Remote Starter -- 99 Grand Am Se

[queball79]

I have a 1999 Grand Am Se. I went to circuit city and Best Buy today and the only one I could see at the store was the Code-Alarm Remote Start System (CSI-400). It was $99.99 with a 120.00 install fee (OUCH)!The guy said I couldnt get it installed because I have some kind of special computer or something. And i need to get a chip he said to override it. And those cost 120 bucks! Looking through the forums it looks like this thing is called the PASSLOCK>>>???? I am not 100% sure though. SO what exactly should I do here and where do I get this item?

Let me know what I should do please

[Wallflower]

$120 for a bypass ... ROFLMAO ... do you get a free tube of KY with that? Go back in there and tell the asshat that the DEI 555L will do just fine and it costs THEM about $16, and you want to know how $16 turns into $120.

$120 for the install itself really ain't that bad depending on what all will be hooked up.

[99GrandAMSE]

Originally posted by Wallflower
$120 for a bypass ... ROFLMAO ... do you get a free tube of KY with that? Go back in there and tell the asshat that the DEI 555L will do just fine and it costs THEM about $16, and you want to know how $16 turns into $120.

$120 for the install itself really ain't that bad depending on what all will be hooked up.

:bow: :) ... I agree!!

[nineteen88ga]

Originally posted by Wallflower
$120 for a bypass ... ROFLMAO ... do you get a free tube of KY with that? Go back in there and tell the asshat that the DEI 555L will do just fine and it costs THEM about $16, and you want to know how $16 turns into $120.

$120 for the install itself really ain't that bad depending on what all will be hooked up.

$16 sounds like dealer cost for that, not retail...at least not Circuit City Retail.

Too Bad Circuit dosen't deal with DEI any more, BUT Code Alarm as a part that does the exact same thing (PLXR). I believe, not 100% sure, but that should add something like $50.00 to the price of the CSI400 and install. So ruffly like $270-$280 is what you'd be paying for this unit installed from Circuit City. But you will need some sort of passlock interface in order to have a remote start installed on your car, it ups the price, but thank GM for that. lol

[queball79]

Ok i went to Best Buy and bought the DEI 555L Bypass thing. It was $39.99 on sale. The cheapest remote start/door & trunk unlock they had was 399.99 plus install price at best buy. The guy told me to buy the 99.99 one at circuit city like i had planned on doing. THAT Was pretty funny to hear from a Best Buy guy....



Now should I have any problem at Circuit City with these guys when I give them the Bypass part I bought outside there store?>
Or can I just hand it to them and let them install it with the remote starter?>

[Wallflower]

They may claim some BS about its not their part, and they can't install it, or warranty it ... yadda yadda yadda.

If you want, buy both pieces and take them to a local audio shop.

[nineteen88ga]

the 555L will be compatable with the Remote starter you were looking at from Circuit City, but as I said in my last post, they should have the same (well similar one) from Code Alarm called the PLXR. As far as installation, Circuit Should be familliar with the 555L since the did carry DEI up untill a few months ago.

[Big Joe]

Originally posted by Wallflower
If you want, buy both pieces and take them to a local audio shop.




:agree: Thats the best thing to do i think........i never thought much of the guys who installed stuff at those places Dont seem like they always know the best way to do somthing

[nineteen88ga]

Originally posted by Big Joe5313
:agree: Thats the best thing to do i think........i never thought much of the guys who installed stuff at those places Dont seem like they always know the best way to do somthing


I hope present company is exlcuded in that opinion..... :D

unfortunately some of the bigger chain install shops have the rep of not being so swift, but even some mom & pop shops can be just as bad if not worse. I can think of at least 2 mom &pop shops in my area that are far worse then what any chain store could let roll out of their install bay.

[matts]

yeah, i've seen some doozies (sp?) come from the smaller stores. there could be bad installers about anywhere you go, just gotta go by reputation. let other's misfortune's work to your benefit.

you'll be happy with the code alarm. that's the new alarm i put on my truck. not quite as nice as the clifford G5 i had, but it's still a nice alarm/remote start

[Big Joe]

Originally posted by nineteen88ga
I hope present company is exlcuded in that opinion..... :D

unfortunately some of the bigger chain install shops have the rep of not being so swift, but even some mom & pop shops can be just as bad if not worse. I can think of at least 2 mom &pop shops in my area that are far worse then what any chain store could let roll out of their install bay.



