[joebie3]

Not sure if any of the pre-lci crowd is interested, but I just realized you can buy the BRS7 for our cars now direct from ES with out needing to go through a dealer/installer.

Hopefully this helps someone out, I was surprised to see it. And days like today make me really think about doing it LOL. Was 80 yesterday, and it's now 30 with a chance of snow today :-|

https://www.eurostart.com/product/brs7

[Dawgz]

Originally Posted by joebie3

Not sure if any of the pre-lci crowd is interested, but I just realized you can buy the BRS7 for our cars now direct from ES with out needing to go through a dealer/installer.

Hopefully this helps someone out, I was surprised to see it. And days like today make me really think about doing it LOL. Was 80 yesterday, and it's now 30 with a chance of snow today :-|

https://www.eurostart.com/product/brs7

Do you have the installation manual for it? Want to see how involved it is.

[joebie3]

Originally Posted by Dawgz

Do you have the installation manual for it? Want to see how involved it is.

Not yet, they don't let you see it until you buy. But I'm like... a finger drop away from buying. LOL

I did read that there is no cutting/splicing necessary, but I do believe there is some de-pinning that will need to happen.

[lagunablue1]

I really miss remote start in previous vehicles - but I dislike that the eurostart option has the requirement of: "A spare vehicle key is required to be installed with the remote starter to allow the remote start to function"

I hate the idea of leaving a key in my vehicle at all times (even if you can't actually start the car with it), plus it's another couple hundred bucks to have one made.

Wish there was a better solution out there but it doesn't seem like it.

[joebie3]

Originally Posted by lagunablue1

I really miss remote start in previous vehicles - but I dislike that the eurostart option has the requirement of: "A spare vehicle key is required to be installed with the remote starter to allow the remote start to function"

I hate the idea of leaving a key in my vehicle at all times (even if you can't actually start the car with it), plus it's another couple hundred bucks to have one made.

Wish there was a better solution out there but it doesn't seem like it.

100% agree'd. It's a little unnerving to say the least.

My 2015 Suburban has factory remote start... and it's 5 years older.

[IndyX4M]

Has anyone had the dealer install the factory remote HW? I would prefer to use the BMW app and key fob.

[joebie3]

Originally Posted by IndyBMR

Has anyone had the dealer install the factory remote HW? I would prefer to use the BMW app and key fob.

unfortunately that's not a possibility on the Pre-LCI cars. Need SP18 hardware, and full ID7.

[Lenny_RDM]

I got eurostart on my 2020 f97 for almost 2 years, really……. Best investment))) no issues, perfect for summer and winter, i got on keyfob and drone app so i see voltage all time when dropping to many just starting remote, one more thing that’s really helping when I installed car eye3,0pro on last winter car can be parked for week cameras recording and I don’t have voltage drops

[joebie3]

Originally Posted by Lenny_RDM

I got eurostart on my 2020 f97 for almost 2 years, really……. Best investment))) no issues, perfect for summer and winter, i got on keyfob and drone app so i see voltage all time when dropping to many just starting remote, one more thing that’s really helping when I installed car eye3,0pro on last winter car can be parked for week cameras recording and I don’t have voltage drops

Do you remember how much the new keyfob was? Or did you just use the spare that came with the car?

I'll probably be doing this, but going to wait till closer to winter. As we both know, these Chicago winters are *not* fun LOL

[Lenny_RDM]

Originally Posted by joebie3

Do you remember how much the new keyfob was? Or did you just use the spare that came with the car?

I'll probably be doing this, but going to wait till closer to winter. As we both know, these Chicago winters are *not* fun LOL

I pay around 300$

[spta97]

Originally Posted by joebie3

Not yet, they don't let you see it until you buy. But I'm like... a finger drop away from buying. LOL

I did read that there is no cutting/splicing necessary, but I do believe there is some de-pinning that will need to happen.

Any updates on the purchase/manual?

[joebie3]

Originally Posted by spta97

Any updates on the purchase/manual?

The weather got nicer finally so I'll probably be waiting till late summer/fall, funny how the warm weather made me forget all about it LOL. I did see recently someone posted a DIY for the BimmerTech version (not for the F97's exactly) but I figure the process is very similar especially with de-pinning the harness.

https://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2023705

[spta97]

Thanks! Totally get the lack of importance when the weather is nice.

One thing that I think makes this a non-starter is you have to restart the vehicle when you get in (pun not intended )

[joebie3]

Originally Posted by spta97

Thanks! Totally get the lack of importance when the weather is nice.

