Do/would you use remote start

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Originally Posted By: Oldswagon
I don't have one and don't want one. They only promote idling. Some people at work will "warm up" their cars for 30 minutes with the remote starters.



+1

Same thing here except people here let it run for 30 minutes to cool off...Seems like a waste to me cause your car should cool down in 2 or 3 minutes [even in jungle heat] if the system is working the way it should.
 
Originally Posted By: Oldswagon
I don't have one and don't want one. They only promote idling. Some people at work will "warm up" their cars for 30 minutes with the remote starters.

I instead use my block heater and oil pan heater with a timer. I typically start the truck and only idle it if there is snow to clean. Otherwise, it's in gear within 30 secs and gone. If it gets to around -30 or so, I will only idle it for about 5 minutes just to make sure everything is flowing first. But at these temps I like to start the vehicle myself anyway just to make sure nothing goes wrong. This winter, we never had those cold temps, so I don't think I cold idled the truck at all.

That said, those who mentioned the police car/taxi cab argument, there is one major factor you didn't consider. These cars typically are always up to operating temperature and idle when the engine is at operating temps. We are dicussing cold idle when the oil is thick, parts haven't expanded and combustion is inefficient.


Then that's even worse, because your putting load on an engine that is not fitting together well at those temps.
 
Originally Posted By: rudolphna

Then that's even worse, because your putting load on an engine that is not fitting together well at those temps.


Give me a break, I guess the nearly 350K km's and virtually no oil consumption say otherwise. It's better to warm up your engine under "light load" than to idle it. In addition, my engine coolant and oil are "pre warmed" with the block and pan heaters.
 
I have had it in one vehicle( 2007 Silverado ). I did use it but sparingly. Basically only during extreme winter conditions. If temps were down at zero or below I would get it started 2-3 minutes before heading out to get a jump start on defrosting as another poster mentioned. It also came in very handy when a big snow storm hit. You coud get it started while you cleaned the truck off so it was ready to go when you were done.

I never used it for more than 5 minutes before I entered the vehicle however. Extended idling leads to fuel dillution in the oil plus it KILLS your MPG. At the time I had that truck gas here was $4.25 p/galllon. I wasn't wasting it idling I can assure you.

I never used it to cool the vehicle down during warm months.
 
Like any tool, some people will miss use it. But on the other hand I've seen many people go out in the morning start their car with the key and go inside, 30-45 minutes later they leave, so really it's not just people with starters.

Also, most starters have a timer feature, and can be programmed to shut the car off. Mine is set at 10mins so even if I forget about the car (never happened yet) it will shut off.
 
I've made it a point to not get remote start. I don't need it for winter months anyway. It would be nice to cool down the car during the summer, but I don't think I could do it with remote starting. It's best to get in it and drive with the windows down for a few blocks instead of trying to cool all the 140 degree air inside the car.
 
Originally Posted By: Paul56
The bigger issue for me with remote start is installation quality.


My simple bulldog piggybacked on the stock wiring: strip a little insulation without cutting any copper to attach its wires and it would basically hotwire the car. The stock ignition was wired like it had always been. Before reading the instructions I pictured a nightmare where a $2 chinese relay could fail driving down the highway with the key in and on.

Still ways to bugger it up if one has an amateur at best buy put it in. I stuck it in myself and there was a stock underdash vanity/kick panel that hid the wiring.

coworker had remote start on his subaru legacy with dying engine and was always starting it from so far away he couldn't hear the clanging and other nasty noises it made until it warmed up.
 
50% of the people that I know with remote starters in their vehicles have electrical issues due the the installation or incompatability of the unit. I am even aware of a very reputable shop in town(huge place! advervise on TV and local papers) that won't install them on certain vehicles due to incompatabilities with many of the units they sell(top end units too!) Man, I've heard horror stories! I could go on and on.

Our Lexus dealer told us that they do not recomend installing a unit in my wife 01 Lexus RX-300. I have a buddy that had a unit installed in his Chrysler 300 and taken out and put in his Toyota Highlander(same as the RX) and has only good things to say...I called 2 other Lexus dealerships in the NY State and was told the same thing. I asked other Lexus dealers in other states while on family vacation and was told the same. They don't or didn't recomend having a unit installed due to the complexity of the installation, the bypass of the factory ignition system, the poor quality of the units being sold, the 40 + splices needed to install the units and other reasons. Most people say it's fine if you don't get a butcher installing the unit, but...

My FIL wanted a unit installed in his Mini-Van and I told him what I have heard. He went ahead and had a unit insatlled anyway(at a reputable shop) only to have it removed 3/4 day later due to, well, it just didn't work and his head lights and dash lights were doing strange things(he said).

An aquaintance of mine(who has an Altima like mine) was just recently(before Christmas 09) refused at a reputable local installation shop. Saying that Nissan doesn't recomend having aftermarket remote starters installed in their vehicles. I don't know!

Now, I know others with the same vehicles as ours, having great succuss and love their remote starters. And I do know many many people that have units in their vehilces. It's just about 50%/50%. NO LIE!
 
Originally Posted By: rudolphna
Originally Posted By: eoghan
There are some places here that it is illegal to use them due to laws stating that you can't leave an unoccupied running.

It is a law to cut down on car thefts supposedly.



Huh?! It's remote start, there is no key in the car.... Generally if you hit the brake pedal the engines shuts back off?


Hey I did not say it made any sense!!! Just I know of some who have been ticketed for leaving the car running using a remote start. I guess it is left up the cop thing and you know there are some who are not the sharpest knife in the draw!!!
 
Originally Posted By: eoghan
Originally Posted By: rudolphna
Originally Posted By: eoghan
There are some places here that it is illegal to use them due to laws stating that you can't leave an unoccupied running.

It is a law to cut down on car thefts supposedly.



Huh?! It's remote start, there is no key in the car.... Generally if you hit the brake pedal the engines shuts back off?


Hey I did not say it made any sense!!! Just I know of some who have been ticketed for leaving the car running using a remote start. I guess it is left up the cop thing and you know there are some who are not the sharpest knife in the draw!!!


In many towns in NuWingland (it may be a state law in MA) 1 minute of idling can get you a $100 fine. It was part of a pollution thing and dates back to the acid rain 60's and 70's. It was rarely enforced, but it was on the books.


I would use block and pan heaters if practical. While I don't think the use of a remote start will shorten the life of any engine, it's surely going to alter its condition at the time of retirement. That condition will vary.
 
i have used them on my chevys and the last five hyundai's i owned and never had a problem.they are great when it is below 0 here in the north country.
 
The GM systems work pretty well, I only wished that GM did incorporate a 2-way communication protocol into the remotes. Some aftermarket systems are flaky, and on newer DEI(Viper/Clifford/Python) units the relays to actuate the starter/ignition/accessory circuits are SMT mounted microrelays. IF those go bad or if a cold solder issue occurs, you need a new alarm module.
 
I love that GM and other MFG's are incorperating remote starters into their vehicles from the factory. Right now, this is the only way I'll have one.
 
It was 6F Degrees this morning, dropped down to 5F when I left for work. Had the car plugged in for 2.5 hours beforehand, still took the truck a few minutes to pump the heat in even after remote-starting it 20 minutes earlier. I have Auto AC, so I do not get any heat in the cabin until the engine is at the operating temperature.
 
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