OnStar pulled a fast one on me! .. then the deal
#1
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OnStar pulled a fast one on me! .. then the deal
Well, my OnStar "turn-by-turn" navigation / Direction and Conections subscription just expired on 28 Feb.
Yesterday I thought I would try it anyway ... turned it on and sure enough it was still working. I then asked for an OnStar advisor.
I asked her why my OnStar was still operational even after my subsciption had expired. She told me that I was now paying month by month on my credit card. I then told her that I never authorized OnStar to bill me monthly after my 1 year subscription had finished. She tells me that since I never called to "officially" cancel, they just start billing me monthly at the monthly rate of $28.90 + tax.
She also said that since I did not renew for another year, that I lost all 160 minutes on my in-car cell phone that I had previously paid for. I said BS to that too!
Well, today I called OnStar and told them that I never authorized my credit card to pay monthly to OnStar, and said that I previpously paid for those 160 minutes of calling time, and they had no damned right to just take them away ... I then told the lady at customer service that you can cancel my monthly OnStar "turn-by-turn navigation" and that I want to speak to a supervisor concerning the 160 minutes calling time that they stole from me.
Anyway, they offered me the 1 year of "turn-by-turn" navigation / Directions and Connections plan that normally sells for $299 for a reduced price of $199 and gave me back my 160 calling minutes.
Am I happy with OnStar? .... I don't like there business practices, but in my case, I feel like it worked out pretty good considering the price break I got after raising hell with them.
Note: If I had the optional GM nav system in my GS, I certainly would not need the OnStar "turn-by-turn" service, but unfortunatly I don't. Maybe next year when this new OnStar subscription expires, it will be time to invest in an aftermarket GPS system.
Ron,
Yesterday I thought I would try it anyway ... turned it on and sure enough it was still working. I then asked for an OnStar advisor.
I asked her why my OnStar was still operational even after my subsciption had expired. She told me that I was now paying month by month on my credit card. I then told her that I never authorized OnStar to bill me monthly after my 1 year subscription had finished. She tells me that since I never called to "officially" cancel, they just start billing me monthly at the monthly rate of $28.90 + tax.
She also said that since I did not renew for another year, that I lost all 160 minutes on my in-car cell phone that I had previously paid for. I said BS to that too!
Well, today I called OnStar and told them that I never authorized my credit card to pay monthly to OnStar, and said that I previpously paid for those 160 minutes of calling time, and they had no damned right to just take them away ... I then told the lady at customer service that you can cancel my monthly OnStar "turn-by-turn navigation" and that I want to speak to a supervisor concerning the 160 minutes calling time that they stole from me.
Anyway, they offered me the 1 year of "turn-by-turn" navigation / Directions and Connections plan that normally sells for $299 for a reduced price of $199 and gave me back my 160 calling minutes.
Am I happy with OnStar? .... I don't like there business practices, but in my case, I feel like it worked out pretty good considering the price break I got after raising hell with them.
Note: If I had the optional GM nav system in my GS, I certainly would not need the OnStar "turn-by-turn" service, but unfortunatly I don't. Maybe next year when this new OnStar subscription expires, it will be time to invest in an aftermarket GPS system.
Ron,
#2
Race Director
You could have bought a more useful Garmin for less.
#3
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Yup ....
#5
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First thing is if you did have the optional nav you would still need onstar because the nav system sucks. Onstar is way more accurate.
Second you could have got a better deal than $199 and your minutes back. When mine expired I got them for $139 a year and 300 minutes included and that was about 4 months ago. I basically told them this is what i want and this is what I want to pay take it or I'll just leave it expired. And they took it.
Second you could have got a better deal than $199 and your minutes back. When mine expired I got them for $139 a year and 300 minutes included and that was about 4 months ago. I basically told them this is what i want and this is what I want to pay take it or I'll just leave it expired. And they took it.
#6
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... and 300 minutes!
Now I feel bad!
#7
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St. Jude Donor '13
First thing is if you did have the optional nav you would still need onstar because the nav system sucks. Onstar is way more accurate.
