Remote starter

[vxkween]

Anyone have a remote starter on their VX? We are gadget junkies and were looking at one of these.

[azskyrider]

Had one on my 99 Dodge 4x4. I loved it. Before they became popular (at least in AZ) it was a kick to see peoples reaction. I had a VIPER Alarm with the Car start and Off, With window roll up and down, shock senser etc.. People would walk by and you could start the car to freak them out. As they got closer to the window I would roll it down and they would really freak out but the trick brought them closer. Then as they got close to the window I would roll it back up and turn the car off.
It was a good Candid Camera trick. The range was about 150 feet for mine.

It was handy. Before getting into the vehicle I would turn the car on and let the A/C run about 5 minutes before I left. Same thing for the winter with the heater. This way I wouldn't sweat or freeze like crazy. It was actually more handy when I go hunting as I would have the Vehicles interior warm before getting out of my sleeping bag. The Alarm is still active so if someone gets in there is a sequence of events you have to do before taking off even though you put in the key to turn the ignition after you turn the alarm off.

The down turn was the extra fuel you will burn having it running but back then it was a nice COOL option to have and the fuel prices were not as bad.

I paid I think about $450 back then.

[Cyrk]

I have one, love it! Funny I was at a Happy Sumo about a year ago and our hibachi table was facing the window and sure enough people flocked to the VX... they were peering in the windows and looking all around and then I started it they jumped back and were looking all around, It was too funny... priceless.

It does work great on hot days and cold nights.

-Dave

[t2p]

...... whaddaya ..... crazy ?
.
remote starter .......... in a warm climate ........
.
???

freeze like crazy

freeze like crazy ..... ??? in AZ ....... ???

*FREEZE* is when it is so $@%*!! cold that .....
.
the wiper motor will not move the wipers ....
.
and no one locks the doors for fear they will not open ........ or they have a propane tank nearby (outside the car) so they can heat the key and/or locks ......
.
or the down in your down coat makes 'crackling' noises when you move ........
.
or you can only handle a wrench (or any metal object) for 15 or 20 seconds for fear that you will get frost bite ......
.
ok Minnesota and Alaska people ........... you can chime in and add .......... you are probably much more familiar with cold than I am ..... ( although I have spent some time (snowmobiling) in Bradford PA - Bradford has been the coldest place in the US at times ) ......

(just having a little bit of fun) .........

[t2p]

remote starter .....
.
I seem to remember a TSB ....... service bulletin ..... whatever .....
about radio interference or something like that when the VX is equipped with a remote starter .......

[Triathlete]

In Az you get them so you don't get 3rd degree burns when you sit on your seats!

VXcaver had one on his and didn't even know it...
...until he went out one day and his VX was sitting there running. He did some investigating and found that the previous owner had installed it.

[vxkween]

I thought the same thing about the burns here in Texas........and we do get a little snow and usually 3 or 4 good ice storms in Denton.

Anyone else heard anything about the radio interference or had similar trouble with theirs?

It seems like such a FUN toy......cheap entertainment!!!

[VXcaver]

True enough, as Triathlete said. One morning my truck was running all by itself, locked, windows rolled up! My VX came from Minnesota where I guess a remote starter is kinda cool. I still haven't figured out a practical use for it here, but as AZskyrider said, its a fun candid camera sort of thing!

[mrtew]

Originally posted by t2p
...... whaddaya ..... crazy ?
remote starter .......... in a warm climate ........
freeze like crazy ..... ??? in AZ ....... ???

I live in Michigan now which is supposed to be cold, but I'm from Arizona which I can tell you is a LOT colder. I remember it getting below zero every year and the coldest I remember is -17º. I've only lived in Michigan for 5 years but it's never gotten below zero once. Admittedly I lived in Northern Arizona and now I live in Southern Michigan, but still. There was a lot deeper snow there too.

[Heraclid]

t2p is correct. The TSB for the radio was a separate one and had to do with a defective connector causing poor AM reception. That's half of what I listen to, so I must have dodged that one. :-) However, there is another TSB regarding aftermarket remote starter kits causing the tranny to upshift roughly.

[Hanalei]

I had a remote starter put in mine in February, it gets mighty cold here in Jersey. It works great and the VX is nice and warm on those frigid days. No problems....

[VX crazy]

I have remote start also, which is great in the Texas heat, car is cool after work with AC running, and with black leather seats this really makes a difference! I can also program mine to start at a certain time automatically each day, too complicated for me.

[XCross69]

I too had a CrimeStopper unit installed on mine, has the paging system on it...vibrates and lets me know when the alarm has been set off. It too can be set to start at different times and I eventually want to get my windows hooked in to it so at the press of a button the windows with either go up or down...I have yet to decide with one I want it to do...

But yeah they are nice, I had to have the tranceiver replaced rigt after I first got it installed...but since then no problems at all!

[skunkworks]

Heraclid; Do you have any more info on the TSB for poor AM reception?

albert
________
Electone

[Ebony1433]

I have the Viper remote start/alarm. I originally wanted the basic remote starter, but the shop told me that the basic wasn't compatible with the OEM alarm (!). So I upgraded to the Viper combo alarm/starter, whic was $300 with installation, compared to the $180 Best Buy special that I had on my previous truck. However, the remote works from a distance of 300 feet, compared to the 100 foot range for the basic. Plus, I'm sure Viper has a better alarm than OEM unit. There is nothing like the convenience of getting into a warm truck on a cold morning....or a cool truck on a sweltering day....I recently moved to St. Louis from New Jersey, and almost everyone who sees the truck is amazed by the remote-start feature.....the VX always draws a cround (I think I'm 1 of 2 in the greater St. Louis area) and it's fun to start the car and watch someone who's gawking a liitle too closely jump out of his shoes when the bellow of the Powervault muffler announces that this beast has woken from its slumber.....