123456SPEED

I know the phone service is overpriced, but just for emergencies if you don't have a cell? Where is more info on onstar and the other services?

juve021

Yeah I use the onstar phone for emergencies....totally overpriced but ya know, another cool toy! The only real reason I have the service is 1) for the satellite door unlocking feature and 2) in some hopes that they might be able to track the car in case its stolen.

99gixxer

The one time I tried to use the satellite unlocking feature, it didn't work. Instead they had to send a tow truck guy to do it the old fashioned way.

OnStar basically told me that the car wasn't able to be unlocked remotely because it had no cellular service. Once my car was unlocked, I pushed the blue button and got right through to onstar service...maybe the angle of the sun stopped interfering with the cellular communication in the hour I waited for the AAA truck.

I just dropped the onstar service, I definitely didn't see any value from it.

WILLDOGS

Thought Onstar was only for GM?

Black CL-S 4-Life

123456SPEED

All the Acuras with Navigation have On-Star. definitely not just a GM thang. all brands have it. Gm markets it more since it's the only interesting techy thing on their cars!

WILLDOGS

I just remember reading that On-Star was owned by GM and only used on GM cars.

Never knew other car makers used them

dfreder371

I use it all the time, and it works anywhere. My cell phone absolutely refuses to work anywhere in Ohio, but onstar works.

100 minutes is only something like $39.60. I know, thats high. But you combine that feature with the navi, well, that sure beats driving down the interstate with a cell phone in one hand and a mapquest map in the other.

I've just learned to use the nametag feature. For those who don't know how the onstar phone works, here goes:

Push the white button. The radio silences automatically.

Onstar says "Ready"

I say "Dial"

Onstar says "Number please." (there is no need to start off with "1")

I say 8

Onstar says 8

I say 4

Onstar says 4

And so on, until you have spoken all ten digits and all ten have been repeated.

I say "Dial"

Onstar repeats "Dialing", and then number you are calling rings.

After your call ends, MAKE SURE you push the white button again! The radio will come back on.

Instead of doing all the number nonsense, there is a way to associate common names with the number. This now becomes:

Me: push the white button

Onstar: Ready

Me: Dial

Onstar: Number please

Me: Boss

Onstar: Boss

Me: Dial

Onstar: Dialing

You can also use the friendly folks at Onstar, who always address you by your first name, to get weather and traffic along your route. Very convient for a few pennies.

I have had myself and three other co workers in my car and we have held conference calls while going down the road.

One word of caution: If you ever goof and hit the emergency blue button, do not hang up! Stay on the line and explain your mistake. Otherwise the cops and ambulances are coming, and if an air bag has deployed, a tow truck is coming.

Onstar is free for the first year, and they give you 60 minutes free for the first two months, so, what have you got to lose?

I will not buy another car without this or a similar technology. And BTW, I have owned two 2003 CLS6s #1 was non navi, insurance was $1,013 for 12 months. #2, a navi, because it is the same thing as having LOJAC, $949.

dfreder371

Complete Onstar information begins on page 168 of the 2003 CL manual. Also, 888 4 ONSTAR.

BTW, Onstar, year #2 will cost you something like $160 for 12 months of service. I'll pay it. (basic service)

Jonesi

I thought it was only the 2003's...?!?

NSX-Tuner

I have OnStar with cellular service. I've used it a bunch and for the most part think it's worth it. I agree, the cellular service costs way too much. Unfortunately, for hands-free operation that's integrated into the car, this was the only option I was aware of.

OnStar's system does have a few bugs and I have experieced several glitches with their Virtual Assistant and cellular service. However, OnStar's customer service have been fairly responsive and have always followed up with all my issues. In fact, they've already extended my minutes several times over the last year. Apparently, this is their policy to help retain their customer base.

dfreder371

OOPS! I meant the RED button for emergencies!

