Separating Fiction From Reality: Dispelling the Myths About Remote Starters

You may be wondering what are remote starters? If you don't live in a cold climate, you may not have come across these before. They are small devices that you can fit to your car that let you start your car remotely.

This means you don't have to sit in a freezing car, waiting until your car's engine is warm enough to drive. Whether you're driving to work, college, or the store, these systems can make your life easier.

The problem is that there is a lot of incorrect information about these systems online? We're here to help you figure out what's true and what's not. 

Are you ready to learn the truth about remote starters? Ready to find out how a remote car starter can help you? Keep reading and find out!

Are Remote Starters Bad for the Engine?

One of the most common complaints you'll hear online about remote starters is that they're bad for the engine. According to some naysayers, install a remote car starter and you're dooming your engine to a shorter lifespan.

This is complete nonsense. For a start, why would car companies install OEM versions of remote start in their cars if this were the case? As this article from Ford's knowledgebase shows, the remote start works, in the same way, to start your engine as if your key is in the ignition.

The fact of the matter is that a remote start system fires the engine's ignition like turning your key would. The only difference is that because the remote start is done electronically, it may be gentler on the ignition than you turning the keys. 

There's also an additional factor: it's better for the engine if you drive it warm. If you use a remote start set up, the engine will have a chance to warm up, limiting its chances of seizing.

Do Remote Starters Void Your Warranty?

Another favorite topic of the naysayers is that a remote starter will void your warranty. This is not true. You can void your warranty if an aftermarket installation is done badly or if damage is done while carrying out the modification.

If your remote starter is installed by a professional crew, this won't happen. The work will be carried out flawlessly and your warranty will be as it was before installation: pristine. Installing a remote start system, like most other modifications, doesn't void your warranty if done correctly.

Remote starters can even be installed on leased cars. You need to remove them and restore the wiring to its original condition before returning your car.

Can Remote Starters Be Installed By Amateurs?

You're welcome to try, but we would recommend against it. If anything goes wrong with the installation, your warranty won't be worth the paper it's written on.

This isn't like changing a tire. Don't underestimate the difficulty of getting into a car's wiring without making any mistakes. Doing it correctly the first time takes a lot of training.

We would highly recommend that if you want to install a Viper remote start on your vehicle, you let us take care of it for you. Get an estimate for our rates and see how much it would cost, before you commit. 

Aren't Remote Starters a Security Risk?

We don't understand why people still think that a remote start somehow makes your vehicle more prone to theft. Yes, the vehicle is running without you in it. There's one thing missing: a key in the ignition.

See, a key in the ignition does a lot more than firing the engine. You can't even shift gear without a key in the ignition. 

Start your car's engine wherever you are: if you're 100 feet away, it doesn't matter! Even if a thief was able to break in, they couldn't drive it away without your key. Remote starters are not a security risk in any way.

Can You Use Remote Starters with Any Engine?

You can! There is a lot of disinformation going around on this point in particular. Some people seem to think that you can only use a remote start system on a gasoline-driven car with automatic transmission.

This is not true. If you have a manual transmission or a diesel car, you too can enjoy the benefits of a remote car starter! 

If you have a diesel engine in your car, you may find you get even more benefits! Diesel takes longer to warm up than gasoline, so using a remote starter will pay dividends in winter.

The only cars that have trouble accepting a remote start system are some older cars. If you're driving a relatively modern car, you should have no problem fitting one: whatever engine and transmission you're rocking.

Will I Be Wasting Fuel?

Not at all! There are a couple of considerations to take into account here.

We bet that you'd be warming up your engine anyway, wouldn't you? If you would get in your car, start the ignition, and then sit there while your engine warmed up, you're doing the same thing. No additional fuel will be going to waste because you're using a remote start system.

It's also worth considering that a cold engine uses more fuel than a warm one. Everything has to work harder on a cold engine, which uses more fuel. If you warm your engine up with a remote start system, you'll get a better economy when you're on the road.

Make Your Life Better with Viper Remote Start

Installing Viper remote starters makes our customers' lives better. If you'd like to make winter driving a breeze, more convenient, and get better economy, then you need to install a remote start on your car.

Remote start installation is easy and can be done in a matter of hours. Do you have any questions about remote starters or our services? Then don't hesitate to get in touch with us!