OT - Remote Car Starters

[Nitwit]

All knowing board: I'd like to get a remote starter for my daughter's CRV. The Honda dealers quote is expensive - $300 plus a few hundred installation. Does anyone have experience with aftermarket starters? I see Best Buy has a Viper system which is just $250 and includes Geek Squad installation. It seems to have a longer range than the Honda system. Has anyone had any experience with these or have any recommendations? Thanks

 

[sluggo72]

I priced an after market remote starter for a Nissan Maxima a few years ago and it was a lot more than what you were quoted!! Fwiw I have anothe car and it has a remote starter from the factory and I love it

 

[fairgambit]

I've never used one. On cold days I just send the wife out.

 

[dawgduice]

All knowing board: I'd like to get a remote starter for my daughter's CRV. The Honda dealers quote is expensive - $300 plus a few hundred installation. Does anyone have experience with aftermarket starters? I see Best Buy has a Viper system which is just $250 and includes Geek Squad installation. It seems to have a longer range than the Honda system. Has anyone had any exoerience with these or have any recommendations? Thanks

I had the Viper system from Best Buy for a number of years. Wife bought it for me, best GIFT ever. I really do not know much about other systems, just had a good experience with the Viper.

No longer use it since I moved to Florida

 

[91Joe95]

All knowing board: I'd like to get a remote starter for my daughter's CRV. The Honda dealers quote is expensive - $300 plus a few hundred installation. Does anyone have experience with aftermarket starters? I see Best Buy has a Viper system which is just $250 and includes Geek Squad installation. It seems to have a longer range than the Honda system. Has anyone had any experience with these or have any recommendations? Thanks

Just remember that you will probably need a permanent key with it which is not included in the price. Figure about $50-100 for one of them.

 

[Cletus11]

my wife got one. she used it for about 3 months and never again. save your money.

 

[AWS1022]

All knowing board: I'd like to get a remote starter for my daughter's CRV. The Honda dealers quote is expensive - $300 plus a few hundred installation. Does anyone have experience with aftermarket starters? I see Best Buy has a Viper system which is just $250 and includes Geek Squad installation. It seems to have a longer range than the Honda system. Has anyone had any experience with these or have any recommendations? Thanks

I got my wife one for each of her last two vehicles...she loves it and wouldn't go without it. But there always seems to be "extra" costs when getting them installed and it ends up costing the same as getting it at the dealer. My wife's Viper cost about $500 to have installed five years ago and I just got a price from the dealer for my daughter's Accord and it was about $500.

 

[palmettolion]

A good bit of afterfactory and aftermarket remote starts aren't plug and play.(I.E. plug in and program) They usually require running wires and splicing into wiring harnesses, securing wires away from certain points and exposure. Then you can run programming, and yes, it will either require a different key or will have a fob that runs it. It's a pain in the ass. Also most service departments are usually around $100/hour in labor. You can usually get it done cheaper with places that specialize in things like that (Best Buy, car stereo places, etc.). Find one near you that some else has already used and recommends or else it's a big gamble. I'm not a fan of either afterfactory or aftermarket, that being said afterfactory installed by a service department is probably the better option of the two, simply because you'll have more recourse should something go wrong later.

 

[Eurotrash1]

All knowing board: I'd like to get a remote starter for my daughter's CRV. The Honda dealers quote is expensive - $300 plus a few hundred installation. Does anyone have experience with aftermarket starters? I see Best Buy has a Viper system which is just $250 and includes Geek Squad installation. It seems to have a longer range than the Honda system. Has anyone had any experience with these or have any recommendations? Thanks

Try Amazon. They sell Plug and Play systems easily installed yourself. Plug and Play refers to the installation. There is no wiring. You just plug and unplug connections. Just make sure the system you are purchasing includes the bypass module.

 

[butchnitt]

All knowing board: I'd like to get a remote starter for my daughter's CRV. The Honda dealers quote is expensive - $300 plus a few hundred installation. Does anyone have experience with aftermarket starters? I see Best Buy has a Viper system which is just $250 and includes Geek Squad installation. It seems to have a longer range than the Honda system. Has anyone had any experience with these or have any recommendations? Thanks

Got one for my Honda Civic from a private business last year and paid $209 installed.
Hazleton, Pa

 

[Steviedpsu]

All knowing board: I'd like to get a remote starter for my daughter's CRV. The Honda dealers quote is expensive - $300 plus a few hundred installation. Does anyone have experience with aftermarket starters? I see Best Buy has a Viper system which is just $250 and includes Geek Squad installation. It seems to have a longer range than the Honda system. Has anyone had any experience with these or have any recommendations? Thanks

I have been looking at one at BestBuy as well. I am looking at the Compustar model. It is $280 installed and comes with the bypass. The quote I got from the dealer was $480 for mine. I am hesitant on pulling the trigger on it too out of fear of hidden fees. I stopped into the BestBuy in Williamsport to talk to someone and I was ignored so I left. Let me know what you decide.

 

[dbsteel]

There are some Fortin DIY Plug and Play units (minimal wiring or just connectors) on Ebay and Amazon that I've heard nothing but good things about. I'm getting one for my Jeep. Not sure if they have a CRV version. They are under $100 and are operated with the Factory FOB.

 

[4INSBU]

All knowing board: I'd like to get a remote starter for my daughter's CRV. The Honda dealers quote is expensive - $300 plus a few hundred installation. Does anyone have experience with aftermarket starters? I see Best Buy has a Viper system which is just $250 and includes Geek Squad installation. It seems to have a longer range than the Honda system. Has anyone had any experience with these or have any recommendations? Thanks

Stay away from the Honda factory install. Expensive, and I've had nothing but problems with it. Got it for our Pilot and I wish I didn't spend the money

 

[Nitwit]

Try Amazon. They sell Plug and Play systems easily installed yourself. Plug and Play refers to the installation. There is no wiring. You just plug and unplug connections. Just make sure the system you are purchasing includes the bypass module.

I'm not mechanically inclined. What do you plug it into? The thought of messing around with an ignition system scares me.

 

[Eurotrash1]

Honestly, it isn't hard but if you are not comfortable, I recommend having one installed professionally. I live in Western PA. and a good aftermarket starter and install runs around $300 with the bypass. Groupon will show installers for less but once the bypass is added the price will be around $300.

 

[psu1969a]

Make sure who ever does the install is experienced. My former mechanic would not do it for that reason.

 

[Nitwit]

I just got off the phone with the Honda dealership. Their price including installation was $800 which seems crazy. I think I'll go with the Best Buy Viper deal at $249 including installation. It's the simple system with one remote but has a longer range (1500 feet) than the Honda version. Even if there are extra costs incurred during installation, it's a better deal, and the Viper seems well reviewed. Thanks for everyone's input. I let you know how it turns out after Christmas.