Anyone use remote starters?

[rainerng]

Does anyone here use remote starters? Its pretty useful for the winters here in MI and am thinking of getting one.

[reyes1212]

Chrispd recently installed one himself and its pretty neat alright...

[rainerng]

dang....i searched for the thread but couldnt find it

[Clipsed]

what are you looking to find out about them?

[rainerng]

Which are the good brands or brands to avoid...

[Clipsed]

avoid anything cheap. There is too much out there, trying to compete, and make a quick buck. I only use DEI products, (Viper, Clifford, Hornet, Python, etc.) DEI is top notch, and has never given me problems. Although, on my Sidekick, I have the worlds first color screen alarm/remote start, I was iffy about getting it when it first came out a few years back, cost me over $400 then, now they are way cheaper, like $150 from my guy, and it is a damn good alarm. Made by Scytek, I had never heard of them, but I researched them, and figured wth, they are based here in hollywood anyway, so I will try it out, if I don't think it is up to par, I will send it back. I have had it installed since, and never had ANY problems with it, except that the AAA battery that the color remote uses dies in about 2-3 months, sometimes sooner if I use $.99 store batteries haha. Let me know if you have any more questions.

[rainerng]

Do you know of a website where I can buy these products? I can't find like a good website.

[Clipsed]

personally, I don't know, I don't deal with internet sellers of car audio, stereo, and video equipment anymore since I got into the business. I do know that best buy and circuit city sell DEI products, but of course it is retail. Ever since I got into the business, I couldn't believe how much markup on their products were, it is unbelievable!

[BBISHOPPCM]

My father was once an Auto Command dealer and mobile installer; he had nothing but headaches with these units. I installed an autocommand unit in my Mazda, and shortly after, I was hit head-on. I firmly believe it was the remote starter, and not the old guy who fell asleep and hit me, that caused the accident. Seriously though, the DEI units seem to hold up better, and longer.

[Jojo Versa]

Try chain stores such as Best Buy and a like or auto windshield replacement stores or sound system shops.

[Clipsed]

Try chain stores such as Best Buy and a like or auto windshield replacement stores or sound system shops.

window replacement stores to sell you a remote start? I'm still scratching my head on this after 5 minutes of thinking what to write in response to that lol, and this is the best I thought of . . . . . .

[Fenvy]

... I was hit head-on. I firmly believe it was the remote starter, and not the old guy who fell asleep and hit me, that caused the accident.

how is it possible for remote start to cause you to steer to the other side or the other car steer to your side?

or was that a joke>

[Clipsed]

I think he might have put a remote start on a manual transmisson car which is UNSAFE unless you know how to take the proper safety precautions in making it not able to start UNLESS the car IS IN neutral. It may have turned over, and allowed the car to start moving into oncoming traffic, thus causing the accident. This is why on my Sidekick, I installed a sensor so that the car will not start when in gear, and will automatically cancel the remote start sequence.

[rainerng]

how is it possible for remote start to cause you to steer to the other side or the other car steer to your side?

or was that a joke>

I think it was a joke. Im thinking of getting the astrostart remote starterhttp://www.astroflex.com/index...ge=16

but i can hardly find a place that sells them online

[BBISHOPPCM]

Yes, it was a joke. i.e. autocommand units are bad luck. To be honest, my particular unit never gave me any problems. I had one of the older full-function models; installation was a breeze, and after the car wreck, I removed and re-used the unit in another vehicle. The only killer is bypassing the vehicle immobilizer, which can be done with a bypass module (requires you to sacrifice a key). The designtech bypass modules (were) cumbersome, and often malfunctioned.

[Chrispd100]

I bought my remote start at Frys electronics for 160.. Its a pretty kick *** system. With mine it will start automatically is the temp drops below a certain degrees if you want it to. It took me awhile to put it in though cause the wires for the locks were a pain in the butt. I also had to get a car immobilizer for it. I had to put my spare key in this box and hide that under my dash. It took time to do it, but i did it well with no problems and it was totally worth it. I have a standard transmission and have only had one incident that was not my fault in anyway. No damage though.

[Clipsed]

I bought my remote start at Frys electronics for 160.. Its a pretty kick *** system. With mine it will start automatically is the temp drops below a certain degrees if you want it to. It took me awhile to put it in though cause the wires for the locks were a pain in the butt. I also had to get a car immobilizer for it. I had to put my spare key in this box and hide that under my dash. It took time to do it, but i did it well with no problems and it was totally worth it. I have a standard transmission and have only had one incident that was not my fault in anyway. No damage though.

