Toyota remote start sucks!

I have dronemobile on my compustar system. It’s $50/yr. Even though my truck have the factory remote start, i still prefer aftermarket. I’ve had remote start on all of our vehicles for over 2 decades without any issue whatsoever. I don’t like the limitation of the factory system. With aftermarket you can have more features and flexibility. But, that’s just me. To each their own.

 

I transfer the system to the next vehicle when im done with on. Majority of the mods i do i can transfer. We pay for what we like i supposed.

 

I more hate subscription things. I'd rather pay 500 up front than 50 a year for 10 years. That's just a mental thing I suppose though.

 

I don’t get the subscription thing for an app to just start your truck. It’s absolutely a money grab and combine that with all the crap that’s going on with the new Tundra and I’m really not liking the direction that Toyota is going. My wife bought a new Maverick Hybrid this spring and it really has been a better vehicle than I ever thought. You use an app called FordPass and it’s absolutely free. I can start the Maverick from my phone and it stays running when I open the door. I can see the location of the vehicle at all times, lock the doors, check tire pressures, book an appointment with my dealer for service and even see the fuel level in the truck. No subscription needed. I’m also seeing around 45mpg in city driving and it has a higher payload then my Tundra, figure that one out.

 

Well dont have much a choice with toyota on this. Which stinks for sure.

 

The dealer installed a remote start/Viper system on my truck. I didn't want it, but it was already installed. The nice thing about it, is it has an insane range for remote start and provides two-way feedback. The thing that sucks about it is having an extra FOB. They advertise it as 1-mile range. I've personally started the truck from about 1/2-mile range and it always starts the truck when I'm in stores, even at the back, say Walmart/HD or or whatever.

It does turn off the truck though when I unlock/open the doors. No subscription or anything, so it fits the bill for me.

 

i bet if you bring it to an authorized viper dealer/installer, they can change that so it won’t turn off when you open the door. For my compustar it required a relay and diode, plus programming through the pc.

 

I'll have to look into it. That part doesn't bug me too much honestly. I mainly use it to cool the truck down during the summer before I hop in it.

 

For me it’s the annoyance that you need to start the truck again the 2nd time before you can drive off. I just want to get in, step on the brake, change gear and go.

 

Did you take off your tin hat to type this? You'd rather pay 500 up front for something that used to be free?

 

No, for one of the after market ones, that won't require a subscription.

I 100% won't pay a penny to Toyota for their app.

 

SPALDING GETYOURFOOTOFFTHEBOAT!

 

I have what sounds like exactly the same Viper system on my 2018 Tundra, and can confirm it can be setup to not turn the engine off when the doors open. I had BestBuy configure it that way for me

 

Basically my only requirement for auto-start is the tiniest of tiny little button that clips to you key ring and goes unnoticed. My work-truck Silverado has them. Looking for the same for my Tundra. Nice to not fill your pocket even more.

 

Remote starts have never been free. Just like every upgrade over a base model vehicle, they've always been factored into pricing via a certain package level.

Paying a lump sum right away vs a subscription being better economically depends on how you spend/invest your money. Pay $500 up front, you own it forever and pay the cost at X amount of purchasing power your money is worth at that point in time. If you have $500 and can "afford" the $8 a month, maybe it's better to invest that $500 and beat inflation over time with it. The catch is that generally speaking over time your purchasing power is decreasing so that $8 a month is more than $8 a month, and chances are it's going to increase after a few years just like every other subscription based service.

I'd rather pay once and not have to try and beat the system.

 

If you want to go without subscription on the remote start, the only way is to get the extended antenna and remote with 2way confirmation. Which is what i also have. But this also add on an additional fob to your keychain. Some don’t like that.

 

The Viper systems (with no subscription) can be programmed to recognize a button press pattern from your normal Tundra key fob (i.e. mine is set to 3 presses of the lock button).

So I leave my viper remote in the truck and just carry my key fob around. And I have remote start with no subscription. Now if I want 1 mile range, I'll have to take the Viper remote, but that seems a very niche requirement for remote start tbh

 

For me it is the other way around. I want to start mine from far away for it to cool or heat (usually from inside buildings). Only time the factory remote is decent enough range for me is from the house to the driveway.

 

True. The only drawback is not being able to tell if the truck has successfully started, especially if you are inside 4 walls with no way of seeing the truck. The 2way fob will fix this issue.
Most aftermarket unit if you use the 3 press method, it will not be on the long range antenna. Instead, it uses the normal range of the factory unit. So, distance is no good.