Does alarm have motion sensors in the car?
 

Near the rear view mirror there's two.... things, looks like IR sensors, like at stores for automatic doors, and theres what appears to be IR LEDs behind them. Are these sensors to detect motion in the car with the top down? If so, how do I activate them? I ask because I had the top down and alarm on and had a relative jump in the car and not a peep. Waved my hand in front of them and nothing


Should I be pressing the alarm buttons differently?

They are motion sensors, albeit rather weak ones. They arm with the top up only, unless you deploy the infamous "red clip" that attaches to the windshield frame above the mirror and depresses the micro switch that activates them.

Top up? So when the top is down, leaving the interior of the car is exposed, the motion sensors in the car do not work?

That seems backwards to me. What is the red clip you are talking about and where can I buy one?

How weak is weak? If someone, say, tried to.... I dunno, remove something from the console, would the sensors detect their hand?

It is an cheap OEM item, usually a couple of bucks:

[IMG]http://www.****************************************************.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/redclip%20copy.gif[/IMG]

Weak in the sense that if you move slowly, you can reach in and remove something from the car without tripping it.......

Thats true with most motion sensors I played with as a kid ;)

But who is going to slowly move their hand in someone's car and steal something? Probably no one, unless they're very familiar with boxsters, which is highly unlikely, because if you know Porsches that well you probably own one and probably don't need to steal things if you can afford a Porsche (let's hope right?)

Where can I buy that clip?

Pelican Parts - Product Information: 986-504-986-00-OEM


PORSCHE CONVERTIBLE TOP "RED" CLIP - G98650498600

I agree that it should work when the top is down as well, but since the latch microswitch is part of the equation that prevents it. Use of that clip will certainly solve the problem. I have also heard of one simply pressing on the switch in the latch recepticle while locking the car, but I cannot state whether or not that does indeed work.

I think it most likely does not work as well with the top down because the environment is no longer closed like it would be with the top up, where, unless your windows are down, someone would have to force their way into the car by breaking a window or cutting the top open. As soon as they reach in (or probably as soon as any glass starts flying around), the sensors would trigger. With the top down I'm sure it will still work, but the sensors are probably not as sensitive as when the cabin is enclosed. Since the accessory is so cheap, it's a very easy solution for those who wish to be able to secure the car without raising the top.

I've also found that the alarm will trigger if (on 97-99 986s) the clamshell is lifted when the car is locked. Again, normally one would not be able to do this, so you're talking about someone trying to force their way into the car.