Cool now thieves know that they can pick your ignition to steal your car since your immobilizer is an extra key! If you have an incident with your car due to the RS system, it is your fault, as installing RS systems in manual transmissions is ILLEGAL. This is why I put in a safety system in my sidekick. If your car happens to be in gear, and somehow starts, even if the alarm malfunctions and causes it to start, you are still going to be at fault, not the alarm company, because it is still ILLEGAL to have an RS system on manual transmission cars. This is why even if a safety system was implemented like mine, auto manufacturers still could not install RS systems from the factory, because it is not allowed in the US.

[BBISHOPPCM]

Clipsed, I did not install my unit in my Versa (the car that now contains the RS system was sold off years ago). Also, I have only installed one remote starter in a car with a manual trans, and that was my grandmothers' Hyundai, and that was before they outlawed manual RS installs. I actually used her e-brake as an interlock. I do not plan to ever install a RS in my Versa, simply because I would rather not modify the electrical system in any way.

[Clipsed]

Clipsed, I did not install my unit in my Versa (the car that now contains the RS system was sold off years ago). Also, I have only installed one remote starter in a car with a manual trans, and that was my grandmothers' Hyundai, and that was before they outlawed manual RS installs. I actually used her e-brake as an interlock. I do not plan to ever install a RS in my Versa, simply because I would rather not modify the electrical system in any way.

The e-brake is not safe, what if you forget to put it up? The car will then start. I didn't modify my electrical system, rather I added a new series of electrical wires to integrate the safety features for my RS system.

[BBISHOPPCM]

no, I used the "e-brake" light switch as an interlock, so the car wouldnt start unless the brake was engaged. If the brake was engaged, and trans was in gear, the starter would not overcome the braking force.

[rainerng]

I finally bought this.

http://www.electronicsbonanza....-562T

Expecting a somewhat painful installation...

[Clipsed]

if your e-brake is used as a safety, then ok, BUT that still does not accommodate the fact that someone could forget to use the e brake, or they don't use the e brake, and leave it in gear, and then it accidentally starts. You are not getting my point that your install is flawed, and could potentially be dangerous. What if you lend the car to somebody, they take it, and they never use the e brake. There was a thread about using the e brake, and it seems a lot of members here do not use it as intended, so say you lend it to one of them, and they leave it in gear. When the key goes in there pocket, the button is accidentally pushed to trigger the RS sequence, and the car starts, and it starts moving, and kills a little kid. You are going to be at fault for installing a RS system that does not have proper safety features integrated. NOW if you would have put a safety so that the car does not start when in Neutral . . . THEN you would be fine, because unless in neutral, the car will never start!!!

[BBISHOPPCM]

I get it, I'm not 12 years old you know. The installation was for my grandmother, also of sound mind, and the sole driver of said 1993 Hyundai. She needed the remote starter, and she could not afford a new car. My father and I decided to help her out, we installed the remote starter, knowing damn well that it was not safe. I do not condone the installation of a remote starter in any manual trans car, but this was my grandmother, and she bakes excellent cookies, so who could say know to that? This Hyundai no longer exists, the victim of... being a Hyundai.

[Clipsed]

I get it, I'm not 12 years old you know. The installation was for my grandmother, also of sound mind, and the sole driver of said 1993 Hyundai. She needed the remote starter, and she could not afford a new car. My father and I decided to help her out, we installed the remote starter, knowing damn well that it was not safe. I do not condone the installation of a remote starter in any manual trans car, but this was my grandmother, and she bakes excellent cookies, so who could say know to that? This Hyundai no longer exists, the victim of... being a Hyundai.

Even worse, I would never put an RS in a car for an elderly person, they will end up doing more harm than solving anything.

[BBISHOPPCM]

She was 55 years old. If 55 is elderly, then I'm middle aged at 23!

[Jojo Versa]

window replacement stores to sell you a remote start? I'm still scratching my head on this after 5 minutes of thinking what to write in response to that lol, and this is the best I thought of . . . . . .

GEEZ! Your corner of the world needs to modernize and keep step, here there are chains such as Dura Glass, Vitro-Plus, Lebeau and many others which initially started dealing in auto glass that have been in business 30 + years who were the first in the industry to sell and install remote starters when they hit the market back 20 years ago or more, these are all huge chain stores with 100's of locations that specialise in auto glass, remote starters, audio systems galore, anti-theft systems, GPS, high end car accessories etc., if you want some of the best you go to these stores they are specialists, (one stop shopping). Most car dealers deal with these stores for auto glass, RS, sound system upgrades, anti-theft systems, etc. its easy for the dealers and apparently profitable for them, our insurance companies automatically send us there also.

