Remote Starter Guide: Benefits and Types

We sometimes get asked why should I have a remote starter?  What are the benefits?  While there are many reasons that a remote starter can be beneficial, the first and most obvious is that you can jump into a warm vehicle first thing in the morning, when you are already running late for work after an exciting weekend.  Parents with young children love the convenience of being able to start the vehicle while getting the kids ready.  Otherwise, the choices are tough.  You can’t leave the kids unattended to go start the vehicle but putting a young child into a freezing vehicle never goes well either.  A less obvious reason, and one that environmentalists don’t agree with,  is that it is easier on your vehicle to warm up for a few minutes before driving off.  This allows the molasses like oil to circulate around the engine before being subjected to the rigors of winter driving. 

So now you’ve decided to purchase a remote starter but there seems to be so many choices.  One-Way, Tw

o-Way LED, Two-Way LCD, and even Smartphone controlled, which one is best?  At Awesome Audio our staff will help you navigate the waters and choose the right products for you needs and budget.  To help you down the raging river of choices I will go over the major points of each system. 

One-Way – Most systems come with 2 remotes and anywhere from 1,000 to 5,000 feet of advertised range (300 – 1,500 meters).  They function like a long-range factory remote.  You press a button and the vehicle responds and the park lights on the vehicle will flash.  One-Way remote starters are most commonly used when budget is a concern and the vehicle is usually very close and visible so you can verify the command by seeing the lights on the vehicle. 

Two-Way LED – Our most common system, most come with 2 remotes.  Some options have 1 two-way remote and a one-way companion while others have 2 two-way remotes which is great especially if there is 2 regular drivers.  Advertised range on two-way LED systems ranges from 3,000 to 5,000 feet (900 – 1,500 meters) with a 10,000 foot (3,000 meter) range model coming hopefully by mid-November.  The major benefit of a two-way system is that once the vehicle reacts to a command it will send a confirmation signal beck to the remote so you don’t need to see the vehicle to know that it has started.  This  is accomplished with one or more LEDs in the remote and a small speaker that emits confirmation beeps. 

Two-Way LCD – When longer range is needed, the next step is the two-way LCD.  Most systems come with 1 two-way LCD remote and 1 companion one-way remote.  Advertised range on the systems we carry goes from 4,000 to 15,000 feet (1,200 – 4,500 meters).  The remote has a LCD screen that gives you information such as door lock status and how much runtime is remaining.  On many newer vehicles it will also update door lock status when your factory remote is used giving you extra piece of mind when you are in the middle of the mall and forget if you locked your doors. 

Smartphone Control – The ultimate in range!  This system can be added to any of the above systems or can be a standalone and used with a factory remote (especially useful with a large factory key like a newer Ford or Dodge, no longer add a remote to an already large keychain).  Using an app on your smartphone to control the vehicle you have virtually unlimited range.  Went out of town with a friend and forgot to lock your doors?  No Problem, open the app and press the lock button.  Done Deal.  Do you have a job where you park a long distance away like at a hospital, refinery or mine?  No problem, whip out the phone, start the vehicle and walk to a warm car.  There is a monthly or yearly charge for the service due to the SIM card built into the hardware we install to communicate with cellular towers.  Think of it as a cup of Starbucks a month to have the ultimate remote starter. 

Hopefully I have provided some insight on why you should consider a remote starter this winter and helped navigate through the many choices available.  If you decide that a remote starter is in your future, Awesome Audio would be honoured to help you “Upgrade to Awesome”