The 7 Best Remote Starters to Upgrade Your Ride

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An automotive remote starter is the kind of device you don’t know you need or want until you’ve actually used one. It allows you to control functions of your car from afar. One of the most common uses, for example, is being able to turn on your vehicle and adjust the interior temperature of your car—while you're comfortably inside your home or office. Pre-cool your car in the heat of summer or warm it up in the dead of winter so your cabin's interior is just as you would like it when you get inside.

But remote starters can do more than that. Certain systems offer security features (to deter potential thieves), remote door locking/unlocking, and even assist you when you can't locate your car in a crowded parking lot.

Many newer vehicles already come with remote start, but not to worry if you're driving something older: you can still add this feature to a wide range of cars with an aftermarket system. Cost will be anywhere from $50 to $650 (without installation).

A basic, low-cost remote starter will crank the engine, but as you step up in price these systems offer additional features like allowing you to set a specific climate-control temperature to heat or cool your car. Some even enable you to keep tabs on various aspects of your vehicle via a smartphone app.

The Best Remote Control Starters

• Best Overall: Viper 5706V

• Most Compatible Remote Starter: Crimestopper RS7-G5

• Best Budget Remote Starter: Compustar CS920-S

• Best Value Remote Starter: Avital 5305L

What to Look for in a Remote Starter

Compatibility

When shopping for a remote starter, the first consideration is compatibility with your car. An aftermarket remote starter will work with many vehicles, but if you drive one with a diesel engine or a manual transmission your options may be limited—and if you own an electric vehicle they’re non-existent.

Remote starter manufacturers may specify the vehicles with which their products work, and a reputable aftermarket electronics shop will steer you in the right direction.

While some lower-priced, no-frills remote starters can be installed by experienced DIYers, it can get tricky with the computer-based complexity of today’s modern vehicles.

“Newer cars do a lot of things over a digital network that were sent over wires in older cars,” says Ken Ward, founder of the online training community for aftermarket installers Educar, and the former co-owner of Musicar Northwest, a high-end car audio shop in Portland, Ore. “An installation is usually more costly in a newer and more expensive car.”

It's best to leave the job to a professional installer, which may cost anywhere from $300 to $1,000 depending on the system, your vehicle, and your location.

Range

Another important factor for remote starters is signal range, which varies between a few hundred feet to a mile. But this spec isn’t so simple, says Ward. “We used to use more powerful remotes, but it could be interfered with in places with big buildings and hills.”

The best range is with remote-start systems that use connectivity to sync with a smartphone app. “Unless you’re in a parking garage without a cell signal, for example, nothing has better range than a smartphone remote,” Ward says. While this requires a wireless service plan for a cellular module in the car, “an app allows you do lots of cool things like locate the car on a map and check on its status.”

Cost

The remote starters recommended below cost between $70 and $650—price being determined by the number of features and controls. One of the biggest differentiators with price is whether a remote starter is a one- or two-way system, and if it has standard buttons or an LCD screen.

With a one-way system, the vehicle simply responds to a command from a key-fob transmitter and cranks the starter, meaning that you have to verify that the engine is running, for instance, by listening for it. Same goes with popping the trunk or unlocking your doors. You won’t get confirmation that these actions have taken place until you are at the car.

With a two-way system, when the engine starts the driver gets confirmation on the key-fob transmitter in some form, such as visually, audibly, or both.

How We Selected Remote Starters

In addition to basing product selection on my own knowledge of aftermarket automotive electronics brands and connecting with other industry experts, I researched sources such as Auto Quarterly and Lifewire, and combed through consumer reviews on retailer sites such as Walmart and Amazon. I used these sources and factors to determine which products to include. Each recommendation was rated on price, features, category, and reputation in the market.

A big benefit with a remote starter is the enhanced driving experience you're afforded with preheating or precooling the interior of your ride. The Viper 5706V does this with unrivaled accuracy courtesy of its Active Temp Check—it reports the exact internal temperature of your car’s cabin on the large key-fob LCD screen.

This remote starter, with a 1-mile range, features a two-way key fob that confirms the signal has reached your car and the engine has started so you won't have to walk out to double check. You can also add functions to lower the windows or flash the lights.

Included is a security system—a bright blue LED status indicator alerts would-be criminals there's a security system onboard—that triggers a 120dB six-tone alarm if a break-in attempt occurs. It then alerts you via the key fob, which has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and micro-USB port for recharging so you don’t have to swap out batteries.

