36. Curious what prevents the 3 button alarm from working with 96+?

[m3f_white-hot_43c6fde783]

Not sure, I looked into getting one from a guy on BF.c a year or so ago and he said he purchased it for his E36 and it didn't work. I have since read that it does not work on a number of forums. The only one that I know works for certain is the 2-button Alpine alarm. Perhaps what John Firestone was referring to was that the 3-button alarm requires the special wiring adapter to work on the E36 pre-wired system.

[m3f_Braymond14_63960d99c1]

Ah... seems odd that the Alpine works on everything and the other is limited.

[m3f_John Fires_314302721f]

European cars didn't get either Alpine alarm, an alarm plug or any pre-wiring. Instead a European customer could optionally order a car with a different alarm system that was installed at the factory. In later years, the control unit was part of the ZKE (central module). The transmitter is also built into the master key. If a customer didn't order and pay for these things, the car got nothing.