15 replies to this topic

[ExSomnio]

I want to get a remote starter for 2001 S60. I checked Best Buy's site, and I found this one: http://bestbuy.com/s...7&skuId=9495076

However, I found that there is an option that will only let the car turn off after 12 minutes. I want maybe 2 minutes. Anyone know a good remote starter that will let me customize the time before it turns off?

[Ghost Shadow]

lol best buy, subscribed....

[ExSomnio]

Give me some good company names.

[Stormtrooper1]

ExSomnio, on 03 December 2011 - 10:10 AM, said:

However, I found that there is an option that will only let the car turn off after 12 minutes. I want maybe 2 minutes. Anyone know a good remote starter that will let me customize the time before it turns off?

Why would you want your remote starter to turn off after 2 minutes?
Usually the point of one is to warm up or cool down the car. 2 minutes will do nothing for wither one of those options.

(though i do know someone who used a remote start to bypass a failing passkey system in a malibu in which case he often started it from the drivers seat)

you do realize that once you put the key in and turn the ignition that the car will turn off normally, right?

I had a 12 minutes run time on my former Grand Prix. Oh how i wish it was the 25 minute time on the car previous to that.

yeah, best buy... I hear you, but when they did my grand prix they asked a bunch of questions on my preferences, and then did the exact opposite of what i wanted.

[broken041]

Directed Electronics. Viper, Python, etc. They have a turbo timer feature, allowing it to shut off after a few minutes or a user defined time.

[s_moneh]

http://www.compustar...-P2W901-SS.html

get that its the best unit hands down right now

asfar as customizing how much it runs after u take the key out thats turbo timer, majority of the units come with it now

[Ghost Shadow]

thanks for the negative reps people, I lolz because people think best buys is the place to go for electronics to be installed into your car. Best Buys tell their employees to crimp their connections. Best Buys put a siren on Prezmans/Mike 850 into the brake booster.Best Buys sells the Onstar FMV and they hold the record for the most amount of windshields broken. I did not chime in on what brand is the best because i am bias. I sell Compustar all day everyday. I compete against best buy everyday and i win every day.

I did not chime in because its ultimately NOT what brand of starter you get, IT IS THE INSTALLATION OF THE UNIT THAT COUNTS.

Does best buy even have a scan tool to reset your srs light when they fail to energize the second accessory required for remote start? They will be using a install guide from Directed Electronics and it is incomplete. I have one of these tools, i have $8000 in scan tools as my disposal. Hence why i "lol, subscribed"

If the average consumer only knew that its not what you get, its how its installed!

OP: Fill in your location so maybe someone that reads this post will know if there is a reputable place to get one installed near you.

[850T5M]

Viper 5701 Refurbished unit on Ebay...costs like 130$, and it works awesome...
It has base time of 12 minutes, but if you have someone with the bitwriter, it can be programmed to any time I believe.
Overall great unit, does everything you need. Has great range, and its a good price on ebay.

I've had mine installed for about 2 months now, I love it.

[BEJinFBK]

Ghost Shadow, on 03 December 2011 - 09:18 PM, said:

its ultimately NOT what brand of starter you get, IT IS THE INSTALLATION OF THE UNIT THAT COUNTS.

This is the best advice in this post. Have your system installed by a PROFESSIONAL!!!
In Fairbanks, probably 50% of the cars have autostarts and I've seen some nasty installs.
Usually because the customers refused to go back to the shops that hosed'em.
If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Spend the extra money for someone that knows the ropes, has been around for a long
time and has a rep to back it. Ask around - See who the dealers are using. The mechanics
at the dealers and indy shops will know where the bodies are buried. Word gets around.

The top shop here has been installing since the early 90's and they have got it down.
They sell CompuStar and AstroStart. Their nicer two ways remotes have unbelieveable range.

Honestly - Don't cheap out on an autostart and it's installation.
Way too many bad things can happen.

[Ghost Shadow]

850T5M, on 04 December 2011 - 04:50 AM, said:

Viper 5701 Refurbished unit on Ebay...costs like 130$, and it works awesome...

It is in YOUR best interest to NOT bring in a unit from the internet. Why? Let me tell you

• Warranty, You have one for the equipment from "the internet". You have to deal with the returns. I DONT CARE if the unit works are not, You are paying the LABOR AND PARTS in install to get this thing into your car, regardless it works or not.
  
• It works, great. It works and has problems later. I will honor my install, if it turns out NOT my install, YOU ARE PAYING the labor rate for DIAGNOSTIC $65 per hour.
  
• It doesnt work when we install it. You can think two things, A: Think we(me and staff) dont know WTF we are doing or B: Damn it now i have to have you guys remove it and sent it back for another unit and pay again.
  
• It is 99% not A, i personally do at least 100-150 starters a year, as a whole we do 600+ annually. We have 5 new car dealers we service on a daily basis(Mini, Honda, Chevy, two Nissan and Toyota) and two Leasing companies.
  
• Shit happens thats why i say there is that 1% that we(me and staff) could have fucked something up, but without another unit on my shelf to check. You have to suffer because of a defective unit.
  
