Remote car starters

[gogreengowhite]

I want to get my H a remote car starter for Xmas. If you have one, do you love it?

Do you have the 2 way communication? How much did you pay in total (unit, install, etc) anything else I should know?

[Redpoppy]

I just got a new car and lost having one (old car did). I loved it for getting the defroster going in the morning. Not sure on price as it was already installed.

[zitiqueen]

Yes, I've had one in whatever I've driven for the past 20 years. the car I drive now it was factory-installed. Before that they were add-ons, usually installed by car stereo guys.

So the only question I can answer is yes, I love it. I live in Michigan and will never not have one.

[dexteroni]

We have one in our Outback; it's very handy. I use it in both winter and summer. I don't know any of the answers to your questions though. I don't remember how much it cost, and I don't know what two-way communication is available but I know we don't have it. Whatever it is, I guess I don't miss it. lol.

[livinitup]

Love it with a passion. I use it all winter to warm the car and defrost the windshield and all summer to start the car and cool it off a tad in the god-awful heat.
Make sure they set it to coordinate with the radio so that the radio is off when the auto-start goes on. Otherwise, the radio tends to be really loud when the car starts.

No idea on the price. Around $250- $300 installed if youre lucky.

ETA: For most cars, you'll need to use the chip in your key to activate the auto-starter. And it's pretty pricey to replace the key with a new chip.

[M]

I just saw an ad for one at Best Buy for $124 install and everything.

I've never had one because we keep the cars in a garage and remote starting wouldn't be a good idea haha.

[zitiqueen]

Nov 25, 2012 15:43:19 GMT -5 M said:

I just saw an ad for one at Best Buy for $124 install and everything.

I've never had one because we keep the cars in a garage and remote starting wouldn't be a good idea haha.

I keep my car in a garage too. I just open the door with the garage door opener before I start it. Walla. No carbon monoxide poisoning haha.

[gogreengowhite]

Thanks everyone. With a ford we need an extra bypass so it looks like it will be between $330 and $500. But, we are in Michigan and he parks outside so it's worth it!

[ssmjlm]

Nov 25, 2012 15:43:19 GMT -5 M said:

I just saw an ad for one at Best Buy for $124 install and everything.

I've never had one because we keep the cars in a garage and remote starting wouldn't be a good idea haha.

I would be wary if that really includes "everything" you need. DH got one a few years ago at Best Buy and sure the remote start was only X amount, then it's all the other pieces/relays you need that increase the cost. So instead of it being about $150 it was about $350 in the end. A CW just had the same thing happen as well with Best Buy, unfortunately they are the only place around here that does them. CW found out when she went to get it installed it was another $100 for the new remote to also do her trunk pop.

DH does not have the 2-way version b/c he can see the driveway from the front door and can hear the truck start up.

[StJess80]

I love mine. It came w/ the car, so I have no idea what it cost. I do know that it has an extended range on it, which is helpful, because I can start my car from our bldg at work, across the parking lot. I love it for the defrost in the winter, and the "pre-cooling" in the summer.

[FrozenSunshine]

Mine was $600 or so a few years ago. It was a replacement for a crap unit that died after a few years. I have a Ford and they took the chip from the spare key. Mine is good up to a mile away and 2-way, I was living in a 14th floor apartment and wanted to make sure it was starting.

I love it. It's awesome in the summer too.

[dr.girlfriend]

I almost got a groupon for one for DH, but found out when I called about installation that if you have an electronic key you need to leave the key in the ignition for it to work, unless you get the super-expensive dealer-installed one instead of the aftermarket one. That was a deal breaker for me.

[gogreengowhite]

Nov 25, 2012 20:08:52 GMT -5 dr.girlfriend said:

I called about installation that if you have an electronic key you need to leave the key in the ignition for it to work,

I asked about this since that's how it was when I worked at a store that did installs many years ago. They said if you have two keys they can program the system without leaving one key in the car. I'm hoping this is true since the additional bypass costs an extra $130, there's no way I'm also buying a $100 key too.

[StJess80]

Color me stupid, but what is 2-way for remote starters?

[FrozenSunshine]

Nov 25, 2012 20:45:38 GMT -5 StJess80 said:

Color me stupid, but what is 2-way for remote starters?

Most beep back at you and let you know the car started.

[gogreengowhite]

The remote start sends a signal back to the key fob acknowledging the thing you told the car to do happened.

[whitepicketfence]

DH and I both have one in our vehicles. We do have a 2 car garage but we also have 2 snowmobiles, an ATV, and a riding lawnmower that we store in there, too, so we can only fit one car in there comfortably. One of us is always parked in the driveway.

I love it. It's wonderful to have a perfectlu defrosted car in the winter when I'm trying to get out of the house with both kids by myself. It's also nice not to have to put them in a suffocatingly hot car in the summer.

I have no idea what they cost as DH installed them himself (he's been working on cars for his dad's business since he was legally old enough to work). I imagine he saved us hundreds of dollars though. He also gets a dealership discount on the units themselves.

[StJess80]

Gotcha. Mine doesn't do that. I have to look out the window.

[niki]

I love love loved mine. I don't need anymore now that I have a garage, but when I did need it, I quietly thanked the giver every winter morning.

[doctorsbaby]

Mine is factory soon have no idea on the cost but I absolutely love it! I always park on the garage but I use it whenever I'm out running errands. DD carseat gets so hot that I like the a/c to come on before I put her in.

My dad has one with 2 way communication and really likes that te remote goes off if the alarm is set off.