It’s no secret that I consider the NZSA 5 Star rating system to be an outdated and misleading guide to what is claimed be be effective vehicle security.

Hell, I’ve been asking some blunt questions about he NZSA for the past two years and exposed it for the inept, unprofessional, parasitic, organisation that it really is.

My goal has always been to get one of the following outcomes:

1: For the NZSA to become an open, honest and accountable organisation that actually delivers on what it claims.

2: For the NZSA to crawl under a rock and get out of the vehicle security industry. Let’s face it, the NZSA is little more then a money making organisation run by a bunch of Muppets, that blackmails companies into membership.

Back of the net!

Gooooaaaaaallllllllllllll

As of 1st April (and no this is not going to be an April Fools joke!) the NZSA will (hopefully) no longer be associated with the vehicle security industry.

Here is an email from Greg Watts dated 26th November 2011

Afternoon All,

Over the past few years the NZSA has endeavored to bring together members of the vehicle security industry to provide input and guidance for their sector and among other things review and revise the ‘Star Rating System’ for vehicle alarms.  

Unfortunately we have been unable to secure enough interest from the industry to form a viable ‘Specialist Working Party’, this is partly due to the fact that the installation of alarms and immobilizers has decreased in recent years and the installation of entertainment systems, bluetooth car kits and navigation systems etc   has increased. As such the NZSA board do not believe the NZSA is now in a position to effectively and independently act on behalf and in the best interests of the vehicle security industry.

After a meeting of the NZSA board two weeks ago, it was agreed the NZSA would cease its representation of Vehicle Security as of the 31st of March 2012 and over the next five months look to transition this membership and the “Star Rating System” to an appropriate independent body.

After evaluating several options the NZSA have commenced discussions with the MTA (Motor Trade Association Inc) as we believe the MTA is better suited and equipped to support the Vehicle Security industry going forward. After reviewing our combined memberships we have identified a large number of members who belong to both the NZSA and MTA, which would potentially make a transition of the membership easier. 

Although we are not in a position to formally announce the transition of NZSA vehicle membership to the MTA at this stage, we continue to work with the MTA and will make further announcements in due course.

Regards

Greg Watts

I thought it would be cool to give everyone a glimpse behind the scenes here and an insight into some the little jobs that get done, especially on rainy days when jobs get postponed due to a lack of cover!

Welcome to the Obsessive Test Bench where alarms get reviewed and customised for some of the more extreme jobs.

It is also where remote controls get repaired, alarms get pre-wired before installation (siren cables often need extending for example) and circuits get made up and tested.

Remote Repairs

Remote controls often fail with age but often can be saved by simply replacing the button (switch) on the circuit board.

Why do they fail?

Well apart from over use, there seems to be an illogical instinct in most people that makes them press the remote harder when the battery is flat. The subconscious belief is that pressing the remote harder will magically make the remote work again. The reality is it will crush the switch and damage it!

The are some remote controls where the switch can be replaced which works out much cheaper then purchasing a whole new remote, but it is a fiddly job and not the sort of thing that I like to do out on the road.

It’s also worth noting that I can get new remote cases. Most of the remote controls featured on the remote page can be repaired or replaced.

New Zealand Product Range

New from Cobra is the AK4615, which is really taking alarm technology to a new level. Not only does the alarm feature a wireless siren (more about that later) it also works as a CAN-BUS, or PLIP (upgrade) alarm, plus has the option of operating from a Cobra remote.

Cobra have just put the alarm though Thatcham testing and the alarm meets the respected CAT 2-1 criteria. Thatcham are also publishing certification dates (Something the AUS/NZ standards really need to take note of and follow).

AK4615 Thatcham Certificate

CAN-BUS or PLIP Alarm

The AK4615 can be configured to work in almost any vehicle as it can be programmed for CAN-BUS software or as a conventional Upgrade alarm. Each unit needs to be programmed before installation and simply plugs into a computer via the USB port to hook up to the Cobra’s Antares software program.

Once plugged in the installer can select Between CAN-BUS and PLIP Alarm then decide which vehicle platform the alarm needs and change most of the features.

Having had a play myself I can say that the alarm is very versatile but does require some technical knowledge to fully understand what it is capable of.

Minor changes such as siren arm/disarm chirp selection and volume can still be adjusted once the alarm is in the vehicle.

