[FieldingMellish]

I have a '57 reg 320d M Sport, yet I cannot establish whether or not I actually have an alarm or not. The spec in the brochure seems to indicate that I do but if I follow the instructions in my manual, I can't get the alarm to go off. Anybody help me?

[coodem]

How are you trying to set the alarm? Make sure you only blip the car once to lock, or you will disable the motion sensors

[FieldingMellish]

Yeah, I am taking care to only press the lock buttone once. I've followied the instructions and locked the car, and the red light in the little inverted dome under the rearview mirror blinks continually. I have also tested that it blinks intermittently if I press the lock button aga9in, straight after locking the car.

So, with the alarm 'activated', and the light blinking, what exactly do I have to do to trigger the alarm?

I have also tried holding down th eunlock boot button for 3 seconds, which is supposed to set the alarm off, but nothing happens.

I am particularly concerne3d because last night somebody picked out the little centre caps from all 4 of my alloys.

[coodem]

wait 5 min, then try rock the car or lock someone inside the car get them to move about

[hmi1750]

yep, wait a 5 mins, leave a window open and the stick your hand in etc.

It will go off, sounds nothing scary or loud really, but I think the noise just annoys bystanders rather than alerting them so most alarms are like that.

[FieldingMellish]

Nope, none of these things seem to work... One of the major annoyances of the manual is that any features which are or may be optional extras, depending on the spec of your car, have that little asterix beside them. Therefore you have to know what features your car has, there is no way to tell from the manual whether your car has a given feature or not.

[willhollin]

Try putting a brick through one of the windows, that should work.

[FieldingMellish]

Originally Posted by willhollin

Try putting a brick through one of the windows, that should work.

Hold on..... no, that didn't work.

[willhollin]

Get the supplying dealer to supply a full spec for the car, this should give you an idea. If not get it booked in.

At the UK6 meet, Carlos, Booforty and I were trying to set Vivs' alarm off by jumping all over the car but it didn't go off.

[beemerbird]

Never could get mine to go off on either the E90 or E92. Agree about the little * in the manual which states country specific, but I assumed the UK still advocated/allowed alarms.

Might check later and see if the Porka has one.

[FieldingMellish]

Yeah, I'll be having the car looked at anyway, to check for any other damage done while some little sh1t(s) stole the caps from my wheels. See this thread:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=196594

[FieldingMellish]

Yes, it's massively irritating that they don't at least have a chart at the back of the manual so you can check for a given feature. So you have to know exactly what features you get with whatever spec you have, plus of course any which were added as options. And checking the current spec charts online is no help unless you know your car is definitely new enough for you to rely on what you read on the website etc.

[beemerbird]

I had both cars from new so knew the spec. which related to the info. on the website at the time. I was told they both did have alarms but from what I understand a mouse farting could be louder!

Thing is, I don't believe many car alarms would go off if some arse hole is nicking your centre emblems? You hope it would if the car was 'raised off the ground'!! That said, some Merc alarms go off if aforementioned mouse farted near them!!

[FieldingMellish]

Originally Posted by beemerbird

I had both cars from new so knew the spec. which related to the info. on the website at the time. I was told they both did have alarms but from what I understand a mouse farting could be louder!

Thing is, I don't believe many car alarms would go off if some arse hole is nicking your centre emblems? You hope it would if the car was 'raised off the ground'!! That said, some Merc alarms go off if aforementioned mouse farted near them!!

Oh no, I'm not thinking that - I assume someone picking out the caos would not trugger the alram. It's just the fact that someone has done so that has got me thinking aout the alarm. It would be nice, for instance, when the police do eventually arrive, not to have to answer the question "Does teh car have an alarm, Sir?" with a Homer Simpson-ish "I don't know..."

[Z4 Beemer]

Going back to the idea of sticking your arm in an open window (assuming that you don't disable the interior sensors by pressing the lock button twice)... do the interior sensors not take something like 30 or 60 seconds to activate after you 'arm it'....? Also, try climbing in through the open window so that the sensors recognise a proper change in volume inside the car!!!

Pretty sure that all UK spec cars have the alarm fitted as default.

[AlanQS]

I left both windows opened and locked it fully, left it like that for half an hour and the alarm never went off.

I've never heard it go off and I have a suspicion that it doesn't have one, despite the fact that it is listed as standard spec for U.K cars.

[PeteJ]

I'm not sure if this helps, however when I took delivery of my car, I asked the very same question (expecting the answer to be yes)... which is was however like everything on these cars, it's a bit cleaver for it's own good.

The car has three main sensors. Tilt, Internal Motion (Ultra Sonic) and Door/Bonnet/Boot Contacts.

If the car is locked, with all windows (and in my case roof) closed the all of the sensors are armed, however should any of the windows be open then the internal motion sensors are automatically disabled to prevent false alarms (i.e. something blowing into the car)

However, with the windows open and you try and open the door from the inside, you should find the alarm goes off.

The other sensors, tilt for example does require quite a bit of movement to trigger.

This is what the technical guy at the BMW garage said anyway. Seemed to know what he was talking about.

Hope this helps

[dxb335d]

then all our insurance policies are invalid if there is no alarm, unless you told them it didnt have one which i very much doubt. Premium would be horrendous.

[Z4 Beemer]

I'm pretty sure that if you have the red flashing light under the mirror, then an alarm is fitted. I think the easiest way to test would be to get someone to lock you in the car - I don't think the fob works from inside... does it?

[Hotcoupe]

My alarm works, I jacked the car up today without thinking about it, and hey presto off it went!

I thought an alarm was standard kit

[Carrera RSR]

I believe all UK supplied cars must have a Thatcham approved immobiliser as standard as a minimum (Euro supplied cars may not unless spec to FULL UK standards). I believe all UK spec BMW's should have immobiliser and alarm as my spec sheet said so, 'Thatcham 1' alarm - standard.

Thatcham rate the 3 series very highly

http://www.thatcham.org/nvsr/index.jsp?page=199

To be honest I have never checked mine. Carlos, your insurance premium for a modern car will be applicable to the 'standard' manufacturer specification for alarm/immobiliser. The insurance company should know already a BMW has a Thatcham 1 alarm/immobiliser.

[NFS]

Mine has an alarm.

Kids have set it off a couple of times when I have had to lock the car while paying for petrol.