GM and OnStar: The Biggest Rip-Off EVER!

[VadersOwnZ71]

I started this thread because of a poll recently posted whether people use their call feature on their OnStar. As I began commenting on the poll, it started to sound more like a rant and probably deserving of its own thread. So for you veiwing a commenting pleasure, here's my rant. Feel free to add your own, but let's keep it localized to the OnStar and Cell Phone features of our rides. Thanks!

Regarding the Verizon and/or OnStar phone service:

The feature is worthless without Bluetooth and/or Verizon. Not including Bluetooth was a shameless attempt to get people to pay the OnStar folks. Even buying minutes is a complete ripoff at the rates they're asking. GM really missed the boat here. All the other major makes offer the Bluetooth while GM intentionally left it out to encourage OnStar expenditure. Thanks for nothing GM.

OnStar is worthless besides the emergency use/crash detection/safety/and Lo-Jack features, something which should come with modest pay per use charges anyway. For those of us who have navigation, who needs the turn-by-turn, etc.? And I don't need OnStar's pathetic email to tell me that my oil life is at 75% and tires are inflated to 36 lbs. I can check that from the DIC thank you very much. Hell, if GM was so great, they could have programmed the DIC to read every code thrown by the computer to give all the same info provided by the email right there on the DIC or through the Navigation screen for those of us who have it. Afterall, all they do is connect to the vehicle's computer to get the info in the first place.

 

[LAP TOP GAMER]

I have had a positive experience with Onstar, with that said, yes the Onstar minutes are a rip off as Verizon is more reasonable, I make calls all of the time with it. I just don't like having a blue tooth thing stuck on my ear. I am just not into the Borg look. I agree they could have a more in depth diagnostics that would be helpful. I think over all it is a good service and some hate it and some love it.

 

[Mystic_angeleyes]

I love Onstar! Its a piece of mind thing! Knowing its there incase of an emergency or if i forget my cell. Love it!

 

[Rollin Thunder]

i think the diognastics is very good, gives me good info and i know stuff is running right, and if stuff is running wrong (hasn't happend), i push the blue button and they come get, me, the truck, and i get a loaner. all for that 199 a year fee. worth it if you ask me.

i pay about 50 dollars amonth extra for the minuites as i buy 100 minutes amonth. yes i think its alot, but it is so much easier than that crappy bluetooth crap thats filled everybodys mind on how good it it, BLUETOOTH SUCKS. i hate it, never use it, never will. short range, un realiable,and when my phone is connected to a bluetooth car ( have it on our lincoln) the quality of voice on both ends DROPS dramadicly, and sometimes it cuts out and the stupid thing says connection lost with phone, please reconnect. all in all im happy not to have to deal with blue tooth.

why dont i just use my iphone to make calls? its illeagle here to talk on your phone if its not hands free. sometimes i just use speaker and that works. but the onstar is easier. and i agree with laptopgamer, people who wear those ear things look like dorks and i think their crazy because they look like their talking to them selves. like the guy in the toilet stall next to you, somtimes you think he is talking to you then tells you to shut up he is on the phone.

my only gripe is dialing, the microphone for dialing is not the greatest, i with they would have done like mercedes and put a touch tone dialer next to the nav screen, or like cadillac and built the dialer IN TO THE NAV SYSTEM.

im very happy with onstar. plus the biggest plus is i get money off my insurance.

 

[VadersOwnZ71]

:cuss: Hello? :ktoe: This is a rant. There is so much more they could have done. I've outlined a few for those who wish to contribute to expand upon.

Yes, you like the diagnostic email? They could have added the SAME INFO to the DIC or even better, accessed through the Nav screen.

Yes, you like the emergency features? Great. I'm saying that those features should come with modest pay per use fees. If OnStar knows I had an airbag deployment, I feel they have a moral obligation to call me. But no, sorry, you didn't pay your OnStar bill?

Someone steals your car? Same thing. Police should be able to track you FOR FREE!

For those of you who gladly pay the monthly fee, congrats; GM's tactic to fill their coffers has worked perfectly on you.

 

[Rollin Thunder]

i personally think your WAY over reacting to this. yes you have a right to your opinion, there like butt holes, everybody has one.

BUT, lojack charges you for their service. dodge's UCONNECT is a fee. and plus ONSTAR IS A FREE OPTION. so you pay 200 A YEAR. i mean cmon thats about 16 bucks a month, BIG FAT HARRY DEAL. its worth it. if your that cheap than i cant belive you spent that much on a truck :lol:

 

[LAP TOP GAMER]

Well some don't like Onstar and that's ok.

 

[Rollin Thunder]

Well some don't like Onstar and that's ok.

thats what i mean, everybody has an opinion. but sometimes we get carried away , and make a huge issue out of nothing, like what has happend here :smilielol:

 

[VadersOwnZ71]

I started a rant thread. Rant threads are for ranting. You like OnStar? Fine, its your money. And I'll spend mine how I like - to include my z71 Suburban with every option. Why? I have kids, I like the room, I don't want a minivan or van, and I don't want a Tahoe or a Ford. This doesn't mean that the damn thing is perfect - chief among those things is SOME of the features of OnStar, diagnostics, lo-jack vehicle tracking, hands-free calling options, etc. And a lot of this is the principle of what I'm talking about. Can I afford an extra $200 a year? Duh. Of course I can. Should I have to? It is MY OPINION that I should not have to in all cases.

I've made valid points in this thread.

