# Remote Car Starters



## James Z (Oct 12, 2002)

Has anyone had any experience with installing a remote car starter?I see lots of them quite cheap with the DIY instructions,but just how handy do you have to be?Any input would be great.

Thanks James


----------



## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Back in 1977, I installed a cruise control kit in my 1976 Delta 88 Royal Olds. It took me a full day, but I somehow managed to do it right and it worked fine for years.

I watched a technician who worked out of his garage install my last remote starter and in spite of all my experience at rebuilding classic cars over the years, this is one job I would not even consider tackling unless I had previous experience.

A good tech guy can install one in a few hours, far faster than a novice ever could. Not only that, you get warranty with the installation if it is installed by the seller. On your own you get nada.


----------



## gastonbuffet (Sep 23, 2004)

DON'T!

I lost 3 cars using those!! I drive stick shift, and leave them on gear to lock the wheels. Well, i found 2 of them crashed 1 or 2 blocks away, but i'm still looking for my last car. Forget about it


----------



## K_OS (Dec 13, 2002)

James Z said:


> Has anyone had any experience with installing a remote car starter?I see lots of them quite cheap with the DIY instructions,but just how handy do you have to be?Any input would be great.
> 
> Thanks James


Most of the ones that I see at Best Buy or Future Shop have installation included in there prices go to either as they will cover anything that has gone wrong with there warranty. Now if your car is a Manual then most installers won't touch them and if they do you're looking in the 500.00 range for the starter and installation.

PS: Best Buy and Future Shop won't do remote starters on manual cars.

Laterz


----------



## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

There are several brands of manual remote starters on the market that can be installed for about $400.

They are safe and fool proof in that the car must be in neutral and the parking brake set before they will activate. If you forget and leave it in gear, you will have to go out in the cold to start it up.


----------



## sinjin (Jul 12, 2003)

Have a pro do it. Go to a good shop, too. I went with a cheapo-guy doing installations out of his used car lot. Ended up having to clean up his mess of wires that kept falling down around the gas pedal. Worse, he didn't install the hood switch in a good place and it kept releasing spontaneously, setting off the alarm (part of the starter unit). Took weeks to figure out what was going on.

Gaston, I call BS. There is no way to (reasonably) start the car remotely if it is in gear or the parking break is not on. You have to consciously "arm" the starter the last time you parked the car in order to have it ready the next time you remotely start. This involves putting it in neutral, applying the parking brake, getting out and locking the doors while the car is still running before it shuts off and "arms" the starter.


----------



## Melonie (Feb 10, 2005)

Um, sinjin, I call RELAX.

gastonbuffet has what many here don't, which is an always-on sense of humour. He was KIDDING. JOKING. MAKING FUN.

Mel



sinjin said:


> Gaston, I call BS. There is no way to (reasonably) start the car remotely if it is in gear or the parking break is not on. You have to consciously "arm" the starter the last time you parked the car in order to have it ready the next time you remotely start. This involves putting it in neutral, applying the parking brake, getting out and locking the doors while the car is still running before it shuts off and "arms" the starter.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

gastonbuffet said:


> DON'T!
> 
> I lost 3 cars using those!! I drive stick shift, and leave them on gear to lock the wheels. Well, i found 2 of them crashed 1 or 2 blocks away, but i'm still looking for my last car. Forget about it


I agree.
I drive a standard transmission car and have yet to find an installer or unit that works with standard transmission.
All of us who drive standard are taught to leave the car in gear when parked.


----------



## Melonie (Feb 10, 2005)

Macspectrum, gastonbuffet was joking.

Mel



MACSPECTRUM said:


> I agree.
> I drive a standard transmission car and have yet to find an installer or unit that works with standard transmission.
> All of us who drive standard are taught to leave the car in gear when parked.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

Melonie said:


> Macspectrum, gastonbuffet was joking.
> 
> Mel


If you have a standard transmission car avoid remote starters.

My solution is to go out and start my car, then run back in the house to eat breakfast.

By the time I am done eating, brushing teeth, etc. the car is warmed up.

Very cost effective too.


----------



## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

MACSPECTRUM said:


> I agree.
> I drive a standard transmission car and have yet to find an installer or unit that works with standard transmission.


Then I submit you have not looked very hard. I have used such starters for years without one failure. Today's technology as sinjin pointed out so well is fool proof and with the parking brake firmly set and the tranny in neutral the starter is armed. Otherwise it cannot start.

Interestingly enough, many drivers of standard transmissions are now advised to park with the transmission in neutral and use the parking brake to avoid putting undue stress on the transmission and clutch/engine components.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

SINC said:


> Then I submit you have not looked very hard. I have used such starters for years without one failure. Today's technology as sinjin pointed out so well is fool proof and with the parking brake firmly set and the tranny in neutral the starter is armed. Otherwise it cannot start.
> 
> Interestingly enough, many drivers of standard transmissions are now advised to park with the transmission in neutral and use the parking brake to avoid putting undue stress on the transmission and clutch/engine components.



