I don't like having to go outside to just sit in my car and warm it up. so i was thinking about installing a remote start system in my z. my friend was telling me that it's illegal to have in a manual transmission car in Ca. something about how some people keep it in gear while parked and that if you were to autostart it it would stall possibly hitting something (cars, garages, PEOPLE...etc). sounds like a dumb move for someone to do but i'm sure some poor guy left it in gear anyway by mistake. is there any truth to this?

if i can do it legally in ca which system should i get?

thanks everyone.

 

You don't need to warm up the car. Modern cars don't need that. Just don't beat on it for the first 5 mins and you'll be good.

 

Why not warm up the car by driving it?

 

true that modern cars really dont need to be warmed up, but if someone wishes to do so, let them. Better safe then sorry.

And I've never heard about the illegal issue, but it could be true. Some laws are ridiculous.

 

Never heard about it being illegal either in the state of CA, but I can tell you of an instance where the remote start function was enabled, the car was left in gear and plummeted through a garage door (happened to a neightbor of mine when I lived in Cali not too long ago). A local shop at the time asked me if I wanted to enable this function in my car (standard), in which I denied. I would seriously consider doing this...

 

You HAVE to warm cars up here! it was -20 @ nights for like 2 weeks straight!

 

Yeah its illegal in maryland to have a car running with no one in it.

 

Its also illegal in MD to have the remote start in a standard I guess same reason as OP said because of leaving it in gear and hitting stuff.

 

Its not ilegal to have a car running with no one in it, Its illegal to have the car running with keys in the ignition with no one in it. So if you have a remote start system in your car (in Maryland) and its running your fine as long as your keys aren't in the ignition.

As far as it being illegal to put a remote start in a Manual as far as I know it is; However the new viper units do have a manual mode so it does work with a manuel car. We haven't used it yet but from what I have been told by other shops is that if the car is left in gear it wont start. I really dont understand how it works cause i haven't done one yet and honestly haven't even looked into how it works yet.

 

in tn it illegal to have a remote start in a manual, i wouldnt want to risk it myself, i have a remote start in my 2g stratus that i no longer used because it failed and started the car randomly and should have cut off after 15 minutes but stayed on for 3 hours with a leaking radiator...expensive kit from directed too, 300+ bucks so no kit is failsafe....bottom line remote start in a stick=

 

I live in ca and have remote start on my 6mt Z. I got it done by a friend at best buy. I have heard nothing of it being illegal either. In order for the remote start to work on my alarm which is a viper you have to initiate it. Meaning the car wont go into remote start mode if you dont have it in neutral and then put your foot on the break pull the emergency break up then press the button then your good to go. Takes about 3 seconds literally.

 

If your really worried about driving it cold then: walk out side, get in, start the car, wait one or two minutes by listening to the radio, then drive wherever you need to go.

 

Did you read the original post?

 

Yes I read the original post, however what I ment to say apparently didn't come across like I thought it would. I just dont see the reason for spending the money for a remote start just bc u dont like to wait for your car to warm up. I mean come on it's california! How bad can it be? If it was alaska or somewhere where it was cold all the time it might make sense.

 

I have a viper alarm with remote start and on a manual. I use it mainly to let the a/c run for a few mins but it works for heating it up during the 2-3 weeks of cold weather we get in louisiana.

 

I've got a viper too. It's got a process in place that makes it next to impossible to remote start the car while it's in gear. Basically what you have to do is know when you're parking that you intend to remote start the car. As you park your car, you hold down the brake, engage the handbrake, release the brake, then push the remote start button on the key fob. This engages the remote start and allows you to take the key out of the ignition while the car is still running. Next, you get out of the car and close the door, all while the engine is still running. The only way you can get out of the car with the engine running is to have the car in neutral. Once the door is closed you lock the car and the engine automatically shuts off. The remote start will now function the next time you try to use it. If you don't follow this procedure, the remote start wont work. It sounds much more complicated than it is and like I said, you would probably have to intentionally try to get the car in gear by climbing through an open window or something stupid like that. It's a good system, I use mine all the time.

 

most of the time i have to drop off my brother to school at like 7 in the morning... i jump out of bed wearing my boxers and put on a bath robe... i usually leave the car outside and it gets really cold in the cabin... so the leather is freezing... listening to the radio waiting for it to warm up is usually what i do. but it's just uncomfortable

 

i live in SF. so think of it as seattle in the winter and la in the summer

 

I have the viper 5901(remote start) on a manual Z and, also had a remote start on my manual civic installed in cali so I dont think its illegal. But the viper 5901 with manual mode will not start unless the e-brake is up.

 

Had a buddy with a 99 Eclipse GST with remote start and I have never laughed so hard in my life when he was showing me how it worked and the car literally took off down the street. hahahaha`hahahaha he ran so fast and was trying to stop it by pushing it but ended up hitting the curb braking his "cool" body kit.