Heads up on remote start from bestbuy (1 Viewer)

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Understood, they normal price is 315
 
I love a good deal as much as the next guy, but I would not let anyone from Best Buy touch my truck's wiring. I've heard too many horror stories and have seen some real hack jobs. I took my truck to a local professional with all of the appropriate certifications/accomplishments and while it wasn't cheap, I know that it wasn't a hack job and I won't be facing any ongoing wiring issues down the road.

Cliff notes: Be wary of the "deal", don't always go the inexpensive route on your truck's electronics!

This is really why I haven't done anything with the 100 yet as far as an alarm/remote start. Hacking into OEM wiring is very difficult (perhaps impossible) to do without significantly compromising reliability. I spent around 20 hours on the research and install I did in a 1990 Toyota about 10 years ago. Fully sealed, insulated connections on every ignition wire, relays abound to properly activate locks, factory alarm integration so that the factory alarm was disabled a moment before the remote system started the car or unlocked, etc... It was a ton of work, very frustrating and still an overall detractor as far as reliability compared to OEM. I wouldn't expect the average installer throwing in a $300 system, labor included into a couple cars per day to take the same care and caution. If they did they'd probably end up fired for being incredibly unprofitable.
 
yep much better to go with a fly by night install shop that will be gone in 2 weeks over an established place that has a install guarantee and warranties there installs.

Mine was done last year and have had 0 problems with the install and If I recall the remote start was plug and play but that could be bad memory as I am old :)
 
yep much better to go with a fly by night install shop that will be gone in 2 weeks over an established place that has a install guarantee and warranties there installs.

Mine was done last year and have had 0 problems with the install and If I recall the remote start was plug and play but that could be bad memory as I am old :)

Hold your horses there, I don't think anyone is advocating for a fly by night operation either, myself included. I'm saying a reputable, local installer that has LOTS of experience and the certifications/referrals to prove it. From what I've seen, the fly-by-night shop can be on par or worse than Best Buy. I don't care about their guarantee, I want it done right the first time, not 10 times over again by the same hack. If they didn't do it right the first time, I don't want them going back in again to mess it up once more, but that's just me

However, maybe your Best Buy has good techs, I can only speak for the many in my area that have gotten less than favorable reviews. I've had mine for 2 years (installed by an independent shop) and have yet to have a problem!

All in good fun here, I'm just grouchy :)
 
About 15 years ago I worked at Best Buy - thankfully not in mobile/install. I didn't make it because I'm not a pushy salesman like they wanted. While the employees don't work on commission, they give hours based on sales. I'm not talking about sales of the main product, but of accessories. TV's, players, computers (etc) have almost no mark up. But that Monster Cable power surge protector for $200 probably cost Best Buy $20. They expect sales of accessories and warranties to average at least 20% of overall sales. So that $500 TV they are going to do everything they can to sell you $100 in cables, accessories, and warranties.

Unless times have changed, the process employees go through to become a tech at Best Buy is less than stellar. A roommate of mine was an installer there and I wouldn't trust him to do electrical work on my cars back then, and that was before I knew what I know now in terms of quality installs. Looking back, I wouldn't trust any of them.

Many stories of improperly installed remote starts into manuals done - where employee and customer cars were run into things (trees outside, the building, the cabinets in the install bay) were pretty common.

Soldering is rare, good soldering is almost non existent. Electrical tape wrapping consists of lengthwise-folding over because it's faster. T-taps are common place. Re-pinning almost never happens.

I understand that not everyone wants to, or can, work on their own vehicle (and is far more prevalent in the 100 series pages than others here) but I always advocate for the vehicle owner to learn how to do something. If you have a very trusted mechanic, talk to them - they should be able to install this type of thing easily, confidently, and competently as well. If they can't - then time to find a new mechanic, especially one working on an electronic-rich vehicle like a 100 series.

Alarm/remote start systems tend to have somewhere between 10-30 wires. Many of these require cutting, splicing, bypassing, tying into systems such as:
Ignition (IG and STA circuits)
Factory Alarm
Dome/door systems
Sometimes CANBUS

I would also be surprised to hear if anyone has this installed by Best Buy and the main system isn't:
A) a rats nest of unnecessarily long wires zip tied together
B) The main box zip tied to factory wiring
C) Consists of bad solders poorly wrapped, T-Taps, and gigantic butt connectors improperly used


Sure, have Best Buy install it, though.
 
Fingers crossed, maybe they'll eff it up so bad it burns to the ground.
 
