OnStar for Everyone

[RonBoyd]

I have a realatively new (2008) GM vehicle and was disappointed that it didn't come with OnStar so I couldn't experience the 1st year no-cost thing. Now comes this so I am of mixed feelings.

Get OnStar Without Having to Buy A GM Vehicle.

Until now, the only way to get OnStar services was to buy a GM vehicle. Well, no more. OnStar unveiled a $299 standalone mirror at the Consumer Electronics Show last week that will bring OnStar's connected services to any vehicle.

 

[bizlady]

We have OnStar for the first time after purchasing a GM vehicle this spring. Like it, but feel the phone mintures are pretty pricey- (about .40 a minute) Like the directions feature, but can't justify the monthly cost. Wish they had a daily or pay-per-direction option. Do like the feeling of having this for a backup- but would like to see family minutes before we would pay for both vehicles. That said, we are planning a big trip next year and would look to rent a vehicle with these features for travel.

 

[Westernskies]

Why wouldn't GM offer Onstar for a fee? They're really after the subscription dollars anyway, and the more units they get into service, the greater the downstream revenue- whether they are in GM vehicles is immaterial. A lot of the features we find on cars today (fuel injection, airbags, antilock brakes, automatic transmissions, power windows, etc. ) were developed and introduced by one of the car manufacturers and later [-]copied [/-] licensed/implemented by the others.

 

[jazz4cash]

No idea what this means...I have a stand alone On-Star radio that was given to me many years ago and it can be moved for car to house, office, etc. I let the contract lapse awhile ago though so maybe the standalone is being re-introduced?

We just got a new GM vehicle and I forgot how much I love On-star...especially Bloomberg (burg?) and the classic radio and comedy channels....and the Jazz

Everybody loves On-star radio, but not enough are willing to buy subscriptions to push the price of my XM stock up

 

[Texas Proud]

No idea what this means...I have a stand alone On-Star radio that was given to me many years ago and it can be moved for car to house, office, etc. I let the contract lapse awhile ago though so maybe the standalone is being re-introduced?

We just got a new GM vehicle and I forgot how much I love On-star...especially Bloomberg (burg?) and the classic radio and comedy channels....and the Jazz

Everybody loves On-star radio, but not enough are willing to buy subscriptions to push the price of my XM stock up

You are mixing up subscription radio for onstar... onstar is NOT your radio... that is Sirius or XM radio...

 

[Midpack]

Not trying to be a dumb___, but unless I'm unconscious as a result of an accident (I accept that's entirely possible) what does OnStar do that a cell phone (presumably we all have one) and a $150 GPS won't do? I am not worried about locking myself out of my own car (not yet anyway).

 

[Westernskies]

Not trying to be a dumb___, but unless I'm unconscious as a result of an accident (I accept that's entirely possible) what does OnStar do that a cell phone (presumably we all have one) and a $150 GPS won't do? I am not worried about locking myself out of my own car (not yet anyway).

It will call 911 when your airbags deploy and you are unconcious...

 

[ERD50]

Not trying to be a dumb___, but unless I'm unconscious as a result of an accident (I accept that's entirely possible) what does OnStar do that a cell phone (presumably we all have one) and a $150 GPS won't do? I am not worried about locking myself out of my own car (not yet anyway).

I know someone who got into an accident and they were not even injured, but extremely disoriented because the car spun around and then hit the wall/divider on the highway.

1) They couldn't even find their cell phone (it went flying).

2) Someone stopped, and offered their phone to them. She couldn't enter the numbers, she was shaking and just still kind of panicky.

3) She had to calm down to even be able to tell the other person what # to call.

And this is someone uninjured, I don't think they even took her to the hospital. Air bags going off can be quite an event though.

That said, I don't have anything but a cell phone for myself, but I've considered it. By the time I add up all the odds of needing it, no one around to call 911, etc, I just say fuggetaboudit.

-ERD50

 

[jazz4cash]

You are mixing up subscription radio for onstar... onstar is NOT your radio... that is Sirius or XM radio...

Ah, yes I am...oops.

I often wondered what the liability issue might be if your airbag deploys and if the OnStar operator would only respond if your subscripton is up to date. I've heard they would bill you after the fact but have not seen it in writing.

 

[alvarezg]

I believe that OnStar can unlock your doors and even stop the engine. It can also locate the vehicle via GPS. How long before someone hacks this system? Maybe I'm too paranoid.