Guys,
I wanted to install a Remote Starter for my E39, can I still do this and leave the original BMW alarm??, because I just love the car's original alarm system, I just want to install only the Remote Starter. :help

I haven't yet done one in my E39 (I was a professional installer for years until very recently) but I looked over the tech sheets and yes you should be able to keep your factory alarm just like you do now.

Finding a competent installer who will do it right though will be the trick ;)

E39 keys have a chip in them....

you have to have the key at least near the ignition in order for the car to start. You would have to disable this feature in order for the remote start to work. I think if anything this will be helping thieves to steal the car?

ok, thanks guys. I appreciate your advices.

E39 keys have a chip in them....

you have to have the key at least near the ignition in order for the car to start. You would have to disable this feature in order for the remote start to work. I think if anything this will be helping thieves to steal the car?
You'll just need to run a bypass unit, which will require giving up one of the spare keys to be hidden inside the dash somewhere. This won't aid thieves unless they know the car has a remote start system and therefore will know to rip apart the dash to find the hidden key. And, you could always be clever in where you hide the key so that no thief will risk the time to find it.

put the key in car???? so let me get this straight....the thief spots you remote starting your car....if hes even got half a brain he knows that some portion of the anti theft system has been altered....you start the car, he jumps in and takes off, a day later he finds a key....genious!!!!!!

:rofl

hide the key in the car......:rofl:

put the key in car???? so let me get this straight....the thief spots you remote starting your car....if hes even got half a brain he knows that some portion of the anti theft system has been altered....you start the car, he jumps in and takes off, a day later he finds a key....genious!!!!!!

:rofl

hide the key in the car......:rofl:

Don't know much about remote starts?

So you rem start your car (and yes a key will have to be hidden in a bypass unit somewhere under the dash.)

So yes, you start it and the theif gets in the car. He's not going to be able to drive it away because
1. Steering wheel lock is still active, cause the keys not in the cylinder.
2. As soon as he touches the brake the remstart will shut off.
3. I'm not 100% sure on teh E39, but many many cars the factory alarm is still active, so it will still shreak away as soon as he opens the door.

I'm not all too familiar with remote starts. I am familiar with the saying, "If they want it bad enough they'll take it". By not only starting the car for them, but also giving them a key, it seems to me that one would only be helping a thief...

But what do I know.....:dunno

I'm not all too familiar with remote starts. I am familiar with the saying, "If they want it bad enough they'll take it". By not only starting the car for them, but also giving them a key, it seems to me that one would only be helping a thief...

But what do I know.....:dunno

Yeah, I've always had the same thoughts, if a good theif wants a car, no matter what you do, crazy security you add, the theif will get the car. Nothing is 100%. Now if someone is able to somehow get into the car, disable the factory alarm, tear apart your dash, find the key and steal the car (or use a flatbed to take the car and find your key later) then... that's what insurance is for :-P

^^ I agree. There is only so much you can do to prevent a someone from stealing your car. If you take the necessary measures and someone still steals your car, then your insurance will take care of it.

I'm not all too familiar with remote starts. I am familiar with the saying, "If they want it bad enough they'll take it". By not only starting the car for them, but also giving them a key, it seems to me that one would only be helping a thief...

But what do I know.....:dunno
1) When you remote start it does not unlock your doors.
2) If the thief enters, the steering lock will be engaged
3) If the thief attempts to drive the car, the moment he touches the brake the engine dies.
4) You can set the remote start to only last for say 1 minute then shut then engine down
5) If you hide the key well, it will take them a long time to find it. If they are willing to take the time to bring the tools to open your dash and find the key, etc. then they were gonna find a way to steal your car anyways.

Another thing, don't remote start the car if you live or work in a bad area.

I always told the customer to get the key programmed without having it cut. That withstanding, you can always cut the blade off of the key.

If I were a skilled thief, a running car would seem like a much better target than a non running one...:dunno

I want to be the white horse in the midst of all the other white horses. I don't want to be the red horse that get's picked out to be "special".

Good luck to those that choose to lessen the security of their vehicle instead of going out to the car to start it themselves....:thumbup:

If I were a skilled thief, a running car would seem like a much better target than a non running one...:dunno

I want to be the white horse in the midst of all the other white horses. I don't want to be the red horse that get's picked out to be "special".

Good luck to those that choose to lessen the security of their vehicle instead of going out to the car to start it themselves....:thumbup:

i see you're in so cal, so heating your car is done by wildfires ;)
i just moved from north dakota where i lived for a couple of years. trust me, you do NOT want to go outside and start your car in the mornings in winter there.

i see you're in so cal, so heating your car is done by wildfires ;)
i just moved from north dakota where i lived for a couple of years. trust me, you do NOT want to go outside and start your car in the mornings in winter there.

Yeah, I'm in MN (lived here my whole life) and when your car has a foot of snow on it, and it's -10 degrees, then yeah, you reeeaaaally don't want to go out and scrape off/start your car at 6am

The e39 welcomes any sort of remote start as well as alarm/remote start combos in case you want to add remote window roll-up and down, remote headlights. Remote starters have to disarm the factory alarm to remote start. There are trigger wires for factory (or aftermarket) disarm and rearm.

BMWs are unusual in that they require a spare key to start.

The way the professionals who are familiar with BMWs (wink, wink) do this is to secure a factory antenna (ring around the ignition key cylinder) located anywhere else in the vehicle with a key zip tied to it and a relay controlling the transmission of the ring's signal back to the EWS module in the column. The curmudgeon who keeps knocking us for installing or wanting to install remote starters should be informed that he could easily grind off or cut off the teeth on the head of the valet key that gets buried in case he forgets to pay his car insurance.

Interestingly, for those that care about these sorts of things, the e39 (at least my e39 540it) is the only vehicle I know of that has a factory installed proximity sensor, which make the factory system a very positive thing.
DT

Guys,
I wanted to install a Remote Starter for my E39, can I still do this and leave the original BMW alarm??, because I just love the car's original alarm system, I just want to install only the Remote Starter.
Oh, OK, back to the original question, sorry. I suggest buying a start only system. I am most familiar with the Code Alarm CA420a. Any reputable brand has a similar 1-button start only system. The CA-420 has factory alarm disarm and rearm. It has suitable parking light outputs. System sells for about $100 and installation should run about $100. Add bypass which is a "U module" about $25 and your "spare" key.

If I were a skilled thief, a running car would seem like a much better target than a non running one...:dunno

I want to be the white horse in the midst of all the other white horses. I don't want to be the red horse that get's picked out to be "special".

Good luck to those that choose to lessen the security of their vehicle instead of going out to the car to start it themselves....:thumbup:
It's ok if you are afraid of it, but you don't seem to understand that in reality, a car with remote start is not any easier to steal than a car without it if done correctly.

It's ok if you are afraid of it, but you don't seem to understand that in reality, a car with remote start is not any easier to steal than a car without it if done correctly.

It's not soo much that I'm afraid of it....it's just that when I think of the security of my vehicle I think of my car parked in compton somewhere (compton is well known for not being such a great town...). A running car in compton is a BIG target. A non running one is just another car...:dunno

The question was how to add remote start while retaining the factory alarm. Part of the alarm system is to have a chip in the key. Putting said chip in the car takes away from the security of the vehicle...

And...cold?!?! What's that?????