Viper iPhone SmartStart Remote Start + Security System
 

Hi, could someone confirm this is what I need for installation on a 370z?

Amazon.com: Xpresskits Xk09 Programmable Door Lock & Override Solution: Buy.com

$53.99

Amazon.com: Viper 5701 Pink 2 Way security w/ R.Start Pink: Electronics

$138.00

Amazon.com: Viper Smart Start Module VSM100: Electronics

$268.00

Geek Squad® - Alarm, Remote Start, Keyless Entry Installation - COMALARMRE

$199.99

Since I intend to purchase the products outside of Best Buy, does anyone know if I can take the products to Best Buy and have them install just by purchasing the Geek Squad install?

Thanks in advance...:tiphat:

All you need is the Viper SmartStart system (VSS4000). Its the complete system. Any auto shop including Best Buy will install it for you even if not purchased there. I had it installed 2 weeks ago and trust me it is WELL worth it. It is the coolest thing to be able to start/stop unlock/lock car from anywhere in the U.S. all from you Iphone. No more having to get close to the car to start it. I comfirmation comes up on the iphone saying car has received signal to let you know its started or not. Real cool

You can go anywhere, and I could emphasize that, please go somewhere else.

^^:iagree:^^

Find a shop in your area, you'll thank everyone later.

Really?
Oh, looks like you deleted, wonder why?

Rhood, you seem to be missing the point of a board. If we wanted to simply ask one guy a question, there is an email system for that. You post here because youre looking for many people's opinions. Dreamer obviously thinks best buy is not the place to go for having something installed, and he shared that to hopefully warn the original poster. What's the problem?

I build cars (electronically) for LVMPD, (coverts, black & whites, plain, motorcycles, etc).

one of our installers worked at best buy before being hired on.

I'll back up their opinions, DO NOT TAKE IT TO BEST BUY. We regret hiring that guy.

Keep in mind that they will install it for you BUT will not honor the warranty nor will viper honor it either if it is not bought by an authorized retailer.

I agree I use to work from them I left a week later I hated how they wanted me to do installs.

I'd take it to someone who works on Z's. You'll have better luck having someone do the install who knows how to properly remove the necessary trim. They'll also use a service manual to determine where to connect the alarm instead of poking around with a test light.

I did most of my installer time at Circuit City (before they screwed everything up) and we constantly fixed BB's work. I'm not saying CC as a whole was better, but I know our shop was. BB uses a lot of shortcuts to get things to work and tries to do as little as possible especially on things like alarms and video installs. Just because the installers have that gay MECP patch on their arm does not mean they are a quality installer, it just means they know what color handled tin snips they need to use for a left cut. Yes, that's a real question on the test.

I later went on to Sub for some high end dealerships after I got laid off and that was definitely where the fun stuff was. Especially working on cars on the floor of HIN :D

Basically, do your research, talk to the Techs at the shop, and see who you're comfortable with working on your car. The guy that slams HU+2's into Civics all day is probably not your best bet.

Okay, you guys are recommending against a Best Buy install. How about a InstallCard from Crutchfield? Will this give me better access to better shops, and can I use products not purchased from Crutchfield? I just want to put a fixed limit on install costs. Also, Best Buy says they can do an install while one of the best-known shops in my town won't even work on an I-key Altima! So for now BB is my best choice.

Honestly man it could be good or bad. You are playing rush and rulet you could get the best install place or the worst. All that card is is like a gift card. I would go around to shops and talk to them and ask how they do there installs, do they use wire taps? "bad" Do they have any experience with the 370z? How are the wires going to be hidden? Have they worked with the model remote start you have before? And so on. If you want to take your car to BB be my guest it is not my car but after working for them I wouldn't.

I agree with big,

You are not limiting your install dollars by buying the card. Alarm installs aren't your typical radio install. They are always custom (unless it's a 96 chevy pickup). Every shop has there own rate, and it's almost always extra for addons, like door locks, dome light supervision, parking light flash, remote start, smart start.

All the card gets you is going to basic labor. In Houston, that's hooking up, starter kill, ignition, door trigger, and mounting a siren or horn honk. That's it. Especially if we make nothing on the alarm (you buy it elsewhere). If you buy a basic unit from us, we throw in parking lights an door locks. A remote starter comes with the basics and remote start. But we're making money on both ends.

I was with Best Buy in the 90s, we had 3 different levels of remote start (Best Buy back then only soldered, things have changed) basic, standard, and advanced. Advanced was everything you could want, that came as an on board option. If you needed extra relays for trunk pop, they were extra, but everything else was included.

The 370z is not a difficult car to work on, any reputable shop in your area should have no problem installing it.

If it were me, I'd go to all of your local guys and let them quote it for you. If you tell them you are looking to buy stuff online, there is a good likeliness somebody will try to come close. (don't expect them to match it).

Last thing I'll say is this. Directed Electronics makes the best alarms available, but nobody is perfect, when you buy your product online and take it into a shop, you have no warranty. If there is anything wrong with your unit out of the box, it's on you. You'll have to deal with paying to pull it out, paying to send it off for repair, and paying for reinstall. By buying it local, your authorized dealer has a 3 year over the counter exchange warranty on the brain, and lifetime mail in warranty on the brain. Meaning, if you have a problem in the first 3 years, they'll swap it out on site and send you on your way.

You have a $30K car, is it really worth saving maybe $300 for all that risk?

Just an opinion.