 

[Rollin Thunder]

Good for you. Enjoy your fully loaded suburban. I'm gunna enjoy my fully loaded Yukon so and at the same time not complain abot how gm Did not built my truck exactly how I want it . No company does that. Atleast you were smart and bought a chevy

 

[Gambler]

I've never really used OnStar so I don't have much of an opinion on it. I guess I'm just not sure what the point is of posting a thread where you don't want to hear anybody's opinion unless it is exactly in line with your own... If you want to rant, go right ahead..just don't get mad when we disagree with you.

 

[Rollin Thunder]

just as an FYI

just to let you know "vandersz71" we already have a rant thred about the tahoe. so you did not use the search feature.

this is the thred you should have posted your rant in. it does not neet its own topic:sla: http://tahoeforum.com/showthread.php?t=25&highlight=tahoe+pet+peeves

 

[LAP TOP GAMER]

I started a rant thread. Rant threads are for ranting. You like OnStar? Fine, its your money. And I'll spend mine how I like - to include my z71 Suburban with every option. Why? I have kids, I like the room, I don't want a minivan or van, and I don't want a Tahoe or a Ford. This doesn't mean that the damn thing is perfect - chief among those things is SOME of the features of OnStar, diagnostics, lo-jack vehicle tracking, hands-free calling options, etc. And a lot of this is the principle of what I'm talking about. Can I afford an extra $200 a year? Duh. Of course I can. Should I have to? It is MY OPINION that I should not have to in all cases.

I've made valid points in this thread.

As much as we love our trucks, we admit there are things that can be improved on and many features and options are a matter of preference, over all the vehicle is an excellent value, and I agree. I hate mini vans too! Driving a mini van, I might as well surrender my man license and put a gun to my head!

 

[goldenrod49]

ONSTAR...

I have an 08 LTZ and I do love it. Every vehicle is going to have something about it that could be better, (i.e. my fog lights have to be activated
EVERY TIME) but hopefully you like alot more features than not. That being said I can tell you that as a first time Chevy owner the way Onstar is setup is a rip. I will not renew when my year is up. I also have a 2007 Charger R/T which has Uconnect & to clear up for Rollin it was inc. in the package and has no monthly fee. I don't think it's an issue of being cheap, (my Hoe was $52k and my R/T $37k but seeing value in it which some do and some dont. Also, for the other poster you do not look like the "borg" because bluetooth can operate through the vehicles speakers and mic including all voice activated features and dialing, address book, etc. When I get in my car and turn on the ignition bluetooth is auto activated and if someone calls me it asks if I want to answer or not and so on. Back to Onstar, If I could pay say $5 a month to have an accident activation type thing which does nothing unless airbags go off that would be cool. Pay per use unlock, find car, etc., also cool. My home monitoring system is only $15/month and that is break in, fire, co2 and calling the fire dept/police etc.

 

[LAP TOP GAMER]

You have to take into account what Onstar offers, and they have to pay dispatchers to sit there and respond to emergencies and other things, well you have to pay these people. I think it is well worth it to have response after my airbags go off even if I am to hurt to respond, can blue tooth do that?

 

[goldenrod49]

Again, I agree but why do I have to get all the other stuff at $15 or $20 a month. Why can't I get JUST what you described and nothing more?

 

[LAP TOP GAMER]

Again, I agree but why do I have to get all the other stuff at $15 or $20 a month. Why can't I get JUST what you described and nothing more?

I think it is too hard to make it ala carte as you have people sitting there 24/7 motoring this stuff, that's my guess.

 

[Rollin Thunder]

I have an 08 LTZ and I do love it. Every vehicle is going to have something about it that could be better, (i.e. my fog lights have to be activated
EVERY TIME) but hopefully you like alot more features than not. That being said I can tell you that as a first time Chevy owner the way Onstar is setup is a rip. I will not renew when my year is up. I also have a 2007 Charger R/T which has Uconnect & to clear up for Rollin it was inc. in the package and has no monthly fee. I don't think it's an issue of being cheap, (my Hoe was $52k and my R/T $37k but seeing value in it which some do and some dont. Also, for the other poster you do not look like the "borg" because bluetooth can operate through the vehicles speakers and mic including all voice activated features and dialing, address book, etc. When I get in my car and turn on the ignition bluetooth is auto activated and if someone calls me it asks if I want to answer or not and so on. Back to Onstar, If I could pay say $5 a month to have an accident activation type thing which does nothing unless airbags go off that would be cool. Pay per use unlock, find car, etc., also cool. My home monitoring system is only $15/month and that is break in, fire, co2 and calling the fire dept/police etc.

ok, the dodge dealer i talke with was an idiot then, im looking to add a charger to my fleet (08 srt8, FAST, even has HIDS, preety sweet) he said are you looking at anything else i said the chevy tahoe. he asked why and i told him why, including onstar, he said have you heard about uconnect, i said no, he siad its just like onstar, has every feature of onstar, except you can use your cell phone. i said oh that sounds cool.

thanks for telling me this and that its just as useless as the bluetooth in my lincoln :smilielol:

 

[LAP TOP GAMER]

ok, the dodge dealer i talke with was an idiot then, im looking to add a charger to my fleet (08 srt8, FAST, even has HIDS, preety sweet) he said are you looking at anything else i said the chevy tahoe. he asked why and i told him why, including onstar, he said have you heard about uconnect, i said no, he siad its just like onstar, has every feature of onstar, except you can use your cell phone. i said oh that sounds cool.

thanks for telling me this and that its just as useless as the bluetooth in my lincoln :smilielol:

U connect doesn't call you or send help after airbag deployment, or this other safety benefits that Onstar.

 

[goldenrod49]

I can't tell if you are insane or just funny but for those who are actually interested Uconnect is nothing more than a built in bluetooth device.