In recent years many new cars have come equipped with remote starters. My Ford pickup, for example, not only came with a remote starting system, but the ability to access the remote start system from my smart phone.

But what about the 20% of the vehicles that do not come with a remote starting system, and the older model vehicles. What do I need to know about retrofitting those vehicles with remote starters? The folks I turned to is a local business, That Remote Starter Guy. For Shawn and his crew remote starting systems are not a sideline. They truly understand North Dakota, and just as important, warmer climates where a remote starter is used to cool down your car, a 180 turn from North Dakota where bringing a car up to temperature from double digit below zero makes life a little more bearable.

My contact for That Remote Starter Guy was Lindsay, who quickly explained that there are 2 functions that are important to the success of a good remote starter. The first being the distance, or range, that a remote starting FOB works from your car. Some less desirable units may have a limited range of around 500 feet. “Our system works up to 2 miles away from the car” explains Lindsay. In a situation where you are in a shopping center and your vehicle in an adjoining parking lot, the 2 mile range means you can start your car from inside of the building. The second function that is important is the 2-way communication between the FOB and the starting system. The function of the FOB is pretty simple. Click once and your car is locked, click twice and your car is unlocked. Hold the button down and your car starts. The 2-way communication lets you know that your car has started. “One way communication means that your car may have started, but that isn’t confirmed” says Lindsay.

The Articstart systems That Remote Start Guy sells also have options that allow you to control your auto start with your cell phone. “Your car can be sitting anywhere, and you can start and run it from your smartphone. A great option if your car has been sitting for a while and you just want to see if everything is OK, and your car will start” according to Lindsay.
So, you’ve made that decision to purchase a remote start system. Are they going to need my car for a long time to install the auto start system. “Normally we can do an install in 3-4 hours, in an evening, on a weekend, whenever it works for you, and we try to get a vehicle scheduled and the remote starting system installed within a week” explains Lindsay.

As the weather gets colder, and people start to realize that having a remote starting system would certainly be nice, shops like That Remote Start Guy get busy “so better to look ahead and get it purchase and installed sooner than later.”
And the cost? The most economical remote starting system That Remote Starter Guy sells is $495.00. Prices can vary according to vehicles. That Remote Starter Guy offers discounts to active duty military and first responders with proper ID, and they are easy to contact through their Facebook page.

“Our systems have an option that allows us to set the run time once the car is started, of up to 35 minutes” says Lindsay “so whether you are in North Dakota warming up your vehicle or in California cooling down your vehicle, it’s always a good option to have.”