A remote car starter can be one of the best additions that you can make to your vehicle. It can also be a very confusing purchase. Our intent with this post is to help you avoid some of the most common mistakes that people make when buying remote car starters.
Not Buying a Remote Car Starter With Enough Range
I use the word “range” even though I hate to. Manufacturers have no choice but to put “500-foot range” or “3,000-foot range” on their packaging. It is important to keep in mind that these are absolutely perfect numbers – in environments with no RF interference, no walls, no windows and no buildings to go around… In other words, the middle of the desert!
Range is unimportant for most people. Not many of our customers need to start their vehicles from more than 1,000 feet away. But almost everyone wants to start a vehicle from inside a building. That is where transmitter power becomes important.
At our shop, we talk about transmitter power rather than range. Our 500-foot model is the one that all others are based on. Our 1,500-foot model is considered “3X” power (3 times the transmitter strength of our base model). Our 5,000-foot model is considered “10X” power. We feel this gives our customers a better indication of what they are getting.
Don’t shortchange yourself with transmitter range (power). You are going to use your starter in more places than your home or workplace. You will want to use it from the mall, sporting events, parking garages, hospitals, restaurants, etc. If in doubt, pay a little more to get a more powerful unit. You want your car to be running when you get to it!
Not Having Your Remote Car Starter Professionally Installed
Professional installation is the key to a quality remote car starter experience. Do not trust your vehicle to the lowest bidder! Remote starters involve complicated installs in today’s vehicles, so it is important that the installation be done properly. One mistake can create thousands of dollars in damage not covered under your vehicle’s warranty.
I don’t say that to scare you off. A trained professional can do the job correctly, avoiding costly mistakes and helping you maximize the enjoyability of your new remote car starter.
Speaking of your vehicle’s warranty, a properly installed remote car starter will not void your vehicle’s warranty, regardless of what your dealer says!
Do not trust the install to your family or your local mechanic. You wouldn’t bring your vehicle to the local mobile electronics installer for an engine overhaul or transmission repair. Go to a specialist!
Above all, do not trust your cousin, your friend or your cousin’s friend to do the install! Unless someone is a seasoned installer with real-world training and experience, they are not qualified to work on today’s vehicles.
Obviously, there may be some exceptions to these comments, but the exceptions are few and far between. Use your head!
These 2 short videos begin to tell the story of what you can expect from a professional installation facility like Mobile Edge:
Buying a Poor-quality Remote Car Starter
You can buy a remote car starter at the local auto parts store for $79.99. It comes with an instructional DVD that claims that you can install it yourself. Don’t believe it. You probably can’t! These remote starters are usually of lower quality than the units that you would buy at a specialty retailer like Mobile Edge. In most cases, a quality manufacturer of remote car starters will require professional installation and frown upon over-the-counter sales. They know that the odds of failure decrease exponentially when a professional does the work.
The problem is that most people do not know a high-quality brand from a low-quality brand when it comes to remote car starters. A good rule of thumb is to search out the best shop in your market. It is a fair assumption that they will sell and install what they perceive as a high-quality brand. If you trust the shop, you can trust their choice in the products that they carry.
Think about it this way: If that is a good shop, they probably sell and install tons of remote starters. Do you think they would choose an inferior product, knowing that it would create all kinds of headaches for them? Probably not.
At Mobile Edge, we proudly offer the Compustar brand of remote car starters. We invite you to browse Compustar remote car starters here.
Not Getting a Remote Car Starter With the Proper Feature Set
Remote car starters offer a lot of convenience options. Be sure to ask the right questions when buying your starter. Some models are simply what they sound like: a remote car starter, and nothing more. They start and stop the vehicle from a distance. That’s it, and that might be good enough for you. Others have multiple functions, ranging from keyless entry and trunk release to heated seats and rear window defrost.
A common mistake when considering options includes assuming that certain things might “just work” with the starter. For example, the rear window defroster will not just come on if you left it on. It is on a latched output that resets when the power is shut off – that is, every time you turn off the vehicle. This feature has to be specifically added to almost all installs.
