TLDan

Has anyone had a remote start system installed in their TL-S? If so, how did the installation go and did you loose any of the remote features (i.e., trunk release)? What did it cost?

A local installer told me that because of the immobilizer built into our cars, it is a challenging installation and there is risk that I may loose some of the remote features, such as trunk release. I just didn't get a comfort level with this guy and am looking for some advise. Remote start is great, especially in New England during the winter, so it is something I'm interested in. Thanks!

Steve33168

I don't think I would have that guy install anything on my car.

Ask your Acura dealer about a remote start. I know that Acura of Springfield installs them, your dealer probably does too.

fahoumh

mr tl has a remote starter on his '99 TL.....you should ask him who installed it.

mr tl

yeah, your gonna have to go to one of the higher end shops. mom and pop shops are outta the question

everything works perfectly. factory remote works.

i paid $294USD out the door

pianoman41

I've got an aftermarket Clifford alarm with remote start. Because I am now using the aftermarket remote, the only thing I lose is the memory seats from the remote (they still work if you press the button on the door). But the trunk still pops fine. Unless you want to carry two remotes with you everywhere, you're going to lose the remote memory seat deal even if you add just a remote start, because you'll have to use the remote that came with it. But honestly, how often do you need to remotely have the seats change? Sure it's cool to show off, but opening the door and pressing the button works just as well. Remote starters rock (especially with New England winters). Both my cars have them.

thephantom

How much did the Clifford cost you, Pianoman? Also, who installed it? I hope it came with the shock sensor.

BLEXV6

Evidentally pianoman, you do not have a short wife who also drives the car. I love that feature on the remote. BTW, I have a garage for my car @ home and an underground parking @ work, so a remote starter is not necessary for me.

vperkins2

That goes double for me!

V.

Crzy Acura

what kind of remote start does the dealer offer? If they can get a nice key fob for it, then i woul get it. I know im like a girl, I just dont like the aftermarket key fobs, they look ugly IMO

GOT TLS

Last week I had a Viper (550ESP) remote start alarm installed. The cost OTD was around $500. As mentioned before the only thing you loose is the memory seats, no great loss. After installation I have both the factory and Viper alarm. If the hood or trunk in broken into the factory horn goes off. If the interior of the car is violated then both the horn and the Viper siren go off. A lot of noise, and all from the Viper remote. Make sure you go to an experienced installer. The installer I used had 17+ year experience and even he had to call DEI to get the latest updates for the car to make everything work right.

TUFF GONG

The most important thing here is the installer. I used to install alarms and stereo several years ago and saw first hand the number of incompetant installers working on all kinds of cars. And it's not neccesarily the installers fault, some shop owners are P.O.S. My first week on the job back then, the owner sent me to a exotic car deelership. What a nightmare, the dealership would tell me to me stuff like "take the factory stereo out of that M3 and put it in that 911 over there" I had ulcers within days! The mechanic at the dealership had it worse, mechanic= "ahh the fly is cracked(911 Turbo)", owner "I'm not buying a new one, make it work!" Cheap ba$tards!"

Definately go somewhere else!

As for the alarm, any installer who knows what there doing will know what is required for the immobolizer. It's not rocket science.

I installed a remote starter, remote control to vent or open all 4 windows along with closing them when arming. Airhorns along with the alarm siren. Shock sensor's on each headlight(too sensitive, still needs some fine tuning) LED's on each door and ofcourse the trunk pop. Cost me $400, basically because my friend and I did it.

samzilla

i have a clifford Avantguard 4 and the only thing i lost is the trunk release after it has been remote started

Jabez

www.bulldogsecurity.com

TLDan

Thanks for the input everyone. Pianoman41, where in Massachusetts did you get your remote start installed and what did it cost?

Rand

To: mr tl

you said your autostarter costs around $294 factory installed, or were you referring to the alarm?

Road Rage

Hey TLDan: Not sure what the point of a remote starter is, but remember that idling shortens oil life and increases wear in the long term. Heads up.

mr tl

thats an aftermarket starter ONLY. it does not include the alarm (which was optional). it works with the factory alarm

BMW74

Hey TLDan,

I have a friend who works for Tweeter on Route 9 in Framingham who is a great guy to talk to. He has tons of mods on his CRX and CRV. That said, his knowledge of cars and the after-market electronics is second to no one I have ever met. Not to mention, that Tweeter's road shop is much better than stores like Best Buy and Circuit.

