Have You Ever Used On*Star?

[Charlie]

On*Star has been available in some Saturns for a little while. If your Saturn is equipped with On*Star, have you ever used it? Describe your experience.

Thanks!
Charlie

[04AWDV6VUE]

When pricing out my VUE, I felt that OnStar was too costly of an option. I mean $700 for something that you aren't that likely to use? Plus I have heard that a lot of people have had problems w/ theirs not working well. I thought that $700 could be put towards better things, like a sunroof;)

............
'04 AWD V6 VUE (current)
'00 SC2 (former)

[PAGuy77]

OnStar was 1 of 3 factory options not listed on my car. I have never had any experience with it.

[ricksLS1]

I voted no but we did use it when they had the car giveaway. I have a cell phone that I pay enough for.

[Spazie]

I've used someone else's. It was incredibly convenient, the people were friendly and very very helpful, and it got us out of a sticky situation. I will definitely be getting it if I get a new car.

[scorpio_e]

I have used On Star on an Impala. It came in handy a few times but I do not think it is worth the extra money

[eRic 02sc2]

nope. s-series. no onstar. i probably wouldn't pay for it anyway. i won't pay for xm radio either. gotta draw the line somewhere and i'm not interested in any location devices on my car.

[John10]

I used it during the car give away contest but don't have it on my cars. I am another who will opt for my cell phone as a more verstile device.

[DesertPuma]

If you count using the Hands-off Personal Calling feature, then yes. I use On*Star all the time. I don't believe in speaking on a cell phone while driving, On*Star's personal calling feature fits the bill

As far as the safety features, I like having the piece of mind.

[SW2Muck]

Don't have it, wouldn't want it.

My maps and GPS are more than sufficient to guide my way.

I have a cell phone if I really need to call somebody.

On long trips, I carry tools and I always carry a jug of coolant in the back and usually a couple cans of oil as well.

[spork]

It's expensive and I don't like the idea of Big Brother tracking me.

[cdp326]

we've tried onstar in GM cars before. and the other day my mom, sister and i were going back to our car and a cadillac pulled in next to us, and it was loud inside so i think it had on* cell phone on, you could practically hear what the person on the other end was saying. i like on*.

[03SilverBlueION]

When I got my car it was a PEP vehicle, and it had already had the OnStar installed, I don't think that had I purchased my car NEW new (mine was only 2-3 mths old when I got it) I wouldn't have put it on. Everytime I have tried to use it, I've had problems with it, so now that my renewal option has come up, I'm not so sure that I'll do it again-

[Jammer]

We use the car phone part of the onstar all of the time, the price is right and it is vary convenient. 19.99 for 100 minets.

[cabo5150]

I can't imagine this being any better than a cell phone. I typically don't leave the house w/o aleady knowing where I am going.

[Arnel]

I read somewhere that OnStar is operated by Verizon Wireless...

[wlhawk]

Didn't consider it on last 2 saturns. Cell phones are adequate.

[100KSW2]

Hmmm. One of the benefits which nobody mentioned so far is that if you are in an accident and your airbag goes off then Onstar will call the accident in. A great feature if you are injured and can not dial (or find your phone) yourself.

I don't have a cell phone now, but if I buy a new car I would definitely consider OnStar for another reason: It gives you all the tracking capability of Lojack if your car is stolen, but with a lot more general capability. I'm not sure, but I think it may be cheaper than Lojack, too. (It is factory installed instead of dealer installed, like Lojack.)

Also, they can unlock your car for you if you lock your keys inside.
(But in this case you need access to a different phone! :-)

As far as tracking me or my car? People have already lost that privacy issue. Ever watch those traffic cameras on TV? Even when you are walking around you are photographed everywhere in public these days, by security cameras on ATM machines, on toll booths, and in many public buildings like hospitals, restaurants and convenience stores, banks, schools. There are something like 40 million cell phones in use and many of the newest models already have GPS (and it is a GOOD idea in case you call 911 your phone can tell the police where you are even if you are not exactly sure).

If you are REALLY worried about privacy then you should step away from the computer right now! :-)

[L300Boy]

I think one of my next vehicles needs OnStar, my wife has no sense of direction and i frequently get calls like:

Me: Hello?
Her: I'm lost.
Me: Where are you?
Her: I dont know ... im on this one street...and there is this hill and some trees.
Me: Uh..yea..okaay...any streets?
Her: I can't really read the street sign..i think it has a 6 in it.
Me: That doesn't help me much.
...