CAN-BUS Vehicle List

The number of vehicle now featuring CAN-BUS is rapidly growing. A full list of compatable cars can be found here: http://vehiclesecurity.co.nz/cobra-CAN-BUS.php

Note: If your vehicle is not listed then chances are it can be wired as an upgrade alarm, please contact us for details.

Wireless Siren

The Ak4615 is the first car alarm to feature a wireless siren. Whilst it still needs a power supply to charge the battery back-up siren there is no longer the need to wire the siren up to the alarm ECU which saves the need to run cables between the two.

Only One Way Communication

The Siren has a bonnet switch input which will trigger it into action if opened when armed, so there is no need to run any cables though the firewall. That said because there is only one way wireless communication from the alarm ECU to the siren, the bonnet sense wire only triggers the siren into life and not the main alarm. Having said that many CAN-BUS vehicles already have a factory bonnet switch that the CAN-BUS system will read directly. For cars that don’t, this means that the pager out-put or hazard lights won’t activate if the bonnet is opened. If you do want this feature then it maybe worth asking the installer to hard wire a bonnet switch to the main alarm ECU.

New Features

The AK4615 effectively replaces both the AB3868 and the AK4908. It also has plenty of new features lacking in past models such as Pager out-put and the ability to hook up a second digital siren, or Immobiliser (remember not all CAN-BUS vehicles have a factory immobiliser, for example 2012 Corolla Wagon). The other great option is that of a Cobra remote which may well prove much more cost effective then a visit to the local car dealer for a spare.

Cobra AK4615

RRP: $700.00

Insurance Approved:

Thatcham Cat 2-1 Upgrde

Obsessive Rating:
Class Leading Security

Cobra seems to be the only manufacture who have a active R&D department. The only alternatives seem very outdated!

OVERVIEW

Features:

Pager Output

Wireless Digital Battery Back-up Siren

Ultrasonics

Dash Mount LED Over-ride

Full operation via Factory remote

Options:

Cobra Remote Controls

Additional sensors

8509 Immobiliser

4310 Siren

Drivers Card

Can't beat Wellington on a good day

Well I hope everyone had a great summer break, even if the weather turned to crap towards the end of it! Still it started off well and Wellington on Xmas day was simply magical. No wind, no clouds and best of all no traffic as most people had already got away. I had my camera on me so got a couple of photos of the day, one of which looked perfect for a new header for the website.

Hopefully a photo of Wellington will help drill it into some of the Jafa’s out there where I’m located, plus has the bonus of being honest. It’s the Beat after all (all 660cc of grunt) and not some Lambo or Ferrari which we all know that most installers never get to play with, yet despite this they have a deluded idea that having a photo of one will give some cred!

Anyway no naming a shaming here (although You’re welcome to name them in the comment section) but here’s a couple of snips of what I’ve seen on other sights recently!

Refreshed and in good Health

What I’m loving most about this year is that I have not got a dislocated finger (8th Jan 2011 was a painful day!) to worry about. Hell I really don’t know how I managed last year as I couldn’t even tear insulation tape without a knife!

2012: Bring it on

Refillable Smoke Canister

Whilst a smoke machine can be a great way of scaring the scum bags of this world away from your wheels, the truth is that most of us would prefer if it was never put to the test. The reality is that the only time that my smoke machine sees any action is when I’m playing with it. I simply can’t resist the urge to set it off!

The Credex VGS Smoke Machine only comes with one canister which is good for about fifteen 20 second blasts of fog and replacements are not easy to come by, plus tend to be expensive. The good news is that I now have a refillable canister so can now be as smoke happy as I like.

The new canister has a cap that can be unscrewed to pour in more fog juice, then is simply pressurised to 50 PSi using a bike pump. To easy

Below is a recent photo of the Smoke Machine in action. Check out the You Tube clip of the Smoke Machine in the Obsessive Go-Kart

Smoke Happy

New Zealand Product Range

I am pleased to say that I can now have access to new remote case’s for Cobra and plan to keep spares in stock. At this stage I only have the 4T7777 case but it will still house the internals of all other current Cobra remote controls, including the AK4198 style one.

The price for the case is $20.00 which includes the rubber dongle section (to be honest I have no idea what to call this part but to make things clear it is the grey bit that attaches to the key ring) which is not for sale on its own (unless of course you want to pay $20.00 for it )

Following on from the news about the New Zealand Police website listing all reported stolen vehicles for he past 6 months, it seems that there has been a fair amount of interest in the numbers. The problem with the police list is that it has individual vehicles, which is great, but does not make it clear which cars come top.

