melvin

I live in a northern climate, where it would be nice to auto start the 320 from the warmth of my house. Does MB have it as an option? or is there a good aftermarket product available.
I talked to a local performance store, who wants me to purchase a spare mb key which he will put in a box under the dash which hooks up as a by pass to allow the car to start with a remote, when it is locked in the driveway. I don't like the idea of leaving a key in the car permanently.

Any advice appreciated.

Melvin

JDT1

Some years ago when I lived in Chicago, I used to take a local commuter train to and from work. During the winter months, a couple of commuters had remotes that they pointed through the train window toward their cars as the slow moving train pulled into the station. The remote actually started their vehicles so they'd be warm by the time they got to their cars after exiting the train. Out of curiosity, I asked one of them about it and I don't remember anything about leaving a key mounted under the dash. There obviously had to be something, however, to recieve the signal from the remote. I remember the guy saying he paid about $200 (I'm sure more today) for the setup at a local auto goods store.

StevethePilot

I had a remote start put in my Ford Excursion. There are plenty of good aftermarket models out there but I'd ask your dealer to recommend someone. Furthermore, unless you have "Keyless Go" (did you say you did?) you'll have to find a way to wait the few moments the particularly cold climate requires for the little coil light to go out before it starts the engine.

As for leaving a key in the car (you MUST mean you have Keyless Go), I think that's a foolish option. Usually this option's hooked to a security system but I'd see if you could get just a spare button fob somewhere so you can otherwise keep it factory.

I found the remote start to be one of the most useful things the Ford could do, as we were traveling with dogs a lot at the time and it allowed the car (and air conditioning) to be on, with the key out and the doors locked.

STP

melvin

I don't have keyless go, but to start the gl with the aftermarket remote, the salesperson said they need an additional key, which I have to purchase or order from mb. This third key he plans to put under the dash, in some sort of a contraption, so that the gl thinks the key is in the ignition. so that when I push the remote start, it will start.

I have some concerns about leaving a spare key in the gl.

AsianML

I'd be impressed if you could find a company able to do it. This topic has come up a few times in the past on other forums and general consensus is that the SmartKey system is just too complicated to wire one up to bypass the security immobilizers, etc. without having to leave the key in the car at all times (or something similar).

My dad contacted several remote starter manufacturers and they couldn't even do the system in my ML which uses the old switchblade key and isn't as sophisticated.

There are very limited options available because of the new technology and the SmartKey system, unfortunately.

LEOSOPHIE

My GM Silverado trucks all have remote start which works great because you can start the trucks 150 feet away and must open the doors, insert the key, and unlock the steering and trans shifter so the truck is still secure when remotely started. I see problems with electronic shift and steering lock in the GL.

scottybdiving

I concur. My Silverado with the Duramax works great. It also has Smartkey technology as well as glow plugs to heat before starting. It can be done and it is probably the most useful feature I have had on a truck since power windows came out. I use it when leaving Costco when it is 100+ degrees and I use it from my dining room when it is 20 degrees. It also turns on the AC or the heater and seat warmers, whichever is appropriate at the time. Too bad this old technology wasn't included in the GL. The gear shifter will not move nor will any electronics work until the key is inserted and the ignition is turned on.

mlorenz

Hi:

just check out this web address http://www.espar.com/ it might give you an option you haven#t thought about.
Enjoy

XJ9

Yeah, I can guarantee that the place you called has absolutely no idea what they are dealing with (drive over there and hand them your key and watch the fun and confusion start). There are *no* commercially available remote starters for smartkey. There is *one* company in the US that has demonstrated that it is at least possible to do although it is impractically expensive (even for mercedes owners).

carpersn

how would you be able to lock the car, then, if the GL always thinks there is a key inside?

StevethePilot

Wow - I hadn't even thought about that. The closest the Ford comes to a "smart key" is the little chip inside the key that says it's inserted - easily bypassed.

Very interesting! Looks like you're S.O.L. when it comes to remote-start, huh?

STP

mercgl

I have the Webasto heater (runs on diesel) installed in the GL which you can program to start, or start from remote. Engine doesn't need to start. Works perfectly.

Quicks

Webasto news release: Webasto Fuel Operated Heater Cleanly Warms Car

Webasto Fuel Operated Heater Cleanly Warms Car
Vehicle Preheating Device Warms Car, Saves Fuel and Reduces Pollution – More Benefits than Conventional Remote Start

FENTON, MICHIGAN, Nov. 16 -/E-Wire/-- Every year in North America there is an increase in the number of vehicles that sit stationary with the motor idling. Factors that have led to this increase include more vehicles in use, more passenger vehicles using remote start devices and more trucks idling while making deliveries, all a result of a growing economy. A direct outcome of unnecessary idling is wasted consumption of fuel and the release of additional harmful emissions into the atmosphere. By 2010, conservative calculations show the use of remote starters in passenger vehicles alone is expected to annually add 1.2 million tons of CO2 emissions into the air while wasting an additional 132 million gallons of fuel. Add in the other idling sources and the problem only gets worse.

