Can you....

I've seen it done but it's a real stupid idea. I've never seen a remote start on a Ferrari and I hope I never do.

 

Yep, can be done quite easily.

Although it would be CRAZY to fit it to a car with manual transmission.

Sadly though............people actually do so.

 

We do it all of the time up here with manual Subarus and sub-zero weather.

 

Absolutely and I can understand why.

The trouble is when you leave the car in gear one day, without an efficient handbrake applied/working, while trying to remote start the car, while it bunny-hops down the road and hurts someone.

Once, I saw this happen downtown here, when someone left the car in gear, tried starting her up, which then made the car "drive" into on-coming traffic. A pensioner swerved to miss the car and crashed into shop windows, which sprayed glass over everyone, including little kids.

Luckily no-one was seriously hurt, but it can happen mate.
Thats what scares the sh*t outta me.

I have one fitted to my old Ford, but the car has an auto transmission. I recall it saying on the box, 'do not fit to cars equipped with a manual transmission'. The alarm/remote starter kit I have is a Viper kit. Around 9 years old now.

 

I have one connected to one of my cars, its a manual. The people that put it on made a little trigger to check if there car is in gear, then it wouldnt start the car. I tested it out to be safe, in a safe area while sitting in the car and it always worked. The company was pretty good at doing thes tricks too. They had to make another little board to trick the alarm, to allow the auto start to work too. Because most alarm systems dont let the car start till it has diabled the alarm.

 

Very cool Zakeen! Thats a safe way to do it.

 

Never seen such a device in person (forbidden here for the safety issues you mentioned), what use does it have? Warming the car up while you don't need to be in it? How does it work, just a remote actuated ignition/starter switch?

 

It is also used quite a bit down here in Florida, for the opposite reason, of course.

 

Pretty much mate.

In really COLD Countries/climates, the car can be started to warm the engine/heater up before you need to drive anywhere.
In really HOT Countries/climates, the car can be started to have the A/C cool the car interior before you need to drive anywhere.


I bought it for my car.............just to be cool.
I always started my car with remote. Was fun freaking people out all the time.

Starter module goes inside the car (hidden under dash normally) and is wired into a starter relay, which is wired to the starter motor and igntion. Starter module operated by remote, of course.

 

For autos they are great, for manuals as others mentioned, a bad idea.

 

I had one on my last Honda Accord which was an automatic. One day I had my car parked right outside of a strip mall... I saw a young stupid kid decide to lay down on top of my hood. I started the car from inside the store and he quickly jumped off my car and started looking around, trying to figure out what happened. It was pretty funny.

But yeah, it's nice to be able to cool down your car before you get into it here in Texas.

 

Thanks mate! Even if it was allowed, one couldn't do something like that here with our prices for gas

 

I always thought that the main reason for a remote starter was self protection: If the car blows up because a hit man wired a bomb to the ignition, you're still alive! And it's more humane than asking your wife to start the car! ;-)

 

It depends on where you live and on what you do for a living....

 

I have one on my volvo v70 and in winter by a frozzing morning when there 1 foot of snow on the top of the car, I really love it !

 

they are great, they're becoming optional equipment for some brands, i know chevy offers them, and it's kind of cool, the security feature is that you have to lock your doors before you remote start the car. also, if you push the brake pedal down without having the key inserted in the ignition, the car will automatically kill the engine.

 

Shouldn't that be UNlock the doors before starting the car?

 

I'm surprised that some cars now come with remote start from the factory. In most places, or at least many, it's illegal to have the car running with nobody inside.

 

Well you got me there. I went through a bad patch and had no girlfriend to start my car, so I had to get a remote starter.

 

Yes, the hitman thing is a constant worry.

I rented a Chevy Malibu (?) in Atlanta a couple years back that had a remote starter. I suppose if you live in Alaska I could see some point to it. In normal situations, it seems like a dumb feature with the potential to cause trouble.