I see you live in Natick, if you ever feel like taking a ride to Tweeter on Route 9, ask for Adam Griffin and tell him Ben (his old boss) told you stop by and he will give you great advice. Not to mention, he may give you a discount if you say you are my friend

Good luck!

tdoh

Perhaps so, but some nice things about a remote start is that you can set it so that you can have the A/C or heater running beforehand so that the interior will be already cool or warm when you get to your car; also, it's nice to be able to remotely start your car on a very cold and/or snowy day (assuming your car is parked outside more than a few feet away from where you are)--that way, you don't have to get inside a really cold car, start the car, then have to sit there in the cold, freezing your butt off waiting for the car to get warm enough to pump out some hot air through the heater so that you don't freeze to death.

Yeah, it's a tradeoff--engine life vs. personal comfort/convenience.
Like many people here like to point out--engine wear is not that big a deal when it comes to Honda/Acura motors as long as you perform proper routine maintenance.

Tony

Rand

TO: mr tl

I am a little confused as to what "after market" means. I wanted to get an auto stater for my Acura TL-S and I went to the dealer who told me that it costs $600. So I don't know what to do.

-Thanks

tdoh

I could be wrong but I think it would be very hard--if not practically impossible--to integrate a remote car start module into the factory alarm. The dealer probably quoted you an aftermarket alarm (e.g., Clifford) with a remote start module added to it (or built-in) for that price. If the dealer told you $600 only for the remote start (dunno if it includes install)--best to look elsewhere.

Aftermarket usually refers to a product that is not OEM; i.e., something that didn't originally come with a product and therefore carries a warranty (if one is offered) independent of the warranty of the product it was installed on (usually--there are exceptions). Example--the Comptech sway bars are considered aftermarket; the stock sway bars already on the TL-S aren't.

Tony

FTM-1

Yes Rand aftermarket is not original factory stuff. But be very careful of ACURA dealers offering stuff like that for that amount money. I have a Clifford Alarm without remote start to have the remote start added would cost about $125.00.
If an ACURA dealer is giving you a price of $600.00 that better be a whole new alarm system with remote start built-in.

TUFF GONG

You must find a reputable aftermarket car audio/alarm shop. That dealer price of $600 is crazy!

When I worked as a installer (alarm/stereo), I would have to go to certain dealerships to install alarms, cd players whatever to new cars. The dealer would charge the customer anywhere from $500-$300, and we charged the dealer about $150- $175 for a Viper 500 (back then) with door locks, starter kill, yada yada.

See the mark up they add

But this is just my experience, some dealers have their own installers I believe.

pianoman41

Quite the contrary--I'm 6'4" and the wife is 5'4". But I drive the car 97% of the time. The other 3%, she unlocks the door with the aftermarket remote and then presses the button on the door before getting in. Then when I get the car back, I do the same and reset it to my position. Not a big deal.

thephantom: I had mine done at Tweeter in Holyoke and the whole thing ran me about $600. I know that's kinda high but I like their work and I know they'll be around for a while. Local shops may do it cheaper but talk with the installer first and ask around to make sure he knows what he is doing. And yes, it's got both a two-stage shock sensor and a glass-break sensor.

TLDan: As stated above, Tweeter did the work. They're all over MA and CT so you should check them out. But again, talk to the installer first. It may be worth travelling to a Tweeter further away from you if the installer is more experienced. Example: when I had mine done in Holyoke, I knew the Mobile Dept manager very well--he had done the Clifford install on my Maxima back in '97 and it was top notch. When I picked up the TL, I noticed that you could pop the trunk when the alarm was armed and it would open and set the alarm off. Clifford specifically mentions this problem and says if it works this way bring it back to the installer to fix it. I brought it back and the other installer says it's supposed to work like that. I speak with the mobile dept manager and he says he'll fix it, which he does in less than 20 minutes. Now you must de-arm before you can pop the trunk--the proper way.

As for the idling issue, most remote starts will shut off the engine within 15-30 minutes (more just to save gas than wear and tear). Idling is not as much of a problem as it used to be, say, 15 years ago. Cooling is much more efficient today without requiring moving air, and I think remote starting actually benefits those people who just start the car and drive off (especially in cold weather) without letting the oil circulate for 30 seconds or so. Sometimes as I'm leaving work (even on nicer days), I'll start the car just before leaving the building, and by the time I get there it's been running for 30-45 seconds and I can just jump in and drive away.

BTW, I've had my '97 Maxima idling in excess of 6 hours at a time (don't ask) and with 80,000 miles on the engine it does not burn/use a drop of oil and the color is still pretty good at the end of a 4,000 mile change. Just my $.02.

tdoh

Something to think about regarding extended idling issues--police cars idle all the time when parked on the side of the road; unless they're not in the vehicle, cops don't shut the engine down for obvious reasons. Sure, cop cars have auxiliary oil coolers but the advantage is lessened compared to one without one if the car is not moving, i.e., it's just idling.

Tony