Remote Start

[ILMP5]

Hey anybody ever have remote start installed on your cars? If yes, do you have a seperate remote for it? Any troubles with the system?

 

[adragonfly]

I never had one, but my friend did. He had a disater with it, though, when he left his car at an auto shop to be painted. Apparently the shop guy left the parking break off and accidentally started the car with the remote. Next thing you know, the car's smashed into a brick wall and completely trashed. I'm not sure about all the details (can't figure out why it moved anyway, unless it was left on drive) but I saw the car after it happened. You have to be very unlucky or very stupid for this to happen to you... My friend ended up buying a new car with the law suit money he got from the shop!

 

[Onatrum]

I was thinking about purchasing a Viper car alarm, and included with the alarm I can choose to have a remote car starter installed also. I had the sales person show me everything, and he said there would be a new remote, which was pretty squared off and ugly compared to our rounded factory remotes. I haven't had this done yet, but when I do I'll let ya know if it works well or not.

 

[Captain KRM P5]

I'm sure this is still true, but there really is no way for a P5 (or any car for that matter) with a stick shift to have a remote starter installed, is there?

 

[Onatrum]

ahh Do you have a 5-speed?? didn't know that. Mine's an automatic.

 

[ILMP5]

well we installed a remote start on my car today, saweet I am very happy. We integrated the original remote to start my car instead of having two remotes. I am very happy with my new toy.

 

[Mac Daddy]

Starters

If your friends car started by itself on gear, then he installed a starter not designed to be on a standard vehicle. New starters from Compustar, Clifford and DEI will work safely on standard vehicles. They keep the car on (after you shut it down) so you leave it in neutral, put the e-brake and it will cancel the start up sequence if a door is opened, or disarm the system and arm again.

I personally use a Compustar Spread Spectrum 900mhz remote pager with LCD display and starter alarm system, with a range of up to 1.25miles (realisticly about 3/4 mile range). All in one remote.

 

[sttl013]

You guys haven't been using the search function. The Protege5 manual tranny has a neutral safety switch, pink/green on the top - drivers side of the tranny. Two wire connector on a gold colored bracket.

 

[hihoslva]

When I purchased my P5, the dealership offered an alarm/remote start package which I went for. I have one remote, and the alarm now controls the keyless entry, as well as the starter.

And MacDaddy is 100% correct - I don't know what kind of car your buddy had, but nearly ALL automatic tranny cars are designed to only be started (with the key) in Park or Neutral. If his car was able to be started in gear, something was wrong with his car.

My remote start works like this: The car is in park, you activate the remote starter with the key fob, the car starts about 2 seconds after. Now, because of the factory brake lockout on the P5, you cannot shift out of Park without pushing the brake pedal. However, if the brake is pressed without the key in the ignition, the car shuts off. This makes it impossible for someone to get in your already-running car and drive off without the keys. And there's no way for the car to just "slip" into gear.

I love the remote start - thought it would be a gimicky thing I used to impress my buddies, but I seriously use it all the time now. Not so much to warm or cool the interior (although that is nice), but to warm the engine, so that I can just get in and drive, without feeling as though I'm driving my car completely cold.

I would think that you could get a remote start for a manual tranny (though I don't know who will install it for you). This is really dangerous, though (and illegal for a shop to install, I believe) - all it takes is parking the car in gear without the parking brake and that's the end of your car if you remote start it. But I would think that some sort of interlock could be set up, so that unless the car is in neutral and the parking brake is set, it won't start, Sounds like a bit of work, though.

 

[sttl013]

It's not illegal to install a remote start on a manual trans. However, if the company that does the install doesn't do it properly and it starts in gear, then the shop can, and should, be held liable for any damage incurred by the mistake. Like my previous post shows, the P5 has the advantage most other cars don't have, a neutral trigger wire for the 5 spd., allowing a perfectly safe installation of a remote start, that will be disabled if the car is left in gear. There are alarms with remote start available for cars without this, like Mac Daddy said. Those are perfectly legal, too, but like I said, if they're not done properly, then the shop that did them can get sued.

 

[Silver-P5]

I have the new CompuStar and it works great!

 

[gene in cincinnati]

Does anyone have any information about packages and prices? The compustar site does not have pricing information.

Thanks

 

[hihoslva]

Well, just for comparison's sake - my lady just got an Audiovox alarm w/remote start installed for $250. This was thru a shop that is affiliated with where she works, so there was a discount. While Audiovox may not be the "best" alarm in the world, nothing is guaranteed with ANY "alarm".

I have a similar alarm/remote start, and it was dealer installed (meaning I got ***** on the price) and I think I paid close to $500 installed when I bought the car (but they worked the cost into my financing, so I figured "what the hell". I knew I was getting hosed on the price, but I did it anyway).

I view alarms as mere deterrents to punk-ass kids who want to steal your car or your stereo - nothing will stop a pro, so I don't see the point in spending tons of money on an alarm system. As long as it: 1) Allows keyless entry, 2) Has some sort of ignition kill when it is armed and 3) Makes a HELLUVA lot of noise when tripped, I think it's okay. My alarm also sounds my horn, which I have changed to an air horn, so I pretty much know when it is MY car making all that racket. At least then I won't ignore it like everyone else will.

 

[Silver-P5]

Gene,

I paid $580CDN for my CompuStar. That included install and 2 extra bright blue ricer LED's.

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[gene in cincinnati]

Silver-P5,

Thanks for the info. Blue LEDs...nice.

I am still searching for a good website with pricing info. The Compustar website is very frustrating.

 

[LinuxRacr]

Remote start? Is this similar to what is in those S2000's?

 

[WhiteZoomZoom]

LinuxRacer , they are talking about the remote starter as in pressing a button on a REMOTE than the car will be turned on.
S2000 is just a button you have to press to start your car INSIDE the car. So if you have a remote starter...you can just start your car with a touch of a button in you own home............

 

[LinuxRacr]

I know? I just needed a reason to post! I was just post pimpin.

 

[Silver-P5]

Gene,

Aren't there any shops around your area that carries CompuStar's? That would prolly be the best way to find out pricing and whatever info you want to know.

 

[gene in cincinnati]

I wanted to perform some research before I visited a local shop.