cM3go

According to Justin, who posted in the 2005 sticky, On-Star is gonna come on the 2005 TL. If any of you know who Justin is, back before the sites had merged, way before the TSX had come out, he provided very valid information about the coming TSX, which pretty much everything I remember he said was happening came true.

Anyways, if this is indeed going to happen, do you people who own 2004s (myself included) feel about this?

Do you care about On-Star?

Would you have wanted the service?

Would you want to add it to your 04?


I personally wouldn't mind it, HOWEVER, I have navi, and a bluetooth linked phone, and that combined with Acura TLC am not too overworked about this fact if it is true. But I was just wondering what you other members felt. Discuss.

Pot80h

I'm in the market for an 05TL (or maybe an 05RL) and I do not want Onstar. Someone else can have mine!

No way I want to pay a monthly fee to have someone call me with telemarketing offers (happened to my friend in her Suburban) or to tell me I'm on my own when I break down (as GM's customer service did the only time I needed them). I have AAA - which pays for itself in hotel discounts

If it IS in my new car, I'll be asking the dealer to disable it.

Am I correct in my observation that Onstar is currently only available in GM vehicles? I heard a nasty rumor a couple of years ago (around the time that Onstar appeared in the previous TL) that Acura/Honda and GM had signed some kind of technology sharing deal. Honda should know better - they were very badly burned in a deal with Rover in the UK back in the 80s! RUN, HONDA, RUN!!

EmuMessenger

Interesting bit of news, not a big deal to me.

Keep the new info coming!

Pot80h

Having just read a leaked version of the 05 RL's press release (at http://autodeadline.com/Brand?source=acura), it makes no mention of Onstar. I would have thought that the RL would have got it too.

cM3go

sweet, thanks for the link... damn no TL press release

justinjsw

ONSTAR(R) IN-VEHICLE COMMUNICATIONS AND ASSISTANCE SERVICE

The new RL has standard OnStar service in-vehicle communications and assistance service. The new generation of OnStar service can offer emergency assistance, accident notification, air bag deployment notification, stolen vehicle tracking, door unlock command and vehicle tracking, plus other features that provide an extra level of security and convenience.

Pressing an activation button located in the overhead console provides quick access to a live OnStar service advisor 24 hours a day. Using input from orbiting GPS satellites, the OnStar service advisor can easily pinpoint the location of the owner's vehicle to help provide assistance.

In the event of vehicle theft, subscribers need only contact the OnStar Center (after filing a police report) and provide a personal identification number. An OnStar service advisor can then pinpoint the car and direct authorities to its location.

The OnStar service system is integrated into the car's suite of electronic conveniences. This allows the system to dial phone numbers displayed on the navigation system by automatic voice command.

This version of OnStar service is equipped with a Digital/Analog Tri-mode phone. This means that in addition to Analog communication, the phone operates on both CDMA bands (Cellular and PCS) used by all CDMA digital networks in the US.

OnStar Personal Calling offers a hands-free, voice-activated, wireless phone that is built into the system in case the driver's hand-held cell phone is lost, forgotten or has a low battery. Personal Calling can be activated at the same time the OnStar service account is activated online, or by pressing the blue OnStar service button at anytime and talking to the Advisor. Pre-purchased minutes can be billed to a credit card. There is no activation fee or additional long distance or roaming charges.

In the RL, dialing numbers through OnStar Personal Calling has been greatly enhanced. Now customers can speak the phone digits they wish to dial in a steady stream, with no pauses (e.g., "2485551212"), rather than pausing between digits.

The RL comes with a free 1-year subscription to the Safe and Sound Plan (a $199 value). In addition, RL owners can choose to upgrade to the Directions and Connections Plan ($399 per year) which adds route support, convenience services and ride assist.

Finally, a Personal Calling Package, which includes wireless phone and "Virtual Advisor" Internet services, is available as part of both plans for an additional charge.

Pot80h

Good-on-ya, Justin Missed it. Too long staring at a computer all day at work.

No mention of MSRP, either!

Brokedoc

On the Onstar website, it lists all the current vehicles with Onstar. While the vast majority are GM (or partly GM owned like Saab, Subaru), Audi, VW, Isuzu, and the 2004 RL have it available as well.

