Thanks for the suggestons. I spoke with a mechanic at the dealer and learned why I could not set it off.

For 1 & 2, the motion sensor is only if the car is jacked up to be towed. Something like lifting the car a min 15 degrees is required

For 3, don't think a simple tap is enough.

For 4, when a window is down the motion sensor is deactivated. I was hoping someone reaching into an open window is exactly what it would protect against. His explanation didn't really make sense, but something about it taking 15 minutes to initialize, it not monitoring constantly, not really a motion sensor in the true sense. What good is it then?! I think I'll try sitting in the car with the windows up, arm the alarm wait a minute then move around and see if it goes off.

We didn't discuss #5.

What he said I could do is raise the hood and pull up the hood switch. Called it a test position. Leave the hood up, arm the alarm then press the hood switch down. Alarm shoul go off. Going to test that when I get home tonight.

I asked if a failed alarm would create an error code. He said what it does do is log when a sensor goes off. So for example if the alarm keeps going off and its a bad hood switch (said that is what usually goes out) he would see the multiple reports of it in the computer.

The impression I get is the OEM alarm is set up to eliminate false alarms, not be ultra sensitive. He said he has an X5 and that if the alarm goes off, you know its because someone is breaking into it.

Chip