Security and Alarms

[Lunch Box]

I have the revelco anti theft device. The install is clean, yes the bottle cap size device is grey, not an issue for me. It completely defeats the ignition when used. The person who installed mine told me, it would take him over an hour to start my truck or to defeat it even though he Installed it. He does charge a trip fee if outside his service area. I had 5 trucks lined up for him to do, no trip fee plus a discount for each truck. Takes him about 2 hours per truck. He services the San Antonio area, Ford Superduty is by far the most frequently stolen vehicle. The Revelco system is expensive, there is the argument of "that's what I have insurance" for. True, but insurance does not cover the inconvenience. You and the family have the truck loaded up, stop at Bass Pro for some last minute things, you walk out and the truck is gone. Six to eight Ford SD are stolen a week from the Bass Pro in San Antonio, this comes from San Antonio Police officers who are privy to those stats, plus most of them endorse and have the Revelco on their trucks. We all know insurance is not going to enable you a new replacement Tremor without a lengthy wait. Just wanted to share me experiences with Revelco, its your money and your truck.

I'll add something else, has it occurred to some the way this system works, the analyticals may be proprietary. With all of the members and guests who frequent this site, had the Ravelco ever been defeated I believe someone would have brought it up. Yes, cops are not experts, but they deal with this everyday, so for me I give them creditability. Look at your window sticker and all the options you ordered, most well over the five hundred dollar mark. Had a Revelco type system been offered, ask yourself if you would have checked that box.....I think so.

 

[BroncoHooves]

Get some Jimmi jammers and a passenger door handle for the driver's side. See my post history for detailed pics and explanations.

 

[Himni]

I'll add something else, has it occurred to some the way this system works, the analyticals may be proprietary. With all of the members and guests who frequent this site, had the Ravelco ever been defeated I believe someone would have brought it up. Yes, cops are not experts, but they deal with this everyday, so for me I give them creditability. Look at your window sticker and all the options you ordered, most well over the five hundred dollar mark. Had a Revelco type system been offered, ask yourself if you would have checked that box.....I think so.

I’m not saying anything against Ravelco but they claim 5 million installs and they are global so I assume they are claiming global install in the 45 years they have been around.

So in 2019 in the USA alone there were 276 million registered vehicles. So if all 5 million Ravelcos were still on the road they would be installed in about 1.8% of vehicles. That is such a small amount that it wouldn’t be noticed even If they had a large percentage fail every year.

It could be the best system ever invented I don’t know but their market share is insignificant and hard to prove effectiveness. I will say I wouldn’t believe the company’s claim of 0 defeats since they have a vested interest in saying it’s 0 regardless.

 

[Jericho]

Fairway ford is $3 more but offers free shipping plus you can call them and use your ford points.

This is the sync 3 version.

KN1Z-19A361-A 2019-2024 Ford Vehicle Security System - Ford Perimeter Plus | Fairway Ford Parts

KN1Z-19A361-A 2019-2024 Ford Vehicle Security System - Ford Perimeter Plus

www.fairwayfordparts.net

Cool. I don't use 'Ford Points' but I'm sure that for those that do, this will be welcome information.

 

[Loshad]

Why does the Ravelco have to be so UGLY!
And with it I lose remote start for brutally cold mornings like today - 41!

 

[Jericho]

I’m not saying anything against Ravelco but they claim 5 million installs and they are global so I assume they are claiming global install in the 45 years they have been around.

So in 2019 in the USA alone there were 276 million registered vehicles. So if all 5 million Ravelcos were still on the road they would be installed in about 1.8% of vehicles. That is such a small amount that it wouldn’t be noticed even If they had a large percentage fail every year.

It could be the best system ever invented I don’t know but their market share is insignificant and hard to prove effectiveness. I will say I wouldn’t believe the company’s claim of 0 defeats since they have a vested interest in saying it’s 0 regardless.

That's my point, Ravelco makes all sorts of claims, has no discernible market share, no IRL presence, no reputable dealer network, no empirical documentation or verifiable data, no insurance or law enforcement affiliations or endorsements, no employees, and literally no product iteration or investment in four decades. The only place Ravelco is hailed as the last word in vehicle security is by word of mouth on enthusiast forums where absence of proof is often passed as proof itself! I too know three members of various police departments that I've spent time with over the years. When I was trying to figure out what security to implement in my truck I emailed them. Two replied, one didn't. Neither of the two had heard of Ravelco. I get it, every other cop in the US swears by that brand of kill switch, but the two I personally spoke to had never heard of it.

Ravelco is likely very good, and you should absolutely get it if that's your bag, I believe the kill switch aspect of the system will effectively secure your vehicle, but... Trusting the independent contractor making money off your install to tell you how great his work and product is... Well... I mean, okay then.

Really though, precisely zero minds are ever changed during internet arguments... The true believers always will be, and for those who want to be able to verify ANY of the utopian claims made by the ONE guy in California - there is simply no data to back it up. None... Just stories. If I may though, I would offer that more than any other factor, keeping your security implementation secret is the most effective way to confound a would be thief. If they don't know what to look for, or where, then they are going to have a very hard time overcoming what you've done.

