Quiltingboard Forums

Quiltingboard Forums (https://www.quiltingboard.com/)
-   General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk) (https://www.quiltingboard.com/general-chit-chat-non-quilting-talk-f7/)
-   -   OnStar anyone? (https://www.quiltingboard.com/general-chit-chat-non-quilting-talk-f7/onstar-anyone-t161719.html)

klarina 10-19-2011 04:30 PM

I bought a truck five months ago that had OnStar services free for six months.

This is about to expire and now I need to decide if I cancel the OnStar service or if I keep it. They offer two options one for $28.90 and one for $18.95/mo.

I don't know what to do. I have a GPS gadget, so I don't need OnStar for turn by turn directions.

Other than that, I'm not sure if I want to spend that money or just just cancel the service and save it.

Those who have had OnStar for some time, I would really appreciate your thoughts / complaints or whatever. Thanks.

athomenow 10-19-2011 04:42 PM

Have GPS, wouldn't want the OnStar, too much big brother for me. Save the money for quilting!

3incollege 10-19-2011 04:49 PM

Don't waste your money. In 6 months how much have you used it? Zippo right!

cmagee84 10-19-2011 04:53 PM

I have it for safety reasons. If anything happened while I was traveling alone or while my husband was out of town, it is nice to know someone is there to help...immediately. It is the same concept as insurance. That is my 2 cents worth. :)

Sheila_H 10-19-2011 04:53 PM

I'd say if you haven't used it don't bother, and I don't like the idea of someone being able to tamper with the locks, ignition or anything else on my vehicle remotely.

We have the 2011 Ford Edge and the GPS is built into it, and it works a lot better than the other GPS that we plugged into the car.

Think of it this way that could be a block of the month payment lol

nance-ell 10-19-2011 04:55 PM

I love Onstar. Hope I never have to be without it. Even though I have a GPS, I often use Onstar instead because I don't have to key anything in, just call and give the address I want. We've used it extensively when traveling to find places to eat. I called one night while driving through MS in the middle of nowhere to see if there were any places ahead to stop and eat. There were.. that were about 5 miles off the highway, and I never would have stopped there otherwise. Had a great meal. I've used it to get phone numbers for restaurants to call and make a reservation or check their hours. I like the security of knowing if I need someone, they are there. I also read a post on an auto forum from a man who was traveling with his family late at night and hit a deer. The vehicle could not be driven due to the damage and it was snowing and they were in a desolate area. There was no cell service. But they had Onstar and got help that way.

I know when our free time ran out, dh called and negotiated a good deal to keep it. You might try calling just to see what rate they give you.

In the end, you will hear strong opinions both ways and you just have to make up your own mind. After all, one man's trash is another man's treasure. It might not be worth it to you for any number of reasons, but it's worth it to me.

Murphy 10-19-2011 05:03 PM

I had OnStar when I purchased my new vehicle. Only used it once in the free year they gave me. I purposely used it that once to say that I had used it. Did not pay for it after the initial free period. I think it just depends on what you do with it.

Maride 10-19-2011 05:15 PM

I had it and loved it. I had a cellular number in the car and used on-star for that phone, so I had easy hands free (maybe not that important now, with so many hands free gadgets, but it worked for me). Also I used to travel often through mountains and on-star was the only way to communicate. I used it often, specially when I blew a tire. I got immediate help. It is something that you don't think you will need, until you do, but the good thing is that the car is equipped, and if you do need it in an emergency, just press the button and it can be activated quickly.

Mitch's mom 10-19-2011 05:17 PM

I have kept Onstar on my vehicle for 5 years. It found a safety issue (not a recall or a GM issue) with my vehicle, notified my dealer and emailed me that there was a problem. I have had to push the blue button 2 times. 1 time for a medical emergency, the other time I was stuck in a horrific traffic jam on the interstate, there was no cell service because the semi trucks were blocking the signal and my car was sucking fumes. They patched through a phone call for me so I could make arrangements to have gas brought to me from the other side of the interstate.
My husband refuses to discuss canceling it because I have had to use it.
Yeah - it can seem like Big Brother. I don't feel it is any better or worse in that respect, to a cell phone that tracks your movements even if the phone has no GPS on it.

Crqltr 10-19-2011 05:31 PM

I have on star..I was not going to keep it either. Until....driving down the road my car died. At the bottom one hill, base of another. No cell phone reception. On star came thru for me. I could not get my car completely off the road so she made sure I was safe, called for a wrecker,called police to sit behind me to keep me from getting rear ended, called the garage so they would know I was being towed in, offered to call my boss to let them know I would not be there. Even offered to call my husband for me. She gave me 100 free min. To use on the car phone that I had shut off because I have a cell. Just in case I needed to call someone while I waited. So I keep on star. Sorry this is so long.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 08:21 AM.