The good news is that BBQ from GP Forums has gone through the list and made a bar graph of the top 20. I asked if I could publish the list here and he has no objections. So that said, here it is:

Click on Image for full size Graph

Note: Toyota Hilux and Hilux Surf have been counted together and Mazda Familia and 323 should probably be counted as one. Not that I’m knocking the graph as it is more then I (or anyone else **) has managed to come up with.

A big thank you to BBQ (GP Forum user name) for making the graph and allowing me to publish it here. Good work

Foot Note: ** Can anyone inform me what my NZSA membership fee pays for?

One thing I have been keen to see for some time now is a list of Stolen vehicles. Sure the AA list their top 10 each year but that is hardly a true reflection on what the reality is.

Today there is finally good news. The New Zealand Police website now has a full listing of stolen vehicles for the a past 6 months that we are all free to access. It can be searched through nationally, by area, or even gives you the option to search for a vehicle via its registration plate or VIN number.

Below are the statistics for the past 16 years.

Anyway enough of my babbling away, you can check the website out for yourself. I’m off to have a beer

http://www.police.govt.nz/stolen/vehicles

Greg Watt's: NZSA Executive Officer

The title of this post may sound harsh, but I firmly believe that it is fair given just how inept the New Zealand Security Association has been in recent weeks under the helm of Greg Watts.

On 5th October I sent a public email to Greg Watts asking if he had seen the relevant certificates for the Mongoose TA alarm along with other questions. Now after five weeks of waiting Greg has failed to respond, even though I have emailed him (and the rest of the NZSA staff) the questions four times demanding a open reply.

I’d like to remind everyone including Greg Watts that the NZSA claims to represent its members and act in the best interest of the public, both of whom they should be accountable to.

Quite why Greg Watts has failed to respond remains a mystery. He has claimed time and time again that the NZSA has nothing to hide, yet continues to evade my questions. As I have pointed out numerous times, if there is no corruption going on then surely the NZSA would have no objection to fronting up and responding!

An Inept Misleading Organisation?

An endorsement from the NZSA now holds about as much credibility as Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown would promoting a weight watchers diet. The hollow claims made by the NZSA about representing vehicle security standards seem to be a total farce. Not only do they appear to be misleading the public with the suggesting that approved installers are more qualified then none members, they also fail to respond to any questions regarding product changes and certification.

The big question I’d like to know is how many of the NZSA members are actually aware of how the the organisation is run, and if they are aware then do they really want to be associated with an organisation that seems to have no accountably for its actions.

Personally I have had enough of the bullshit. This is an organisation that blackmails people into being a paying member. Those who refuse to pay are labelled as “not being certified” or “approved” to supply or install insurance approved alarms. This in my opinion is totally unethical as not being a member is commercially damaging. I’m not the only one who shares this view, here is a recent letter to the NZSA from Ron Campbell (Director of Dynatron NZ).

Given the failure of the NZSA to represent its members, along with its failure to act to improve vehicle security standards. Oh and let’s not forget its failure to respond to fair and simple questions, or to act in the interest of the public who are at mercy to its misleading Star rating system, it is clear that as Executive Officer, Greg Watts is failing to do his job.

Come April 2012 when fees are due I will not be renewing my membership. Well certainly not unless I see a major shake up in the NZSA, and for that heads will need to roll!

Elgrand: Complete with pimped up body kit!

1. Honda Torneo
2. Nissan Elgrand
3. Subaru Impreza
4. Subaru Forester
5. Subaru Legacy
6. Nissan Skyline
7. Nissan Presea
8. Mitsubishi Libero
9. Nissan Cefiro
10. Nissan Sunny

No Nissan Silvia (#1 for past 3 years)

Some interesting statistics

**Martin Fox, Head of Operations, AA Insurance said. “Installing visible anti-theft devices such as a steering lock or flashing car alarm can reduce the risk of theft. Our claims data shows that a vehicle with no alarm is 1.3 times more likely to be stolen than a vehicle with an alarm.” **

How Many 5 Star Alarms Fail?

The numbers that I’d really like to get my hands on would be the list of vehicles that had an alarm yet still got stolen (Plus what is deemed to be an alarm?) It would no doubt make for some horrific reading!

Would it not be great to have a list of which makes and models of alarms/immobilisers failed along with NZSA installer certificates? Feel welcome to add any you know about to the comment section…

**Info hacked from the nzherald.co.nz