Hello all, I did search with several topics I thought would give me info, but only came up with one relevant hit about a guy trying to add a remote start to his existing alarm. There was some good info in there but I would like some more input/opinions.

I am trying to find a cost effective remote start to add to my wife's 97' Civic. There is NO alarm in the car now, and I am not against alarms with RS made for a manual trans. However, the Clifford G4 and G5 alarms don't fall under "cost effective". I have a G4 in my Integra, and I love all the features it has. But it is "far too complicated" for her. Sorry girls don't flame me those are her words.

Can anyone recommend a system? PLEASE - do not suggest cutting the neutral safty wires or some other ghetto rigging. It is leagal to install a RS as long as it was made for a manual trans.

Also if you have any experience with a shop in the VA/MD/DC area please share. Thank you.

 

i have a IG6000 with intellistart 4. i love it... i would recommend getting a G4 or G5 clifford. there is less wires to hook up and feature-wise, just dun add so much fancy stuff to it. all u really need is the lock/unlock button right?

i installed a RS3 for a friend's mr2 and i hate that alarm. it got pimp *** features, but its a pain in the *** to install and its not upgradeable.

the RS matrix and all other clifford G4/5 series all hook up the same. hondas are also easy cars to install on ( especially civics). there's one wire that said "ONLY FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION" and it goes to ground. just hook it up to a switch or to ur Ebrake wire so u can only start it when the Ebrake is up or when the switch is on ( so if sumone else drives ur car, they cant start it). G4/5 also comes with a clutch bypass wire ( need optional relay). the RS does not come with this wire and so therefore, u have to have a switch or just have it bypassed the whole time. thats about it man.... just remember to have ur car in neutral when u remote start it.

i have remote started while in gear, its no big deal. the car just nudges forward like 2 feet until u hit the car in front of you, the side walk, or the wall. if you hooked up the ground wire to the Ebrake, u will rock back and forth ( it wont start if the brake is down). if it cant get the engine to start, it will stop cranking and try again. just click the remote start button again to turn it off. for sumthing like a maxima or a mustang with more torque and hp, ur car might try to crank all the way down the street and possbility break sum internals and that is bad.

thats just sumthing that happened and for you to expect if it ever happens to u. i m not saying its OK.. i m just saying ur car wont exploded or sumthing. like all manuals, having a remote start requires responsibility, its not for the average joe.

hope all this BS helps

 

I guess this is why RS made for manuals require the e-brake to be on and the car to be running with the door closed before arming. That way there is no way for the car to go away.

I have a friend that caused 300,000 worth of damage when his mustang ran into a building using RS on a manual car. His RS is over 5 years old though, so it has none of the current safety features.

IMO, if you are buying a new alarm there is no reason to not get an RS made for manual.

BTW, on a honda it does not have the torque to go far when started in gear. It will definately stall. Any motion would be due to the start pushing it.

 

Go with the Clifford. With the Cliffnet Wizard, you can program the remote to make one button for the manual safestart. Use the Inteilliguard 6000 with Intellistart 4. Since you already have one, you know how they work. You can make the trunk or headlight button the manual safe start button, and the asterick for the remote start button. Easy for anybody to learn. (hint hint)

 

Thank you all for the responses. Keep them coming....

Although this is not exactly what I am looking for. Too much $$$. I am not trying to buy a G4/G5. (Not to mention Clifford's site is HELLA confusing) All of the info on the Intellistart/Omnistart talk about automatics. I don't really care too much if the RS has to be part of an alarm. Simplistic is better. The majority of girls don't like to mess with cars, and there are very specific procedures that you have to follow when exiting the car to get it to start the next time. IE - park, don't touch the pedals, key in the remote start code on the remote, remove the key (car is still running), get out and arm the alarm and the engine will shut off a few sec later. This is way too much for the women folk. Sure, you have some that can do more than fill it with gas, and those girls ROCK. But the majority is like my wife, just not interested in doing a whole lot.

The ideal RS for me to get for her would be some thing that she can hit 1 button, and the car will start if in neutral. And WILL NOT EVEN TRY TO START if it is in gear. For example, the sensors like the ones on the G4/G5 will detect the amp rating going to the starter and will not try to start if the reading is too high. I was told this by a Clifford rep, so I have to take his word for it. (I don't remember the exact #'s so I am just using these to explain) He said that when you turn the key, it takes ~40miliamps to start in neutral, but it takes ~100miliamps to start in gear.

Has anyone had experience with these two items:

http://www.designtech-intl.com...tep=4
http://www.autosoundgear.com/t...sfmo0

Will these do what I am looking for, and can I just hook it to the keyless entry that comes standard on the Civic?