On these forums, we can disagree on product choices, sometimes we even get angry with each other, but I think that at the center of these arguments, each of us is trying to do right by the other. We all have different trust factors, different value structures, and its those differences that dictate our eventual purchasing behavior... In the end, no matter how good or bad the argument that influenced you, only one thing really matters: When someone attempted to steal your car, did your choice prevent that from happening?

If the answer is yes, then you made the right decision - no matter which way you went.

 

[Lunch Box]

That's my point, Ravelco makes all sorts of claims, has no verifiable market share, no IRL presence, no reputable dealer network, no empirical documentation or verifiable data, no insurance or law enforcement affiliations or endorsements, no employees, and literally no product iteration or investment in four decades. The only place Ravelco is hailed as the last word in vehicle security is by word of mouth on enthusiast forums where absence of proof is often passed as proof itself! I, too, know three members of various police departments that I've spent time with over the years. When I was trying to figure out what security to implement in my truck I emailed them. Two replied, one didn't. Neither of the two had heard of Ravelco. I get it, every other cop in the US swears by that brand of kill switch, but the two I personally spoke to had never heard of it.

Ravelco is likely very good, and you should absolutely get it if that's your bag, I believe the kill switch aspect of the system will effectively secure your vehicle, but... Trusting the independent contractor making money off your install to tell you how great his work and product is... Well... I mean, okay then.

Really though, precisely zero minds are ever changed during internet arguments... The true believers always will be, and for those who want to be able to verify ANY of the utopian claims made by the ONE guy in California - there is simply no data to back it up. None... Just stories. If I may though, I would offer that more than any other factor, keeping your security implementation secret is the most effective way to confound a would be thief. If they don't know what to look for, or where, then they are going to have a very hard time overcoming what you've done.

On these forums, we can disagree on product choices, sometimes we even get angry with each other, but I think that at the center of these arguments, each of us is trying to do right by the other. We all have different trust factors, different value structures, and its those differences that dictate our eventual purchasing behavior... In the end, no matter how good or bad the argument that influenced you, only one thing really matters: When someone attempted to steal your car, did your choice prevent that from happening?

If the answer is yes, then you made the right decision - no matter which way you went.

Yes, you do lose the remote start. I live in a rural area, therefore I don't pull the "ugly" cap when at home, but I can't tell you the piece of mind it gives me when in the city. As far as ugly, I can deal with it, where I have it, you have to looking for it to see it.

 

[Jericho]

Yes, you do lose the remote start. I live in a rural area, therefore I don't pull the "ugly" cap when at home, but I can't tell you the piece of mind it gives me when in the city. As far as ugly, I can deal with it, where I have it, you have to looking for it to see it.

Losing remote start wouldn't bother me, I don't use it. I'm glad it gives you that piece of mind... Stressing over a parked vehicle is an unnecessary life experience to have. The system I chose for my own vehicle requires a pin combination to be entered after pushing the ignition button. Without that combination, the system bus itself will not allow the vehicle to operate, and it cannot be disabled via software.

No fobs, or plugs... It does have an optional RFID tag that's a bit smaller than an SD Card for your keychain if you want to bypass the pin, and it offers a Bluetooth secured app if neither of the other two are workable for some reason. In the end, they're different roads to the same destination and they both immobilize the vehicle if implemented properly. I'm just not personally interested in the bottle cap... For me, it's not about ugly, it's about the fact that the pinned circuit is a relatively basic function that has not needed to be as large as it is for decades... If the company actually were a company, they could have iterated on the design effortlessly and rather than that ungainly bottle cap, you could have a thin USB-C key hanging from your chain that provided the exact same function.

I want to know the security provider I've chosen is adaptive and invested in their product. To me, Ravelco seems like a guy who bought a technology when it was cheap and has been uncritically drop-shipping to his contractors ever since. Maybe he understands the product, maybe not... But he certainly hasn't done a thing with it since Jimmy Carter was in office.

Like I said previously, I think it's a bad product because of the business itself, not the kill switch component. I think that simply by deciding to install it in your vehicle, you've made yours more hassle than it's worth relative all the other F-Series trucks in the area.

I also think that good security is a mindset and that the solution you've selected is a valid one.

 

[Loshad]

So what system do you have, Jericho?

 

[bbrett]

Losing remote start wouldn't bother me, I don't use it. I'm glad it gives you that piece of mind... Stressing over a parked vehicle is an unnecessary life experience to have. The system I chose for my own vehicle requires a pin combination to be entered after pushing the ignition button. Without that combination, the system bus itself will not allow the vehicle to operate, and it cannot be disabled via software.

No fobs, or plugs... It does have an optional RFID tag that's a bit smaller than an SD Card for your keychain if you want to bypass the pin, and it offers a Bluetooth secured app if neither of the other two are workable for some reason. In the end, they're different roads to the same destination and they both immobilize the vehicle if implemented properly. I'm just not personally interested in the bottle cap... For me, it's not about ugly, it's about the fact that the pinned circuit is a relatively basic function that has not needed to be as large as it is for decades... If the company actually were a company, they could have iterated on the design effortlessly and rather than that ungainly bottle cap, you could have a thin USB-C key hanging from your chain that provided the exact same function.

