Remote Car Starters

[Leaping Deer]

So my mother-in-law emails me saying that she wants to have a remote car starter installed in my wifes car for Christmas. When I was working at a dealership when I was younger it always seemed like they caused more electrical problems that they were worth.

What's everyones thought on them?

 

[scottymarks]

I mentioned this same scenario to my buddy (for Brooke's Xterra), who works at Jaffarian Toyota and who is currently helping me with replacing the HG in my truck, and he is 100% against them.
I could ask him for the explanation again but i think it had to do with circumventing something that wasn't suppose to be circumvented and it being awful for the electrical system. FWIW

 

[Wildman]

I have one, new in box, want it? its yours. I had planned on listing it for Best offer in the FS section.

 

[landtank]

technically you are supposed to start the car and then drive it! That is do to running rich and the bad effects on the cats that idling the engine will do. You want the engine to go from cold to temp ASAP.

 

[79fj40moneypit]

I had one put into my wifes camry for a christmas present 2 years ago,It came back and bit me in the a$$ the thing screwed up the door locks,it would start sometimes,other times it wouldn't. The alarm system was affected by it,it would just go off. Finally after she bit&% at me so many times I had it removed and after I got the car back I went in and fixed all the wiring that was hacked up.......never again!

My wifes experience with it gave me a lifetime to remember it!

 

[addicted56]

I just went thru a TON of nightmares with mine in my LX450. Had it taken back 4 times and never fixed. Finally taken out and still not right. I fixed a bad ground after it was all said and done and knock on wood a few days and I'm good to go. Waiting for it to fail again at any moment. A waste of money and a TON (20+ hours) of time.

DO NOT DO IT.

 

[Leaping Deer]

I have one, new in box, want it? its yours. I had planned on listing it for Best offer in the FS section.

Thanks for the offer Pat. I think I'm going to try to talk them out of it. We'll see what happens.

 

[Loose Nut]

I've had one on my '01 Land Cruiser since I bought it used in '03. Never had any problems, not the slightest complaint.




(maybe 'causeI never use it...... come to think of it, I don't even use the remote door locks)

 

[landtank]

my wife has one on here 4Runner. Works great and it will only let the engine run so long and then shuts it down. She hates that aspect of it but it seems like a good feature to me. I can get the name of it for you.

The install is likely a bitch though.

 

[40Flipper]

My mechanic installs them for $500. Other places install them for $200. He gets the $500 usually from fixing the $200 job. I've been told to not skimp on installation.