I'm glad she's got a cell phone, but unless she calls 911, its completely useless. It doesn't tell me where she's at.

So my question is to you OnStar users, does OnStar provide good direction services? Can they tell her where to go? Can they give me location data so I can guide her? Will this cost me a fortune per minute or is it a flat rate?

[TXVue04]

Originally posted by L300Boy
So my question is to you OnStar users, does OnStar provide good direction services? Can they tell her where to go? Can they give me location data so I can guide her? Will this cost me a fortune per minute or is it a flat rate?

Before I answer let me say to the others Onstar rocks!!! Maybe its a girl vs guy thing, but as a girl I love it! I have a teenie tiny camera phone and trying to use that thing in the car is scary as heck. :mad: Also people usually have a hard time hearing me if I switch it to speaker while in the car. :no: Not good.

Onstar phone service is wonderful. (when I first got my VUE, Onstar didn't have phone service in TX, now they do) You can buy minutes that last for an entire calendar year, and you can buy what your budget can afford. This summer they even ran a special and I got 300 minutes for 89 (about .30 per minute) which is more than enough minutes since I only use it while in the car and worth the price for the safety factor of being totally hands free. You also have the option to buy monthly, and the new 2005 Saturns will be able to use verizon wireless as their carrier and get their rates. (bummer for us 2004 folks :no: )

Now when I use the phone in the car, I'm hands free, don't need to shout and everyone can hear me just fine. It mutes your radio and you hear the conversation over your stereo speakers. The mic is right above your head next to the rear view mirror. Very cool!

Now on to your questions. Directions and Connections is the plan you will want for your wife. You will never need to guide her again!

I used it three weeks ago for the first time (first time is free) and it is awesome. There was a bad accident on the interstate and it was practically shut down. It took me 45 minutes to get to an exit, and I took it. However once I did that, I was in an area I had never been in before, with no clue on how to get home which was about 45 miles away.

I called Onstar. They not only pinpointed my location, but told me they had three alternative routes I could take. After describing them to me I chose the one that sounded the least challenging... only to discover I did not have a pen to write it down. The Onstar rep told me not to worry, she would record a memo which I could replay at anytime by pressing my phone button and saying memo!!

It worked beautifully. Whenever I wanted to hear the directions again, I hit the white button and said memo and it replayed what she previously told me... pretty cool indeed.

I also like the other 'entertainment' features. I can get traffic, weather, news, etc. at a touch of a button. For instance, when I saw the interstate was so backed up, I couldn't find a radio station to tell me what type of delay to expect. I went into my Onstar, Virtual Advisor and it was the first item listed. It told me expect delays up to two hours, I knew right then I would get off as soon as possible. I've been using this feature quite often since that day, and I think it sorts which traffic items you hear first by where you are located, but I'm not 100% sure on that. It could just be coincidence.

Thank goodness I haven't had to use the safe and sound features yet, but I feel better knowing that if that little red engine light comes on after hours on a weekend, Onstar will at least be able to tell me what the computer diagnostics say is wrong. Or if my car gets stolen, Onstar will be able to locate it.

I guess the cost factor is relevant to how much you value these types of things. For me it is more than worth the price of admission and I will stay with GM cars as long as they offer that feature.

Also, some insurers offer a discount for having Onstar.

For more info:

Onstar and Verizon:
http://www.onstargm.com/promo/html/handset_program.html

Normal 12 month calling prices (but they usually have sales / discounts)

http://www.onstar.com/us_english/jsp/serviceplans/idont_serviceplans.jsp?service=wio_opcpricing.jsp&id=4&title=Personal+Calling+Pricing

Always ask for discount plans, they usually have something going that is cheaper than what is quoted on the website.....

Safe & Sound (First Year is Free):
http://www.onstar.com/us_english/jsp/serviceplans/idont_serviceplans.jsp?plan=spp_safe.jsp&id=1&title=Safe+%26amp%3B+Sound

Directions and Connections:
http://www.onstar.com/us_english/jsp/serviceplans/idont_serviceplans.jsp?plan=spp_direct.jsp&id=2&title=Directions+%26amp%3B+Connections

http://www.onstar.com/us_english/jsp/whatisonstar/ihave_whatisonstar.jsp?service=wio_route.jsp&id=9&flash_page=i_have&title=Driving+Directions

[SilverNickelQC]

Nope i never used it nor do i have it in my personal vehicle.

