Remote starter recommendations

Hi:

I purchased a Bulldog remote starter and decided to return it after reading reviews on the web. It seems that this brand of starter has destroyed many starters. I started searching for reviews after reading about the technique it uses to start the car. One method is to crank for 6 seconds and then exam the tach signal, while the other cranks until the vehicle's voltage rises above 14 VDC.

What other techniques are used by remote starters to start the vehicle and determine if the vehicle is running ??

Also, what are the best car starters ? I plan to install myself but I'd like a professional unit, not one of these units advertised as a DIY starter.

Thanks,

David

Reply to
David
Loading thread data ...

Reply to
philthy

I was warned by a profesionall installer not to buy Directed Electronics brands as well. Can anyone verify that some of those are better than Bulldog at least?

I can handle the install and splicing the wires but thanks for the recommendations. For someone who doesn't have experience with wiring I would suspect they would have issues with both crimping and soldering.

Reply to
David

Be prepared to spend all day putting it in. I've done two, for Ford full-size vans. These units were sold at the Ford dealer's parts counter and had instructions just for Fords. That alone is worth it. Maybe your dealer has one for your brand. Worked great but the installation took a lot of time. Not particularly hard, but very time consuming.

Mine were Ford-branded units but I think they were made by Code Alarm. The CA-500 sounds like the two I had.

Reply to
Bob M.

I'll check with the dealer and take a closer look at Code Alarm (I did use them for vehicle alarms years ago).

I already have my steering column torn apart since I've had to rewire a few things to get around past problems and I don't plan to wire all the lights in. A horn honk a single light is more than enough of an indicator for me that the car is running (actually, it's quite old and the sound alone would probably be enough).

Any idea how your unit functions? Does it seem to crank for any additional time after the engine actually starts?

Reply to
David

I don't have that van anymore. Since I started it from inside the house (it was parked on the street) I have no way of knowing the answer, but my guess is no.

Reply to
Bob M.

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.