Remote Car Starters

AngryGerbil

Poet Warrior
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Any knowledge, opinions, experience, recommendations, warnings, or advice on remote car starters?

I want to get my girlfriend one for Christmas. She has a 2011 Acura TSX. The Acura dealers want nearly $1,000 do to it. That's not gonna happen.

From what I gather, having the dealer install a factory unit from the car manufacturer (in this case Acura) is the best way to go in terms of quality of both work and product, but only if money is no object. If itisan object then the dealer is effectively out of the question, because the three I've talked to will only work with Acura remote starts on Acura cars and nothing else and they all want $1,000.

So I need to go third party. I've been warned though that some third party remotes aren't very reliable. Poking around the internet, it seems and though Viper and CompuStar make quality remotes. If you guys agree that is true, I will go with one of those.

My real question is more about installation. The dealers won't touch any third party remotes. I've been cautioned against going to a place that is more of an audio specialty place because (paraphrased), "The remotes have to link up with several systems in the car and can easily be done wrong. You don't want a high school drop out at Audio Express doing this work on an Acura." So between the two extremes of Audio Express on one end and the Dealership on the other, where is a good place to get these installed without them charging retarded amounts? Are the big-box places like Best Buy any good? Any advice at all from anyone? I'd like to find that sweet spot of quality vs price. I don't want to get her a shitty device that was shittily installed, but I am not quite willing to spend $1,000 either.
 

Abefroman

Naxxramas 1.0 Raider
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I had a 2004 TSX and had a remote starter put in from an audio shop. Shit isn't complicated and my experience is they do a real good job. Don't get screwed by the dealer. I had a Clifford with the LCD screen. Spend a little bit more to get one with a good range or phone app support. Nothing more retarded then watching someone have to fucking walk outside to start a damn car with a shitty remote.
 

lurker

Vyemm Raider
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I had one in a Ford Focus. It was a Code Alarm brand installed before I bought the car. I really liked the remote start aspect on cold mornings provided I set the HVAC controls properly the night before. But the alarm part of the system sucked. It didn't play well with the dimming dome light and would try to arm the car before the light had turned completely off. That fooled it into thinking someone was opening a door on an armed system. The result was the alarm sounded. Not every time, but often enough so that I had to remove the bulb from the light and therefore had no light at night when I opened the car door. Check the function of everything after you have the work done.
 

Gravy

Bronze Squire
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If you don't mind driving to Crystal City/Festus, Phine Designs has put in 2 for my family with good results on both. 2001 Toyota and 2008 Chevy. It was right around $250 for each. Unsure about Acuras though.

Give them a call. 636-931-2110, and if it works out, give me a shout and I'll buy you lunch while they install it.
 

BrutulTM

Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
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You're going to make her soft. Buy her a snow shovel instead.
 

Noodleface

A Mod Real Quick
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A dealer will feed you any line of bullshit to get you to not trust anyone else.

They told my wife if anyone but a Honda certified tech did her brakes she might die when they fail.
 

Mures

Blackwing Lair Raider
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Keyless remote entry and remote starters are actually very complicated, but that doesn't mean you can not trust a good, reputable audio shop to install one. A good shop will come with a lifetime warranty, make sure your work is guaranteed and you'll be fine.
 

Gravy

Bronze Squire
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I guess Gerbil didn't feel like getting fart raped at lunch.
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