Keep OnStar or not? Benefits are obvious, but disadvantages? And none of that paranoid, aluminum hat, crap.

 

i renewed mine last month... something around $300 for a year.... I find it helpful.

 

Onstars a ****'n waste of money i have a cell phone for a reason if i get in an accident. and there other crap they offer is useless.

 

i use mine all the time for direction and such and for the phone so much easier when your trying to drive a stick now dont get me wrong i can drive a stick and eat some chicken nuggets and drink a soda but thats how accidents happen like spilling a nugget

 

Funny story...When my OnStar expired I never renewed it...I was at the bar a couple months ago watching a UFC with a buddy and we ended up racking up like a $180 bill on pitchers so I was in no shape to drive home...A friend picked us up and drove us home then when I got home I realized my car wasnt locked...I decided to call OnStar and see if they could lock it...The guy said ya I can lock it but your going to have to re-subscribe after...So I agreed he locked it and I hung up lol...

 

I never used it. I dropped it when the free subscription ran out.

 

Is your cell phone able to unlock your doors if you lock your keys in your car? Does you cell locate your car if its stolen? Does you cell tell you why the engine light is on? Does your cell automatically call 911 if you are in an accident and unconous?

I would not call the others "useless" they are just insurance. The typical person will never use any of these features, but they could be very helpful if something bad does happen.

The only two disadvantages I see with Onstar is that it costs money, and that if you wreck your car at the track, your hosed. (GPS know where you are)

I dint even know they could lock it remotly... Nice.

 

Yeh the track thing is fcked up. This is the "bad" crap I was talking about. Any other negatives? Can GM pull OnStar records for warranty claims? Like regarding tunes/ECU swaps?

I use it whenever a code is popped. Their techs are actually very knowledgeable. They helped me fix 3 different codes, without having to go to the dealer or get them scanned.

 

1. if u have keyless entry and lock your keys in your car..i'm sorry then ur a ****'n idiot.

2. If my car get stolen i really dont give a **** i dont want it located they can have it they probably beat the **** out of it.

3. No my cell phone doesnt tell me y my check engine light is on....autozone will read the code for FREE.

4. Well that could be a little useful for some people... but where i drive 99% of the time there is someone else on the road hopefully they will call 911.

5. I still say onstar is WAY overpriced for the b.s. they offer

 

wow nothing to do with keyless entry, a lot of people dont own cell phones, if your car is stolen, you think your insurance just gives you a car the same day?, does you cell phone lower your insurance bill like onstar does?

onstar could help here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IKXTa_Z2Ow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbX_I_lrmIc

 

onstar does not lower insurance rate for progressive in TX just fyi, and yeah I in general a lot of people do own cell phones.

I won't be renewing it when it stops being free.

 

Yea there ARE useful features. I know for a fact that onstar helps at an accident scene. Others will pass and figure, the next oncomer will call. Believe Im a Firefighter/EMT. ***** happens, but i know that onstar wont be like "oh ill just take a break and let the next guy on the shift call for help."

BUT

they are overpriced. And it doesnt matter about insurance because the price you pay for Onstar will only end up making you pay the same price in the end, reguardless of discounts

 

I hate the UGLY rear view mirror and antenna!!!!!

Dimitri

 

I've used it for directions several times and find that very usefull. In an accident your cell phone isn't going to help you when it's on the floor or in the back seat or out the window or on your roof while your upside down....

I was camping last fall in Maine and we got hit with a freak thunderstorm.... flooded our tent, blew over our screen room, etc, etc... my wife and I jumped in the car and hit the onstar button.... I told them the situation and told them I needed a hotel or something. The rep found 3 local bed and breakfasts which were the closest, and since it was late, the rep called all of them to see if they were available. She was able to find one who was willing to take us, and she then sent us the directions to the location. I couldn't have done that with my cell phone since I had NO SERVICE where we were camping!

Not only can onstar locate your car if it's stolen, but it can now also slow your car down so that a cop can safely pull it over, or so the thief can't really joyride in it...potentially saving a ton of damage to your car...

but to each his own... like I said, I PERSONALLY am a fan...

 

I keep it for the kid's . If i didn't have any ....i would have dropped it. It makes me feel better that if I was hurt or killed ...at least an ambulance would be on the way for the kids.

 

The only time my cell phone is not in my pocket while driving is if I am on it... I guess I could get in the habit of putting it back in my pocket after I start make the call or hit the talk button so that in the scenario where I get in an accident while talking on the phone with someone who won't call 911 for me... I will be able to find it again when I regain conscientious.

Just out of curiosity, do all of you guys with this worst scenario mentality have full coverage?

 

Well if you have a car payment, then yes. Full coverage. You have to have it here in NC.

 

That's true, I was just curious if this worst case scenario mentality was just localized to onstar or if it affected everything. Like having a bi-monthly reminder to update your will. What kind of safe does a person of that persuasion have? I'd assume more than just the standard fire proof little box one.
How often do you back up your family photos, and ect to your external HD or how ever you back them up.
Do you have a failsafe program that requires you to put a password in every 2-3 days or so and if that is not done it deletes all the **** off your comp so that when you die in whatever grisly, and sudden way that gets washed away so no one else sees it?

I don't really think in those terms so it intrigued me
Curious what other rituals of the "ready to die at any second" have that I have not come up with off the top of my head.

 

I've worked as a tow truck driver and I've seen a LOT of wrecks...

have fun pulling that phone out of your pocket with broken arms or wrists, or even trying to find your pocket when your chin is pinned to your chest because the roof has caved in on you...

It's not worst case mentality... it's being realistic. I don't know anything about you, but I know from experience that it's usually younger, less experienced drivers that have the "invincible mentality"... they can't fathom anything serious happening to THEM... time to wake up.

 

When you are responsible for someone other that yourself ......It changes your outlook. When i was in my 20's i never thought about **** like this . So your saying because i have onstar to protect my children .....I'm planning to die ?? I guess i just want to give my kids the best shot at survival should something bad happen .........something that happens to people everyday in this country.

 

Well said.

 

Yep great post .

 

i tryed to use onstar once for directions. i was trying to get to a race track.. they drove me to the middle of the woods. .. ..

onstar is gay.

 

20 bucks a month for a little added security for me and my passengers, as well as a little discount on my insurance. Heck why not.