Another common mistake is not adding keyless entry on newer vehicles. On most newer vehicles, the factory keyless entry does not function when the vehicle is running. This means that, when your vehicle is remote started and you walk up to it, the factory keyless will not unlock the doors. You would have to use the key in the door (old school) or shut the car down with the remote starter, unlock it with the factory remote and then restart it with the key. Neither is a great choice.
The solution is to choose a remote starter that incorporates keyless entry or add a device like Compustar’s EZGO product. A remote starter equipped with keyless entry will allow you to unlock the vehicle without having to shut down the car.
A quality shop can talk you through these options and make recommendations based on your needs. If you find a shop you trust, the rest is easy.
Buying a Remote Starter at One Place and Getting It Installed at Another
NEVER…. repeat, NEVER, buy a remote starter at one shop and have it installed somewhere else. That is the biggest mistake you can make. You always want to have your starter installed at the very same place where you bought it. Do not make the mistake of buying the eBay/Wal-Mart/Auto Parts Store deal. Most quality shops will not install a remote starter that was purchased elsewhere. You will be left with the second- and third-tier shops that might agree to do this.
If the place you are considering buying a remote starter does not offer installation, do not buy it from them. I wrote a post awhile back that goes into great detail about why you should always have your remote car starter installed at the same place where you buy it. Take the time to read that post if you are tempted by the “deal of the day” online.
Conclusion
A remote starter is an awesome addition to any vehicle. Use the tips in this post and the vast amount of information on our site about remote car starters, and you are sure to make smart decisions.
Another helpful resource is our Remote Car Starter Buying Guide.
It’s not that difficult a decision when you are armed with the right information. Good luck!
For much more detailed information about purchasing a remote car starter, please consider The Ultimate Remote Car Starter Buying Guide. It is filled with more than 25 pages of great advice to ensure that your buying experience is a great one!
Thank you for this infomation it was very helpful. I appreciate the free advice.
THE INFORMATION WAS VERY INFORMATIVE…THANKS VERY MUCH
Thanks Lisa! We try very hard!
Some good advice. The cheaper ones definately have more issues. If you are handy with vehicles and wiring, understand electricity AND electronics (they are not the same) you can do your own install just fine. I did my first remote starter in my 88 pathfinder in about 94 and have done several since. I am not a mechanic, electrician, or anything remotely related to automobiles, just “electrically savy.” If it frightens you to do your own install, don’t do it. It is not quick or easy, but not bad. Someone will point out my pathfinder did not have security features, but I have done VATS and PATS bypasses also. Also can add thermostatic relays to automaticaly activate heat / defrost or A/C. Again not easy.
I forgot to mention, as did the op, ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS install the hood safety switch. I leaned on my remote (again the pathfinder) while working under the hood. Luckily it chimed three times when the ignition came on before the starter engaged, which gave me time to get out of the way. If someone other than me were under the hood, they probably would not have even noticed the chime coming from inside the vehicle and I would have been in deep ****.
Yes the hood pins are good but also fail… Ex. Rust on them or dirt has and will interrupt connection, which in turn will start with hood open.
Excellent information for me to pass on to my sister in law who is looking for a remote.Thanks for the low-down.
David, Thanks for the kind words. Please be sure to mention my e-book, The Ultimate Remote Car Starter Buying Guide, to your sister in law. You can find it at http://www.remote-car-starters.com. I offer a money back guarantee if she does not feel that the information is worth the few dollars. Thanks again for posting a comment!
Is it possible to purchase an LCD-Screen remote control for my GM Factory remote car starter? Without replacing what is in the engine. Just an lcd screen to tell me if the car is starter or not
Thank you so much for taking the time to write a column about these remote starters. I wanted to get my husband one for Christmas. He works on all his vehicles, so I was just going to get him a kit. After reading what you had to say and the responses from your readers, I’ve changed my mind. Now to find a reputable dealer……I certainly wish you were closer to me, but alas… Also, it was very admirable of you to answer all these questions from readers. There were a couple of nay sayers, but you’ll have that. Anyway, good luck and thanks again.
