Rare earth magnets are just that, rare, here on earth...nah.  The
positioning magnets in disk drives are powerful enough for what you need.
Or EbaY often has Niobium magnets listed.  On 'rare' occasions HarborFreight
has them too.  Crashed disk drives are often free at computer repair places.

If you attach a length of wire with a female .025" spade on one end and your
insulated connector of choice on the other end permanently to the extra
spade connector on the starter solenoid/relay on a bright sunny day it will
be easily at hand under more trying circumstances.  That and a few led
stickup lights should help for future travails.  Make sure the insulated end
is ziptied away from any contact with other ground conductors. Make the wire
long enough.

As I have said in the past, a few feathers, bones, shaken and rattled at the
appropriate time can't hurt.

The remote starter switch I like best has a button and two crocodile clip
leads.  Cost around ten bucks at the NapaFlapa.

Anyway glad you got it going.

Who are these people who bow to 20+ year old vehicles with such reverence?
We have met them, they are us.