Like some of the more expensive remote starters recommended here, the Crimestopper RS7-G5 comes with an LCD remote key fob that shows actions like whether the engine is running or not. It’s also compatible with a smartphone app that allows controlling functions without the key fob.

The system, which is compatible with diesel engines and cars with manual transmissions, offers multi-vehicle control as well. It can be installed on two vehicles and controlled by a single remote. While this system includes conveniences such as start, stop, door locking/unlocking, and trunk release, it lacks the basic security features of other systems.

If you want a no-frills remote starter, the Compustar CS920-S is the lowest-priced pick included here and provides the basics. It comes with two one-way remotes, provides keyless entry and a trunk-opening option, and works with diesel engines, but only vehicles with an automatic transmission.

This remote starter only has a 1,000-foot-max range and many online DIY reviewers report that the wiring diagrams and installation instructions included with the system are incomplete. If you're planning to install it yourself and need tech support, the company will direct you to an authorized dealer for professional installation, which ultimately will cost more money.

This is one of the lowest-priced remote starters that offers two-way operation and an LCD key-fob remote that provides command confirmations and event notifications via tones and vibrations. It comes with a security system with a starter-kill, and the remote lets you know if the system has been tripped via beep or vibrations and shows the “zone” that’s been compromised such as an impact sensor or an opened door.

One downside is it has the second-shortest range of any system listed here: just 1,500 feet. Despite this, this is a solid option for those not wanting to break the bank on a remote starter system.

One of the most convenient features on newer vehicles is keyless pushbutton start, and the Easyguard EC002NS lets you add it to your ride if it doesn’t have it. The system comes with a keypad as backup that can be installed to gain access to the vehicle, and it has passive keyless entry and exit that unlocks the doors when the transmitter is 3- to 6-feet away.

Remote start is activate via one of the two included key-fob transmitters, and it works with either a manual or automatic transmission; diesel vehicles may require an extra timer-delay switch. The minus here is a range of only about 150 feet, making it the shortest of any system recommended here.

The Viper 5906V features the company’s most advanced key-fob remote with a 128- by 128-pixel, full-color OLED screen, 160-degree viewing angle, and anti-glare polarizing for improved daylight visibility.

The remote, bulkier compared to some other key fob remotes, uses animation to confirm commands and has a status screen with information center built right in. It shows system features like the vehicle's interior temperature. There's even a Parking Meter timer, which emits warnings at 15 minutes, 5 minutes, and at expiration so you are aware of when to feed the meter.

The Viper 5906V has 1-mile range, is a two-way system, and includes security features. It can control two vehicles from a single remote. To reduce false alarms, a sensor-bypass will identify potentially faulty sensors and send the car owner an update.

Together, these two systems allow not only remotely starting a nearby vehicle, but also keeping tabs on it anywhere there’s a cell signal. The Clifford 5606X is a basic one-way unit that starts a car’s engine up to a half mile away and includes an alarm system. It also works with diesel vehicles with automatic transmissions.

When combined with the VSM550 SmartStart GPS module from corporate cousin Viper, a smartphone app is used to find, share, and get directions to the vehicle location and receive alert notifications via text or email on the vehicle’s speed, movement, and battery level. But after a 1-year free trial, Viper SmartStart requires a service plan ranging from about $70 to $170 a year.

If Car Comfort is Key, Consider A Remote Starter. Expert Doug Newcomb Has the Key to This Purchase.

Will installing a remote car starter void my warranty?

No. The Consumer Protection Act allows car owners to install devices such as remote starters in their vehicles. That said, a reputable remote starter manufacturer, a professional authorized dealer for their products, and a certified installer provide the best support if warranty concerns arise.

What is the biggest mistake people make when buying one of these?

Skimping on features and/or installation. Your car probably costs tens of thousands of dollars, so spending extra to get a quality remote starter—and spending a bit more to have it professionally installed—is a wise investment that will pay off in better performance, better features, and less hassle down the road.

Can I install this myself? What would installation cost if I go that route?

A skilled DIYer can likely handle the installation of a basic remote starter in a car that’s not overly complex, and maybe only have to pay for extra for wiring that’s not included. But with a modern, electronically complex vehicle, it’s best to hand the job to a trained installer. This can cost anywhere from $300 to $1,000 depending on the system and vehicle.

Are there times when you cannot use a remote starter?

While there are no laws in the U.S that prevent using remote starters (they’re illegal in some European countries), more than 30 states have anti-idling laws that vary in scope. In Denver, Colorado, for example, leaving your car unattended while it’s running for longer than 5 minutes whether on public or private property is subject to a citation regardless of whether it has remote starter.

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