Linda,
That means a lot! Thank you. We try.. As a retailer in Eastern PA, I understand that we are quite a distance. Finding the right installer is hard… I think that you can learn a few things from our ebook, “The Ultimate Remote Starter Buying Guide”.. It cost $5 but will pay for itself 50 times over! Best of luck.
One of the best informative sites I’ve read yet. Single woman looking to
find this on my can be difficult and mind boggling. Your info was right to the to point and easy to understand. I enjoyed the video also because it is easy for me to learn to see a hands on process. So glad I came across your site!!! Anyhow thanks!!!
Thanks for the kind words Chris… We are planning a whole series of short and to the point videos this year to help people better understand remote car starters. Stay tuned!
Salesperson hyperbole.
I was hoping to get some actual useful information about which specs to look for, differences between AM and FM starters, installation tricks etc. All the information here is basically saying to buy an expensive model from you instead of a cheap one, and also pay you to get it installed. Pure marketing and of very little use.
Stan,
Thanks for your thoughtful comment. If you take the time to look around our website, you will see that we do not sell anything online. Our site is indeed a marketing tool for our store here in the Poconos of PA. No argument there. Most websites tied to a business are some form of marketing, wouldn’t you agree? But our site is much more than that. It is our hope that we can provide people with information needed to make a smart buying decision, whether from us or from any shop. We spend a LOT of time generating quality content that helps people all over the world…. from Phoenix AZ to Manitoba Canada. Based on the comments that our site has received over the years, I’d submit that we have succeeded. At the end of the day, there is one thing for certain: No matter how hard you try, it is impossible to make everyone happy. Good luck in your search to buy a remote car starter. I truly wish you the best. – Mitch
Thank you again Mitch
Completely agree. Many people are completely competent to install their own systems. This person just wants you to buy their marked up product from their marked up installation team. The least that could be done is be honest about true facts, not just say things and call them facts. Just like the poster above said.
Salesperson hyperbole
Wow, and I thought I was a cynic! Obviously there’s some marketing tied to this, but really? Let’s see: You were given free and thoughtful advice and direction, you weren’t required to sign up, pay a nominal fee, or be directed elsewhere (or watch an ad, for that matter) yet you felt compelled to slam this site? I will choose to simply say thanks for the info (I did buy the booklet, which is reasonably priced and very helpful). All the completely unnecessary, and anonymous, negativity out there is getting tiresome. Would you say the same thing in person? I doubt it.
Nick,
Thank you for the support and kind words.
I agree with you, it was totally uncalled for. I found the info useful.
This is very helpful, thank you so much, I really appreciate that.
Hi Mitch, we have 2 reputable dealers / installers within a mile of where I work. One deals with Viper, one with Excalibur for their remote starters. Thoughts on both brands?
We offer the Compustar brand and we are very happy with it. Ultimately, your goal should be to choose the very best installation facility that you can find and go with their recommendation on a starter. If they are a great shop that installs many remote starters, you can be sure that they will be installing a quality product. The trick is to find the right shop.
Thanks, Mitch.
What is the brand/model highest transmitting power (range) in your experience. Basically, what is the best you can get without going GSM.
We have have tremendous success with the Compustar brand. I would highly recommend that you look into this brand. We sell a lot of the P2W901. Range is insane!
Do not use best buy. They caused 9000 worth if damage to my vehicle. Threatened not to pay for it and treated us horribly while we tried to recover our vehicle,,,,
Hi ther I live in canada and I work as welding machine operator , but I
want to change carer as becoming car remote starter and alarm installer
I been searching on line that is there a course i can take to become
a profational remote and alarm installer I have very good should ring
experience and install car audio as well but I want get in to this kind a
work so could you a least guide me to right direction , am very interested
in this industry but don’t know where to begin please and thank you
I am glad I found this information before buying it. Thanks!
Where do I start when looking for a reputable shop? Do I just call shops in the yellow pages and ask questions? I don’t know anyone who’s had this done to their car, so I don’t think “word of mouth” is a source for me.
Shameless plug for my e-book which educates you on how to buy a remote car starter and find the right facility. http://www.remote-car-starters.com best of luck.
