auto start without key in ignition .. possible?

I am almost positive you will have a locked steering column. If you would be able to put the car in gear or not, I am not sure. If it's a manual trans, probably not.

 

I think that it would be easy to do it if your car has a manual tranny. The steering lock (with no key in) might be a problem unless you had the lock permanently removed if its even possible.

 

It can be done (that is putting in a press button starter) but doing without the key in the ignition might be the hard trick to do.

 

What kind of car is this?

Also, miata.net has a push button start kit that will work with Miatas and a few other cars. You should try asking over there.

 

Even the S2000 has to have the key turned to the on position before the button works, IIRC?

 

yes. just like any other key. it goes in, you turn it part way and you get some electronics going, and then the second stage is where you can get power to the start button / soft top / etc. it just doesn't have the third stage where you turn the starter motor.

 

On an older car, you could wire around the ignition key -- a switch or relay for ignition, another pushbutton or relay for start. The key would then be a manual steering wheel lock only. Yes, the car would run and drive, but only the way the wheels are pointed.

Those remote starters are only for automatic transmissions, because those shifters already have additional bypasses on the starter circuit -- the starter won't operate unless the car is in "park".

For a manual transmission, your car may have a clutch bypass -- the starter won't operate without holding down the clutch pedal. If you want to remote the starter, you'll need to replace the clutch safety switch with a shifter switch to assure the car isn't in gear. (Except most manuals are parked in gear. Auto trannies lock the drivetrain in "park", but manuals have no drivetrain lock at all -- other than the stopped engine via the clutch.) If you really trust your parking brake, you could lock the shifter in neutral with some kind of shift gate lock. But remote starting a manual is something that most companies won't touch.

On a newer car, you'll have a bigger problem. Newer keys are electronic transponders (like smartcard badges), and the computer needs to detect it nearby to permit the ECU to operate.

On the other hand, newer cars don't need to be warmed up much. (Not enough to justify buring $2+/gal for ten minutes.) And running the whole engine just to warm the cabin is a bit odd, when you can get electrically heated seats. (A bit of a load for a cold battery, but they warm up quickly enough once you start the car.)

If you're just trying to avoid having to go out to a cold car, you might try mounting a stand-alone heater from a light aircraft in the trunk ... or park in a garage.

Heck, in New England, when I had to park outside in winter, the cabin was usually warm by the time I had scraped the ice off the windows.

 

All the ones I have seen for the miata require the key to be used too.

If you wire up everything to be constant then you would probably kill the battery while it is parked. You could put toggle switches for everything that goes through the key lock. You would still have to remove the steering wheel lock too.