Remote Start

[CGPNTRS]

I was thinking of getting a remote start for my sky and was wondering if anyone has either thought about it or actually had it installed. With the exception of when it snows, I will be using my car all winter and figured it would be nice to get into a warm car besides melting whatever ice accumulated on the windows.

[NYRhockey23]

I've never had a remote starter but i was under the impression that you couldnt put one on a stick car since you need to press the clutch to start it. I may be wrong, and probably am.

[CGPNTRS]

Originally Posted by NYRhockey23

I've never had a remote starter but i was under the impression that you couldnt put one on a stick car since you need to press the clutch to start it. I may be wrong, and probably am.

I have an automatic but what you said seems to make sense. By the way, I'm a Ranger fan too.

[marlboromike]

Use caution because u r tapping into the computer system...anytime u add additional wires, the computer will usually go kaput...and don't let the dealership say it is okay without researching this thoroughly....

When the going gets tough..the tough get going...without a remote.

[CdnSkyGuy]

You can put a relay on the manual transmission auto starts to override the clutch...there is a safety system to ensure it is not in gear. Seems silly to a Canadian to have it in a convertible...I mean if there is snow you won't be driving it and if there is no snow it is not cold enough for a remote starter

[reedred]

Originally Posted by CdnSkyGuy

You can put a relay on the manual transmission auto starts to override the clutch...there is a safety system to ensure it is not in gear. Seems silly to a Canadian to have it in a convertible...I mean if there is snow you won't be driving it and if there is no snow it is not cold enough for a remote starter

Don't forget cooling it down when it's hot. I'm really starting to miss the remote start in my last few cars now that temperatures are in the 40s and 50s when I'm commuting.

Also, be careful with overriding the clutch. If the safety system ever fails and the car is started in gear, it can result in property damage or loss of life. My company has experimented with these, and they have yet to deem one worth putting on the market because the potential for liability is waaaaay too high.

[Skip]

Do it the easy way and run to the Sky , Start it, turn on the heat, and go back inside. Then drink rest of coffee, kiss the wife , pat the kids . Go to work...Of course I don't have to worry about any of this because I don't work , live in the South, and don't drive my Sky every day...Skip...

[JohnD]

Originally Posted by reedred

Also, be careful with overriding the clutch. If the safety system ever fails and the car is started in gear, it can result in property damage or loss of life. My company has experimented with these, and they have yet to deem one worth putting on the market because the potential for liability is waaaaay too high.

See, I don't get this. The SKY is my sixth car with a manual transmission. The other five (two Opel GTs, a Triumph Spitfire, and '63 and '79 Porsches) had no such safety mechanism to make sure the clutch was depressed before starting the car. I lived. I never drove the car through the garage. And I think at one time or another I started all five of them in gear. The net effect is that the car lurches, then immediately stalls as the horsepower of the starter motor is in no way sufficent to get the car rolling.

Now I realize that it's not good for the hardware to start the car in gear, but if you park it with the brake on like you're supposed to it's not going to move, and even with the brake off that sudden jolt and stall tells you pretty quick that you've done something stupid. No harm, no foul.

It seems a bit of an overreaction nowadays how there are so many safety catches and warnings about everything. I mean, how many times can you read in the owners manual "WARNING: Failure to follow instructions can result in INJURY or even DEATH!" For simple things like "do not attempt to adjust the seat while driving. Doing so may cause you to lose control of the vehicle, and may result in INJURY or DEATH!"

Yeah. Right.

Same thing about the "clutch in safety gizmo." I tell ya, if it was broke on my car I would not bother to get it fixed. I'd be perfectly willing to risk "SERIOUS INJURY or EVEN DEATH!"

Same goes for a remote starter. We lived and died by those in Alaska. If you want one, get one. And if you have to bypass the clutch interlock, well then you just go right ahead because I, for one, haven't killed myself yet. And if you're worried about that, don't forget:

Warning: Driving your SKY at any speed on public roadways can place you in the path of drunken SUV drivers who are traveling at high speeds. Under certain circumstances, contact with one of these vehicles can result in SERIOUS INJURY or EVEN DEATH!

Okay, legal department. I got it. I'll take my chances, thank you very much.

[Keeferno]

Originally Posted by CdnSkyGuy

Seems silly to a Canadian to have it in a convertible...I mean if there is snow you won't be driving it and if there is no snow it is not cold enough for a remote starter

Wow, Canada is a strange and wonderful place. So anytime it's below freezing there it's always snowing? Down here we get plenty of snow but it does come and go and there are certainly days there it's rediculously cold but there's no snow and the roads are clear.

[Keeferno]

Originally Posted by jdigiant

Same thing about the "clutch in safety gizmo." I tell ya, if it was broke on my car I would not bother to get it fixed. I'd be perfectly willing to risk "SERIOUS INJURY or EVEN DEATH!"

I don't want to harp on you but that response seems a little irresponsible when the serious injury or death is likely to occur to someone else rather than you. If you were remote starting the vehicle and it was in gear with the safety overridden, the chances of someone else walking in front of the car at the time is far greater than you being in front of it. It's one thing not to care about hurting yourself but not caring about hurting other is a slippery slope.