I’m trying to get my 2007 lincoln mkx fitted for a remote start. I see that Lincoln has a remote start for this vehicle, is it better to get the factory one, or would i be better off with a different brand? It appears the factory one would require a second fab, it doesn’t seem to have unlock/lock, only on/off..any thoughts?
From our experience, quality aftermarket remote starters will offer much better range than those that are factory installed.
I understand now that it is not the range that is important, but the power. However, you mention 3X and 10x, I’m still not clear if the 3x will or won’t be started through a building?? Please advise. My car is parked in the back of my apartment building, through brick and I cannot see it. Thanks.
There are way too many variables to advise on this. Structure, RF interference, etc… We use “X power” as a better indicator to our clients as to how strong the transmitter is. When in doubt, always buy more power than you think you will need.
Thanks. Great Advice.
I had a remote starter professionally installed on my car.
Realising that there is not advantage to starting your car more than 30 seconds on very cold winters, I removed the fuses and unplugged the remote starter to prevent additional power draw on my battery.
Robert, that’s interesting… I’ve never heard that before. I would be interested in knowing more and where you got your information from. It is a shame that you are not going to be able to enjoy your remote car starter as thousands of other folks do every day.
Thanks for your information, very helpful. I plan to get a remote starter for my new car, but too bad I’m not in your city. Still your article is very helpful. Thanks again.
Hello! I wish I would have done more research. I had a remote start installed on my 2011 Mazda 3. It starts and then dies. Doing this has caused me to need a jump 4 times. Took it back and of course it worked then. They said I wasn’t holding the button down long enough. Manual says 3 seconds but they guy told me to hold it down for 5. So after that I could get it to work maybe 1 out of 5 tries. Got a new battery installed this past Saturday, tried the remote start and voila! Started right away. Since then haven’t gotten it to work. What gives? Hubby is taking it back again today. I will be so mad if it works while he’s there.
I want to get a remote starter in my Chevy 2013 Cruze which does not have the manufacture’s installed in it.
I was told by my nephew who is a body guy and also a dealership salesman said the did not work for them.
I went to Audio Works of Cincinnati and got an estimate and assured me the put them in Chevy Cruzes all the time. Can you help me. Do you know the odds of these “Market” installations successes.
Thanks.
I own a 2009 Toyota Camry. I had my car starter installed professionally 6 months ago (not by Toyota).
I just started using it during the cold weather a month ago. In order to get it started I had to press the
remote several times and in frustration just held the remote down until it finally started. I planned to bring
it back to the installer. Sunday when I got into my car and started it manually I noticed the engine
light flickering on and off so I planned to call Toyota the next day. When I got on the highway the car
would not accelerate properly and the car started to shake. When I finally got to my destination I shut
off the ignition and when I started the car and stepped on the gas pedal it wouldn’t move. I had the car towed to my Toyota dealer. They did all the tests and said they couldn’t find anything wrong. they
took the car out and said it was running fine.I can only assume that all this has something to do with the wiring on the starter. I’m bringing it back to the installer. Have you ever experienced anything like this?
Anita,
I had a similar problem in my 98 Toyota Sienna. My remote starter had been installed for a number of years with trouble free service. The installer wrapped some of the wires with electrical tape instead of heat shrink. Over the years moisture seeped into the wiring harness, causing one of the wires to short to ground. My neighbourhood auto shop spent many hours trying to locate the problem. The whole affair cost me a small fortune in towing and fault-finding for an easy wiring repair. The company that installed my starter went out of business, but after the fix, my starter gave me many more years of trouble free service. Good luck.
JR,
I completely understand your situation and how that could have happened. However, I want to clarify a few things so as to not give readers the wrong impression.
1. There are many kinds of electric tape. If the installer is using a quality tape such as 3M Super 33, and applies it properly (there is a right and wrong way) you should never have this issue. We have starters on the road for better part of 20 years and the harnesses look like they did when we installed them.
2. I see a lot of discussions online that talk about how you need to use heat shrink. The use of a high quality heat shrink is great, but it is not always possible. Heat shrink needs to be slid over the wires. This is possible to do when you are connecting 2 wires end to end. When you are tapping into an existing wire, as is done on most remote starter installations, you are not connecting end to end and not able to use heat shrink. The alternative is to cut the existing wire, slide the shrink on and then re-establish the connection which is a BAD idea since you are shortening the wire and potentially causing strain on that wire. In those cases, a high quality electric tape is the way to go without question.
