dfreder371

After sitting on the fence for a month or so, I pushed the little blue button and enroled. Shit, I paid for it, so, why not.

I have a cell phone, and during the work week I get usually 15 to 20 calls per day. Getting the damn thing out of the case and off my belt is a hassle. After answering, I will generally try to get off the road and stop the car to talk. Also, when you have to make a call, pushing them damn tiny buttons is a bitch, especially at night with fifty year old eyes.

Enrolling was simple, and the Onstar people were very nice. It takes about 10 minutes to enroll, and your car should be on and running when you enroll. You get 30 free minutes of you dial a number time, not total phone use time. If you get called, whatever audio function is playing stops until you answer and finally end your call. Then it resumes where it left off.

Essentially you have a device in the car that emulates LOJACK. My car insurance was lowered because of it ($15, big deal, but it was lowered). And if you bash the machine up to the point where air bags are deployed, a tow truck and an ambulance are automatically dispatched.

Further, if your "check engine" light comes on, push the blue button and Onstar will tell you why. If you are dumb enough to lock your keys in the car, or, forget to lock it, just dial 1-888-4-Onstar, and they will correct either problem.

Guys, I travel by car, A LOT! And I gotta say, if you punch your destination in on the navi, and use the Onstar hands free phone, this beats the crap out of trying to drive 60 miles an hour, making a necessary phone call on the cell with one hand, and holding a mapquest map with the other. By my calculations, if you get to that point, you are fresh out of hands to do frivilous tasks like shifting and steering. The navi and Onstar are, in my opinion, great safety devices.

After the first year, which is free, this service is $7 per month CHEAPER than America on line. I have no problem with that.

kensteele

Don't have it in my 01 but when I get my new 05 TL-S, I'm going to sign up for Onstar in '06. Sounds like a pretty good deal.

John*K

$84 per year? That is nothing! Or is there some additional fee?

Slimey

I love the OnStar phone and system. It's expensive, but has been 'worth' it so far. I find it a well incorporated hands-free system.

The per-minute expense hasn't been too daunting, but I don't use the phone all that much.

Driving through Canada recently without a roaming fee was nice.

dfreder371

JohnK: No, no. It is 7$ LESS than my AOL fee of $23.90 a month.

Onstar basic service (it is all that you need) is $199/yr, or something like $16.95 a month. They have higher service plans, but if you decide you HAVE to have a higher plan, well, you basically can afford to burn money.

One thing I neglected to mention is this: After the 30 free minutes, you need to buy more when they expire (you must use all 30 in 60 days.) Phone minutes are $1 each! That ain't cheap! You do this by credit card.

Now, my cell phone is provided by the company, and I never see the bill, nor do I pay for it. And I NEVER abuse my phone priviledges, with the exception of calling Mom and Dad, to make sure they are OK. Both 85, so, it is worry time.

However, I would rather be called on the "phone in the mirror", even if I have to pay for it. I am even getting my business cards reprinted, with my desk phone first, Onstar second, and my cell phone third.

If the combination of navi and Onstar save one accident on my part due to distractions, it is well worth the price.

John*K

Sorry, my bad. I read it too quickly.

Man, I really wish I had got Navi. Mapquest is for the birds.

CL P Diddy

Just don't rob a bank and use your OnStar equipped car as the get away vehicle

greyjhu

Even if you get into an accident without paying for OnStar service, and you airbags are deployed, 911 will be called. i'm not sure if a rep will get on the phone like if you were to pay for the service, but thought I'd mention that the proper authorities will be notified of the incident. I called OnStar and found this out. The rep had to put me on hold to ask someone, but as long as the device is not damaged in the accident (antenna or OnStar device), 911 will be called on your behalf-

AK_MOBBER

tits...

Chaptorial

Cool deal. Since i bought my car in March i have yet to push that button and enroll.

I best do it soon.

Reddly9007

You should also know that for the 199 a year you really don't get much other then the basic safe and sound plan. You don't get any minutes to call anyone, you can't call and talk to anyone and ask them anything important. The only things you recieve is the call if you get into an accident. And a tow truck and maybe some other junk. I guess its worth it cause whats 200 a year, especially when it comes down to safety. The other plans are much more expensive. And the car phone call minutes are crazy! I would just rather use my cell phone with an ear piece. The plans they offer are way to expensive and definitely unjusitified. They would make so much more money if they just lowered the cost of the phone calls, I do agree that its much easier and convienent to use the speaker system in the car but refuse to pay that much for it. So until it gets less expensive i'll keep using my celly and just pay the minimum.

wuzzz619

People still use AOL these days

On a side note... I wish they would stop sending me those damn 274765 Million free hours CDs in the mail.

Shawn S

I don’t want to find out the HARD way, but I don’t think that’s true.

I never used my OnStar the first year so I let it expire.
I feel 200 a year for what it does is a waste.

If it were like 75-80 dollars a year for a basic protection package I think they would have a whole lot more renewals.

Shawn S

dfreder371

Shawn: It is FREE for the first year, except for the phone minutes of which they give you 30 for free, but you have to use those in the first 60 days.

What I will most probably do is use the Onstar phone for incoming phone calls only, and pull over to the side of the road and use my cell when I know I have to make a call to keep the costs down.

I did not enable Onstar until I had the car five weeks, and Onstar gave me no flack about it. For those of you who are Onstar capable, it costs nothing to push the blue button and ask questions. And the onstar people were not pushy. They asked me if I would like to be auto billed for my second year of Onstar (one year from now). I said I will cross that bridge when we come to it.

I had my boss and my VP in the car today, on the way to a business division. My VP was lamemting he forgot to tell his secretary something, so I fired up the phone, and he was able to talk to her, clear as a bell, from the back seat. Both Al and Lee were favorably impressed. In fact, Lee said "I wonder why my G35 (sedan) doesn't have this." (it DOES have a navi!)

Once again guys, you paid for this. You might as well use it. If for nothing else than incoming calls. The more of us that use it, the cheaper it will get. I remember, back in the 70's, blank VHS tapes were $27 each. Now Walgreens sells them two for a buck.

JakeCL

back in 1997 it was ok to pay 23.90 for dialup internet, in 2003 people should know they can get the same shit for around 9.99 and have $14 more to go towards your onstar fund a month, but hey its your money

CLSter

OnStar has been great, used it twice and the customer service people are actually helpful AND can speak English. I just have the basic service.

Their per-minute phone rates are insane though.

dfreder371

Jake: For UNLIMITED use?

JakeCL

around here yes definatly im not sure about your neck of the woods but there should be some, you wont get the whole aol frontend but you will get email and access to the internet

Juker008

Yea I can just see calling OnStar to ask them why the check engine light is on after I blow up my engine from N2O .

Wholly $hit I could just emagine how long I would be with the OnStar operator as she reads off the shopping list of engine codes after I blow the engine.










Juker008

Jonesi

What years did On-Star come with? 2003, 2002 ??

dfreder371

2003 for sure. 2002, I think so. 2001-no. Call 1-800-4-Onstar and ask them.

Chaptorial

Only on 2003 w/Navi.