# Automatic Car Starters



## MaxPower (Jan 30, 2003)

My wife wants an automatic car starter for her Nissan Altima (automatic).

Does anyone have any experience with these things? I was told by the dealer to be careful with these and they don't recommend them.

So, are they safe and reliable? Any concerns with them?

As well, what kind should I buy? I just want to go to Canadian Tire and purchase one that won't break the bank. If I do decide to buy.


----------



## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

I have an aftermarket remote starter in my Taurus Wagon; it was already installed when I bought the car. 

I can't vouch for its safety & reliability because I found the operation of the ignition-kill / anti-theft system so fumblesome and annoying, and the instruction manual so badly written, that I turned the system *off*. Granted, there must be some that work well and aren't annoying, but I get along just fine without.


----------



## james_squared (May 3, 2002)

Hello,

When we had our gasoline fueled truck, I was the remote starter!

James


----------



## Kosh (May 27, 2002)

My mom has one and seems to like it. Before she retired, all the nurses had one and when a shift was near the end, one nurse would turn on all the cars with all the automatic starters. They seem safe, from what I can tell because as soon as you try to go anywhere with the car, it seems to shut off, unless you've restarted the car with the key.

But I'd like to hear if there are any safety concerns.


----------



## Macified (Sep 18, 2003)

If you can get a unit from your car dealer you are probably better off. I've heard that messing up the install can interfere with the service stations ability to diagnose electrical or computer issues. 

That being said, any certified mechanic, trained in the installation should be able to safely install a unit. Sticking with a big name garage (Canadian Tire, etc) will likely serve you well as you can always go back to them if there are any issues.

I have a unit from Canadian Tire which I am planning to have installed in a couple of weeks. Got the unit as a gift 2 years ago but it is the same unit they sell today. My dealer can't provide a unit for less than $250 installed.

Good luck


----------



## Max (Sep 26, 2002)

A few months back we got a Suzuki Aerio SX hatchback. Remote start was one of the options we gladly paid for. We tried it out a few times but the real test period is the coming winter. Nice to look out the second floor window, extend one's arm and watch the satisfying tell-tale blink of the car's headlights as she starts up and the cabin heats up in a couple of minutes. Then you pop in and drive off, toasty warm and the engine already warmed up... less wear and tear on the car. Only drawback is that idling... not good for the city air. Not to mention doing too much of it is against the law, right? At least here in Toronto.

But yeah, the mechanism works fine. I trust it more because it's dealer-installed and tailored to the vehicle itself.


----------



## sinjin (Jul 12, 2003)

Get a reputable shop to do the work.

Last year I put one in my wife's car for christmas. I called all around town and every shop was completely booked but one. So I went with them.

"Them" turned out to be some guy that runs a used car dealership. He screwed up the power door locks during the install, and I had to wait another hour for him to figure out what went wrong.

After driving it for a while, all the wires started hanging down from behind the dash, interfering with the gas pedal. And it turns out that the alarm (part of the unit) was going off repeatedly and bugging neigbours (I hate those damn things). After 2 days of trying to figure out what the problem was I discovered the guy had installed the hood switch in a bad spot and it would slip, setting off the alarm.

Screws to him, I tore it all apart myself, re-routed all the wiring, reprogrammed the alarm to NOT activate (the manuals for these things are BRUTAL) and moved the hood switch to a better spot.

Wife loves the starter, though!


----------



## sinjin (Jul 12, 2003)

Forgot to say:

I got an AutoStart. I think they are pretty safe. You should be fine with any of the ones CT sells and consider the specs on the range for the remote if you live somewhere you don't have direct line of sight to your car. 

Ours has some crazy range like 1.5 km. Totally nuts, but we live in an apt building, on the other side from the parking lot, so that range comes in pretty handy and provides my wife with a sense of comfort that the car started even though she can't see it.

[ December 10, 2004, 09:43 PM: Message edited by: sinjin ]


----------



## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

I have had auto-starts in every single vehicle I owned that was a daily driver since 1988. In travelling northern Alberta in winter, there were many hotels that did not have plug-ins available.

It was comforting to know I could set the auto start to start the car every time the block reached a temp of -25 and run it for 12 minutes. I always knew I had a vehicle ready to go in the morning.

I still have one in both cars and would not be without one.

Cheers


----------



## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

Automatic car starters?  

Aren't those the things that the people back east install on their cars? Like block heaters?

Not sure what they're for. I just go out to my pickup truck in the morning...wearing a T-shirt if it's not raining, and a light coat if it is raining...and start my truck. Then I drive off.

It seems like a waste of fuel and a whole lot of unneccessary complexity to be able to start your car from the living room. Just a big added expense.

Like anti-freeze. (15C here today)


----------



## gordguide (Jan 13, 2001)

Probably every third or fourth car or truck in SK has one. They work fine on any fuel-injected vehicle. Just about every dealer offers one as an option on new cars, and the car stereo shops sell and install aftermarket ones.

Farmers, contractors, hunters, etc like the ones that can be programmed to start the vehicle every x hours to insure it will start in extreme cold when you're out on the jobsite or whatever. Might be an option worth looking into if you get occasional deep cold and don't have a powered parking spot at work.

You need to insure the car is well maintained; ie it's a good starter.

Be careful if you have an attached garage; there have been cases of people inadvertently starting a vehicle in the garage (kids playing with key fob, etc) and then killing everyone in the house from Carbon Monoxide poisoning.

With regard to cold startups and engine wear, you can have an oil accumulator installed that will pre-oil any engine just prior to startup. Eliminates this issue completely, and also protects against temporary loss of lubrication that happens routinely (turns while driving can move the oil away from the pickup) or via emergency (loss of oil pressure due to failure or damage to component).

The loss of oil pressure on turns is very common, if momentary. Most oil pressure gauges or lights use a small diameter line which responds slowly and won't register the fluctuation, but if you use an oversize line which responds quickly, you will see zero pressure for brief periods during normal freeway driving; especially on/off ramps.

There are two types; one must be installed vertically and has no moving parts. The other can be installed anywhere and is backed by pressurized air. Both work, but the vertical one is cheaper. If space is tight, you need the pressurized one.

[ December 11, 2004, 11:14 AM: Message edited by: gordguide ]


----------



## SkyHook (Jan 23, 2001)

.


----------



## MBD (Sep 1, 2003)

A work peer had a problem with his son pushing it on and off when he played with his keys.  I do see these things abused though - people idling for 20-30 mins. I have a block heater I plug in along with a little low powered heater in cab and I put them both on a timer. That pretty much takes the edge off and the air coming into the cab is warm (not toasty mind you) so the heat you got from the heater in the cab is not lost when you turn on a cold car.

I notice my gas mileage is very good doing this as well - I get pretty much the same mileage as in summer.


----------



## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

> I do see these things abused though - people idling for 20-30 mins.


Not possible on my auto starter. The maximum I can run the engine is 12 minutes. My options in minutes are: 2, 4, 6 or 12 minutes.

Anyone else got one that goes for 20 to 30 minutes?

Cheers


----------



## MaxPower (Jan 30, 2003)

That's a good point regarding keeping the garage door open. I can see my wife not even thinking of that. Actually it never crossed my mind until it was brought up.

So basically Auto starters are OK. 

Any recommendations from one that I can get at Canadian Tire? I really don't have the time to go all across God's Green Earth comparing prices and finding one that suits me. I just want to walk into Canadian Tire. Pick one off the shelf and buy it. 10 minutes max.


----------



## MBD (Sep 1, 2003)

Maybe they've updated them and put time limits on them - a person at work has one that has no limit. Maybe these are old ones.


----------

