[ghostrider990]

I concur that the Honda Remote Start accessory does not stand-up to the competition, on range, functionality, PRICE, and particularly the SIZE of the remote fob(s).

That being said - if you buy your Honda system when you buy the car, you can roll-up the price of the unit and install in your Financing.
Additionally when purchased during the initial sale - the unit will be covered under your vehilce's 3/36 warranty.
Purchase the unit AFTER the sale....the warranty is not available.
--true for ALL honda acc's--

I've been struggling with this purchase for a few months now, and still cannot justify it on a LEASE.
Even at cost plus, this is a $500 option that I reap no residual value from, UNLESS I end-up buying out my lease, which is unlikely.

I will also say, that I have seen multiple failures on a/m remote start systems over the past few years of working at a dealership. PARTICULARLY on 2013 and newer CR-V's.
Even saw an older body style CR-V catch on Fire as a result of bad install from a local vendor....but that IS rare.
This is Mostly a result of poor/incorrect installations, but also - given the new and more sophisticated electronics packages (steering/trans/ecu/TCS) it is becoming harder and harder for hamfisted installers to correctly splice into the intricate wiring harnesses in the newer cars.

Keep in mind, that one of the VALUE/BENEFITS of the Honda accessory IS that it is a plug and play module.
It is DESIGNED to integrate fully and seamlessly into your Honda wiring loom and ECU.
Also - most installs (oem) require a decent amount of labor to pull apart the interior and install the wiring, as well as the antenna for the remote system. It's a 1.5-2 hour job, even in skilled hands. FYI.
This is ONE of the things that makes the rem start a pricey option.

In summary: a/m systems will invalidate your warranty in a BIG hurry if it is found to cause any issues with the vehicle, electrical or otherwise -- but in general terms, the Honda remote start systems are inferior to the a/m's in form and function, but you DO get seemless integration AND the big bonus of the OEM system: it CAN be covered under your factory warranty.

shop wisely.

 

[ghostrider990]

Maybe the shop book allocates 1-2 hours for the remote start install but when I looked over the 23 page installation instructions I figured 6-9 hours for me to do it.

Yeah - this is not one for the shade-tree mechanic.
Even the Sr. Techs will still need 1-2 hours to complete.
Lots of interior trim removal and wires to be run.

 

[ghostrider990]

Do you think this is to prevent theft? I would think if someone remotely started their car to warm it up/cool it down (I know, you're not supposed to leave your car running unsupervised, but we all do it) would want it to turn off if someone else got into it. I'd personally rather have that feature to prevent theft... it takes 2 seconds to start the car back up after you get in it, and it's already warm/cool. Doesn't seem to be much of an inconvenience, but rather a security feature. I could be wrong, though.

Simply stated: yes.

it makes alotta sense, if you simply consider the fact that there are PLENTY of people out there who'd easily pick-off a running car that was unlocked.

Most all remote start systems have some kind of fail-safe built-in to deter simple theft.