123456SPEED

I live in Austin, TX and Onstar personal calling service is NOT available in this town. Apparently you have to get someone in a town that has it let you use their home address to set up an account, get a phone number and activate the service. I probably couldn't even use my creditt card since my address is in Austin.
Bogus, half-assed analog system. So anyone in Austin who may want to call my car is calling a long distance # depending on who I can find in the state or country that can activate it. They said much of Texas does not have it.
Why are there not more options. GM, I guess is the answer?
Apparently 04 cars have a new digital service that is available everywhere.
Another thing the dealer never mentioned when I was shopping there and considering Navi/Onstar option.

Slimey

I use it as often as I would use a cell phone in the car -- not that often. But I do use it and like it.
It is overpriced, but whatever. I write off most of the cell phone type expenses on my tax return anyway.

Chaptorial

I never even activated my Onstar system. It was 1 year last month since i bought my car and that free 1 year shit expired. :o

dfreder371

Chap. No, try to activate it. I got my car 6/23/03, but did not activate it until 8/1/03, and my membership card says expires 8/1/03.

It's from the time you activate the service with Onstar. Not when you bought the car!

Speed_Racer

I get the extra minutes for emergencies and the Virtual Advisor. It tells me weather, up to the minute traffic info even lotto numbers if I'm that bored. .

123456SPEED

Personal calling can not be ordered from many parts of TX anf FL, I'm finding out, and they don't know when if ever the analog 03 cars will get it, 04 cars are digital. I wanted to try it out since I don't want a cell phone but I'd like a phone in the car just for emergencies or light use. At least then modify our older systems for digital.

Chaptorial

Hmmmm really?

I’ll definitely give it a try. Wouldn't that be wild if i still get a free years worth of service starting now?

juice

I got it in my Sierra.

Do you have to pay the yearly subscription to use the cell phone? Basically, can I just buy minutes and use them for emergencies, or do i also have to pay the $200 a year? Thanks.

Slimey

I'm pretty sure that once you stop paying the OnStar connection you'll also lose the use of the phone. Yes, it makes it more expensive.

I think the most compelling feature of OnStar is the one where they'll call 911 for you and roll an ambulance to your GPS coordinates if the airbags are deployed. If I'm ever in that situation and it works, OnStar will have been very well worth it.

123456SPEED

You have to subscribe to one of their plans to get the phone service. The cheapest plan is about $17/month. then you prepay for minutes, you can buy 2 months worth, or 12 months worth.

dfreder371

Today as I and four others travel to Indianapolis, where ITW Gema is located (powder coating equipment manufacturer), me and my team of three traveling companions will make conference calls to Miller Electric (makes welders) and Hobart (food mixers) to check out how some tests are going. Also, I will call my 86 year old folks to see if them and the two pups are ok. Plus, I will also call my boss, presently in Denmark, to see if he needs anything.

This is a nice peace of mind/business tool. If you are Onstar equipped, it would be foolish not to take them up on their free trial period.

einsatz

I just renewed my minutes not too long ago for the second time and they gave me a warning at the end of the conversation that I needed to stay with a plan to use the minutes.
I've found the ~100min for a year for $~40 works great for me. I still had 8 minutes left near the end of the last period. I don't own a cell phone. Combined with the Safe+Sound package, I'm pretty happy.

Shawn S

Last time I used OnStar was when the dealer set it up on delivery over TWO YEARS ago.
The entire “free year” I never used it once.
Mine ran out and I’m too cheap to renew it.
The cheapest package is 199 a year and I don’t feel it’s worth it.

Shawn S

I wish they had a smaller OnStar package with just the Airbag crash notification and theft recovery tracking options.
If that were like 89 or 99 bucks a year I’d probably get it.

I have a cell phone and AAA membership so I don’t need all those concierge services for directions & such.

And it’s pretty near impossible to lock your keys inside our car so I don’t need the “unlock” service.
An insurance discount would be nice too, but I don’t believe any do that. I know Allstate doesn’t because I asked.

Slimey

Agreed. I keep hoping that as OnStar and OnStar like services become more common the rates will drop just like they did with normal mobile phone service.

Emergency services and mobile phone is all I would want or use.

I got no insurance discount either for OnStar or Lo/Jack.