Alternate Alarm Siren

An FChatter with a 99 360 has discovered a Corvette alarm siren works fine as a replacement for the $330 OEM Ferrari siren. They can be found on E-Bay for a very reasonable price.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=140042040&posted=1#post140042040

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

But wouldn't we go to Ferrari hell if we put a Corvette part on our car?

 

Nah, 550 owners have used Corvette shock actuators for years and they have not even been using anti-rejection drugs. Both the sirens are Bosch parts, at any rate. They built a few more for Corvettes than for Ferraris, most likely.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

LOL! Just kidding. Thanks for the info - just replaced mine a few months ago and I would have gone this route if I had known.

 

Just a note of caution here, The use of Corvette actuators requires a fairly extensive modification to the Corvette actuator which reqiures disassembly of the Corvette actuator.

They are not plug and play.

 

Dave- We understand. The siren is plug and play.

You also did the hyperblock-like mod, too, correct?

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Yep,

I'm happy to hear about the Corvette siren as the one in the 355 (third one) crapped out.

I got tired of replacing them, so its been out for a couple of years now.

I'll try to pick up one on eBay.

Strange, the 550 siren is original and still going strong, knock on wood.

 

Dave- Your 550 probably has the later siren with the improved battery. They have not been as troublesome as the early 5.2 model sirens.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

The last one I put in the 355 is an "new improved" one

 

Geez I thought I got a steal when I paid ONLY $170 for mine on ebay..But I got the prancing horsey on the box!

 

Dave- Sometimes it is just not your day. More palatable at less than $100, maybe less than $50 if you get lucky. Perhaps a tougher environment in the 355 than the Maranellos see up front.

Jay- We learn slowly, but do try to pass out the info as soon as we are sure it is reliable. $170 was a great deal, and I have recommended to several that they bite the bullet and pay the $330. Hopefully that will be the last one your car needs. If not, it will not be as painful next time.

That is a beautiful 355. Yellow is my favorite color for Ferraris (color of Modena) and if I ever ordered a new one (unlikely to happen), it would be yellow. Even though my wife would kill me. Her favorites are Rosso Dino and Rosso Corsa.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Terry

Yeah $170 was a good deal- I locked the car in a parking lot and a guy came running over to me to talk about the car- Turns out he had a 360 and his car no longer "Beeped" when he locked it- So I wound up emailing him my alarm source on ebay- Seemed like a deal at the time.

Thanks for the kind words on the car- I always thought the Giallo 355's looked the best- certainly not a color for those not seeking attention! There's a Spider on ebay right now custom ordered in Yellow with a full tan interior, carpets, dash and convertible top- Not sure if it's great looking or awful.

I have a set of 19" modular wheels that I'm having the center sections powder coated in Anthracite Metallic- Should have them ready to go by the Spring.

Jay

 

I replaced my alarm module two years ago. Records show that the original module had been replaced by the previous owner five years prior to that when the car was four and a half years old. Approximately five years seems to be the life expectancy of an alarm module in a frequently driven 550.

Hopefully, the 550 alarm modules sold on eBay are fresh. The alarm module I had installed two years ago had an expiration date of October, 2013.

Barry

 

I could not find an Ebay source.

 

It's available from different GM parts suppliers like this one, for $58.89

http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/results.cfm?singlepart=1&partnumber=15213135

I wish I would have know about this 5 months ago, when I replaced my siren with
an OEM one that was $272 from GT Car Parts.

 

After we get some more data, maybe Daniel at Ricambi will start carrying the GM Bosch siren.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Just be aware that S&H is $14.37 which brings it up to $74.26. Still a good price. I'm buying and will report back on service experience, etc.

Another outlet, GMPartsGiant.com price including S&H is about $5 more.

Taz, can you direct me to the post with the installation diagram? (assuming a guy with ten thumbs can do the changeout).

 

I remember when my first one went out, probably about eight years ago I was quoted over $600 for a new one from Ferrari. And that was for the one with the bad batteries!

I ordered one from the GM place, total $74.26 and they take PayPal which makes it easy.

 

Allan- Hopefully this is what you wanted. Not hard to change, just hard to reach. Numerous threads on doing it for a 550. Did not see one for the 456/M. Search siren for a bunch of hits.

Taz
Terry Phillips
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

This forum rocks. Thanks yet again Taz. With the ~$250 I've just saved, that's two free fillups for my 550 and a free coffee for me. I'll take it!

Finally got around to replacing the flamblocks and the car rides like a dream. No more rattles over the bumps. New clutch too. And my 1st Gen Tubis somehow have lost their resonance problem (or I've lost my hearing). Thinking about straight pipes now and replacing the brakes, which still squeak annoyingly sometimes even when I'm not touching the brake pedal. Dealer cannot figure it out.

I love this car. Even with the beautiful weather we're getting here now in Hong Kong, I still pick the 550's keys in the morning over the spiders.

 

jznd- If you put straight pipes on your car with first generation Tubis, you will have a very, very loud exhaust, which some people like and some do not. Worth trying and just about guarantees Corvettes and Mustangs will leave you alone.

Measure your rear anti-roll bar's diameter. Stock is 17 mm and FHP is 21 mm. If you have FHP, the Pagid 4-4 race brake pads are almost guaranteed to squeal, but do provide better fade resistance for the brakes. Takes a while for them to bed and the noise to subside. Mine were pretty much normal at 15,500 miles (24,945 km), and by 16,000 kms, the brakes should squeal only occasionally.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Siren order placed. Can't wait to get rid of that red light finally.

Not many corvettes or mustangs in Hong Kong...I think the equivalent car here is the 911, which are everywhere in every permutation, from C2 to turbos to GT3RS. You'd have to be driving with your eyes closed not to see at least a half dozen 911s on every 10 minute drive, usually many more. No exaggeration. Picking up my daughters this afternoon, a Pagani Zonda coasted by and I was busy staring at it, I almost missed the Rapide that snuck up behind me. I've been here 10 years and I still can't get over the density of exotics here.

Totally off topic for this thread, but re the straight pipes, it sounds like a reasonably inexpensive mod - and I do have a fly yellow 550 after all. Have to have the sound to match the paint job.

Re the squeaking brakes, I wouldn't mind it so much if it were squeaking when I stepped on the brake pedal, it bothers me that it squeaks when I'm NOT touching the brakes! Usually when the car is at a slow speed and in a curve, either direction. Worn wheel bearing?

 

Wheel bearings are usually a rumbling noise when they start to go bad. Could be a dry tie rod bearing or even an anti-roll bar bearing or bushing. Some lube in those locations might quiet it.

Brakes are a possibility, too, but expensive to band-aid. New Porterfield pads and turning the rotors is not much more than putting anti-squeal paste behind the pads. Reviewing a set of records for a Maranello buyer, a dealer charged $500 just for putting paste behind the pads. Or you could be like me with my Pagid pads from the FHP kit, and just smile when they squeal, which they will do until bedded. Not any longer, but kind of expensive the way I fixed it with ceramic brakes.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Corvette alarm module arrived but turns out my car (1998, assembly #28432) uses the old style alarm module so I have to buy a new cord too.

Anyone know if there's a Corvette equivalent? Or do I need to buy the Ferrari part (#180072)?

 

Still waiting for my order to be filled. At least the dealer hasn't dinged my paypal account yet.