'Remote Start Envy' Easily Cured - Affordable Systems Allow Users to Warm-Up Their Cars With the Push of a Button

Five Quick Steps to a Successful Remote Start Purchase

VISTA, Calif., March 12 -- Good news: the first day of summer is just 15 weeks away! If that seems like a long time from now, and the snowman in your front yard isn't showing any signs of melting yet, then there's probably still plenty of time to get your money's worth out of a new remote start system for your car this winter.

In case you're not familiar with the term, remote start allows you to start your car by remote control. When you push a button on your keychain remote, your car's engine will start -- from up to a mile away with Viper and Python SST systems -- activating your heater and defroster at the same time.

So when you finally leave the comfort of your home or office and trudge outside into the elements, your car will be warm and ice-free, and you'll be ready to tackle your commute in a more civilized fashion than that poor schlub a few doors down, who is once again frantically flailing-away at his windshield with a plastic ice-scraper.

Though available as a factory option on certain new vehicles, remote start systems are primarily sold at nationwide consumer electronics chains and mobile electronics specialist retailers as an add-on. Remote start can be added to virtually any automatic transmission vehicle except certain Mercedes Benz "smart key" models, so if you're sick and tired of climbing into a freezing car all winter long then you're in luck! Here are five quick steps to a successful remote start installation:

(You'd Better) Shop Around: You can start your research online at websites like www.viper.com or www.pythoncarsecurity.com but you should also go to the actual stores that are going to do the work. Talk to the installers and ask them if they are MECP certified. (MECP stands for Mobile Electronics Certified Professional.)

Range! You'll see remote start systems advertised "Starting at $99," but you will probably want to step-up from entry-level models. According to Kennedy Gammage of Directed Electronics, one of the things you'll want to pay extra for is range, "because with remote start, range equals reliability." The longer the range (up to a mile with Spread Spectrum systems) the more confident you'll be that your car is warming up.

2-Way! The other thing you'll want to compare prices on is 2-Way. That means that the remote on your keychain is not just a 1-Way transmitter that sends a radio signal to your car. Instead, it's a 2-Way transceiver that receives a radio signal back from your car, confirming that it's started! How cool is that?

Bypass and Interface: If you ask about bypass and interface, the installer will know you're a knowledgeable customer! This is another part you will probably need to buy when adding remote start to your car. Since your car's anti-theft system is looking for your special key in the ignition (to prevent thieves from hot-wiring) and there is no key present during remote start, this interface will bypass anti-theft only during remote start, leaving it functional at all other times.

A Note About Safety: You will want to ask the shop to install all the safety features that come in the box, including the hood pin (which prevents remote start when your hood is open, to protect mechanics) and the shut-down toggle, so you can turn-off remote start when your car is in a garage, to prevent a carbon monoxide hazard.