Which Remote Start do you have?

JRHolod

New member
Joined
Apr 6, 2012
Location
Willow, Alaska
TDI
2011 MK6 Jetta - Bone Stock (so far), 2007 F350 Powerstroke
What aftermarket remote start do you have? I went to my local place yesterday and they quoted me $1400 for a basic remote start, because he said the install on the Jetta TDI was so labor intensive. The same place installed a mid-range remote start on our Impala for $400. Is it really that difficult or what?

Also, I would like to consider the aftermarket PKE with Push To Start kits. Any experience with these and your MK6?

~Joe
 

prabbit

Active member
Joined
Mar 29, 2012
Location
Minneapolis
TDI
2012 Golf
I just got my TDI so I'm no expert, but a search of these user forums will lead you to several posts that say that remote starters for a TDI are a waste of money. First, your engine won't warm up under idle. Second, idling for awhile is hard on the engine.

If you're concerned about heat in the cabin, consider an engine/block heater.

At least that's what I've gleaned from the other threads here on this same topic.
 

JRHolod

New member
Joined
Apr 6, 2012
Location
Willow, Alaska
TDI
2011 MK6 Jetta - Bone Stock (so far), 2007 F350 Powerstroke
Diesel engines run better once they're warmed up - in fact, larger ones like my Powerstroke, run like total S*** until they've been up to 160F+ for a few minutes (it's true they don't get there just idling, as you mentioned). Even the best synthetic oils don't lubricate well at sub-zero temps, increasing the wear in sensitive and hard-to-lube areas like cylinder walls. Metals expand and contract as they're heated and cooled, and the more rapid the heat change the weaker the metal becomes. On cold days, some parts of our cars will go from -40F to over 1200F over the course of a drive and the slower that change occurs, the stronger those metals will remain.

I know that idling the car for 3-4 minutes won't warm it completely up to operating temp, but it's definitely better long-term for the car than hopping in at -20 or -30F, starting it up and putting it right in gear (not to mention, the ice and snow on the windshield that I can't always scrape off). And the manufacturer's know this, but they also know that related problems don't sneak up until after the warranty is gone; the reason they say not to idle or do long warm-ups, aside from the DPF, is because it hurts the driver's perceived fuel mileage. I have a block heater, and I don't know how extensive this setup is but I'll likely end up with a oil pan heater, and a trans pan heater, by this next winter if there isn't already one there.

I've been thinking more about the DPF thing as well, and driving a cold engine is gonna fill that thing up with soot pretty fast, and I wonder if it equals out to being similar to the amount of soot built up during a 10-minute idle and hitting the same stretch of road with a now-warm-and-efficient engine.

One of the worst things for any engine is driving it like normal when it's cold, metal becomes very brittle at the temps we see here in the winter and suddenly adding heat to it will cause it to rapidly expand, which weakens the metal more than a gradual warm up. Here's one last food for thought - there's a lot of guys on here and other forums that talk about properly cooling down your turbo before shutting down your engine (due to the rapid heat change by shutting down a hot turbo). Why would warming the turbo up be any different?

MN gets cold, too! You guys get colder than us sometimes lol! I sure hate getting into a car at in the cold, I've actually frost nipped fingers doing it on a few occasions. Burrrrr!

I'll be getting a remote start on my car, is there anyone out there that has one?

Cheers!
~Joe
 

torrimac

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2011
Location
Emporia, Kansas
TDI
2011 TDI Sedan DSG
Stay away from a remote start. When the engine is cold it is pushing more fuel to try and warm it up. This makes the DPF have to work harder but it cant do its job because it cant get hot enough. This causes soot build up that cannot be burnt off if you continue to do this. Instead start it and go. Or look at an inline heater such as the one VW uses from the factory in Canada. Frostheater I believe? http://www.frostheater.com/
 

onehandman

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 18, 2012
Location
michigan
TDI
2012 jetta
IMO aftermarket remote starters are junk, they were okay before all the manufacturers came out with the "high" tech security systems. I've removed a ton of aftermarket remote starters because they cause a no start concern.
 

JRHolod

New member
Joined
Apr 6, 2012
Location
Willow, Alaska
TDI
2011 MK6 Jetta - Bone Stock (so far), 2007 F350 Powerstroke
I have a wife I can send out to the garage and start my car for me. :)
You might be onto something here! lol

IMO aftermarket remote starters are junk, they were okay before all the manufacturers came out with the "high" tech security systems.
I agree they are usually. Part of the problem is the anti-grind relay but I don't think the 2011 needs this, and I wouldn't install it anyway.

I really can't wait to rip out my DPF and EGR and those cats. The EGR is the worst thing for our cars (ANY engine), the only nice thing about it in our cars is that it's liquid cooled so the exhaust helps warm up the water for the rest of the car. I can't understand the thought process behind some of this emissions stuff.

Model 1 - car with EGR system takes 9 gallons go to 100 miles, but emissions are slightly cleaner.

Model 1 - same car WITHOUT EGR takes 5.5 gallons to go 100 miles.

Which model actually pollutes more? Not to mention the extra carbon footprint involved in bringing over that extra 3.5 gallons of fuel from Saudi Arabia, driving it around all the way to my pump, and the extra fuel I burn going out of my way to get to the pump extra times throughout the year. I'm half convinced that the Oil Companies lobby the EPA and encourage these types of systems because in the end, it results in higher sales for fuel.
 

cdobry

New member
Joined
May 8, 2011
Location
Halifax NS
TDI
2011 Jetta
I too am looking for a remote start for my 2011. I've read in sooo many threads that it's not good for the engine, YES I KNOW, but I agree with JRHolod on many points. The 2011 comes with an electric element that warms the cabin much faster now, not having to wait for the engine. So I would love to get a remote start to clear the windshield in the winters, and have warmer seats. Plugging my car in is not an option being at an apartment building.
I ran into a wall going to a local shop trying to get a starter installed. Aparently the new model german cars have too high of an encription for their starters to "learn" and fake having the key in the car. Plus with me having KESSY, I didn't get a valey key, since their actually pointless on the car. With a valey key, they would leave that key in the car for the encription. Now I'm looking at well over 900.
So my search continues, anyone out there have one successfully installed on their TDI with Kessy?
 
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