One of the feature I missed the most with my current SR+ car is the garage opener. Do you guys have any good alternatives other than carry a garage opener in my cupholder all the time? This is so.... 10 years ago.
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Garage door opener alternatives
- Thread starter amoeba
- Start date
destructure00
Active Member
Clip it to your sun visor instead?
Use Google Assistant or Alexa on your phone and issue voice commands to your wifi enabled garage door opener?
Modify a garage opener to use with a smart switch tied to a smart home platform like Hubitat or SmartThings, and use geofencing on your phone to trigger it?
Add smart capability to your opener with Alexa/HomeKit/hey google then use your phone assistant to open/close it. Welcome to the future where it’d be faster to click a button on a physical remote.
Geo fencing via cell phone/tasker seems like the best solution. Downside being responsiveness of tasker and the geo fencing, I suppose.
I open mine with Siri on the occasions I have a loaner. I have an Apple Watch, so I don't need to unlock the phone to get the door to open.
I have not bothered setting up geofencing, but that easy enough with Homekit (and I'm sure Alexa) if I need to do it all the time.
Tam
Well-Known Member
You might want to try $100 Tailwind iQ3 Smart WiFi Garage Remote Control.
It automatically issues an opening or closing command by detecting your Tesla's Bluetooth.
I think it says the minimum compatibility for your old garage are:
1) A button on the wall to open/close your door
2) Obstruction detection (older garage do not have this one)
I have no idea whether it works or not because all my 3 Tesla cars have had HomeLink so I didn't have to look for alternatives.
Big-T
Member
Uh, so this as been a question for me too. I just ordered a MyQ Smart Garage Door opener.
Won't arrive until Saturday, but it seemed the easiest to convert my dumb garage door opener to something smart. I'll have to tap the app on my phone to get the garage door to open, it doesn't geofence as far as I know.
For that part, the Tailwind does seem like it COULD be better, although I use an iPhone and the directions specifically state that I'll need a bluetooth puck add-on that I have to keep in my car for any Bluetooth geofencing to work. I also have to run wires from the unit down to the garage door to setup the sensors. The MyQ is wireless, and if I want to buy an additional module will support homekit. (which I think could support a "hey siri open my garage door" type voice command)
Won't arrive until Saturday, but it seemed the easiest to convert my dumb garage door opener to something smart. I'll have to tap the app on my phone to get the garage door to open, it doesn't geofence as far as I know.
For that part, the Tailwind does seem like it COULD be better, although I use an iPhone and the directions specifically state that I'll need a bluetooth puck add-on that I have to keep in my car for any Bluetooth geofencing to work. I also have to run wires from the unit down to the garage door to setup the sensors. The MyQ is wireless, and if I want to buy an additional module will support homekit. (which I think could support a "hey siri open my garage door" type voice command)
We have Homelink on our M3s but we needed to replace our aging garage door opener anyway, so we just installed a Liftmaster WLED opener. The previous unit was 18 years old and was horribly noisy. This one is so quiet I can barely hear the garage door opening.
Anyway, it has geofencing with the IPhone, and it even sends me a text message if I’ve left my garage door open for more than 15 minutes. And I can check the status of the garage door from my IPhone anywhere I have an internet connection and remotely open and close it from the IPhone.
I got a flat tire a few weeks ago on my Model S loaner car and needed Tesla roadside assistance to swap the tire for a spare. I couldn’t be home when they got there but they needed to have access to the car and I didn’t want to leave my key in the car in my driveway. So I left the car in my garage and told them to call me so that I could remotely open the garage when they were ready to swap tires. It worked perfectly.
Anyway, it has geofencing with the IPhone, and it even sends me a text message if I’ve left my garage door open for more than 15 minutes. And I can check the status of the garage door from my IPhone anywhere I have an internet connection and remotely open and close it from the IPhone.
I got a flat tire a few weeks ago on my Model S loaner car and needed Tesla roadside assistance to swap the tire for a spare. I couldn’t be home when they got there but they needed to have access to the car and I didn’t want to leave my key in the car in my driveway. So I left the car in my garage and told them to call me so that I could remotely open the garage when they were ready to swap tires. It worked perfectly.
Tam
Well-Known Member
I think Tailwind should work with your Tesla Bluetooth and it should not need any other Bluetooth signal generators such as Iphone or Tailwind Bluetooth puck.
However, if your Tesla does not have Bluetooth because it's broken and not repaired due to out-of-warranty, then, of course, you'll need Tailwind Bluetooth puck staying in your Tesla (might be cheaper than repairing Tesla out-of-warranty).
TT97
Active Member
Gentex makes several aftermarket rear view mirrors that have Homelink built in. It would need to be hard-wired to the car and not sure how easy it would be to replace to existing mirror but could be something to look into. You would still need to manually press the button but wouldn't need the garage door openers (so only 5 years ago and not 10).
Tam
Well-Known Member
Tesla's HomeLink system is automatic.
TailWind, Bluetooth system is also automatic.
They detect their own signals from your Tesla car to open and close your garage without human telling them anything at all.
I don't think MyQ can do that just yet: As you leave home or approach home, you have to manually tell MyQ to do something either from your phone app or Siri or some other manual means.
On amazon you can buy the chamberlain u iversak hub and sensor. It’s 80. Works with most garage door openers. Easy install as long as your WiFi in the garage is good. You can close and open via your phone and get status and warnings as well. I’m not sure if it works with the Tesla auto open/close.
Tam
Well-Known Member
Yes. Most if not all HomeLink compatible garage would work automatically with a Tesla if you bought HomeLink option when you ordered your Tesla.
But I think the thread for alternatives is because owners don't buy HomeLink for their Tesla.
If you want garage door automation from your Tesla Model 3 order, you need to buy Premium Interior which is available currently for Long Range and up (not for Standard Range Plus and down.)
If you only bought Chamberlain product only without Model 3 Premium Interior, your Tesla cannot automatically open and close your garage.
I just noticed that the Homelink Automatic Garage Door Opener is now available on Tesla’s accessory site as an after purchase retrofit for SR and SR+! It’s $300 which includes installation at the service center. A bit pricy for a garage door opener but I’ll likely do it.
Big-T
Member
WHAAAT - Link please! Can we request a mobile ranger to come out and take care of this for us?
EDIT - Found the link Automatic Garage Opener
Now, Retrofit me a subwoofer in the trunk for $300 and I think we're good!
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MtlDan
Member
Great new option but agree it is pricy - triple the cost of the gotailwind.com solution! I really like that it would be integrated into Tesla user interface though (part of the magic) and that when I move the capability is retained without having to remove any hardware from the garage door opener. On my wish list, like Big-T pointed out, right under the DIY Model 3 subwoofer upgrade I hope someone comes up with!
