Ok, I have a few questions about remote starters. First off, I have an '04 1500. It has a remote starter installed already, but its a cheap no-name that came with the truck when I bought it (used). It died about a year ago and I searched high and low but can't find any info on it. Never really got around to replacing it. My little brother bought me a ProStart remote starter for Christmas, and I looked around town today to get some prices on installation.

Canadian Tire (the store that sells that brand) said they won't touch Dodge trucks as far as remote starters go because they're apparently a huge PITA.

The Dodge dealership won't do it because its not a MOPAR brand starter.

The only place in town that will do the install says that it's at least a 4 hour install, plus up to 2 hours to take the old one out. He wants a minimum of 500 bucks to do the work, and said it will be more if there are any problems. I'm having a really hard time trying to justify spending that much to install a 100 dollar part.

So my questions here are: is the first place right that this truck is a bugger to do the install on? And is the guy that will do it just blowing smoke up my **** to scam some money out of me since nobody else within an hour drive will do it? How long should it take a shop to do the install?

Anyways, sorry about the long post, any help you guys could give me would be great. Oh and a late Merry Christmas to everyone!

 

Do you have power locks and a gray key? It's not that hard to do.

 

1)Say sorry to your brother
2) Sell it
3) Get a Mopar installed in the dealer

Problem solved!!!

 

Yes and yes.

 

If I get a Mopar starter, and bring it to the dealer, how long is a reasonable install time? If they're going to screw me too it's not really even worth it.

 

You got 2 options the way i see it,
1) Have the dealer install a Mopar starter. This will provide a warranty on the starter and the services for a period of time. I think 1yr or 12kmi? Price is $200-300
2) Go to a reputable car stereo shop and buy a remote starter from them and have them install their product. Price is gonna be around $150-200 Most places warranty their product and labor for 1yr.
Eitherway, return your brothers remote starter because that is a do-it-yourself type. If you don't want to do it yourself then take it back!

Now, I installed my alarm myself in 3hrs. it is a complete alarm/starter combo. The dealer remote start is about 1.5hrs and the aftermarket one is about 2hrs because they need slightly longer to splice wires and program a bypass module.

Mopar=dealer installed factory look but limited range(200ft)
Aftermarket=sleeker remotes and up to 1mile range plus upgradeability such as alarm combo for cheap

Also, the dealer will want nothing to do with the aftermarket starter that is currently there, but an aftermarket remote starter installer will probably take it out for very little cost as they will likely use the same wires.

 

Alrighty, thanks for the help guys. Looks like I'll head to the city in the next couple days and shop around. Anybody in the Edmonton AB area know a good place to start?

 

Yup, go to Certified Radio on Whyte Ave. They have the basic starter to the full bells and whistles, depending on what you want. I think the basic will run you around 300. They deal with ultra start. I have the basic one installed in the wife's van for six years now, and no problems...and the range is good. Hope you can find what you are looking for!

 

I have an ultra start in my service vehicle, it "looses" the tach learn signal quite often, and now it won't re-learn it, so since then, all it is is a remote door opener.

Our Command Start brand remote starters have been flawless, so have our Astro-Starts.
The Python's have been hit-and-miss.

 

If you are half way decent with wiring and can read directions then you can install it yourself. I installed my own alarm with RS and starter interrupt.