This could be any number of things and may not be related to the remote starter. If it is remote starter related, the first place I would check would be the “tach” wire under the hood. We have seen tach wires not attached properly and shorting out on the manifold or other parts of the engine compartment. Good luck.
I’m looking to get a starter installed in a 2011 pathfinder silver edition. The car has the no key ignition I guess similar to the push button start in other cars and the doors have push button exterior locks so you don’t need the remote to unlock them the remote just has to be in proximity of the car …. I’m sure you know all this just from me mentioning the make and model… When I do get the starter installed do I need a new remote or can it be programmed off of the existing remote that came with the car
This was EXTREMELY helpful. Thank You!
Thank you for doing this and taking the time to inform people. I could have very well made several of these mistakes that you posted for people not to make.
Very much appreciated!
Thank you for this information I was planning to get a starter for my Camry 2013 but now I think I’ll wait useful info. Thanks
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I’m considering having a remote start installed on mu 2013 Kia Optima turbo with push button start.
I have heard I should only go with the Kia brand remote start, starter model 2T056-ADU20. What about the Viper brand VSS5X10?
Ever heard of any issues in Optima’s?
I would appreciate any feedback.
Thanks,
JC
go with the best model that you can afford and has the options you want. your Optima probably has all the bells and whistles. so shop around for the best one with extended range.
I had a remote car starter installed a few years ago and it worked like a charm. Then, I had some body work done on my Camry and the car battery was close to dying. so I got a jump and the car was fine. I tried my remote car starter and although the light on the remote seem to work, the car will not automatically start. What do you suggest I do?
The electronics for the fried or blew a fuse. have it checked out
I think it’s really funny when people buy a remote starter that might only wok from a very short distance. One of my friends got one, and it would only work if he was about 20 feet away! I love the one I have, I’ve never had any problems at all. I can start my car from my house in the winter so it will be warm by time I get in!
I live about 2500 miles from you in La Grande, Oregon. Do you know of a dealer close you would recommend?
I can appreciate the kind of business person you are. Wish we had more like you. Best regards to you and your bosses. (The dogs)
There is a very good shop in Portland called Kingpin Car and Marine Audio. http://www.kingpincaraudio.com Owner is Jason Kranitz. One of the best shops in the country. if he is too far to travel, perhaps this will help you find a great shop near you: http://www.remote-car-starters.com
And thank you very much for the kind words for my facility and the pups!
Hi,
I bought a toyota sienna with remote start. The range is terrible and doesn’t help me at work. Any advice? Potential inexpensive modifications to increase range or is it basically suck it up or replace it?
Thanks,
Dave
Basically suck it up and replace it. No shortcuts here.
I thought your wright up was very good. It gave me some good questions for the company who might install my remote system.
Hello,
What are the advantages of having a remote care starter?
I am trying to convince my wife we should get one but doesn’t think we need one especially since we live in New England!
Any reputable places in New Haven/Fairfield , CT?
Thank you for your help in advance! 🙂
Dar, There is a Ton of great information on this site about remote car starters.. Start out here: https://www.mobileedgeonline.com/category/remote-car-starters/ And if you convince your wife to get one, I’d recommend this e-book : http://www.remote-car-starters.com …. Full disclosure: I wrote it 🙂
I drive a Mazda 3, is it possibe to have a remote car starter kit installed by the manufacturer?
the manufacturer is in Japan. that’s a long drive. you could go to your local Mazda dealer and ask them about a factory car starter system. Or you could go to a local auto shop that installs car stereos etc. they should have a range of options and price ranges.
Thank you, very helpful!
Good article with helpful hints. I’m in the market for a basic car starter, but a good quality one. now I know what questions to ask the auto shop. Thanks!
I have a 2015 Nissan Murano Paltinum with factory installed Nissan Remote Starter…
AND IT SUCKS!!!
My question is;
Is it wise to have a after market installation done on a already factory installed Remotte Starter.