On star... Is it worth it?

I have a 2001 buick with on star. I was thinking about geting it but a year subscription is 200 bucks without nav and 400 with nav.

personally, i'd go to a dealer and ask them how much to take it off the car. even if you don't pay them, they can still monitor you..

who cares if they know were I am or if my check engine light is on. I don't get in high speed police chases so its not like the "the man" is going to get me.

Do you end up in $200 worth of remote ditches every year? If not a cell phone is probably a better deal. It seems pointless without navigation ,and a good nav system isn't as expensive.

I wouldn't worry about the monitoring thing, they don't do that unless the car is reported stolen or you call for directions.

You have to decide if the convenience over a cell phone is worth it. Onstar offers things like finding you a local gas station, etc... But most GPS can do that too. Personally, if it was free or really cheap, I'd love it. Just not for that much money.

We use the turn by turn nav and its great. The maps are always updated - it costs money each year to update my Garmin. The phone option is nice since its satellite...works when theres no cell towers around. Its nice to know the car will call if its involved in an accident, even if I cant. The Lojack option is nice too.

To us, for a DD that will also see cross country trips, its worth it. Onstar is on our '10 GMC. Now if it were available in my '99 Infiniti? No way. Its just my workmobile, not much more. It will likely never be outside the borders of the fair state of Ohio again while my name is on the title, so my little Garmin is fine.

I like it! It always seems to function even when I have no bars on my cellphone - it's a great backup means of communication. Not only is it an overpriced cellphone, if there is a 'Check Engine Light' while you are driving, hit the OnStar button and they can run a diag and tell you whether or not you should pull off the side of the road or continue on to your destination. On the maintenance-side of things, you will also get a report listing oil life remaining and other stuff to keep your vehicle properly maintained

I wouldn't.

I personally wouldn't get it. Now for my Parents 08 CTS, I almost want them to have it for their safety and my piece of mind (they are getting close to 70 now).

If it was me? No. For my parents? Yes. My parents don't drive out of town much anymore, but the idea that a call to emergency services could be made more easily, considering they live in the mountains of Pa., is an attraction. Where my folks live, driving off the side of a road into a ditch COULD result in your vehicle not being found for hours or even days....critical if you are injured.

4cylndrfury wrote: The phone option is nice since its satellite...works when theres no cell towers around.

This is simply not true. It's CDMA, just like Verizon.

Also I'm 90% sure a 2001 Buick has the non-upgradeable analog OnStart system, and can't be used.

will a 2001 buick on star system even work?

i know they switched to digital a few years ago and my coworker was bitching that they wanted a bunch of money to install one of the newer systems in her tahoe.

Osterkraut wrote:

4cylndrfury wrote: The phone option is nice since its satellite...works when theres no cell towers around.

This is simply not true. It's CDMA, just like Verizon.

hmmm...may be true, but like skywalker said, it functions even when my phone wont, so Im going to still say its worth it. Thanks for pointing out my error, but I hope thats not the lone point youre going to argue in an attempt to refute the value of having onstar?!?

4cylndrfury wrote:

Osterkraut wrote:

4cylndrfury wrote: The phone option is nice since its satellite...works when theres no cell towers around.

This is simply not true. It's CDMA, just like Verizon.

hmmm...may be true, but like skywalker said, it functions even when my phone wont, so Im going to still say its worth it. Thanks for pointing out my error, but I hope thats not the lone point youre going to argue in an attempt to refute the value of having onstar?!?

I've made no statement for or against OnStar, only corrected a gross and potentially dangerous (given the use of OnStar) inaccuracy.

That said, if you'd like my thoughts on OnStar, here it is: I'd only use it for anti-theft purposes, so I'd price it in comparison to a dedicated anti-theft GPS, and go from there.

Osterkraut wrote:

4cylndrfury wrote:

Osterkraut wrote:

4cylndrfury wrote: The phone option is nice since its satellite...works when theres no cell towers around.

This is simply not true. It's CDMA, just like Verizon.

hmmm...may be true, but like skywalker said, it functions even when my phone wont, so Im going to still say its worth it. Thanks for pointing out my error, but I hope thats not the lone point youre going to argue in an attempt to refute the value of having onstar?!?

I've made no statement for or against OnStar, only corrected a gross and potentially dangerous (given the use of OnStar) inaccuracy. That said, if you'd like my thoughts on OnStar, here it is: I'd only use it for anti-theft purposes, so I'd price it in comparison to a dedicated anti-theft GPS, and go from there.

Fair enough

I think it's great. Remember the comercials?

"Hello OnStar? My car went 'ca-clunk' and now bits of my transmission are streaming out behind my in a trail 100 ft long as I stopped in the middle of the road. I need to get my kid to pre-school."

"OK, Mam, we'll get someone over to you right away."

You can't get that in a Lexus. Just imagine if you could get OnStar in a Lexus. How would that conversation go?

"Hello OnStar? The radio stations in this town really suck and I left my CD folder at home. Can you help me?"

"Yes, Mam. Drive 100 miles west to the next major town where the music stations are better. In the mean time, would you like us to make an extra copy of your CD's to keep in the glove box?"

I wouldn't for myself. But then any high speed crash where I'm likely to need Onstar to call the wrecker for me, will be on the news.

Unless you're Hennessey, because then launching your CTS-V hard enough that Onstar thinks you piled it is worth the lolz.

If you have a smart phone - it is redundant except that you can google for stuff you would be too embarrassed to ask directions to from a human.

However, if you do not have voice command on your phone please pull over before typing "cross-gender peep shows near me" into your Android.

Well thanks for the info. I sounds like I want it for what I do but can't get it. Mabey in the next GM.

I agree.. I would not have it for me. but would for my parents.. for my own piece of mind

Always on, because you're always blonde: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0nRvqfiqZI

novaderrik wrote: even if you don't pay them, they can still monitor you..

Unless you need them to, even in the case of an emergency.

A friend of my parents left a suicide note, climbed into her onstar equipped car and disappeared for 4 days. Since the bill was not paid on time onstar refused to give the location of the vehicle, even to the police.

Good news is she turned up unharmed and sought assistance.

Salanis wrote: Always on, because you're always blonde: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrt2q6M

Linkee no work

mad_machine wrote: Linkee no work

try this (edited above): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0nRvqfiqZI