Remote start, what is the benefit?

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Rdfish1

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I was advised on this site to get remote start aftermarket vs toyota but wonder what the purpose or benefit is.

Is this something that is i portant in the northern states vs florida, allowing you to warm the vehicle up before u get in? If thats the case, i guess i could use it to cool the car off in the summer when it is hot.

Is there some other purpose? Giving some thought to adding aftermarket just dont know why.
 
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Remote start is simply to allow you to pre-start the vehicle to heat/cool. Factory range is pretty terrible, and shuts the vehicle off when you unlock the doors requiring you to restart the vehicle. Aftermarket systems can have better range, some can be connected to your smart phone, and depending on the system may allow you to unlock the doors and enter the vehicle without the vehicle shutting the engine off.

I have a factory on mine, park in the garage at night, and have found zero use for mine in Texas. The range is too short to allow starting the vehicle to pre-cool/heat from the office building at work.
 
You've obviously never spent a summer in Florida. Heat gets pretty bad here July through September, and that remote start is a nice feature.
 
Canon_Bob said:
You've obviously never spent a summer in Florida. Heat gets pretty bad here July through September, and that remote start is a nice feature.
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Lol, ive never lived anywhere else but this is not a feature or option that has existed on any of the many vehicles i have owned, nor any frieds or family vehicles. I figured it was really designed for folks in the northern states though floridians can benefit from the cooling aspect. Depending on the cost for an aftermarket system, it may not make sense for me or most floridians.
 
It Can be nice in FL to have

First let me state that I've never owned a car worth a remote start feature nor does my 14TEP have it either. That being said, I did think about it during August and September this year because my best friend has it on his 13F150FX2.

I never knew what it was like to have it until he used it after us being all morning and early afternoon at an outdoor rifle range this past summer. Outdoor temp was 95F and I'm sure the truck was easily 130F+. He started up the truck; it cooled to 70F and held there while we packed up. When you're dripping with sweat, and have swamp a$$ so bad that a Sasquatch dreams about you... Yeah... Remote start in Florida almost starts to seem like a smart feature, but not required.
 
If i didnt have small kids I wouldnt have added it but here in CO its illegal to leave your car running unless you have a remote start system. For the minir cost its nice to have. For cooling i woudnt waste the money.
 
Clark said:
Remote start is simply to allow you to pre-start the vehicle to heat/cool. Factory range is pretty terrible, and shuts the vehicle off when you unlock the doors requiring you to restart the vehicle. Aftermarket systems can have better range, some can be connected to your smart phone, and depending on the system may allow you to unlock the doors and enter the vehicle without the vehicle shutting the engine off.

I have a factory on mine, park in the garage at night, and have found zero use for mine in Texas. The range is too short to allow starting the vehicle to pre-cool/heat from the office building at work.
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Is this a 5th gen thing? My factory remote start doesn't shut off when i unlock the doors.
 
My aftermarket one has a 1 mile range. I can be in the back of a department store, in the bathroom, across the street, and still start the vehicle. Where I live it can stay below zero for weeks day and night, and we get -50 windchills or lower.

The factory remote starts range is horrible.
 
Basically remote start is intended to either warm the vehicle when the weather is cold or cool it when the weather is hot and preventing someone from driving off with your ride (big thing here in NM) without you stepping outside to start it.

I have a Compustar alarm/remote start with Drone Mobile on my 5th gen. The compustar fobs have a pretty good range but as long as my 4runner and smart phone have cel service, the range is unlimited. I can also check on my phone if it is locked, running, temperature inside, plus get notifications if the alarm is triggered and confirmation when I remote start it.

If your thinking about it, I wouldn't waste money on the toyota one.
 
My 11 came with , 1st time for me ! Happy to have it so far , just cold enough for my olass to warm up n the morning . I'm sure this summer will be on ALOT !! Will upgrade to Compustar at some time n the future !
 
Rdfish1 said:
Lol, ive never lived anywhere else but this is not a feature or option that has existed on any of the many vehicles i have owned, nor any frieds or family vehicles. I figured it was really designed for folks in the northern states though floridians can benefit from the cooling aspect. Depending on the cost for an aftermarket system, it may not make sense for me or most floridians.
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Sorry - Wasn't targeting that comment at you....but toward the others who think it's a waste here in FL. I don't use it much (yet), but had it installed with my alarm system. Will probably use it once summer hits and my 4Runner has been outside in that late July Florida sun all day. Bottom line is that people who live in hot climates benefit just as much as those who live in cold climates. It's a "nice to have" though, and not a "must have".
 
Oeconomia said:
My aftermarket one has a 1 mile range. I can be in the back of a department store, in the bathroom, across the street, and still start the vehicle. Where I live it can stay below zero for weeks day and night, and we get -50 windchills or lower.

The factory remote starts range is horrible.
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I did a quick glance over your BUILD thread, didn't see the brand remote. Mind posting?
 
yep using drone mobile all week. my mpg has gone to shit this week. dropped to 12 mpg the last tank fill up.

but when your running -X F ambient and about -25 to -40F wind chill, its nice to get in a nice toasty truck.
 
An alternative that might work for cold weather people is a block heater. Plug the car in overnight, and it keeps the engine at a reasonable temperature. When you start it in the morning it's easier on the engine, and you should have heat in just a minute or two, so you don't have to idle as long to defrost the windows. Not idling as long will help your MPG, and the cost of electricity to run it is low, like a few dollars a month if you put it on a timer to run for 4 hours before you leave in the morning. It's really easy to install on Toyota's aluminum engines since they have a hole that it slides into.
 
Oeconomia said:
I think it is the model:
AstroStart® RSS-5225

I love it.

Also, plugging in the car (if you have a block heater) will save on the time it takes for the remote start to "warm" up the vehicle.
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Added this to my build thread.

Another note I put in my build. You need to have a competent installer. Had some issues at first. They set something so I actually had to unlock the vehicle to use the start or the alarm would go off. Took it back and they have it set to the "lock" now. So I press the lock for 2 seconds, then the start for 2 seconds, and it starts without setting off the alarm.

Also, because the 4runner doesnt have an electronic release for the rear hatch, you will not get the "truck" button to work for anything.
 
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