It looks like the cold weather is finally upon us, so what better time for serving up a little education on the ins and outs of a Remote Start system for your car!

During the cold months of the year, we could practically change our name to Extreme Car Starters, Inc. It seems like every day we have at least 2 or 3 vehicles in the install bay getting a remote start installed! What does this mean for you? It means we know remote start! Installing a remote start is a complicated process, in the wrong hands it can be a nightmare, in the hands of a qualified technician in can be a dream come true.

First up, what is a Remote Car Starter? A Remote Start will allow you to push a button on your keychain, that will start your cold car up and warm it up before you head out to work in the morning, or just running errands around town. You just leave your heat or A/C on, and it automatically turns on when the car does. While that sounds simple enough, there are a lot of other features available that can be very useful to you. You're probably going to keep that vehicle a while right? So make sure your getting what you need! The following are some of the features and options that are available...

Range of Operation

The range, or distance that you can be away from the vehicle and start it, of a remote start is something that can be a key feature. Most people's knee jerk reaction is to say that they park right outside the house and work, so distance is not an issue right? Well, that will get you taken care of 80% of the time, but keep in mind those trips to the store, the mall, the movies, a restaurant that's packed, etc. I don't know about you, but if I've been in a toasty movie theater and walk out into the 30 degree night air, I'm really wanting my car to be nice and toasty too!

Remote Starts usually have a range from 500ft up to 1 mile, but keep in mind that it is a "perfect world" range, meaning nothing in between you, no interference, etc. So you'll definitely want to know what kind of real world range you would need. Heck, you can even start them from your iPhone, Android, or Blackberry phone these days, perfect for the mall or movies, with unlimited range!

Two Way Remotes

Somewhat of an extension of the range, many of the higher ranged remotes offer what is called "2 way" technology. The remote itself can have its own feedback system to let you know whether your car is started or not! Say your in the back of the grocery store heading towards the checkout after fighting the crowd for an hour shopping. You hit the remote start button, and then the first thing you think is..."I hope I was close enough?" Now you can't hit the button again, because if it DID start the first time, that will just turn it back off! A Two-Way Remote solves those problems completely. You push the button to start it, and your remote literally beeps back and lights up to show you that the car got the signal and is warming up. If you don't get the confirmation, you just need to get a little closer.... still WAY better than walking out to a non warm car! Like we mentioned a second ago, add something like Compustar's Drone Mobile, or Viper's SmartStart App, and you'll be able to do it from your smart phone will unlimited range and 2 way feedback for everything.

Keyless Entry

So you'd like a Remote Starter, but who wants another thing hanging from your keys?? Thankfully you can add a Remote Start with full lock, unlock, trunk pop (when equipped), and panic functions. Even if you already have the factory keyless on there, now you'll have an all in one system with MUCH better range. Ever had someone need you to unlock the car for them and you had to get closer to the car to make it happen? No more!

Car Finder / Panic

Like we mentioned above, you can have a panic button added in with the Remote Start that allows you to scare away people loitering around your car late at night in a parking lot. One push of the button and your horn starts honking, and your lights start flashing. With all of that added attention, anyone that is up to no good, will not want to hang around long. Its also great for finding your vehicle in those super packed parking lots.

Priority Drivers Unlock

If your concerned with security, and are often alone when out and about, priority unlock is a feature you would like. When your walking up to your vehicle, and you hit unlock, it can be set up to only unlock the drivers door only. A would be thief or predator won't be able to jump in the passenger side when you hit unlock, because that part of the car will stay locked! If you want all the doors to unlock, just press the unlock button twice.

Anti-Grind

If you've ever owned a Car Starter in the past that didn't have this, you know exactly what I'm talking about. You've used the remote, you jump in the car, turn the key, and GGGRRRIIINNDD! You turned the key to far and ground the starter! That's gonna leave a mark! There are nice circuits that can be integrated into the remote start to keep this from happening. Just say no to beating up your poor little starter.

These are just a few of the key things to look into when it comes to Remote Start. There are plenty of others like turning on your seat heaters (don't have that? we can add it), Turbo Timer for your Diesel or Turbo'd vehicle, Defrost controls, etc.

The key to being a happy Remote Start owner is finding a reputable shop *cough* Extreme Audio *cough* and making sure it is set up the way you want it! Sure you can find it at some random fly by night shop or superstore for cheaper, but is saving $50 really worth not getting a finished result that works the way its supposed to? Remember, its YOUR car, and you likely spent a good bit of money on it. Trust it to the Experts!

Please don't hesitate to email us with any questions at all!

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