Regarding the value of Onstar, there are a few benefits that I can think of that NAVI and a cell phone together can't provide:

- stolen vehicle recovery method is better than LoJack. The LoJack system is essentially a homing beacon activated by a remote signal. If there are are no police vehicles equipped with LoJack sensors within range of the vehicle, it won't be found unless a cop happens to pass within range of the vehicle. The OnStar system functions like a 2 way GPS locator. Once you tell OnStar to locate the vehicle, they can pinpoint it's location immediately and relay the info to the police for recovery (assuming the theives haven't disabled the cellular link).

- crash sensor activation or airbag deployment will activate OnStar. If you become unconscious because of an accident or can't use your cell phone for whatever reason, OnStar operators can still send police to your location even if you are not responding to the operator (such as driving off a deserted road in the middle of the night)

- OnStar can unlock your doors remotely - no more waiting for roadside assistance!

Like many other insurance policies, you may never use it but there may be once that it could save your life. If OnStar is available on my $36K '05TL, I think I'll pay an extra $200 a year for peace of mind (some members here are willing to pay $200/yr in tickets so they don't have to put the license plate on the front of their TLs!).

jwaters943

I personally think OnStar can be a great safety feature. For those of you who don't like it, it's not as if you are under some obligation to subscribe to the service. It's totally optional.

caball88

not really missing much, i wouldn't want the on-star anyways.

fast-tl

One interesting aside on OnStar: I read a story where the FBI requested permission to eavesdrop on an OnStar customer suspected in illegal dealings. I forget whether the courts granted the request, but it IS possible for them to listen in on conversations. I'm not sure what kind or amount of oversight is in place there. What if they could record the audio environment from a few seconds before a crash just like airplanes? OH, he had the radio up to 100! Oh, he was yelling? Was this road rage? Interesting.

rets

On-star may be good, I'd continue its service if my car has it.

If not, I'm fine without it.


Ok, how many subscriptions does the future 05TL/06TL should pay? Are they really necessary?

XM, On-Star, ("probably", "might be" upgradable Real time traffic/XM premium service), etc... it's good to have so many options handy, and I'll pay for all if my car has. However, I bet eveyone has different opinions about having all of them? I just hate there are buttons over the console and they ain't working when pressing them...

DWP

My current car has TeleAid, which is like OnStar but from a different vehicle manufacturer. It came as standard equipment on the car, with the subscription for the first year included in the purchase price. We haven't used it even one time in the year that we have had the car - not for accident notification or theft recovery, luckily, but also not for opening the door or getting directions to the nearest rib joint either. The subscription is supposed to renew for something like $250 on my credit card during September if I don't tell them to not renew it. I'm not sure if I'll renew it or not.

A system like OnStar or TeleAid provides location-based services only if (a) you are within cell phone coverage of whatever cellular system they use, and (b) the GPS antenna has a clear shot at the necessary number of birds. If your car breaks down somewhere out in the boonies beyond any cellular coverage, start walking. If somebody steals the car and parks it in a garage or other overhead cover, it can't tell the cops where it is.

Brokedoc

There was an episode of CSI when they proved the killer was the driver of a car that hit someone because the OnStar activated when the crash sensor went off and they got the killer's voice on tape.

If you are involved in illegal activities, don't subscribe to OnStar.

northjerseyacura

1. if my car is stolen by some jack ass I don't want it back after it has been beaten on and stuff....

2 I think that if i get into a car accident it should be auto matic that the navi can notify the police that I was in a accident.

Should not have to pay 200 or 300 a year for that service that is crazy they should not have this offered on Acura.

SilverSpike

I have OnStar on my GMC Envoy, and it really rocks... if I'd known they were offering it on the '05 TL, I'd have waited a few weeks. Oh well, seems like anything with technology is outdated the day you buy it. I still love my TL more than any car I've ever owned!

cM3go

YOU CAN DISREGARD THIS POST, HERE IS THE OFFICIAL 2005 TL CHANGES

http://www.acura-tl.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92787

rets

Thread is still good to stay... the false alarm?? LOL.

Bitium

Just in case you didn't know the 2003 had onstar system and it only lasted that long, because the 04 TL doesn't have it. I think is kind of useless. Acura replacement of the onstar system was integrate bluetooth as standard on the car which they did.

Now a days because onstar has car diagnostics and other features it was added to the RL.

Would it go back to the 2006 TL? maybe, but not likely.

pimpravi

i love onstar <33333