• You as a customer want me to warranty everything from the unit to the installation to the service of the product, RIGHT? (insert nod, or yes) You buy a car with a warranty, why should this be anything different.
  
• After all this, I did make it clear you are paying for the parts and labor regardless of the outcome at the end of the day right? (I hand them a piece of paper and they sign away YES)

I tell customers this all day everyday, you take it anyway you want. A sales tacktic, a true piece of advice, whatever.....i made it clear, you bring it in, you responsible to pay.

Like it was said in above post, TOO many things can go wrong. For every one good shop there are 5 bad ones. Its those bad ones that make the good ones look bad. The general sentiment about aftermarket indipendants is they suck, best buy is a larger chain and they "train" their people better. au contraire mon ami, fact is many best buy installers aspire to graduate to open their own shop or work at a better shop. Best Buy gets the cheapest labor they can get, you think that 18 year old kid with BB training can do a better job than a 40 something grungy looking installer thats been doing it since he was 18 with no best buy training? we get more info more training that best buy will ever get all day every day. We have experience, we are NOT bound by vendor treaties(contracts) i can jump ship to another brand if it makes the install better/easier at a drop of a hat. Best Buy needs 4 months to do that and another 3 to get it into the store.

Opinion on equipement?

DEI: was a leader in the industry, not so anymore. However, they are the leader in MARKETING their products and have a huge brand recognition that they rely on.
First Tech: Is the leader in the industry right now. Their marketing budget is no where near DEI's. All that money is in research and development.
Prestige/Code Alarm/Persuit: Now they owned by audiovox, they trying to gain momentem in the industry, but they too rely on DEI or firstech's vehicle bypass/interfaces
Auto Page: The product is ok, not really user friendly, not very installer friendly.

Most people dont know this but First tech/compustar brought 2 way paging remote to the industry, Not Viper. In USA DEI is king, in the rest of the world they are no where on the map, Compustar/Astrostart/Nu Start/Artic Start ect.

My DEI factory rep tries to convert me to DEI every year, my audiovox rep tries to tell me to get code alarm every month i see him.

Example: You come in wanting basic starter one way remote. two weeks later you want a upgrade to two way paging.

Compustar = YES, 10 minutes just buy new remote kit.
DEI = Yes, cost to uninstall first unit, then reinstall second upgraded unit. Now you have the old unit back in a box, and purchased a new unit and installed that. 2 hours + and alot more $$
thats the same for code alarm and auto page IIRC.

[ExSomnio]

s_moneh, on 03 December 2011 - 06:37 PM, said:

http://www.compustar...-P2W901-SS.html

get that its the best unit hands down right now

asfar as customizing how much it runs after u take the key out thats turbo timer, majority of the units come with it now

Thank you so much.

I checked out the manual for it, and I do not see anything that will let me set up how long the engine should run before it turns off. Do you know what it is called?

[Ghost Shadow]

http://www.compustar.../dealerlocator/

it is not for you to setup, it is a option programmed by your dealer.

15, 25 or 45 minute run times, built in turbo timer that can also be programmed for run time of 1 or 2 minutes after key is take out.

Again fill out in your profile your location.

[ExSomnio]

I watched the video: http://www.youtube.c...u/4/G1e--kV6ym0

Apparently, you do not even need to put the key in after it starts to drive. Am I correct? Do you have this item?

If I would buy this one from Best Buy, http://www.bestbuy.c...cat211400050012, would I have to put the key into the starter or could I just hit a button on the remote to turn it off?

[BEJinFBK]

ExSomnio, on 04 December 2011 - 03:20 PM, said:

I watched the video: http://www.youtube.c...u/4/G1e--kV6ym0

Apparently, you do not even need to put the key in after it starts to drive. Am I correct? Do you have this item?

I'm not sure where you got that idea in that video.
You need a key drive any modern car at any time.

First - Remember that the ignition switch locks your steering.
More important - The ignition lock SECURES YOUR VEHICLE.
If you could just get into a car that had been started by remote
and drive it away, there would be a lot of stolen cars out there.

Autostarts are also tied into the brake pedal. Hit the brake while
that car is idling on remote start and the engine dies. Over revving,
hood opening and in some cases, overheating will also shut it down.

Regarding installation - As advised, look for a good small shop over
a big chain! Most of those shops are full of drones and min wage hacks.

As for your Best Buy link - That goes back to a whole page of units,
most of them DEI (Viper). You already have an answer on those.
I can't speak to Avital. I've never worked with them.

[(_8*(l)Homer]

Hi,

I have an older AstroStart installed in my V70r. Totally customizable, can set run times to 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 mins, as well as program 8 function buttons, such as turn on defroster, roll windows up or down, sunroof close or open. Can even set the car to start when temperature drops below a certain threshold. I currently have it set to start every hour, run for 8 min when temp is less than -40.
http://www.astroflex.com/

[Vagabond]

Compustar.

And my 2 cents, crimps aren't evil. They are fine when done right on certain applications.

My 300zx has "factory crimps" in the main engine harness that lasted fine for 236,000 miles.