 

Here's my .02.....

Due to the complexity of a manual tranny vehicle....the setup stage is required.
I was run over by a car that had a "modified" R/S installed....I walk with a slight
limp but lucky to be here at all. You gotta face reality...if the step process is
way to complicated for the missus ( i feel your pain...if the a/v system is not
set up to allow her to record...I get phone calls )..you got 2 choices.

A. She will have to "adapt" to it and learn how to work it properly ( oh vey)
B. She just wont get one on her car. Period.

Why put yourself through the headaches?

laterz

 

remote start is a headache. tahts why they are aftermarket, for the one's who don't mind their complication.

 

i used to have a clifford g4, and now the viper 790 pager/remote starter. i think the clifford g4 series, before dei took over are probably one of the best alarm out on the market. Clifford g4 rules!!

 

Clifford G-series are the way to go,
the solaris, the ominstart (r/s only) or an add-on to an alarm or avantguard

some have used compustart and been happy, I personally would rather go Clifford

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Wraith_G2IC &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thank you all for the responses. Keep them coming....


The ideal RS for me to get for her would be some thing that she can hit 1 button, and the car will start if in neutral. And WILL NOT EVEN TRY TO START if it is in gear. For example, the sensors like the ones on the G4/G5 will detect the amp rating going to the starter and will not try to start if the reading is too high. I was told this by a Clifford rep, so I have to take his word for it. (I don't remember the exact #'s so I am just using these to explain) He said that when you turn the key, it takes ~40miliamps to start in neutral, but it takes ~100miliamps to start in gear.

Will these do what I am looking for, and can I just hook it to the keyless entry that comes standard on the Civic?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I've never seen a Clifford that didn't have an arming process for the remote start

 

The reason Clifford does'nt say anything about manual safe start on their remote starts is because when DEI bought out Clifford, they fired every Clifford employee, including the techs that were VERY smart. The DEI techs SUCK!! They don't know sh$t about Clifford, and don't care too. As previously stated, either your gf will have to adapt to an arming process, or she shouldn't get one at all. Not trying to sound like a dick, but that's the bottom line. You can make it easy enough. My girl has the Clifford RS3.5 on her Navi and absolutely loves it. I've had RS on every vehicle I own. Got a Viper 790VX on my truck, and I've got an Intelliguard 6000, and Intellistart 4 for my DC2 when it's done. RS is the way to go, but be safe about it.

 

Check out some product from a new company, Nex-Gen. The manufacturer is local to my shop, and gave out some demos for my employees. Let me just tell you, in a shameless plug, it is the isht!!!!! Get to your location, put car in N, press MODE button, P lights will flash, open door, shut door. Car is ready to remote start!! Easy install, if you want more info reply to Sales@CarTunes.com attn:Drew

BTW: Priced around $120

 

If you want super simple and reliable Use an auto RS. Connect the e-brake. Hook up microswitches that will be contacted when the shifter is in gear. Make the microswitches create an open circuit so that the RS thinks the e-brake is off.

That would be a sweet setup and simple for the g/f, but a PITA for you to install.

I am with everyone else though IMO, if she is not willing to learn how to use this technology safely then she should not have it.

BTW, audioroach, did you really get run down by RS?

 

dont forget that you (the owner of the car) is completely responsable for the damages caused by the unmanned vehichle if it starts and drives away. everyone says that they will never leave the car in neutral, but it will happen sooner or later even if someone else leaves it in gear for you.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vteg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you want super simple and reliable Use an auto RS. Connect the e-brake. Hook up microswitches that will be contacted when the shifter is in gear. Make the microswitches create an open circuit so that the RS thinks the e-brake is off.

That would be a sweet setup and simple for the g/f, but a PITA for you to install.

I am with everyone else though IMO, if she is not willing to learn how to use this technology safely then she should not have it.

BTW, audioroach, did you really get run down by RS?</TD></TR></TABLE>

i thought about using microswitches but i couldnt think up a good solution. the only thing i can think of is:

1- have microswitch on the left or right side of the shifter when its sitting at N. have a push rod to push the microswitch switch closing its circuit to remote start.

2- have 6 microswitches, one for each gear slot. when any one of those microswitches are pushed, car doesnt remote start. all wired in parallel. use N.C. circuit.

if you have another way, please please enlighten us

 

#2 is what I was thinking. Now we need a guinea pig

 

Thanks guys. But I think I will leave the experimental RS setup to you guys.

I WILL NOT EVEN TRY TO USE A RS IF IT IS NOT DESIGNED FOR A MANUAL TRANS.