Of curse not lol.


i agree the "mom and pop" store may not be the best but usually the mom and pop stores that people go to are because they've been there before and they kow there gonna do good work i dont sugest walkin down the block and being like this place looks good either

[queball79]

Ok so let me tell you all what happend!
I gave them the 55L passlock and they had no problem using it. They told me $223.00 would be the final price after installation and everything. And my trunk would open and and it would all work. So when i go to pick it up my trunk wouldnt open and i said huuum. The guy said hey man we couldnt figure it out. So i got all pissed at the guy and he said you get what you pay for. So then i really got pissed. I talked to the manager and after it all they installed the trunk release. I drove off to go check it all out. And it stalled in the road. I had to push it off the side. It stalled like 10 more times. When i finally got a good look at the problem, the guy had installed the wires in the engine compartment on top of the engine block. And the all melted all over my engine and the bare wires were shorting out. So they told me they would fix the wire if i leave the car. And this is after the car was there for 2 days~!!!!!!!!!! i said **** it and i want it removed and i got my money back that day ..im sure it would have worked fine if they installed it correctly. Oh yea i also found a pack off cigs and a ciggarette butt in my ash tray! AND I DONT SMOKE....DALY CITY, CA circuit city sucks!....

[Big Joe]

dam man i told u not to trust thoughs guys

[queball79]

Ive always had trouble with Circuit City. If its not with remote starters it was with cell phones or stereos ya know. OH GET THIS. They called me from the store today and said for me to check my trunk. So i did and the entire remote starter was in there. And they said until they get it back they cant give me my money back.!!! hahahahaha i have the worst luck. I should have listened to ya guys :(

[Big Joe]

dam man i would have been like yea its not there. I've looked three times i didnt find anything

[matts]

i would have burnt the building down :flaming:

[nineteen88ga]

damn...that sucks! I'm an installer at Circuit City In Dickson City, PA(store 4105) and personally I would do remote starts in N bodies all day if I had a choice! On alot of the newer N bodies, most of the wires needed: Door lock(and unlock), Parking lights, TRUNK RELEASE, are found in the passenger side under dash at the BCM.

For the trunk not opening... there's no reason for that not being figured out.....its a one wire hook up! They actually told you that you get what you pay for? lol I would have punched him square in his face....you paied your a product they sold you (except for the 555L) and the 555L has nothing to do with the trunk release!

I would definately take your story to that stores manager and want their District Manager notified of how they treated you and your car (especially with the cigs. in the ash tray). Circuit City or not, I would be furious if I found that my car was treated like yours was....absolutely rediculous....

[queball79]

Hey man nothing against you im sure all other Circuit city stores are fine. Let me ask you something else. They also told me it was against CA state law for them to refund my installation money. So they said they had to refund that portion of the money to me out of the store credit? IS that true>????

And when i took the car back after stalling 10 times or more. I had the manager tell the installers to take it out while i was standing there cause i was so mad i didnt want to talk to this guy anymore. The manager was trying to get the hood open to show this guy where all the wires melted and the installer was just screaming, " I DONT NEED TO SEE SHIT!!! IF THIS GUY WANTS IT OUT THATS WHAT HES GONNA GET!!!" then he just started removing it. They gave me my 555L thing back but i dont have the box i got it with at Best Buy anymore! so i am going to tell Circuit City to reimburse me for that too.

[nineteen88ga]

Its all good, like it was said before, bad install experiences can happen pretty much anywhere.

Not sure if its against the law not to refund you the labor, but I know we don't usualy refund labor either....virtually your paying for the installation service, and you got that service (even though it was terrable quality), But I know labor has been returned to for lack of a better word, please take no offence..."troublesome" customers. If they're giving you store credit...then I wouldn't complain too much....your getting something back, ya know you don't have to spend that in their installation services.

With what your saying about the behavior of these installers, no doubt would I call a complaint into the store's manager, not the Roadshop manager. If what your saying is true, no worker should have that kind of attitude in a work place, let alone when the customer is able to see and hear them. Sounds like you got stuck with an installer with a piss poor attitude which may be why your install was done as it was.

Not getting your 555L packaging back, well....I don't know. I highly doubt you'd get reembursed for that. If your looking to have a remote starter installed in your car, its somethnig your going to need no matter who installs it. So Its not a total loss. Personally I wouldn't argue much about that, Id just take it (the 555l) to another shop who would do your install propperly.

[RippedMantis]

I don't know what they couldn't figure out, i put in two remote starters. One in a 00 grand am se and one in my 99 gase. The trunk was easy. The door locks gave me trouble though. It's a two wire from the remotre starter box going to one wire in the car. One wire from the remote box needed a resistor inline. Also the install time took awhile. It took about 4 hours on each. Not bad for my first time. Anyways, always look around and find a reputable shop to do the installs. They can be hell, that's for sure

[Big Joe]

ahh man the guy was yellin with u right there someone would have caught a whoopin.......after i got the money that is