Yeah, you see a lot of these on EvoM lately, right? So i did some research and ended up picking a security system that i think should prevent me from ever crying about my stolen car. In addition to the LoJack AW system which was installed by the dealer when i bought the car i decided to go with Ravelco. I created this post to share my experience with you.

Did you know that the fastest way to steal your Evo is to just put it in gear and push? All these alarms are pointless. A thief can get a code generation machine, shaved keys, etc. All of the alarms can be disengaged in a matter of seconds. Think about it - if you can disable the alarm and open your door from a distance, dont you think that with the right toold the thief can do the same? So anyway, the only solution would be electro-mechanical - hence Ravelco.

I contacted Ravelco at www.CarThiefStoppers.com (NJ, PA, DC, DE, MD, VA sales and installation) and got a price quote of $318 Tax included. My appointment was set and i was notified that my master installer is going to be Chuck Whigham. So when the day came i was excited and worried at the same time.

Chuck arrived in his truck and from the first minute he made me feel comfortable. The guy clearly knew what he was talking about. Soft spoken, well mannered and a nice guy overall. He started at roughly 12:30 in the afternoon and finished at about 7:30. Thats right - thats how long it took.

I must admit, i was bothering the guy with questions, came down into the garage to check progess a few times and was impressed with how he was performing the install. The car was covered with protective sheets and it looked like a heart transplant scene. I cant even being to describe how gentle the guy was with my car. I honestly felt that he was working with the same care as he wold on his own vehicle. Tidy, clean and precise. Every wire soldered, hear shrunk and heat shielded. Such a nice job. Inside the car, Chuck and I figured out the best spot for the plug and Chuck installed it perfectly. Exactly where and how i wanted it. Everything feels solid and complete!

Ravelco has no callbacks. Everything works and will continue to work 100%. No hacking the ECU, no hacking of wires and no problems. When Chuck was done i couldnt tell that anything was ever touched. As the end result, if the plug is not inserted - you can turn the key to the first position and turn the radio on but thats it. You cant start the car. You cant even start it with it in gear and rolling down the hill. If you have the plug in and start the car, taking it out kills it as if you took the key out. It would take a group of thiefs hours just to figure out how to disable the system. I see a question coming: What if you just rip the plug out and cross the wires? Answer: There are lots of wires, they are all the same color, dummy wires are mixed in. If you dont cross specific wires together (could be 3 wires could be 4 or more) correctly you blow the fuses and you are done. No more chances. Every install is different so even if you spend hours on one car disabling the system - you will spend the same time or more on another. Its simple and its very effective.

I am not going to go into details of how the system works, its a bit complex, you can read about it on Ravelco's site. What i wanted to say is this:

If you dont want your car stolen, invest the $320 into a system that works. If you are in the NJ, PA, DC, DE, MD or VA area, call them up (877-662-9727) and if you drive an Evo or an STI ask for Chuck Whigham - he is the man. You will be glad you did it.

I am in no way associated with Ravelco or with Chuck, i dont get any disconts and all i want is to help you prevent being another victim and share my experience with this security system.

I am not advocating for Ravelco being 100% in terms of theft-proof. You can flatbed any car but besides that, if you are thinking of a security system, dont fall for all the beeping and flashing - get a system that works. Any security system can be defeated, its just that with this one it will either take hours to disable it or a freaking blatbed to take the car away.

EDITS: To answer all your questions: There are no remotes. There is no signal going in or out, there is no RF energy, there are no audiable warnings and no paging. Its an electro-mechanical key. Looks like the socket on your video card where you plug in your monitor. A round plug with a lot of pins. You plug it in and the car can run, you take it out and its 100% dead with no chance of starting.

In terms of looks. Dont mind the photos on Ravelco's site. My installation looks 100% clean and low-key. If you ever do the install, ask Chuck to do it the way he did mine. I will post some pics for you later on.

I give you my word that this is my personal experience. I paid for the system out of pocket and i've never ever had or will have any association with the manufacturer or installer. In fact i first saw mention of Ravelco on this forum and chose the system out of my own personal research. I do take accusations seriously so unless you think you have serious gounds for accusing me of telling lies i suggest you dont bring up the subject of me being on the Ravelco payroll. I have never posted a single lie on this forum and i dont appreciate disrespectful comments.

 

Or you could just pull out the fuse that allows the car to start and you have the same thing for free.

 

Yeah, if you want to mess with the fuse box you would want to disable at least the ignition and fuel delivery... but dont you think a thief would simply just check it first? Wouldnt hurt for him to bring a few with thim But hey man, its cool, if you think pulling a fuse is good enough for you i aint got a problem with that. We all do what we gotta do.

 

hmm..i've never heard of Ravelco before...that alarm system sounds really good though.

 

It doesn't stop the shady tow-truck guys from putting it on a flatbed and taking it.

They're not gonna break into your Evo because they want your crappy OEM radio. They steal the cars to strip them.

 

smart one dumb ****. now everyone know about it.

 

Where theres a will theres a way.

 

Yeah, they could use a tow but they would have to get a flat-bed. Now wouldnt you think all the noise and commotion resulting for a freaking flat-bed positioning itself and pulling the car onto the bed attract at least some attention? Besides, the tow needs room around the car man. Way to risky and way too expensive to do. Possibly worth it if you are stealing a Ferrari for an overseas shipment but not the Evo. Trust me... all they do is disable the audiable alarm (seconds) and push your car in gear. Thats all. No need for a tow.

Yeah but wouldnt you just move on to another Evo? The one you dont have to figure out how to steal?

 

does this alarm work w/ a turbo timer??

 

sorry to hear that bro

 

Alarms are only a slight help in preventing theft. If someone wants your car bad enough they will take it. My firend had his 2000 Honda Civic Si flat bedded out of a mall parking structure. Gone. No alarm in the world would have stopped that one from happening.

 

LOL Thanks

 

Maybe, but going by that logic why have an alarm at all? Why even lock the car? The asnwer is simple - minimize the chance. I think this system is the best one you can have to reach that result.

P.S. Pardon the question but why would anyone flatbed a civic?

 

^^^^^
Understood, but when i think about it i really hate all this increasing amount of false sense of security.

 

I wouldn't think so - it's not an alarm, it's a key. You have to unplug it once the car has stopped, and plug it back in when you're starting it up. Check the web site - you'll find info there.

Ravelco has a very good rep, but it isn't flashy - it just works. That's why most haven't heard of it. Who wants an alarm system that doesn't make cool noises or needs constant attention so that everyone knows you've got an alarm system? This thing is pretty well hidden and has a plug that you have to put in and take out when you use the car, similar to your key. There's nothing to brag on. Way too many guys want the flash rather than the effectiveness.