[SKY Spy]

Even though it has nothing to do with remote start it has to do with damage caused by a car that was attempted to start in gear...

Many years ago, a friend was sitting on the driver's seat and her husband was in front of their car and she tried to start their 5 speed manual car and it was in gear, she panicked and instead of turning the ignition off, she kept cranking and she pinned her husband between a wall and her car; broke both of this legs and traumatized she pretty good...

Regards,

BA...

[usmc]

Originally Posted by CGPNTRS

I have an automatic but what you said seems to make sense. By the way, I'm a Ranger fan too.

I have quite a few friends who have remote starters. They love 'em!
They all have automatics.... They told me that it is illegal to put one in a manual, at least in this area. They also said, that even it wasn't, installers probably wouldn't do it anyway cause if anyone gets hurt the installer knows that they would be the first ones getting sued.

[CGPNTRS]

I mentioned when I started this post that I have an automatic transmission and want to have the dealer (who actually farms it out) install the remote start. I was hoping to get some input on any experiences good or bad regarding this.

[wt2ga]

Originally Posted by SKY Spy

Many years ago, a friend was sitting on the driver's seat and her husband was in front of their car and she tried to start their 5 speed manual car and it was in gear, she panicked and instead of turning the ignition off, she kept cranking and she pinned her husband between a wall and her car; broke both of this legs ..

Regards,

BA...

...........Did he mouth off to her earlier that day .......?

[Rick Tinley Park]

Originally Posted by CGPNTRS

I was thinking of getting a remote start for my sky and was wondering if anyone has either thought about it or actually had it installed. With the exception of when it snows, I will be using my car all winter and figured it would be nice to get into a warm car besides melting whatever ice accumulated on the windows.

I personally have not had a remote starter, but know many people who do or did. They are very handy. They do a nice job of "pre-heating" a car.
There are a few things to know:
Yes Automatic only here too - but that does not concern you.

You really don't want your car idling for more that 10 min or so bad for gas use and can damage most modern cars. One person I know used hers for 25-45 minutes a day to "make sure" it was warm. New engine at 40,000 miles.

Never use when in a garage. CO is very deadly. Especially if you have an attached garage!

Never had anyone I know say they had any failures due to the units so their reliability at least in my little experience was good.

The one problem is integrating this in with the Fob/system that exists already. I have heard of some people who had problems getting everything set up right. A few had to abandon the effort without ever getting an install. One person went to the dealer to get an “approved” system and they wanted $450.00. That did NOT happen!

[CGPNTRS]

Originally Posted by Rick Tinley Park

I personally have not had a remote starter, but know many people who do or did. They are very handy. They do a nice job of "pre-heating" a car.
There are a few things to know:
Yes Automatic only here too - but that does not concern you.

You really don't want your car idling for more that 10 min or so bad for gas use and can damage most modern cars. One person I know used hers for 25-45 minutes a day to "make sure" it was warm. New engine at 40,000 miles.

Never use when in a garage. CO is very deadly. Especially if you have an attached garage!

Never had anyone I know say they had any failures due to the units so their reliability at least in my little experience was good.

The one problem is integrating this in with the Fob/system that exists already. I have heard of some people who had problems getting everything set up right. A few had to abandon the effort without ever getting an install. One person went to the dealer to get an “approved” system and they wanted $450.00. That did NOT happen!

Hi, thanks for the input. I was told 350.00 from my dealer and if I do it, it's going to be through them for sure. If anything goes wrong, I'd rather be able to point the blame. I was wondering about the fob too. I have a Envoy which is remote start and it's basically the same fob as the original. It works by holding two buttons down at the same time. The other thing in the Envoy, if the car idles for more than 10 minutes it automatically shuts off, so hopefully this works the same way. thanks again

[Keeferno]

Originally Posted by Rick Tinley Park

One person I know used hers for 25-45 minutes a day to "make sure" it was warm. New engine at 40,000 miles.

Did I read this correctly? Did you say that it put miles on sitting there idling?

[Rick Tinley Park]

Originally Posted by Keeferno

Did I read this correctly? Did you say that it put miles on sitting there idling?

Well it aged it-- She only had 40,000 miles on the car when they had to pull the engine. After that they talked and said it most likely died because of excessive heating (in idle). BTW it was an Eclipse Spyder.

[Keeferno]

Originally Posted by Rick Tinley Park

Well it aged it-- She only had 40,000 miles on the car when they had to pull the engine. After that they talked and said it most likely died because of excessive heating (in idle). BTW it was an Eclipse Spyder.

Gotcha, I read it backwards, I was thinking new engine (as in new car) with 40,000 miles on it rather than a 40K mile car having to get a new engine. My mistake.

[JohnD]

Originally Posted by Keeferno

I don't want to harp on you but that response seems a little irresponsible when the serious injury or death is likely to occur to someone else rather than you. If you were remote starting the vehicle and it was in gear with the safety overridden, the chances of someone else walking in front of the car at the time is far greater than you being in front of it. It's one thing not to care about hurting yourse