I am always baffled when I see/hear an advertisement for this service. It seems SO not worth a monthly fee. If you have it? How often do you use it and how many times do you use it for actually emergency type situations as opposed to for convenience?
I have it and it's AWESOME. IJ's grandparents hardly ever get to see her, and she's not very focused when she is given the phone (and we can't translate as well, either) but the OnStar essentially makes the car a big moving cell phone with better sound than a typical speaker-phone.
I've only used it in an emergency once, when a van rolled over right in front of me on 167, and by the time they got through there were a bunch of people who had called 911.
We use the basic service, which is like $16/month, and the cell phone minutes cost us like .20/minute, but we don't use it that much so we don't go through them that fast. I think the service level where you can call them for directions and things like finding the nearest Starbucks is $36/month.
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I've never been interested in OnStar for myself, but I could be greatly comforted if Grandma & Grandpa retained their services in case of emergencies.-- Especially if they aren't inclined to be cellphone people.
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All cell phones have to have GPS in them for E-911 location.
Buying a car with OnStar is giving the government a license to track your vehicle without a search warrant, since your car would have to be visible to be driven on a road, and therefore falls into the plain sight defense.
Originally posted by Guru ZimBuying a car with OnStar is giving the government a license to track your vehicle without a search warrant, since your car would have to be visible to be driven on a road, and therefore falls into the plain sight defense.
I won't be buying a vehicle with OnStar ever.
Yeah, and watch out for those black helicopters too.
My dad got OnStar when he bought his Chevy Impala a few years ago. He likes it, but has never used it.
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Originally posted by Guru ZimOnStar is built into many GM vehicles.
OnStar is a cell phone.
All cell phones have to have GPS in them for E-911 location.
Buying a car with OnStar is giving the government a license to track your vehicle without a search warrant, since your car would have to be visible to be driven on a road, and therefore falls into the plain sight defense.
I won't be buying a vehicle with OnStar ever.
You have already bought a tinfoil hat, apparently...
On a semi-serious note, I don't really see the advantage to OnStar if you've already got a cell phone. And, to address the privacy issue, most cell phones allow you to turn the GPS locator off, so you DON'T run into what Guru's talking about. I guess my question is if you've got a cell phone, what's the point of OnStar?
Originally posted by Guru ZimI won't be buying a vehicle with OnStar ever.
I'm with you, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time until they all have ON-Star or a similar service. I can even foresee a situation where the insurance companies kick up your rates something awful if don't have it.
I work for a rental car facility that uses Onstar in many of their GM vehicles. It's a pain in the ass because a lot of them accidentally hit the button and I have to speak to a representative for a good 20 minutes in order to close the session due to a screw-up on someone else's part.
As for my personal vehicle? I drive a Ford, so that's an automatic no.
Originally posted by Guru ZimI won't be buying a vehicle with OnStar ever.
I'm with you, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time until they all have ON-Star or a similar service. I can even foresee a situation where the insurance companies kick up your rates something awful if don't have it.
(edited by Nag on 23.2.06 0403)
If OnStar is automatically available on newer GM vehicles...is there a way or an option to have the service automatically cancelled or not included?
I'm slightly paranoid about having automatic GPS service being able to track me; I have that option on my cellphone turned off.
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Originally posted by OliverIf OnStar is automatically available on newer GM vehicles...is there a way or an option to have the service automatically cancelled or not included?
"Available" means it's equipped to use OnStar. You still have to pay for it.
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Originally posted by OliverIf OnStar is automatically available on newer GM vehicles...is there a way or an option to have the service automatically cancelled or not included?
"Available" means it's equipped to use OnStar. You still have to pay for it.
But what if someone doesn't want it?
"At the end of every hard-earned day, people find some reason to believe." -- Bruce Springsteen
Originally posted by OliverIf OnStar is automatically available on newer GM vehicles...is there a way or an option to have the service automatically cancelled or not included?
"Available" means it's equipped to use OnStar. You still have to pay for it.
But what if someone doesn't want it?
Then you don't pay for it? It's just like a cell phone: you might be holding a cell phone, but unless you pay for the service it's just a piece of metal in your hand.
If you don't subscribe it's still built into the car and ready to used any time you would decide that you did want it.
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The commercials always say that the first year of emergency service is free.
And even if you aren't using it, that doesn't mean they turn the GPS off.
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My Mom just bought a new Pontiac Torrent with On-Star and she got the first 16 months free of the basic service. It gives me piece of mind that she has it just in case.
We actually had someone around here get saved by On-Star when his Envoy overturned on a rural road and his airbags deployed. He was knocked sensless and the On-Star called into the vehicle and got no response so they alerted the police. 10 minutes later they were pulling him out of a creek where he had overturned. On this particular road no one else would have noticed his tracks until morning and by then he would have been dead. So that is where the advantage of having On-Star versus a cell phone comes into play I suppose.
even foresee a situation where the insurance companies kick up your rates
Mom gets a discount from insurance company (State Farm) as long as the On-Star Basic Service is active. I think is something like a 5% discount on a 6 month policy.
As for government tracking, they can track her all they want. She goes to the store and to my house and to church. They will get bored real quick! Same for me, if I ever get On-Star. I go to work, I go home, I go to the store, I go out to eat. They can track me all they want.
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As for government tracking, they can track her all they want. She goes to the store and to my house and to church. They will get bored real quick! Same for me, if I ever get On-Star. I go to work, I go home, I go to the store, I go out to eat. They can track me all they want.
Just because you have nothing to hide doesn't mean that it's ok to track you (or anyone else). In fact, because you have nothing to hide is exactly why you shouldn't be tracked. I don't have anything to hide, but I sure as hell don't want to be tracked by the government or anyone else. I also don't want to be searched or have my home searched, even though there is absolutely nothing illegal that I do. {except speed sometimes...ummmm...make that exceed the speed limit)
If you want to get On Star for you or a family member for peace of mind, then good for you. But, I don't want anything my car which is out of my control that can be used as some sort of tracking or surveillance device. And, yes, I'll feel better when my tin foil hat gets back from the cleaners.
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$380 per month 1 bedroom, 1 bath I get a water bill and electric bill and of course everything is electric in the place. No laundry in the partment but it is practically at the bottom of my stairs ($1 wash/$1 dry). Patio overlooks pool.