I have visited seveal locations that install/sell remote car starters.
All but one refused to see/install it into my car.


----------



## maximusbibicus (Feb 25, 2002)

SINC said:


> Then I submit you have not looked very hard. I have used such starters for years without one failure. Today's technology as sinjin pointed out so well is fool proof and with the parking brake firmly set and the tranny in neutral the starter is armed. Otherwise it cannot start.
> 
> Interestingly enough, many drivers of standard transmissions are now advised to park with the transmission in neutral and use the parking brake to avoid putting undue stress on the transmission and clutch/engine components.


Come to a stop. Keep your foot on the brake. Pull parking brake. Take your foot off the brake. Clutch in, put car in 1st. Turn off car. 

All the stress is on the PB this way, and your car will be in gear in case that fails. No stress is being placed on the tranny. 

The only way the tranny would get damaged is if the PB fails, and you are on a steep incline, or someone hits your car while parked. 

I have MANY friends that have remote starters on manual cars. No issues. The car will not start unless the car is in neutral. I don't reccomend remote starters. Get in your car, start. Take a sip of your coffee, turn on the radio, put on your seatbelt and drive away slowly. Once the temperture gauge starts to rise, turn on the heat and drive normally. Less stress on the engine this way, better on the enviroment too.

Unless you have a diesel, excessive idling is BAD for you car.


----------



## sinjin (Jul 12, 2003)

Melonie said:


> Um, sinjin, I call RELAX.


Who says I'm not relaxed?! I have an always-on sense of relaxation and was in no way unrelaxed when I posted. 

I did figure Gaston was joking, but only after I posted and noticed he/she mentioned 3 unlikely events (and read his/her signature). I was so relaxed, though, that I figured I'd just leave my post as is 'cause it does contain good information for those with manual transmissions that are thinking of getting remote starters.

I appreciate sincere attempts at helpfulness and good absurdist humour, some of which does pop-up around here at ehMac. Occasionally.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

maximusbibicus said:


> Come to a stop. Keep your foot on the brake. Pull parking brake. Take your foot off the brake. Clutch in, put car in 1st. Turn off car.
> 
> All the stress is on the PB this way, and your car will be in gear in case that fails. No stress is being placed on the tranny.
> 
> ...


exactly how i was taught to "park" my car
i do, however, allow myself some idling time
up here in shangri-la winter mornings can get pretty cold


----------



## Melonie (Feb 10, 2005)

Generally, I find relaxed, literate people don't denigratge a person's writings with swear words, in print or otherwise. When you stated what gastonbuffet wrote was Bullshi#, I took that as coming from someone who was not relaxed.

Mel 



sinjin said:


> Who says I'm not relaxed?!


----------



## sinjin (Jul 12, 2003)

Melonie said:


> Generally, I find relaxed, literate people don't denigratge a person's writings with swear words, in print or otherwise. When you stated what gastonbuffet wrote was Bullshi#, I took that as coming from someone who was not relaxed.
> 
> Mel


I was employing the phrase "I call BS" as it has gained in popularity in both life and <a href='http://www.google.com/search?q=%22i%20call%20bs%22' target='_new'>on the web</a> to generally mean that the person spoken to or about is not being truthful. 

It is no more swearing than any number of acronyms that are useable in mixed company where the meaning is understood by most even if the naughty bits are not (e.g. FUBAR, SNAFU...). I'm sure Gaston will understand given that he/she claims to possess "many BS" more than anyone else and probably says things like those above to incite the sort chatter you and I are currently engaged in. Well done, GB! Touché.


----------



## Melonie (Feb 10, 2005)

Well call me old-fashioned then!

I have no idea what FUBAR, SNAFU mean, and I don't want to know. I have never heard of the phrase "I call BS" and it may well be gaining in popularity amongst younger folk.

I am just not much of a fan of any form of profanity, "popular" or otherwise.

Whatever, no harm done.

 

Mel



sinjin said:


> I was employing the phrase "I call BS" as it has gained in popularity in both life and <a href='http://www.google.com/search?q=%22i%20call%20bs%22' target='_new'>on the web</a> to generally mean that the person spoken to or about is not being truthful.
> 
> It is no more swearing than any number of acronyms that are useable in mixed company where the meaning is understood by most even if the naughty bits are not (e.g. FUBAR, SNAFU...). I'm sure Gaston will understand given that he/she claims to possess "many BS" more than anyone else and probably says things like those above to incite the sort chatter you and I are currently engaged in. Well done, GB! Touché.


----------



## Jordan (Jul 20, 2002)

Environmentally remote starters are a bad thing.
People end up leaving vehicles idling for far too long.


----------



## James Z (Oct 12, 2002)

I have seen some Jordon that do have a timer on them so they only stay on for 10mins and will shut off so your car is not idling forever.Thanks as well to all the other info people have provided.

James


----------

