3 Mistakes to Avoid When Getting a Car Remote This Fall or Winter
A remote starter makes warming up your car in winter much easier. Instead of fighting the cold, snow, and ice yourself to turn on your car and let the windshield defrost, you can let simply press a button and turn on the engine. Having a remote installed isn't difficult, but there are a few mistakes to avoid. If you're having a car remote put in your vehicle this fall or winter, avoid these common errors.
Not Getting Extra Features
As with many products, fancier car remotes that have more features than basic ones often cost a little more than their less-expensive counterparts. If you're getting a car remote to help you warm up your vehicle in the winter, these additional features are probably worth the extra cost.
Some features that you may want to look for and might be willing to pay a little more for include the following:
- keyless entry, which lets you unlock your vehicle's doors without taking off your mittens and fumbling with keys
- rear-window defrost option, which lets you turn on the rear-window defroster remotely after starting up your vehicle
- heated seat option, which lets you turn on your vehicle's heat seats if it has them
If you want to quickly get from your home and into a warm car, all of these features are must-haves.
Not Getting a Larger Range
One of the features that manufacturers advertise is their car remotes' ranges. A remote might have a range of 500 feet, for example, which means it will turn on a car that has the remote installed and is within 500 feet.
When determining what range you want your remote to have, pick one that has a farther distance than you actually need. Manufacturers often test devices in controlled settings that have no interference, and the range listed is usually a remote's maximum range. You won't be using the remote in a controlled setting. Structures and radio waves could interfere with your car remote's signal and reduce its effective range where you are.
Buying from One Retailer and Having Another Do the Install
Drivers sometimes try to save a few dollars by purchasing their car remote from one retailer and having another one do the install. Sometimes, one retailer has a deal on the actual device and another is offering discounted installations.
Saving money is always tempting, but in this case using two retailers takes time and complicates the installation process. Instead of going to two retailers, find the one that has the best deal on a device and installation. You'll save time because you won't have to drive between places, and you'll know exactly which retailer to ask if you have any questions.
Talk to a company such as The Lock Shop to get started.