Good remote car starter?

**BobD** · 10-27-2006, 01:36 PM

I am looking for a good/decent car starter for my F-150. I have never had one in my car so I am not sure what is good or bad.

Thanks!

**BigJimZ28** · 10-27-2006, 02:05 PM

I had one installed with my viper alarm

about 7-8 years ago and it has been great

it was installed @ circuit city ( I knew the installer @ that time)

I was working on the engine and broke the pin switch for the hood

and they fixed it for free

**Guy** · 10-27-2006, 02:08 PM

I put one in my wifes car a few years back, I`m going to be looking into installing one in my truck now also. It was rated #1 and I`ve started my car from well over a 1/4 mile away! When I get the info I`ll inform you. Last year when I looked into this I`m thinking they quoted $300 installed.

**BobD** · 10-27-2006, 02:16 PM

I jsut got quoted $300 for the dealer to install and OEM one. I was looking to pay half of that. LOL Here is the one I was thinking of: http://www.directedstore.com/cgi-bin...ategory%3DA_SE

**joyriiide1113** · 10-27-2006, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by Guy

It was rated #1 and I`ve started my car from well over a 1/4 mile away!

Are you serious? I would be worried about accidental starts and leaving the engine on...

**BobD** · 10-27-2006, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by joyriiide1113

Are you serious? I would be worried about accidental starts and leaving the engine on...

Most of them only stay on for like 5-10 minutes anyway. I knew a guy that lived about 1/4 mile from home and would start his personal vehicle from work so when he got home with the company vehicle he could jump in his and go. LOL

**Guy** · 10-27-2006, 02:26 PM

It actually is rated at 1/2 mile but just over 1/4 is the best I`ve ever done. This came in handy at work where I parked a long ways away and could have a nice warm car when I got off!

**pgp** · 10-28-2006, 09:28 PM

Anything from Directed is good from what I have heard. They make Hornet,Viper,rattler,python and valet brands among others. I have a hornet r/s in my car right now. Many newer cars need a bypass for the remote start to work. Pay for a good install is the advice I can give you. Talk to several shops about their work and warrenty.

**Pb2theMax** · 11-22-2006, 12:07 PM

Both of my cars have CompuStar 2WSS-AS remote starter/alarm. They`re great. Over a mile range. I can start my vehicles while I`m inside a big steel or brick building. The car will be all warm and toasty by the time I get out there. Everybody else will still be wiping snow and ice off thier windows. Plus the alarm has 2-way paging. The remote will page me if somebody is messing with my car.

**Brad B** · 11-25-2006, 09:52 PM

My wife got a free one....me. :grrr

**imported_chpsk8** · 11-25-2006, 11:27 PM

I have two Compustar units.

Remote Start Systems

One of them is the 2Wss-s. It`s good for about a mile. It`s one of, if not the only, true one mile starters. I can sit in my office and hit my truck 3/4 of a mile away in the parking ramp. That is through concrete walls of the building and the ramp. HFantastic product.

The great thing is that it has a lifetime warranty. You just take it out and put it in the next vehicle, and it`s still covered... forever.

Both of mine have a page back feature which is handy. You push the button, the vehicle starts, then pages you back that it started. It also pages you when it shuts it off after X minutes.

You can also see if you locked the vehicle or not, and you can lock and unlock it from that range.

I had a guy replace my windshield last year, he called and asked if I could come out to the ramp and open the truck. I told him to hang on, pushed the unlock button and told him "try it now". He thought that was pretty cool.

So did I!

**CyFi6** · 12-04-2006, 02:25 AM

be sure not to use these on manual cars ever, ive heard cases where cars get smashed into walls or just start going when its accidentally left in gear and forgotten

**Beason** · 12-04-2006, 02:40 AM

Have the Viper 791xv. However Compustar seems to released new models since I got mine 2 years ago.

**STG** · 12-04-2006, 03:59 AM

Originally Posted by CyFi6

be sure not to use these on manual cars ever, ive heard cases where cars get smashed into walls or just start going when its accidentally left in gear and forgotten

Actually, the problem is not leaving the car in gear. I know somebody who parked his 2004 Mach1 on top of a hill, at a friend`s house. There was a knock on the door. "Is that your car at the bottom of the hill?"

Even though the remote starter had a gear lock-out, the Mach1 owner was paranoid about leaving the car in gear. He lefft his front wheels straight and the parking brake didn`t hold.

**Cooter** · 12-04-2006, 05:06 AM

Christmas eve about 4 years ago i walked out of my mom and dads house. My mom was parked behind me so i get in her car to move it. I`m sitting in the driver`s seat of her and think- I`ll just crank mine with my remote. Well, it cranks up and it takes off. It goes about 6 feet and hits a pole in the carport. Well, it creased the fender, broke the marker light and tore up the assembly. I go to a christmas party bummed out. Leave early and get online to order parts. The E-brake had a pin on it that had to be pushed in so it would crank. This worked really good til i left it in gear. Be very careful getting one installed on a 5-spd. If you go to a major retailor you probably wont get one put on a 5-spd.