What is involved in adding a remote start to a 2021 Tech? Dealer said it’s done through the AcuraLink subscription but I see it as a $400 accessory option? Completely confused.

 

There are two distinct types of remote start available on the Gen 3 RDX. One, is a subscription based service through AcuraLink that you uses your cell phone to activate the remote start. This requires a paid time-based subscription. The other is an Acura accessory that installs in the car, replaces the FOBs that came with the RDX, and has to be installed by the dealer (some here have done it themselves). It is quite an intensive install. They each have their benefits. The "installed accessory" will have a limited range, while the subscription based one is able to start the car where ever you have internet or cell signal.

Edit: The accessory has a cost, perhaps $400 as you mentioned, PLUS the labor cost to install.

 

I opted for the remote start over renewing the app every year. $100 the first year, how much next year and the year after? Along those lines, why does a remote start cost so much extra on an already higher cost car? My lowly 2012 Hyundai had a remote start. My 2018 F150 has a remote start AND Ford pass with remote start from my phone without any extra cost.

 

I have both versions of the remote start. They both come in handy for different situations.

 

Agree. It costs very little as part of the initial build and should have been included with the car.

 

I am not supporting the practices of any car maker, just telling it as it is from a manufacturing point of view. Since so many functions are now controlled by electronic modules many "features" are sort of "built in" to the controllers. Often times its simply a matter of programing the module for which features you want to work. A simple example is cruise control. Since many, if not most, vehicles now have electronically controlled throttles its a simple matter to add cruise control, you just need the switch gear to turn it off and on. The engine controller already has the hardware to do it, it just needs to have the feature "enabled". Trust me, when they engineer an engine or body computer most all possible options are considered. Think of how many different options might be used in a vehicle line, plus considering the cost of the engineering and manufacturing of the controllers. Would you want 28 (just a made up number) different controllers to design, build and inventory to cover one model and all its possible options?
As a manufacture we would connect to a vehicle's computer system and read the VIN that is stored in the modules. This VIN is then compared to the master database that tells what features are to be "turned on" for that particular vehicle based on original options. There were ways to change the programing where we would have to go into the master database and make changes but that is nothing a normal garage or DIY person can do. Its the way things are done.
The car maker decides what features are turned on or off when the car is sold. In the case of Acura the remote start "parts" are built into the car but they have to be turned on via the Acura Link option which they charge for. Oddly my CR-V, a lower priced car, had remote start feature built in on its remote key-less.

 

That’s great. It looks to be $300 for 3 years from what I can tell. I just want to start my car from the office in the winter. I hate getting in a 20° car then sitting in stop/go traffic wishing it would warm up faster!