what is a "good" alarm to you? What features do you want, need? I think $300 bucks would get you a pretty basic alarm w/some cool features like auto window roll down, keyless entry, trunk pop, stuff like that. Its gonna cost a bit more when you get into features like wireless immobilizers, digital tilt/motion sensors, dual stage proxy sensors, stuff like that. Alarms aren't that hard too install, the hardest part would be hiding the "brain" and blending the wires into the existing wires so it looks as if its all factory wiring. I've never done my own install though because when I've bought an alarm in the past, the install was free.