My experience installing an ebay keyless entry kit

[Jay 535i]

There's been a lot of talk around here lately about the kits offered by BMWAlarm.com. I bought one, and here's my (brief) story.

Rather than installing it myself, as I'd planned, I paid an installer to do it for me. I was just too lazy. FWIW, he told me the instructions that came with the kit were all wrong, and that it was a good thing he knew his stuff or it wouldn't have worked.

My kit, BTW, does not include an alarm. It's just keyless entry, and it came with two flip-style keyfobs:

http://bmwalarm.vstore.ca/images/custom/BMWRZX2_W.jpg

The kit works great. The doors and trunk all lock and unlock as you'd expect, and the parking lights flash accordingly to confirm your button presses. Sometimes the system gets a little confused and the functions of the buttons can get transposed. That wouldn't happen with an OE system, but it's never very difficult to sort out. It happens generally when I press one or more buttons in quick succession, which there's no need to do anyway.

The keyfobs look great, but they feel a little cheap. Someone familliar with BMW quality will spot them as fakes, but they otherwise do the job well. The BMW logo on them, in particular, could never have come from BMW -- the roundel logo is printed off-center (that's a flaw, not a feature) and isn't raised. It's just a cheap sticker.

Not much else to tell. The product does everything as advertised, for the most part. I haven't had the flip key cut yet, but I have found a locksmith that will do it for CDN$50.

Questions?

[Tiger]

So what did the alarm installer have to do differently from the included manual to make it work? How is your remote distance sensitivity in high interference area like bank? This is where BMW alarm suck... in such place, you can't disarm your own car!

[Jay 535i]

So what did the alarm installer have to do differently from the included manual to make it work?

Sorry, I didn't ask.


How is your remote distance sensitivity in high interference area like bank?

Gee, I dunno. It seems to work pretty well everywhere, so far.


This is where BMW alarm suck... in such place, you can't disarm your own car!

I haven't had that happen yet. In any case, there's always the key.

[mattyb]

thats sounds like a good idea and the right price for anyone who does not have this feature. good for you!

[Qube]

Hey Jay! Where'd you find a smithy that will copy the key?

[McWatters]

and does that free ipod **** actually work?? lol

cheers

J.McWatters

[Jay 535i]

and does that free ipod **** actually work?? lol

Yes, dude!! Check it out. (http://info.freepay.com/pressroom.html)

Qube: ASAP Locksmith; 416-347-1981; 5461 Yonge Street.

Are we gonna hook up for the drive to Chicago?

[Rob]

I'm seriously thinking of getting one of those keyless entery systems for my E34. Are they easy tyo install? in general i mean. not this exact system.

[Incantation]

hey dude does it deadbolt the doors and trunk when you use the lock function? you can verify this by sitting inside the car, locking the car with the remote, and then trying to pull up the lock pin on the window sill..

just curious, i installed my own keyless however it does not use the deadbolt function so i lock with the key .. when you deadbolt it's not possible to open the car from the inside, so i'm not worried about some crackhead smashing my window, pulling up the pin and having an early christmas by going into my trunk

[Lee in Ottawa]

Yes, dude!! Check it out. (http://info.freepay.com/pressroom.html)


What website should i sign up for??

[Paul in NZ]

Jay does it have the auto close feature?

[Rob]

I think the auto close and deadlock need to be done with the key. Unless you just hold the button on the remote?

[Qube]

Yes, dude!! Check it out. (http://info.freepay.com/pressroom.html)

Qube: ASAP Locksmith; 416-347-1981; 5461 Yonge Street.

Are we gonna hook up for the drive to Chicago?

Thanks. Now I can go buy some of those flip keys ;)

Yeah, I took the Friday off (of course) and leaving early then.

[misfortune]

There's been a lot of talk around here lately about the kits offered by BMWAlarm.com. I bought one, and here's my (brief) story.

Rather than installing it myself, as I'd planned, I paid an installer to do it for me. I was just too lazy. FWIW, he told me the instructions that came with the kit were all wrong, and that it was a good thing he knew his stuff or it wouldn't have worked.

My kit, BTW, does not include an alarm. It's just keyless entry, and it came with two flip-style keyfobs:

http://bmwalarm.vstore.ca/images/custom/BMWRZX2_W.jpg

The kit works great. The doors and trunk all lock and unlock as you'd expect, and the parking lights flash accordingly to confirm your button presses. Sometimes the system gets a little confused and the functions of the buttons can get transposed. That wouldn't happen with an OE system, but it's never very difficult to sort out. It happens generally when I press one or more buttons in quick succession, which there's no need to do anyway.

The keyfobs look great, but they feel a little cheap. Someone familliar with BMW quality will spot them as fakes, but they otherwise do the job well. The BMW logo on them, in particular, could never have come from BMW -- the roundel logo is printed off-center (that's a flaw, not a feature) and isn't raised. It's just a cheap sticker.

Not much else to tell. The product does everything as advertised, for the most part. I haven't had the flip key cut yet, but I have found a locksmith that will do it for CDN$50.

Questions?

Nice post man. This is what this forum is all about. Any chance you could get under there and take some pics for us? I'm an 89 535i man and I'd like to do the same. Also, how much did it cost ya?

[tonhertz]

Hey Jay! Where'd you find a smithy that will copy the key?
I bought one of those key and I got it cut at this place for $29 Reilly's Security Services

[Jay 535i]

I'm seriously thinking of getting one of those keyless entery systems for my E34. Are they easy tyo install? in general i mean. not this exact system.

Read the first post in this thread. I had an installer do the work because I was lazy and worried about screwing up. He told me I'd done good, since, according to him, the included instructions were all wrong.


hey dude does it deadbolt the doors and trunk when you use the lock function? you can verify this by sitting inside the car, locking the car with the remote, and then trying to pull up the lock pin on the window sill..

No, I don't think it deadbolts the doors, though I haven't tested. The kit does come with a warning: if you use the key to deadbolt the doors, do NOT use the remote to unlock them -- you could damage the door locks. I take that to mean that the deadbolt function cannot be operated remotely.


What website should i sign up for??

If you sign up for any offer on this page (http://ipods.freepay.com/?r=28996754), you'd be helping me out by being my reference. Then you'll have to find five friends to be your references and you'll get an iPod of your own.


Jay does it have the auto close feature?

Sadly, no. I tried just holding down the button on the remote, but nothing happens.


Any chance you could get under there and take some pics for us? I'm an 89 535i man and I'd like to do the same. Also, how much did it cost ya?

I didn't do the installation myself, so I don't have pics. I don't think there's much to photograph, anyway.

The kit cost me about US$140 on ebay. Check out this ebay store:http://stores.ebay.com/United-Auto-Security

Note: there are different kits depending on whether or not your car is prewired for keyless entry. Make sure you get the right kit.

Phew, did I answer everyone? :)

If you wanna see, touch and play, look for me in Chicago on the 10th :D

[Qube]

No, I don't think it deadbolts the doors, though I haven't tested. The kit does come with a warning: if you use the key to deadbolt the doors, do NOT use the remote to unlock them -- you could damage the door locks. I take that to mean that the deadbolt function cannot be operated remotely.

Yeah, that's very important to remember. Key or remote. Not both at same time!


I bought one of those key and I got it cut at this place for $29 Reilly's Security Services

What link? :)

[VentoGT]

Thanks for posting this...I am going to have to take the plunge on the prewired kit and see what happens with it since you have the non-prewired one...

[Jay 535i]

What link? :)

http://www.reillysecurity.com

I guess I'll go there, too, since it's a better price than I was quoted.