Remote starter

Remote starter

Remote starter - There was a time when remote car starters were only seen in movies, when gang lords or secret agents would switch on their engines from a distance to make sure they didn't run into any nasty surprises, like bombs wired to the ignition system. Not anymore.

Remote starter - Today, many manufacturers include remote starters in a number of models they make, either as a standard feature as part of the car security system or as an optional add-on. You can also buy it and have them installed as an after sales feature from almost any of the many car accessory retailers out there.

Of course, skeptics will always say that remote starters, like spoilers, are yet another ploy for car makers to rip you off. The more prudent will advise you to think very, very carefully about whether you really need a remote starter or not. They will point out that, remote starters, whether built-in or after sales, can set you back a few hundred dollars up front, not counting warranties, labor costs and repairs. Also, they will say that if anything goes wrong with the installation, you could end up with a fried electrical system.

Remote care starters, as their name clearly implies, allow you to start your car engine from a distance. When you press the button on the remote control, a radio signal is sent to a module installed in the vehicle. This turns on the ignition and warms up the engine. The module has a function that overrides the clutch if the car has manual transmission. This means that you can start your car and warm it up even as you're just getting up from bed and heading to the shower.

But if you're thinking it's just a gadget for lazy people, the remote starter can be a very useful feature to have in your car, especially if you live in a place where the temperatures can plunge below freezing or soar extremely high.

Let's face it, bundling up to trudge out to the car in freezing weather, turning on the engine and then waiting as the vehicle warms up, can be a major hassle.

With a remote starter, you can literally switch on your engine to warm it up and even de-ice the windows and windshields if you live in a cooler climate. If you live in a warmer climate, some remote starters allow the air conditioning to start so that whatever temperature you're in, you will be comfortable getting into your car.

Extreme temperatures are the best reasons for having remote car starters. For most car owners, they admittedly will remain luxurious add-ons for some time. But given the rapid advance of technology, it probably won't be long until they will be packed with other, more practical features that will make them a necessity.