P

The issues with the Z are going to be the transponder starting (easy with a programmable module) and the transponder locks. The locks are probably the biggest issue.

In thinking about this issue before purchasing my Z I initially thought about using the pre-start output to pulse the factory disarm, then use a post-start pulse to lock the car after it was started.

Hopefully that XK09 module handles that issue for you. Let me know if it does. Then I can slap this bad boy in in no time. :D

An idea I had also (since I have a 6MT)...... Using a diode of course, tie the parking brake into a zone so the car won't arm unless it's up. Granted, it won't tell you if it's up all the way, but I find myself worrying from time to time if I've set the brake or not.

Also, thank goodness for neutral safety switches and gear indicators so I don't have to worry about a make-shift grounding system using springs to know if the car is in gear or not :tup:

does anyone know when DEI will be updating to allow for push notifications to get the same functionality as a 2 way pager when the pager is outta range.

ie; phone notifying you the alarm is going off when you're over a mile away?

I spoke to DEI a few months ago and they said the feature is coming, and is in the works. Just no eta...

I did see something on the iphone notification for that alarm, definitely considering it for my car. Technology rules.. :)

they recently did an update in the app store... i dont know when it came out i just know that it musta been some what recent....

that update allowed for a 'confirmation' of 'signal sent' when you press a button to send out a command.

sexy. next upgrade for me then I guess.

@ OP: Hurry up and get this installed so I know mine will be easy :tup:

If you lived in DFW I'd install it for you heh.

Yes, if you check the website the system is now 2-way. Also, if you have a compatible alarm, the alarm-specific functions can be controlled from the iPhone as well, according to the site...

vipor, I'll do my best. First I need to recoup the money from my uninstalled factory remote start system. Have one interested buyer...

So how does a Viper smart start end up working with the 370Z?

I push start on my iPhone ... car starts
I push unlock on my iPhone ... car unlocks
I sit in the car, with my Key Fob in my pocket, so I just press the brake and hit start to switch from remote start to regular, then shift into gear?

Also anyone with experience on using an iPhone with the Nav / Musicbox?

Mad props for being a self proclaimed installer review board for all of BB. It really really really depends on the douche bag that runs the shop. Down here, installing was a bit of a pride war. The better the job you did, the more jobs you got. I worked a BB install bay for 3 years. Many repeat customers and many jobs came by word of mouth.

That last comment of yours is spot on. OP, Do that research, talk to the guy that would actually end up working on your car. Scope it out first if you really want to recon a good installer. Watch the foot traffic on the install bay on Sat/Sun. If its stupid busy, then that's the place you want to be. If the installers are up at the front of the store... "selling"... then you don't want to go near that place for anything but batteries. Good luck with this one.

I want one of these bad boys. I would pay someone for sure though. I installed one on my last car and it was not worth the time spent. I have more money than time :)

:iagree:

Also, a lot of people that had it installed are complaining about getting signal and delayed responses from their vehicles. Also the fact that if you don't have a cell signal this obvisouly wont work, Car garage, city, rural area, blah, blah, blah.... Go on the ap in Itunes and look at the reviews. Some people are really pissed because of the cost of the system and poor performance.

[QUOTE=bigaudiofanat;384127]Honestly man it could be good or bad. You are playing rush and ruletQUOTE]

I thought it was Russian Roulette :confused:

It is..

[QUOTE=G Fo12ce;416990]damn, beat me to it

Does the car turn off when you switch from remote start to "key in" on? In my old car with a viper when you pressed the brake it shut the remote start off. Would this happen when I brake plus ON button to drive the Z?

So I installed the Viper, push to start still works, just have to push twice, no brake pedal. Very cool.

The one issue I am still having is when I use remote start the trunk sensor is not seeing the trunk as closed, so my top will no longer go down (I instead get two beeps) but when started normally without using remote start everything works fine. Any ideas?

Anyone else have any more comments about this system?

I'm getting an Evo on Friday and since Viper now has Android support (with push alerts), I'm thinking about picking this up.

I have it, it works, the app is a kinda crappy looking and interrupts audio poorly. But it does send push alerts which is all i really cared about.

Is that with the iPhone or Android?

Any issues or quirks with the system in general? Can you roll up/down windows with it?

iPhone.. and no windows

Is it not possible to do windows with it? Or did you just not get whatever module is needed for it?

Any window control requires another module. 530T if my memory serves. The unit itself isn't too expensive, but it is required to run wires into the doors and to the window motors themselves. Labor is what gets you. I think back in the day I would've probably charged $100-120 for the install (shop price, not mine). You're probably looking at ~$200 total.

Back in the day this gave you 1-touch up and down too, it was nice on my 97 240 :tup:

Ouch, yeah at the price it's probably not worth it for me. Remote Start in itself gives me the same functionality but better (to cool the car down).

Any idea what I should be looking at for the total installed price for the Smart Start Security + Remote Start setup?

My guess, labor only.. probably 350$, maybe even $400. At a shop, that is.

If you were in TX I'd offer for less, but that's not the case.

Correct you have to buy and install from an authorized dealer. Unless you get it installed by someone other than a shop.

The only thing I do not like about this product is the delay. If the alarm goes off depending on where you are it can take 5 seconds to 40 seconds to get to you about what is going on. When a theft is in progress these are precious seconds. Just my .02

Well that's not too bad I guess. If I can get it all done for around $1000 I'd be okay with it. There is a place near my house that I'll probably call or drop by in a few weeks to see what they say.