I want to know the security provider I've chosen is adaptive and invested in their product. To me, Ravelco seems like a guy who bought a technology when it was cheap and has been uncritically drop-shipping to his contractors ever since. Maybe he understands the product, maybe not... But he certainly hasn't done a thing with it since Jimmy Carter was in office.

Like I said previously, I think it's a bad product because of the business itself, not the kill switch component. I think that simply by deciding to install it in your vehicle, you've made yours more hassle than it's worth relative all the other F-Series trucks in the area.

I also think that good security is a mindset and that the solution you've selected is a valid one.

Genesis has something cool, my GF is looking at getting the GV70 which will have this feature.

Click the link below.. Genesis Biometric security
watch

 

[Jericho]

Genesis has something cool, my GF is looking at getting the GV70 which will have this feature.

Click the link below.. Genesis Biometric security
watch

That's pretty slick, isn't it?
I'm curious if a fingerprint could be extracted from the vehicles' exterior and then used to fool the reader. I know that was a method of bypassing early readers on smartphones; if memory serves, it was one of Apple's missteps in biometrics. If they have a capillary sensor built in, that might be a cool feature. I'd certainly want to give it a go.

Hopefully the Korean manufacturers provide proof of concept for the other auto companies to emulate. I would imagine the Germans will be the next segment to incorporate this type of technology with the American automakers being late adopters.

 

[cntyguy]

I have the revelco anti theft device. The install is clean, yes the bottle cap size device is grey, not an issue for me. It completely defeats the ignition when used. The person who installed mine told me, it would take him over an hour to start my truck or to defeat it even though he Installed it. He does charge a trip fee if outside his service area. I had 5 trucks lined up for him to do, no trip fee plus a discount for each truck. Takes him about 2 hours per truck. He services the San Antonio area, Ford Superduty is by far the most frequently stolen vehicle. The Revelco system is expensive, there is the argument of "that's what I have insurance" for. True, but insurance does not cover the inconvenience. You and the family have the truck loaded up, stop at Bass Pro for some last minute things, you walk out and the truck is gone. Six to eight Ford SD are stolen a week from the Bass Pro in San Antonio, this comes from San Antonio Police officers who are privy to those stats, plus most of them endorse and have the Revelco on their trucks. We all know insurance is not going to enable you a new replacement Tremor without a lengthy wait. Just wanted to share me experiences with Revelco, its your money and your truck.

Wow, 6-8 SDs being stolen from Bass Pro every week? Even here in crime ridden Southern California, detectives or special enforcement teams would have acted on and quashed that long before it became a known thing. Guess San Antonio is really falling apart.

 

[HotToddy]

Thanks for all the great info! Looks like I’ll need to buy another 4wd truck that I don’t love as much to leave at trailheads

 

[HALL250]

Get some Jimmi jammers and a passenger door handle for the driver's side. See my post history for detailed pics and explanations.

I have heard this said before. Where would one best find a passenger door handle cover? I assume a rattle can of your truck color would be needed also. I really want to do this one. Seems easy enough with no real drawbacks.

 

[Vecman]

I just purchased this system from a retailer in Estonia. I cannot find it for sale in the USA. It looks incredible in theory, and there's a YouTube channel - London Car Alarm Co - that uses these in many of their vehicles. I'm super impressed. I paid $233 for this system (Euro conversion). It has some incredible capabilities. I just need to find someone in the area that is comfortable and/or will install it for me.

StarLine i96 CAN | AlarmStarline.com

For me, I use the remote start everyday. I want to maintain functionality of the car. I love the idea of the Revelco, but hate everything else about it

 

[Vecman]

Here's a video from the London Car Alarm Co

 

[Jericho]

I have heard this said before. Where would one best find a passenger door handle cover? I assume a rattle can of your truck color would be needed also. I really want to do this one. Seems easy enough with no real drawbacks.

Assuming you do it yourself, the painted door module is around $250 and the Jimmi Jammer kit with tumbler delete is about $85.
If you pay for it, add an hour of labor. Rattle Can stopped being an option once you hit 25. This is an $80,000 truck, spend the $250 and do the job right.

 

[Lunch Box]

Wow, 6-8 SDs being stolen from Bass Pro every week? Even here in crime ridden Southern California, detectives or special enforcement teams would have acted on and quashed that long before it became a known thing. Guess San Antonio is really falling apart.

With the huge parking lot, and the way they do it, it's difficult to know if it's the owner or otherwise. They have set up stings and made a few apprehensions, but the shit keeps happening.

 

[JHForman812]

I browsed through this thread, please make sure youre ordering the right one there are 2 versions one if for sync3 and one is for sync4 taking the dash back apart twice isnt very fun. the shock sensor is adjustable im happy with the functionality I gained. I used my ford pass points so no money outta my pocket.

 

[BroncoHooves]

I have heard this said before. Where would one best find a passenger door handle cover? I assume a rattle can of your truck color would be needed also. I really want to do this one. Seems easy enough with no real drawbacks.

You buy the entire door handle to do it right, not just the cover.