Dave@Ciocca

Earlier this week I made a post to try to help us figure out how to order our stock cars. In the responses, many of you said you wouldn't order the On-Star and that you never use it.

Well, yesterday our GM rep that handles On-Star and XM was visiting the showroom and I shared the post with him. Needless to say, he didn't agree.

He told me that if people aren't using On-Star, then they were probably never given a proper demonstration on everything it does. He proceeded to give us a demonstration and explained all the different aspects of On-Star from Emergencies to a Remote Diagnosis of a Check Engine Light! I must admit that by the time he was done I decided that everyone should have On-Star. He also pulled out CSI reports showig that the people who use it love it, put not enough people who own it ever use it!

I told him he needs to get on the Forum and sing the praise of On-Star and he agreed. So, on Wednesday, April 27th from 1:00 PM EDST till 2:00 PM EDST, Chuck has agreed to sit here with me and take questions from Forum members about On-Star and XM (no, he's not responsible for the antenna). At 1:00 I'll start a post and people can start to post questiions and we will sit here and type in his responses.

So, get your On-Star/XM questions ready and we'll talk next Wednesday!

Vette_DD

Should be interesting, and hopefully, informative, but you both will need to put your flame suits on.

Dave@Ciocca

Don't flame me...I'm just the typist. Although just to be safe, I won't sit to close!

Datawiz

I think your request for feedback was a good one. I'm very satisifed with the fully loaded C6 that I got from Kerbeck SANS On-star. I'm sorry, but the "Big Brother" aspect does NOT sit well with me and NEVER will. All the other stuff may be nice, but I truly don't like someone else knowing where I'm at and what I'm doing. Period!

Keep up the good work.

Foy Toy

good reason not to order those two options is the fact that in Wisconsin the cars are stored for approximately 4 months a year.So at most , you would enjoy them 8 months a year.
I am perfectly happy with my 1SA, perf axle ratio, glass top , mag red/ebony automatic with base wheels. MSRP $47,810
Ed Foy
foytoy- 2003 electron blue/ torch red 6 speed coupe
foytoy2- 2005 mag red/ebony auto coupe

Lookitalian

What ticks off a lot of us is that Chevy's most expensive car didn't get the digital version of OnStar in the car, while less expensive cars did get the digital version. Bad PR on the part of GM and Onstar. They are what they do, not what they say.
What they did was try to clear their inventory of outdated equipment on their best car.

Adam Boca

I look forward to hearing the features of Onstar. I suggest Dave that you only have him answer questions that are beneficial to the thread. It is inevitable that you will see some criticism and I suggest that they get skipped right over..

Braced

I have OnStar and XM. I use them both. But come on, when can we get an upgrade so my Verizon phone will work with OnStar. You have to admit, they put last years model in their best car! Did they think we wouldn't notice?

Why didn't they deplete their inventory on a base model car?

hlcptr

I did not get OnStar (or XM). I just wasn't into those gadgets. But, I will read the information exchange on Wednesday so I can learn more about the system.

Thanks, Dave!

Korbo

completely. They have lost me as a customer no matter what else Onstar does. The cost for those features I consider to be questionable (and I am aware of the what the system offers). Requiring a three year contract IF they decide to make a digital upgrade path and charging an exhorbitant fee for that conversion on a system that should have come with a digital radio is just plain rape. Goes along with GM deleting the MP3 and six disk changer that the customer pays for when you pay an addtional fee for the NAV. And GM wonders how they got in the financial position they presently occupy?

wewing

I ordered my car without on-star and the primary reason was that it wasn't the digital version. I have Verizon, and with the digital version I can't add my on-star phone to my Verizon account. I can't believe they didn't put it in one of their newest models. Maybe next time, or if the on-star rep says they will build my car with digital on-star maybe I'll change my order...

Silk

I've got OnStar, never used it, so look forward to the discussion. Thanks for arranging it, Dave.

TedG

I have OnStar and do use the phone. But I too was hoping to do the Verison thing. I really don't mind signing up for two years to get it. But let me get it. Also they need a family plan I have 3 cars with it and it gets pricy. I let one expire.

Dan Delena

CaseyKasey

Have a deposit on ordering a 2006 Vert. Unless they do us better, I doubt there will be a lot of OnStar orders...except what they make the dealers take for stock.

MitchAlsup

Speaking as a person who does not and will not carry a cell phone nor a pager nor any other electronic leash:: I do not want an On-Star, and If I happen to not be able to get a car without On-Star in it, I will cut the antenna wire so that it does not work. I will also remove any black boxes where-ever they hide.