[L300Boy]

Thanks for that review on OnStar.....i think thats a must. Maggie really likes the ION and VUE, and nothing else out there so far. i guess i will have OnStar with either choice.

[MBman]

I will tell you a good one, not on my Saturn , but on my other GM product. Keys locked in the car, called onstar, 2 tries without success, told us too bad, did I renew , no way. THey were actually rude

[TXVue04]

That is strange, I have never had a problem with them and they are so friendly until I wonder if they are on happy pills. :)

[MBman]

We all have bad days. But I still did not renew, looking forward to "will you come back" letter or survey

[OhioVueBoy]

Originally posted by eRic 96sc2
nope. s-series. no onstar. i probably wouldn't pay for it anyway. i won't pay for xm radio either. gotta draw the line somewhere and i'm not interested in any location devices on my car.
You do know that the XM datastream is not bi-directional don't you? There is no way they could track you using it.

We have On* on our Monte Carlo, and on the truck we tow the boat with. The truck has Safe & Sound, and the MC has Directions and Connections. I have used D&C several times myself, when we have gotten lost. 4 years ago, I drove it up here to Toledo for my orientation assembly - and I-75 was shut down due to a truck flipping. I called On* and they told me a route that was about 15 minutes quicker anyway. I still use that route to this day. I wanted it on my VUE, but alas - you have to have an automatic in the VUE to order it, and I was not about to give up a manual to buy a V6 to get it. Hopefully, I will be able to get it and a manual in my next VUE. I really would like to get a 3.5 in the next one, but I can't strangle myself with an automatic, so I don't think I will be able to get it (at the rate current things are)

We have TeleAid on the Mercedes, and frankly On* puts it in the weeds as far as functionality and friendliness goes.

~D.J.~

[TXVue04]

Really DJ? I was curious as to how On* stacked up to some of the other products out there, good to know...

[Petey]

I can't imagine this being any better than a cell phone. I typically don't leave the house w/o aleady knowing where I am going.


We have it in our TrailBlazer (It was in the truck and we bought it as a leftover), but never have used it. From what I have read, Onstar uses cell towers to work. The typical cell phone uses less then a watt of power to send and receive the message but Onstar uses 4 watts. So I would believe that you would have fewer dead zones.

I personally am on the fence about paying extra, if I had the choice, for something that will give me one more monthly payment (ie Onstar and XM). OnStar however is an insurance deduction :banana:

[Miss_SC2]

No Way......I think it's just another device to suck the green dollars from our bank accounts. :snide: Marketing contraption...that's only my opinion though.

Miss.SC2

[TXVue04]

No Way......I think it's just another device to suck the green dollars from our bank accounts. :snide: Marketing contraption...that's only my opinion though.

Miss.SC2

I think it is one of those things you have to use to appreciate. Now that I'm a regular user I often find myself wondering how I did without it. For instance this morning the guy in front of me had a tiny cell phone perched to his ear holding with his shoulder (I guess he forgot his headset or something) when it was his turn to make a left turn, he made the wildest turn I had ever seen, probably due to his trying to keep the cell phone propped to his ear. With onstar I can talk into my mirror (well actually a mic in the roof in front of it) and never have to take my eyes off the road. Plus the reception is awesome. When I try to use my cell in the car there is often interference and a lot of "can you hear me now", that had never happened with On*.

Also, the D&C plan can't be beat. I went to a sporting event recently and On* told me directions that allowed me to bypass a lot of the traffic everyone else was stuck in afterwards.

So I guess in those types of situations its not a necessity, but it is sure nice to have. But it have the extra benefit of being a must have in an accident or carjacking situation. Just recently here in TX someone's truck was stolen and On* located in 10 minutes. For me thats worth the price of admission.

[tabularasa415]

I don't have it in my SC1, but my mother has it in her Escalade. She likes the feature as she often locks her keys in her car. I have my own alarm system, so I don't worry about the theft part of the package and I don't loose my keys. Oh, yeah... and I can read a map just fine, thanks ;-)