'80s BMW Accessory Alarm

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kr3678
Posts: 7
Joined: Dec 22, 2021 10:01 PM
Location: Central Georgia

'80s BMW Accessory Alarm

Post by kr3678 »

From the 1988 Accessories Catalog: Standard Alarm System. Features flashing LED, sound, and voltage sensing. Trunk and motion sensors are optional.

Does anyone out there remember these? Have any more information to share about it?

This alarm system was installed in the 1988 528e I owned a long time ago. I removed it from the car and stuck it in a box on a shelf in 1994. The alarm worked at the time of removal; I was just not a fan of 1980s alarm systems. Six moves and 29 years later it was still in a box on a shelf in my storage room.

The control box was screwed to the glove box door (on the inside). The LED was installed in the switch blank to the left of the factory radio. The siren unit was under the hood. I want to say it was mounted to the right strut tower, but my memory starts to get a little hazy there. Everything appears to be there, but I don't have installation instructions to determine how it would hook up.

I am cleaning out a lot of the parts I have amassed over the years and trying to decide if this is worth anything.

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Shawn D.
Beamter
Beamter
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Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
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Re: '80s BMW Accessory Alarm

Post by Shawn D. »

This would have been opportune for offloading at Vintage this past weekend.
kr3678
Posts: 7
Joined: Dec 22, 2021 10:01 PM
Location: Central Georgia

Re: '80s BMW Accessory Alarm

Post by kr3678 »

Shawn D. wrote: May 23, 2023 3:51 AM This would have been opportune for offloading at Vintage this past weekend.
You're right of course. Unfortunately, my timing is off. I didn't make it to Vintage and didn't uncover this artifact until this past weekend.
kr3678
Posts: 7
Joined: Dec 22, 2021 10:01 PM
Location: Central Georgia

Re: '80s BMW Accessory Alarm

Post by kr3678 »

Since I missed the Vintage opportunity and couldn't really find out anything about it's value, I put it on eBay to see what the market thinks. We'll see how it goes.
dsw99a
Posts: 405
Joined: Jan 07, 2012 5:22 AM
Location: Hawaii

Re: '80s BMW Accessory Alarm

Post by dsw99a »

Um; why dont you list it here? :rofl:
Mike W.
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Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: California Whine Country

Re: '80s BMW Accessory Alarm

Post by Mike W. »

Kind of an odd item given that E28s at least had a factory alarm built in. Admittedly not a particularly good one, and easily defeated if you got inside, but something. :dunno: GLWS.
kr3678
Posts: 7
Joined: Dec 22, 2021 10:01 PM
Location: Central Georgia

Re: '80s BMW Accessory Alarm

Post by kr3678 »

Honestly, I never saw the point of it either, which is why I removed it. If my memory serves correctly, it did seem to be a pretty good noise maker.

However, I have learned that a lot of the items I dismissed in the '80s are somehow worth big bucks these days. I worked in a car stereo/auto accessories business in the '80s. When I see what Becker Europa and Grand Prix radios go for these days, I could almost cry when I think of how many of them we just tossed (literally, 40 foot jump shot...) into the dumpster. I have seen similar phenomenon with DIN pockets, radio blank plates, etc... And then there's Cibie and Marchal lights.

I just don't know if this item is one of those things.
kr3678
Posts: 7
Joined: Dec 22, 2021 10:01 PM
Location: Central Georgia

Re: '80s BMW Accessory Alarm

Post by kr3678 »

Update: apparently not one of those high-value things, at least not on eBay. Maybe a dozen views, 1 bid in a 7-day auction. Sold for $45 including shipping.
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