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I have seen remote starters advertised at $50 installed. A local credit union will give you a free one if you use them for a used car loan ($161 value). I put one in once. It was not super hard, but took a while. Most of the installation places are using high school granutates @ $8 per hour to do the work. If they cna do it, you can too. They will be a little better at it becuase they have done it a dozen or so times (hopefully).
A bad job can really mess up your car, espciellay when they include and alarm system with any kind of ignition cut out. that is just asking for trouble down the road. However a simple remote starter had nothing to it.
Do those cheap remote starters have:
1. Over rev protection?
2. Over temp protection?
3. Starter interrupt, so the starter won't spin while the vehicle is running?
4. Shut off timers?
5. The ability to pull the key out while the engine is running?
6. Any useful warranty?
7. Built in relays, or did you have to provide them?
8. The ability to attempt to start several times if necessary?
There are other things some of the cheap ones don't have or do, but that's a good start.
The better install places aren't just using HS "granutates", whatever the hell they are. There are still many qualified installers. They just aren't always found at the big box stores. I did it for 10+ years, and can tell you that few untrained and inexperienced DIYers could do anything close to the same job I did, both in function and appearance.
The only thing that stinks with most aftermarket remote starts is that they are not able to interface with the cars HVAC system. For instance, in a factory install once you activate the remote start the car can also turn the heat, AC or defrosters on, activate the heated mirrors, rear window defroster and even turn on the seat heaters/coolers if so equipped. The vast majority of aftermarket installs aren't going to be able to do this do to the level of integration required and I don't think I'd want one installed if it could, lol.
There is an easy work around though, just remember to turn the controls to the desired setting before you leave the car.
I'd love to step into a prewarmed car in the morning without having to wait to demist windows, wait to warm etc. My car is old and does not have this feature.
However I can't see anything on the market which does this sort of thing, you would have thought since its a common annoyance there is something on the mass market.
I thought of connecting up a portable heater to another car battery and using a remotely controlled switch but then eventually the other car battery will run out of power.
Or some sort of remote starter, but there does not seem to be anything on a reputable websites, plus I don't have the expertise to install the device, but could use a mechanic or a friend to assist.
Additionally would it be possible to spray deicer remotely from somewhere.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
Call bestbuy with you model and year of vehicle and ask for a price for a remote starter.
I got this for my gf last year for Christmas and it was about $200. For older model vehicles I've heard it can go as low as $50 due to changes in the electronic ignition or whatever over the years.
Push a button, car starts, come out 10minutes later and it's ready to roll easy peasy.
The only thing that stinks with most aftermarket remote starts is that they are not able to interface with the cars HVAC system. For instance, in a factory install once you activate the remote start the car can also turn the heat, AC or defrosters on, activate the heated mirrors, rear window defroster and even turn on the seat heaters/coolers if so equipped. The vast majority of aftermarket installs aren't going to be able to do this do to the level of integration required and I don't think I'd want one installed if it could, lol.
There is an easy work around though, just remember to turn the controls to the desired setting before you leave the car.
I've not used a factory remote start. How does the car know what to turn on once you've remotely started the car? After market remote starters when properly installed activate the ignition circuit that powers all those devices, so they come on to whatever setting they were last on when the car was most recently turned off. My rear window defroster doesn't come on when I started the car even if it was on when I turned the car off, so I don't see how that would come on in a remotely started vehicle.
My factory installed remote car starter turns on my rear window defroster when weather conditions warrant it--even if I didn't have it on when I last parked my car. Further the heat & blower will turn on if I left them set that way when I shut off my car. I don't use my a/c enough to know if the remote start would also turn that on or not. I drive a Chevy Cobalt sport coupe. I hate scraping the snow/ice off my windows during the winter after being parked at work all day. I can start my car from my office. I think it will shut off after 10 minutes if I don't put the key in the ignition & turn it on.
I also have a remote starter for my '95 Toyota truck with a manual transmission. The only problem is that every once in a while, she doesn't feel like going out in the cold and starting the damn thing, especially if I forgot her birthday the day before.
The remote starter got installed by a technician on my wife's car has an LCD screen. When she starts her car with the remote, it shows the length or running time left, cab temperature, it has a small clock or time keeper, and monitors the engine RPM. It's a 2-way remote, good for over a mile, and programable to do other things. It comes with a second remote, but this one does not have a digital display, just two blue LEDs at each side to tell you what's going on with the car. However, it cost $700.00 installed, but you can buy it online for $350.00 or so.
With new automobiles you don't want to skimp in price or features because remote starters work in conjunction with the car's alarm or disabling system. I would not let anybody but a professional installer do the work, although I can do it myself.
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