With all due respect you need to get out more and visit the world, lots of different ideas, different ways of doing things, trends, philosophies, cultures, not necessarily like yours but just as good and sometimes better and deffinitely worth while learning and living. We never ever have enough knowledge. That is the main reason some people are more sucessful than others.

Take a look at this example:

http://www.vitroplus.com/english/home.html

Modified by Jojo Versa at 5:11 AM 9/6/2007
Modified by Jojo Versa at 5:13 AM 9/6/2007

[Clipsed]

GEEZ! Your corner of the world needs to modernize and keep step, here there are chains such as Dura Glass, Vitro-Plus, Lebeau and many others which initially started dealing in auto glass that have been in business 30 + years who were the first in the industry to sell and install remote starters when they hit the market back 20 years ago or more, these are all huge chain stores with 100's of locations that specialise in auto glass, remote starters, audio systems galore, anti-theft systems, GPS, high end car accessories etc., if you want some of the best you go to these stores they are specialists, (one stop shopping). Most car dealers deal with these stores for auto glass, RS, sound system upgrades, anti-theft systems, etc. its easy for the dealers and apparently profitable for them, our insurance companies automatically send us there also.

With all due respect you need to get out more and visit the world, lots of different ideas, different ways of doing things, trends, philosophies, cultures, not necessarily like yours but just as good and sometimes better and deffinitely worth while learning and living. We never ever have enough knowledge. That is the main reason some people are more sucessful than others.

Take a look at this example:

http://www.vitroplus.com/english/home.html

Modified by Jojo Versa at 5:11 AM 9/6/2007

Modified by Jojo Versa at 5:13 AM 9/6/2007

LMFAO!

I live in LA, CA, USA, and I'm sorry but I would not trust any glass shop to install a RS system. Although there are shops, and next door there are glass shops and tinters, but I have yet to see a glass shop that does stereos and alarms lol. I guess that is how you canadians do it, but not us Americans, we are straight forward.

[Rockhound]

LMFAO!

I live in LA, CA, USA, and I'm sorry but I would not trust any glass shop to install a RS system. Although there are shops, and next door there are glass shops and tinters, but I have yet to see a glass shop that does stereos and alarms lol. I guess that is how you canadians do it, but not us Americans, we are straight forward.

Hey, if this guy hasn't heard of it, then it probably doesn't exist. /sarcasm

But seriously, most glass shops around the states like Safelite, Glass Doctor, Novus Glass, and others specialize only in glass repair/replacement. It's the big electronic store chains (Best Buy, Circuit City, Ultimate Electronics) that handle stereo/alarm installs in the manner Jojo described.

With these kind of places, you're at the mercy of the teenager (usually) working that day. While I've never had any aftermarket alarm/starter installed for my cars, I know folks who have and they usually work flawlessly. I've heard of problems here and there, and it just depends how knowledgeable and careful the installer is. They usually have fairly good deals at such stores, and that's why they get so much business.

But for the record, I'd like to state that Clipsed does not represent all Americans with his comments.

[lain]

As soon as I get a chance...in a week or 2 I'm going to get myself a 2-way pager alarm w/ RS (Is is /w or w/ i forgot). Now I am trying to deside if I should install it myself. This one place said they would install my alarm for free if I got the alarm and tint all around for $680 (which including a lifetime warrenty on the tint). Or I can save like $300 and not get the tint and install it myself cause the alarm I was going to get cost $400 something. But I don't care if I have RS or not cause I never park the car in gear...always leave it in neutral plus I always use the e-brake...ALWAYS.

[BBISHOPPCM]

It kind of makes sense... In order for a company to make as much profit as possible, they need to diversify. Most auto glass shops around here are privately owned, and very small. Many of our shops also dabble in upholstery, and some do electronic installations. These companies have a LOT more at stake than Best Buy, and employ far more knowledgeable individuals at a higher pay rate than Best Buy... I would feel more comfortable paying a small glass shop to install a stereo, or remote starter (if the staff knew what they were doing, that is), than I would going to a big-box retailer like Best Buy. This way, if I had a problem, I would have better luck speaking with the individual who installed it. Not that all of Best Buy's installation techs are 16 year old think-they-knowitall schmucks who suck down those trendy "EXTREEEEM" energy drinks, shave their heads, and listen to death metal while they're hacking the hell out of your dashboard to cram a double-din stereo into a single-din slot... Basically, the small-town glass shop will often take more time, and install the product properly, as they have a reputation to maintain.