And for those of you who commented that she is not willing to use the Clifford G4 safely, you may have never been in a car with one installed. Simply put, if you don't complete all of the steps IN ORDER or touch anything before you try to RS next time it will not even respond to the * button. The only way it is possible to RS in gear is follow the steps and get out with the windows down and arm the car. Then reach in and put in gear. If you tried to RS now the alarm will activate the starter for a split second but I will detect that there is too much juice needed to fully crank.

So it is not really possible to use it incorrectly. The real issue is that if you have ever tried to show a woman how to use something car related (or anything else) and her eyes roll back in her head and tells you that it is broke the first time she tries to use something you just showed her how to use. I envy you! The rest of us feel that it is less painful to sit in a corner an punch ourselves in the dick.

 

i have a clifford matrix RS3. Trust me, when you leave it and gear and try to RS with the e-break, it just nudges forward a little bit, maybe an inch or so. The honda doesn't have enough torque to propel it. Just let a clifford certified shop install it.

 

no matter how u wire a remote starter up, ur shifter is still a mechanical piece. it is not electronic. ur car will have no way of knowing it your car is in gear or not. u need sumthing that can convert those mechanical changes into sumthing electrical, such as a microswitch.

and totally off topic, you can use a intellistart 4 even after fuel cut :-).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tekstyle &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">no matter how u wire a remote starter up, ur shifter is still a mechanical piece. it is not electronic. ur car will have no way of knowing it your car is in gear or not. u need sumthing that can convert those mechanical changes into sumthing electrical, such as a microswitch.</TD></TR></TABLE>

From my earlier posts:

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Wraith_G2IC &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> For example, the sensors like the ones on the G4/G5 will detect the amp rating going to the starter and will not try to start if the reading is too high. I was told this by a Clifford rep, so I have to take his word for it. (I don't remember the exact #'s so I am just using these to explain) He said that when you turn the key, it takes ~40miliamps to start in neutral, but it takes ~100miliamps to start in gear..</TD></TR></TABLE>

This is supposedly how Clifford reads the car as "in-gear".

Also off topic abit but I was talking to a Stereo shop one time and a tech told me about a device that sent a true or false signal to an alarm brain. It was a rectangle type device that used laser pointer lights and sensors on the other side. IE - if the shifter was in neutral the beam is interrupted. If it was in gear the light would shoot straight across to a sensor. Almost fool proof.... right, well he did say they can get misaligned.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tekstyle &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> you can use a intellistart 4 even after fuel cut :-).</TD></TR></TABLE>

I would like to hear about this. I have the IS4 on my Avantguard G4 in my teg.

 

find yourself an Autostart AS 1474 on ebay.
( they don't sell manuals to the US, some one on there will sell you one, I'm sure)

They are 50 to 60 CDN ( aprox retail ), and are made for standards only.
R.S., Keyless entry, trunk, and SK outputs.

 

i was thinking of sum laser detection system, but didnt know they actually exist. as for starting with fuel cut, install optional relay which bypasses the fuel cut switch. use ur alarm's clutch bypass output to do this.... just remember to close the circuit on the fuel cut wire before you drive off or else u will run outta gas the moment u step foot on ur brake pedal.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by swatdog &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The honda doesn't have enough torque to propel it. Just let a clifford certified shop install it.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah if you torque the crap out of it. And a shop will not install those. It's called "liability"

 

Vteg...yes I was run down by a camaro/firebird ( dont remember which) back in
my mid 20's. We installed a alarm w/hatch pop and the kid wanted R/S....It was
not happening..sorry (kid= ) We get the car a few months later to install a system. One of my guys pull the car out and parks it by a retaing wall
(its on an incline...he puts car in reverse and walks away..no park brake set)
he forgets deck on bench..since I'm on the way to grab another car..i put it in
the hatch...i run out to the car and stand by the hatch waiting for it to 'pop'.
Nothing...I look toward the shop "WTF...whats the hold up? " I never see the
park lights..i hear the motor then think " WTF"..Its a hoopty with a high idle
all i know im on the ground and the car is on me. Chaos Reigns..
I dont wish that on anybody...anywhere anytime.

I am looking @ a intellistart 4 and a concept 100 on my desk at home now.
The manual tranny systems are set up for a one shot deal. The steps you take
tell it that everything is okay...if anything happens ( doors open,sensors trigger)
it wont start up...its basically set up as a failsafe. Of all the manual tranny cars
I have owned... never had a R/S on them. Maybe the CRX will get one...don't know
yet.

Be safe...laterz

 

That's a good lesson learned. Sorry to hear about your luck. At least your still alive. That punk should have told you he altered the alarm.

It's too easy to forget to leave the car in neutral and half-fast sensors and microswitches WILL fail.