TedG

Might be easier not to pay the bill.

montivette

Thanks Dave, this ought to be rather interesting.

Hope I remember this and can contribute. I doubt they will convert anybody as there are too many negatives that people have.

And I bet the ones who don't like it are like me. They already have onstar on a current vehicle of theirs and they know what it does, but just do not see the value.

elmagoo

Something else to think about, I wonder how many people just 'accepted' OnStar in their C6 but don't care for it or use it? Meaning how many people wanted to take the inventory on the dealer floor rather than wait to have their C6 ordered? I know my only two choices without ordering from BG were a Yellow with OnStar and a Black without, both had XM. I ended up getting the Black, but my delima was based on the color as OnStar and XM were not that big of a deal for me.

I'm also in the 'get big brother out of my car' camp as well. I don't want ANY system monitoring my driving habits...ever. When OnStar becomes standard equipment on all GM cars it'll be the first thing to be disabled.....well....second thing after the CAGS p.

To sum up some of the features and what I think of them (dunno how anybody else feels):

- make phone calls: ehh, not that great as I have a cell phone. Plus I'll have to pay extra since I'm not with Verizon.

- theft deterent: useless as the theif can just either disable the battery or cut the wire to the antennea because they're all in the same place. Fix up this system to compete with LoJack and maybe you have a key selling point as this wouldn't require you to be in an area that supports LoJack, but it's bunk for now.

- Diagnostic check of your car: useless as if there's anything majorly wrong with my car, I'm screwed already. If it's not anything major that stops the car, I'll get to a chevy dealership as soon as I can. It's usually not that hard to tell the difference. 'Well your whatever has gone wrong'...gee, so that's why the car just stopped and won't go anywhere. Thanks. Great time passer while I'm stuck on the side of the road waiting for the tow truck.

- roadside assistance: useless as I have a cell phone and chevy roadside assistance. If the cell phone doesn't get signal, then OnStar won't work get signal. I can make the call just as easily. There's no advantage here.

- conceirge / directions: useless as that's what NAV is for. Granted, if you don't have NAV then maybe this is a feature you could use. I also don't need someone planning my trips for me, I'm perfectly capable.

- Accident call in: this is the only thing I see useful about OnStar. Is it worth the price of OnStar and the features? Plus anybody knowing / tracking where you are at all times (ok, so that's a bit conspiracy theorist ?

- Remote door unlocking: useless on a C6. The car will not lock with the FOB in the car (at least mine doesn't, perhaps that's a setting?)!! If the car is locked with the FOB in the car, then the battery on the car is dead thus making OnStar un-useable.

- Emergency Service: somewhat useful. Although I have a cell phone and can call myself, but the fact that they can give them my exact location is nice.

- Remote Horn and Lights: next to useless, I have a FOB with a very long range for that. Also I've never had the need to have my lights and horn going to find my car.

- Virtual advisor: sort of useful, although I'm getting a NAV system with traffic advisory built in. As for news, I have a radio, and for weather it's irrelevant as I've already committed myself for the trip I'm taking (what am I gonna do, turn around and go home?).

- Ride assist: useless, call the cell phone operator to get in touch with a local taxi service. Only advantage is they know you're location, but usually if you are unfit to drive you're near an establishment that you'll know the name of, and the establishment knows it's own location pretty good.

As for XM, I know people are not happy about the antennea placement (although I don't mind it personally). I'm not a big fan of the content after trying it for 3 months. The only usage I'll get out of it (hopefully) is that the NAV system I'm getting uses XM for live traffic updating. So at least I should be able to use the antennea.

This is all my personal opinion of course .

Zig

i think the exchange will be helpful, at least that's what i hope.

i got OnStar and XM, use them both. Didn't want it at first but now I never listen to FM just XM. Just wish the reception was a bit better, sometimes it'll drop the signal when i go under an underpass or powerlines. hhhmmm.... oh well, it comes back quick enough just sometimes ruins the punch line when your listening to comedy.

the OnStar is only active for emergencys and just in case.... I like being able to hit the button and ask where the closest whatever it might be is, and what not...

the rumors and fears of tracking don't really bother me that much, if THEY want to know where someone is bad enough do you really think they will need to use OnStar to find you ???

the black box fear is also unfounded, the only way to get away from the electronic issues is to buy a classic, pre 80's., you know something with a carb. (prefer a Holley double pumper but that's just me). THEY can shut down ANY car with a computer just by hitting it with a pulse, then what cha gonna do ???