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OnStar - Is it really worth it?

7K views 30 replies 19 participants last post by  gohawks63 
#1 ·
Want to get some feedback. I'm on a three month OnStar trial including directions and connections. When the trial ends the subscribtion is not cheap. The car already has navigation and I have a cell phone. Am I missing something or just throwing money away?

Thanks

Mark
 
#5 ·
Well, I do not carry a cell phone. Therefore, I find Onstar pretty convenient. Moreover, the best part is the automatic cash response - an added security when on the highway traveling alone. Add to that the Emergency services, monthly or on-demand vehicle diagnostics, stolen vehicle assistance, remote door unlock...
Each time I renewed my Onstar was because I was able to reach a good deal. The first year I bought the car, Onstar was included with turn by turn navigation which I never used. The last two years, I paid $148 a year plus 100 hands-free calling minutes for the Safe & Sound plan. It was not always easy to get them give me these deals, but spending 5-10 minutes back and forth with them was well worth it IMO.
 
#6 ·
I've always kept my "Safe & Sound" plan active. I figure it offers good piece of mind and is one more way I can get help if I've forgotten my phone, am outside my AT&T coverage area (OnStar uses Verizon), etc. I also find it much easier to be a good samaritan and report road hazards using OnStar than calling mobile 911 and waiting on hold for long periods of time. (The last time I tried calling CHP/mobile 911 -- mid-afternoon on a weekday -- I arrived at my destination before anyone even answered, so I just gave up trying to report the tire I'd seen in the middle of the freeway.)

The calling minutes, turn-by-turn directions, weather forecasts, and traffic information are all pretty useless, in my opinion.
 
#9 ·
On star was nice on the G8 GT, where I didn't have blue-tooth or Nav.

Directions and connections worked through the DIC, and the phone was awesome.

in the CTS, it's useless. You're not missing anything except that some phones are getting finicky with the NAV being 5 years old at this point.

The value in the service for the CTS is the crash response imo.
 
#10 ·
I've had to use it twice. When I first got my car, it broke down twice. So, I simply hit the OnStar button, and they were able to tell me which part of the car was wrong and pull up diagnostic codes. One time it was something simple that they came out and fixed, and the other was a major problem. They were able to locate me easily and tow me to the dealership.
 
#13 ·
Boxer 6 said:
Thanks for all the feedback. If I can get a decent deal on the safe and sound package, I'll probably do that. However, like some of you, I don't see the cost versus value in the turn by turn package in these cars.
Agreed. (especially if you have the NAV) Stick with the safe and sound plan if you're going for it. As others have stated, I kept it for the piece of mind. I also forget to grab my phone before heading out to the office quite often...the minutes are cheap and the signal the car gets is much greater due to the higher wattage! Overall, I'm satisfied with the service...after negotiating the price if course:)
 
#14 ·
Safe & Sound

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

•$18.95 per month

•$199.00 per year
12% Savings

•$359.00/ 2 years
21% Savings

•$499.00/ 3 years
27% Savings

Not worth it to me as I don't spend much time on desolate roads, blue-tooth works great, and I have a Garmin when GPS is needed. YMMV.

Same with XM radio. I have an ipod classic 120GB with 15,000 songs on it. I just can't pay for radio.
 
#15 ·
FWIW - there is an Onstar focus community called ConnectOn that is regularly surveying new features and services with Onstar. Some look to be worthy just as long as the enhancements come soon and dont cost more $$. I have kept my D&C plan even though I have a NAV and dont like the TurnbyTurn. I rarely use the Onstar calling minutes and keep rolling them over each year but now you can buy them cheap with the advent of Bluetooth phones commonplace. Knowing someone will be there in an emergency and having access to roadside assistance and diagnostics are important to me. However having said that, $299 is a lot of money for something I hardly use.
 
#18 ·
Be very careful agreeing to Onstar discounts with your insurance company. To see where there are going Read This

Insurance Companies are teaming up with Onstar to track you. Where will it end? Will you pay more insurance unless you agree to be tracked by your insurance thru onstar?

Some wonder what State Farm and Progressive will do with the information gathered in pursuit of discounts -- and worry that privacy could be compromised if the information is passed around.
 
#21 ·
As a child of the '60's I have learned to question authority. I still do, even when I get questions pertaining to my business that I own. I am very careful as to what type of information I give to anyone, especially random callers and internet inquiries. My 30 something son gives me grief about my questioning the questioner.
 
#22 ·
Points well taken Tinman>>>The onstar folks have finally, I think, quit calling and writing me to subscribe....I probably crazed the onstar folks because I never activated onstar by pushing the little blue button when I bought the car new and have recently removed the onstar fuse....I guess that means I don't have to wear the tinfoil hat anymore? 'Question Authority', yes!
 
#24 ·
Speaking of tin-foil. My wife actually had to use this trick last week. Ever since my C6 Corvette (walkup sensors) I have taken the spare fob, wrapped it in tin foil and hidden it in the car. Last week, my wife lost her fob while at a trade show. Onstar opened the car and she remembered I hid the fob. Big problem, easy solution. Made my onstar subscription worth it.
 
#25 ·
I do the same thing -- if I were to lose my fob or if it were to stop working, I figure that I can always call OnStar to unlock the car, but unless the spare fob is hidden in the car, I wouldn't be able to start it.

However, to avoid the possibility of a valet or car wash attendant finding it and stealing it for later use, or to prevent someone from breaking the window, finding the fob and stealing the car, I keep the foil-wrapped spare fob locked in one of these, which fits nicely in the lower portion of the center console, $21.02 from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Master-Lock-5...=UTF8&qid=1350143322&sr=8-2&keywords=key+safe
 

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#28 ·
Use my OnStar all the time. Drive alot and my CTS does not have navigation, so Turn by Turn is used often. Also come in handy when you are looking for a particular store or restaurant. Just call OnStar and ask for the nearest Red Lobster, WalMart or gas station and they guide you to it. I definitely think it is worth it. But that is just my opinion.
 
#29 ·
For those who are paranoid about OnStar knowing where you are.


Face it, your location is public knowledge. Just about every smartphone today will give away your location.

Here in Michigan a kid was implicated in killing his father. The police traced the cell phone pings from the kid's smartphone during the time the dada went missing and that led them to where the kid dumped the body.

Even if you turn the GPS function off on your phone, the police can still triangulate your location from the cell tower pings.

Bottom line, unless yogurt off the grid, people can always tell where you've been .
 
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