My wife wants a remote starter for her Honda Fit for Christmas. I know a little bit less than nothing about them as far as good brands, options, etc. Anyone with experiences…good or bad? Is it worth it to get one with the defroster on the fob?
I’m also interested in installer recommendations. I was going to take her car one day, get one installed, then give her the remote for Christmas.
Talk to Chaz over at First-Bass… Site sponser
pm FBA, he’ll set ya straight…
I have yet to install a remote start into a fit. But from my experance Its 70% install 30% product. DEI products are the best hands down. Best buy just Picked up a new Series of them and I did not use them yet. They are Very Expensive. R/S with keyless is $300 without a bypass (aka Chipped Key). getting the Defroster on the FOB is an option but i never did it. I always tell the people to just put the defrosters on. (not Rear but blower).
I have been installing these damn things for 5 years now. If you have any other questions. You have my number.
Team nutz uses a product called Omega or something like that. Those Units Seem just as good as the DEI units.
The omega’s are nowhere near comparable to the DEI quality. One shop I was at tried to supplement them as a “cheapie” or sale item, and they came back to bite in the ass.
The DEI defroster option is just a matter of a little extra wiring, and the r/s will kick the defroster on automatically. I’ve done it in the past for customers, but usually don’t bother on my own…
chaz
412-353-0631
http://www.first-bass.com/
So I would have to get a bypass since the key is chipped?
I’ll PM Chaz too. I don’t care about driving it somewhere for the install…I’m always in Erie fishing so I could drop it for a weekend without her knowing.
Yes you would need some type of bypass to get it to start. There are acually a few different options you can go with.
You can use the Valet Key for the bypass. most people with hondas dont mind giving it up.
-Joe
x2
FBA FTW
Hey Munster…
I’ve had alot of luck with the compustar units. i’ve had 3 of them in my cars now and have never had any problems. i like the remotes, they’re pretty indestructable. the fm remotes (instead of the am ones) are awesome too. did u talk to lee in jtown or force is doing the audiovox/prestige units. ive never had any experience with these but the audiovox remotes look pretty cheap.
Most Hondas '98 & up have a transponder in the key. There are several ways to bypass it, but the best way is with a vehicle-specific bypass module. They interface with the car’s system & usually cause no ill-effects on the factory system (on newer Honda’s it interfaces via the Can Bus system, so there are no mods to the car’s electrical system other than simple Acc, Crank, Ign, Ign2 connections). If something goes wrong, the remote starter just wont work. The car will still start/run just fine and not leave you stranded.
You can interface by cutting the car’s original security wires, but it can/will cause troubles in the future & may leave you stranded. I don’t suggest you do this. It’ll be cheaper, but you’ll pay in the end.
Munster - check your inbox.
That’s because you use DEI products. They are not the most stable when it comes to data bus communication. Try http://ifar.ca They work great. I’ve been using them for many years and have never had a problem.
I’ve had very little problems with DEI data-bus interfaces… I’ve seen them occasionally lose key programing (somewhat rare) but didn’t leave stranded. I’m a much bigger fan of that than puting the key in the box under the dash, both methods work, but I’d rather tap into the databus
Cool. Thanks for all of the info.
No one knows how to take money out of a shared account without the spouse knowing do you? hahaha.
haha… yeah actually… cash back everywhere you shop for a week or two. 20 bucks extra at Giant Eagle, another 20 at Target, another 20 at Home Depot… at least that’s how I worked it before I started doing the bills
hahahaha. Experience > *.
So sneaky… lol
Well, ive got to drop my 2cents
Ive been using DEI along time now, and I have had tons of good luck with the units and the bypass modules, I seriously believe taking your time and installing the products properly eliminates 95% of the problems that customers will incur.
Now Ive worked along side a few guys that could, and did install the units at a rate of 2-3 to my 1, but the fun part was watching as their units came back for repairs, or re-programs because they forgot or skipped something. When a vehicle came back for return, and it was installer error, the employee had to drop a 10 in a jar, i cant tell you how many pizzas and cases of beer those guys bought, but i can say i pretty much ate for free during remote start season…
Now i left that 5% window open because i have had issues with some parts, but ive got to tell you, DEI spends a ton of loot making parts, and doing R&D, Ive had fortin units malfunction too though, but then again thats where the warranty comes in.
So if you think about it, there really is no 100% perfect product out there,
whats more important than brand, price, etc.
is service, installation, and experience.
Do you really want some guy installing this into your $20,000 car in a parking lot at your work, or installing from a van, or even worse a high school student crawling around your car installing electronics that he has never seen before over at the box store, or do you want to go with the a place down the road that sells and installs these units every year, year after year, and has a vast knowledge of the systems how they operate, and a true interest in the work, rather than a minimum wage pay check to save up for prom.
-Chaz
btw: i know and understand that there are a select few employees of the box stores that are phenomenal installers, and probably know more than i do about ohms law, and such, but as I have stated before, they are few and far between, and usually the guys with the most experience and know how at those places, are the guys sitting at a desk crunching numbers, rather than stretching wire.
-Chaz
I totally agree, Chaz. This is why I’m asking questions on here rather than just taking to some hack job. I don’t trust just anyone with mounting tires for my hatch…I’m the same with wiring in the wife’s Fit.
Agreed 100%
That is 100% true. I have worked at best buy Part time for 5 years. You wouldent even believe the people that try and be a moble installer. It crazy Its amazing how they hire the kids with no tools,no experance and couldent take apart a neon to change a deck, its crazy.
I would say stay away from them unless you know someone there.
I wouldent trust to many people to cut into my car.
Chaz 100% Ftw. Super stand up dude.