First, we need to know what kind of vehicle you own; different vehicles may work better with different systems. When you come to see us, it’s best to bring in your vehicle. If you’re getting a remote starter as a gift and bringing their vehicle in is not an option, we are going to ask you the following questions:

• What is the year, make and model of vehicle?
• Is it an automatic or manual transmission?
• Is it a gas, diesel or hybrid engine?
• What type of key does your vehicle have? (Regular,  Flip Key, Smart Key, Push to Start)

Having these questions answered will help us significantly in determining what systems will work with your vehicle.

Next up: operating range.

That is probably the furthest thing from the minds of most consumers but should be at the top of the list! Why should you care about range? Great question.

You probably think you will start the vehicle from home in the morning, and you would be correct. But here is where range gets important. The first time you use your remote start and go out to a warm vehicle, you will be hooked. You’ll never want to be cold again. And the first time you go out to your vehicle and don’t have to scrape ice off your windshield, you’ll never want to do that again, either. That means you have to think about all the places your vehicle will sit over the course of an average week – work, shopping, the movies, restaurants, etc. – and then buy enough range to start it in those places as well as at home.

Now you need to decide whether you want a one-way or a two-way system. What does that mean? Another great question.

A one-way system comes with a remote control that communicates with your vehicle in one direction. You push a button on your remote and the vehicle responds. Two-way systems take it a step further. Whatever command you give to your vehicle is confirmed back to the remote control once the action has been completed. Imagine this scenario: You are out to eat, and you ask your vehicle to remote-start. You are not in eyesight of it, so you hope it started. If you own a two-way system, the vehicle will confirm back to the remote control once it has started, so you know for sure it will be warm and toasty when you are ready to leave. Even better — on our remote controls with LCD displays, you can press a button on the remote and see the temperature inside your vehicle. Now you know how long is needed for it to warm up.