One thing that I think makes this a non-starter is you have to restart the vehicle when you get in (pun not intended )

But a pun that had to be said 😂

Totally agree though, kind of a bummer. It’s one of my hold backs as well. And needing to buy another key as well. 😭

[spta97]

Originally Posted by joebie3

But a pun that had to be said 😂

Totally agree though, kind of a bummer. It’s one of my hold backs as well. And needing to buy another key as well. 😭

I could live with the key purchase, but starting it only to start it again seems stupid.

The website said for safety, I'm sure they could disable if they wanted.

Last experience I had with push start/remote start would you would just push the start button as it was running and then drive off.

[joebie3]

Originally Posted by spta97

I could live with the key purchase, but starting it only to start it again seems stupid.

The website said for safety, I'm sure they could disable if they wanted.

Last experience I had with push start/remote start would you would just push the start button as it was running and then drive off.

Yup, that's how my Suburban is. You just hop in, push the button and go. I'm actually pretty sure that if you hit the brake or gas it will shut off. Which, IMO, is more about safety than the open door thing.

[spta97]

Originally Posted by joebie3

Yup, that's how my Suburban is. You just hop in, push the button and go. I'm actually pretty sure that if you hit the brake or gas it will shut off. Which, IMO, is more about safety than the open door thing.

Yea the brake thing is pretty common so people can’t drive off without the key.

Door? Makes no sense.

Thankfully the X3 warms up/cools down quickly so it’s not as big of an issue like my old truck which takes 10-15 min to do the same

[PBS987]

I have installed hundreds of Eurostart kits for our two local BMW and Mini dealers and every one has worked perfectly right out of the box. I have been installing Eurostart kits for over 5 years now without any issues and I really enjoy installing them which I can easily do in under 2 hours. Eurostart as thought of everything and their instructions are the most detailed, I have ever seen. It's 100% made in Canada by Eurostart and is by far the highest quality remote starter made to date and I installed thousands of remote starters over the years including one Bimmert*** unit which ended up having to be removed as it would remote start the vehicle with the hood open. Not very safe for anyone working under the hood.

All newer European vehicles require a key when installing a remote starter and even when BMW had their own retrofit remote engine starter a few years ago (now discontinued) theirs also needed a key and it was made by BMW. So unfortunately, if you drive a late model BMW, Mini, Porsche, Land Rover, Audi, Mercedes, or Volkswagen you will need to give up a key to have an aftermarket remote starter installed. I think it is a small price to pay to drive some of the best built vehicles on the market today.

The Eurostart remote starter is designed to turn off the engine when the vehicle is unlocked, or if a door is opened during the remote start runtime. This is to help protect the vehicle against theft, and to ensure that the vehicle does not turn off the engine while it is being driven, and also to make sure that the owner has their key fob with them in the vehicle while it is being driven. The factory BMW retrofit remote engine starter would also shut off the engine when opening a door and even every Toyota and Lexus push to start vehicle I have ever seen with a remote starter would also turn off the engine when entering the vehicle.

That being said all of the Eurostart remote starters are firmware up-gradable so there is a possibility of having a take over option added in the future if they find a safe way to do that.

[spta97]

Originally Posted by PBS987

I have installed hundreds of Eurostart kits for our two local BMW and Mini dealers and every one has worked perfectly right out of the box. I have been installing Eurostart kits for over 5 years now without any issues and I really enjoy installing them which I can easily do in under 2 hours. Eurostart as thought of everything and their instructions are the most detailed, I have ever seen. It's 100% made in Canada by Eurostart and is by far the highest quality remote starter made to date and I installed thousands of remote starters over the years including one Bimmert*** unit which ended up having to be removed as it would remote start the vehicle with the hood open. Not very safe for anyone working under the hood.

All newer European vehicles require a key when installing a remote starter and even when BMW had their own retrofit remote engine starter a few years ago (now discontinued) theirs also needed a key and it was made by BMW. So unfortunately, if you drive a late model BMW, Mini, Porsche, Land Rover, Audi, Mercedes, or Volkswagen you will need to give up a key to have an aftermarket remote starter installed. I think it is a small price to pay to drive some of the best built vehicles on the market today.

The Eurostart remote starter is designed to turn off the engine when the vehicle is unlocked, or if a door is opened during the remote start runtime. This is to help protect the vehicle against theft, and to ensure that the vehicle does not turn off the engine while it is being driven, and also to make sure that the owner has their key fob with them in the vehicle while it is being driven. The factory BMW retrofit remote engine starter would also shut off the engine when opening a door and even every Toyota and Lexus push to start vehicle I have ever seen with a remote starter would also turn off the engine when entering the vehicle.