Ok, took the LX in Sat morning, talked with the tech, who had a similar year Sequoia, they did the install in that and he said they ran into some issues but resolved them all and system had been working fine for him. They noted that most 'newer' cars get an install via wire harness, virtually plug and play, but there is no such harness for the LC/LX. So, they let me know this and that they are going to solder in the system, and because of this it would be an extra $40 bucks labor. Neither of the techs were kids, they were in their 30's and very professional and seemed knowledgeable. I disagree with most of the negative comments about Best Buy, if you think about their liability on installs like this, their best interest is to get it done right, and to have employees that can do that. I'm not really a fan of Best Buy but they did a good job.

Install took 6 hours! But everything works, there are a few quirks but they seem livable. I'll do some research and see if they can be resolved. If anything else pops up, I'll update here.

Quirks:
  1. If you remote start the truck, you can not unlock the doors with the Toyota remote, only the Compustar remote
  2. If you remote start the truck, when you put the key in the ignition, the steering wheel does not return to the previous position
  3. Compustar remote unlocks all doors with one press vs. 2 for the Toyota remote. (nice actually)

I'll try to get some pics of the install workmanship as well.
 
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Thanks for the update on your install and experience. My tech told me that the Compustar 4905S kit that I had bought didn’t come with one needed harness, and he didn’t have one in the store. So I returned that one and will buy the 4900 kit which has it when it goes on sale again. He seemed knowledgeable overall and would trust him with my vehicles. I think it really is YMMV with the tech who is working. Thanks to those who posted their actual experiences and will be sure to post back after it’s installed whether it’s good or bad.
 
I have the 4900, he said there was no harness, but maybe they didn't have it in stock. Ill look on their site, (compustar)
 
Just went to a friends local truck accessories shop to have one installed. Wife picked up a gift card for me for christmas. Ended up going with the G15 style (CS4900) 4-button 2-way fob as I wanted to receive confirmation that the truck has started, longer distance (3000' vs. 1000' feet) and wanted the ability to add the Drone Mobile in the future. Talking with them the biggest price difference in the fobs is really between 1-way and 2-way, apparently there is only like a $5-$10 difference between the 1-button and 4-button fob/remote.

Bulk of your cost will be in the installation as it is time consumptive and not just plug-n-play. So while the kit may be "cheap" there are those little add-on's to think about (like the one linked above is only 1-way and 1000' range).
 
When I bought my LX, it came with the Viper remote start. It is just the one button control but it works at a good distance. Push once for start up, a second time to unlock the doors, push and hold to turn the vehicle off. I'm not sure how hard it is/was to install but it has worked good since I've used it.

Just an idea for another product.
 
Yeah talking with my buddy it all comes down to what you want and how much you want to spend.

You can go with a cheap-ish system that will have a short range and only one way communication and 1 button fob. But depending on the main unit that is purchased, you may be able to add different fobs and two way communication down the road.

Drone Mobile is an add-on, some kits can have it added on later and some cannot (meaning they can utilize). The Drone Mobile is and extra box thus and extra charge and also a Subscription fee for the service. BUT it saves you some needs on things like carrying a fob with you other than your OEM/YotaMD one.
 
Update-
Sorry for late reply.
I’ve had the system over a year now and no issues at all. Range is spectacular. I can even use it to keep the car running, take out the key and go inside to pick up donuts and come right back. Works like a dream. I don’t have the Drone Mobile, just two fobs one of which is a 2-way. The tech didn’t use any t-harness.
Hope that helps anybody on the fence.
 
Update-
Sorry for late reply.
I’ve had the system over a year now and no issues at all. Range is spectacular. I can even use it to keep the car running, take out the key and go inside to pick up donuts and come right back. Works like a dream. I don’t have the Drone Mobile, just two fobs one of which is a 2-way. The tech didn’t use any t-harness.
Hope that helps anybody on the fence.

Same, no issues, love it!
 
Nice... I am excited to get mine. Will be nice to just hit the button and start the engine from inside my house instead of walking outside to open doors, jump in, start, jump out and go back inside for a few minutes while I finish pouring coffee.

For us this is also a trial run for installation of one on my wife's 4Runner. She typically works late at night and during this time of year it is great to have something like that as she is parked outside for 10+hrs without touching her car. Last Thursday we had a quick snow storm that dumped about 6" during the day so while she left and it was barely snowing, when she got out to her car later that evening she ended having to spend 20 minutes brushing it off AND then get into the fridged car. Would be nice for her to just start it from inside her salon (less than 1000' away) and have it running while she finishes up inside. Hardest part is going to be getting her used to adding that new process in at the end of the night.
 

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