I have had an interlock for a bit over two years now. The original system by Alcolock worked fairly well. In cold weather it was much less reliable, but still pretty ok overall. I moved to a state with no Alcolock providers and I had to switch to a Smart Start system. This was a nightmare and it rarely worked. I got used to blowing for 5 minutes to get the car started and to having to blow 7- 10 times every time trying to pass a retest. Worst of all with my original Smart Start handset I had to blow so hard that I sometimes felt faint. It became so bad that I got my sentencing judge to ok an order that would allow me to have the Smart Start system removed and another one put in. When I went to have it removed the provider asked me if I would want to try one of their new handsets, just to see if it was any better. I did and this thing has worked like a dream ever since. Not a bit of trouble ever, I have had to reblow or redo a retest maybe twice in three months. And when it asks for a retest or it makes me blow again it only ever happens once. Not time and time again like the Alcolock one did occasionally, or the original SS one did almost every time I drove the car. The new handset does not require you to blow like you are an air compressor either.
Now that it has gotten cold even this system is starting to give me some trouble. The wiring in the cord will go out on you in a heartbeat in the cold weather. I believe that I went through two cords when I had the Alcolock setup. My unit now will not even power on so I am going to try a new cord tomorrow.
Anyway, to make a long post a little longer- Anyone who is stuck with the original Smart Start handset has my sympathy. My system became unusable very quickly with it. If possible make Smart Start give you a newer handset. Not only does it work 100 times better, it does not ask you for a retest every 15 minutes. Once I get started and do the initial retest I usually have close to an hour before it goes off again.
My other point is that in cold weather these systems seem to go downhill fast.
Now that it has gotten cold even this system is starting to give me some trouble. The wiring in the cord will go out on you in a heartbeat in the cold weather. I believe that I went through two cords when I had the Alcolock setup. My unit now will not even power on so I am going to try a new cord tomorrow.
Anyway, to make a long post a little longer- Anyone who is stuck with the original Smart Start handset has my sympathy. My system became unusable very quickly with it. If possible make Smart Start give you a newer handset. Not only does it work 100 times better, it does not ask you for a retest every 15 minutes. Once I get started and do the initial retest I usually have close to an hour before it goes off again.
My other point is that in cold weather these systems seem to go downhill fast.