That being said all of the Eurostart remote starters are firmware up-gradable so there is a possibility of having a take over option added in the future if they find a safe way to do that.

Thanks for the additional info. The previous experience I had with push start cars with remotes was with Nissan/Infiniti….well over a decade ago. With that one you would start the car remotely and when you got in just press the start button to keep it running and off you go.

Pressing the brake pedal, which you have to do to put it in gear, would stop the engine if you didn’t press the start button and have the key fob on you.

Moreover, you could activate the remote start while the car was running so you could pull up to a store parking lot and run inside without having to turn the car off on a hot summer day/cold winter day at the beginning of your trip say to get a coffee.

If someone were to open your door (which could be locked) without the key fob the engine would die as soon as they touched the brake pedal.

I’m curious if this style still exists or if there is a security issue which makes that undesirable? I can’t think of one and as a matter of fact I’ve done this with my X3 without a remote start.

Use case: hot summer day pulling the car out of the garage with ac on full blast. Realize I forgot my wallet so I put in in park, keep it running with ac on for the passenger, go inside the house taking my key fob with me. Car beeps to let me know they key is missing but continues to run. I get back in with the key and continue my trip.

I’m curious why a remote start wouldn’t work that way too? Am I missing something?

[PBS987]

When leave your BMW running with no key in the vehicle yes you can lock it and the vehicle will honk the horn to alert you that the engine is still running. That is so you don't accidentally leave it running in an attached garage or an enclosed space. A lot of people have died because they assumed if the have their key with them that the car would turn itself off. When in fact the engine would never turn itself off and if someone got in the vehicle or forced the door open they would be able to drive the vehicle as far as they wanted. This how a lot of push to start cars are stolen.

You can try this start it with the key and then leave the key outside the vehicle and drive away you will be able to drive it as far and fast as you want. And this is with every push to start vehicle not just BMW.

One other fan fact if you have the BMW running and then you throw your key out of the window you can shut the car off and restart it within 10 seconds without the key inside our around the vehicle. Eurostart knows all of this and even if you sat in the vehicle while it was remote started their is no way of getting around their safety and security measures drive or steal the vehicle.

You asked about pit stop mode and take over mode with other remote starters and yes some vehicles will still have that option but that is vehicle model dependent and how the electronics work to start the car. Every car is different.

[spta97]

Originally Posted by PBS987

When leave your BMW running with no key in the vehicle yes you can lock it and the vehicle will honk the horn to alert you that the engine is still running. That is so you don't accidentally leave it running in an attached garage or an enclosed space. A lot of people have died because they assumed if the have their key with them that the car would turn itself off. When in fact the engine would never turn itself off and if someone got in the vehicle or forced the door open they would be able to drive the vehicle as far as they wanted. This how a lot of push to start cars are stolen.

You can try this start it with the key and then leave the key outside the vehicle and drive away you will be able to drive it as far and fast as you want. And this is with every push to start vehicle not just BMW.

One other fan fact if you have the BMW running and then you throw your key out of the window you can shut the car off and restart it within 10 seconds without the key inside our around the vehicle. Eurostart knows all of this and even if you sat in the vehicle while it was remote started their is no way of getting around their safety and security measures drive or steal the vehicle.

You asked about pit stop mode and take over mode with other remote starters and yes some vehicles will still have that option but that is vehicle model dependent and how the electronics work to start the car. Every car is different.

That’s really interesting info - thanks for sharing. I was not aware you could drive the vehicle with no fob once started as I’ve never tried that.

It’s been so long with the Infiniti that I don’t recall if it was the same but I’ll take your word.

Curious why they designed it that way? It it so you could keep driving if your fob battery dies?

With that info it makes sense why Eurostart designed it to stop the engine on door open.

How about the new LCI with the remote start - is it designed the same way?

[joebie3]

Originally Posted by spta97

That’s really interesting info - thanks for sharing. I was not aware you could drive the vehicle with no fob once started as I’ve never tried that.

It’s been so long with the Infiniti that I don’t recall if it was the same but I’ll take your word.

Curious why they designed it that way? It it so you could keep driving if your fob battery dies?

With that info it makes sense why Eurostart designed it to stop the engine on door open.

How about the new LCI with the remote start - is it designed the same way?

AFAIK my buddies 2020 M340 ID7 stays on when the door is opened.