A primary reason excessive idling occurs is simply the result of drivers and operators demanding increased comfort: creating and maintaining a warm vehicle interior in cold weather. The situation is worsened by the low public awareness not only of the practice's undesirable environmental effects but also of the fact that in many states and municipalities unnecessary idling is illegal.

When a vehicle is idling in park there is no load on the engine as there would be when driving, so from a cold start, exhaust temperatures remain low. Catalytic converters have long been a mainstay on vehicles to better clean exhaust gases, but they do not begin to operate until the exhaust temperature rises to reach the point to "light" the catalyst. Therefore, an idling engine at cold start creates more cold-start emissions for a longer period than one that is pre-warmed, started and driven away from standstill.

For instance, at idle, it takes a 5.4-liter gasoline engine about 15 to 20 minutes to start producing significant warm air in the interior at cold ambient. Over the 30-minute idle cycle, which is required to bring the vehicle interior to full temperature, that engine consumes almost one-third of a gallon of fuel.

A device that many North American commercial truck owners have adopted (and many automobile owners in Europe as well) is the Fuel Operated Heater (FOH). The Webasto FOH, or BlueHeat®, is the best known and most efficient solution to date used to remotely create and maintain a warm vehicle cabin without idling the engine and is available for light-duty applications. Independent of the vehicle engine, the system heats the vehicle's coolant and circulates it to the vehicle's regular heater system to pre-heat the passenger cabin, simultaneously defrosting windows. It burns eight times less fuel that an idling engine would, simultaneously emitting only 1/20th of the emissions and producing heat significantly faster.

Webasto Product North America, Inc., based in Fenton, Michigan, provides products for the light vehicle, heavy-duty truck, bus, military, off-highway and marine markets. For additional information visit Webasto or call .

/SOURCE:
Webasto Products North America, Inc.
-0-

/CONTACT:
Rolf Lichtner, , Rolf.Lichtner@webasto-us.com
/WEB SITE: http://www.webasto.us/

Webasto
Global Comfort Systems
bill.north@webasto-us.com
BLUEHEATINFO.COM
Webasto comfort climate

scottybdiving

Very interesting.

Increased comfort is only one reason to warm up an engine, especially a diesel. Do these things address the engines need to achieve optimum operating temperature or just the passenger's. 30 minutes is a pretty extreme example. My Silverado shuts off after 5 minutes if the ignition is not turned on. I rarely wait that long.

So how does it run the AC. LOL. AC is the primary concern and is used about 9 months / year around here.

Quicks

I believe it only works to heat the car/truck; i.e. it doesn't start the engine, which would be necessary to run the A/C.

scottybdiving

I assumed that, thus the LOL.

How about warming the engine?

Quicks

Yes, it pre-heats the engine:

from the Web Site: http://www.webastoshowroom.com/blueh...eat_engine.htm

It's Cold vs. Hot.

Which is better? If you read the Owner's Manual for your vehicle,
chances are you will find a section that suggests that you drive your vehicle immediately after starting, avoiding idling, and that you try to avoid driving short distances because the engine doesn't have enough time to reach operating temperature.

BlueHeat® is your smarter alternative to starting a cold engine because it pre-heats the engine. When you start the vehicle after using BlueHeat® the engine is immediately at or above the minimum operating temperature

scottybdiving

I can see where it would be useful where cold weather is more of an issue. I don't see where it would be cost effective in the south or southwest. At $1750, I could warm up my vehicle for 5 minutes / day for a long long time before I burned enough diesel to pay for it. According to my fuel consumption guage on my Duramax, it uses less than 0.1g. I would bet that batteries will have to be replaced more often as well and that is no small task on a GL.

orn

I had the Webasto system installed in my GL450 two months ago and I'm very happy with it. I drive a lot of short distances when it's around zero degrees C outside and I noticed immediately a drop in fuel consumption on the onboard computer after I had it installed.

Remote engine start is a pretty rudamentary way to pre-heat your GL compared to the Webasto solution in my opinion.

I think it's true what they say - once you have owned a car with Webasto you'll never want to be without it again.

Orn

SUNILP

http://web.mac.com/motorwerks/German...Telestart.html

scottybdiving

I can see where it would be useful where cold weather is more of an issue. I don't see where it would be cost effective in the south or southwest. At $1750, I could warm up my vehicle for 5 minutes / day for a long long time before I burned enough diesel to pay for it. According to my fuel consumption guage on my Duramax, it uses less than 0.1g. I would bet that batteries will have to be replaced more often as well and that is no small task on a GL.