Second you could have got a better deal than $199 and your minutes back. When mine expired I got them for $139 a year and 300 minutes included and that was about 4 months ago. I basically told them this is what i want and this is what I want to pay take it or I'll just leave it expired. And they took it.
Second you could have got a better deal than $199 and your minutes back. When mine expired I got them for $139 a year and 300 minutes included and that was about 4 months ago. I basically told them this is what i want and this is what I want to pay take it or I'll just leave it expired. And they took it.
I guess we're just really really lucky.
Seriously, we also have 2 Garmins and 4 cellphone navs. All of them work, all of them sometimes drive you nuts. The factory system is hard to learn but works very well once you figure it out, and is the one I prefer. CF member talon90 has a tutorial on his site that is easier to understand than the official manual.
#8
Ditto
My factory Nav has never once found the correct destination. Ever. I think it is not too complicated to operate (I have comp. programming experience), but it simply doesn't work. It can't even find the Wal-Mart 0.75 miles down the street. It's worthless. I'd rather employ the compass I used in Boy Scouts for my orienteering merit badge.
We've been finding our way just fine all over the U.S.A. for the last 7 years and 98,000 miles using the factory nav system.
I guess we're just really really lucky.
Seriously, we also have 2 Garmins and 4 cellphone navs. All of them work, all of them sometimes drive you nuts. The factory system is hard to learn but works very well once you figure it out, and is the one I prefer. CF member talon90 has a tutorial on his site that is easier to understand than the official manual.
I guess we're just really really lucky.
Seriously, we also have 2 Garmins and 4 cellphone navs. All of them work, all of them sometimes drive you nuts. The factory system is hard to learn but works very well once you figure it out, and is the one I prefer. CF member talon90 has a tutorial on his site that is easier to understand than the official manual.
#9
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I forgot to renew one of my subscriptions one year and I didn't think about it until I saw my credit card bill. Called OnStar and asked what was going on and got the month by month story and asked if I could get a refund of the money spent and just renew the account based on its original expiration. The lady just said no need to do that and reduced the charge for the two months to the same level as the discounted yearly plan and then renewed my subscription for a year from that date. The refund cut the cost of the following year by a few dollars. No need to yell or to threaten anything. All I did was ask in a pleasant manner and she offered a better option.
Bill
Bill
#10
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She certainly was understanding with my displeasure about OnStar taking away the 160 phone minutes that I had previously paid for (and those minutes are not cheap at all by any stretch).
Anyway, I thanked her for fixing my problem and cutting me a break on the new subscription price.
#11
Advanced
Question
First thing is if you did have the optional nav you would still need onstar because the nav system sucks. Onstar is way more accurate.
Second you could have got a better deal than $199 and your minutes back. When mine expired I got them for $139 a year and 300 minutes included and that was about 4 months ago. I basically told them this is what i want and this is what I want to pay take it or I'll just leave it expired. And they took it.
Second you could have got a better deal than $199 and your minutes back. When mine expired I got them for $139 a year and 300 minutes included and that was about 4 months ago. I basically told them this is what i want and this is what I want to pay take it or I'll just leave it expired. And they took it.
#12
Drifting
I've heard nothing but awful things about OnStar. Personally I can always use my nav on my phone and still talk while its charging. If that fails I can use my Garmin in the back. I don't have the Garmin updated but the phone is always on top of things.
#13
Le Mans Master
Sirius/XM does the same thing. You have to call to "unsubscribe" or they automatically keep charging you.
#14
I let my subscription expire. They also offered me like a $139 a year deal, but told them wasn't interested in ANY deals. Seems like they keep the deals getting better if you refuse. Also told them I wanted to 'opt out' completely, so they didn't track my car, and my right mirror light went out, like it should if you're not being tracked at all. If it's red, they're still tracking you (they're allowed in the 'fine print', unless you opt out).
Anyway, like a month ago got an offer for 3 months free, but won't use it. Probably just a way to sell to telemarketers tracking information and such based on volume. I don't like their 'directions', since you never know how far the next turn will be. Much prefer the stock nav, as crappy as it might be .
Anyway, like a month ago got an offer for 3 months free, but won't use it. Probably just a way to sell to telemarketers tracking information and such based on volume. I don't like their 'directions', since you never know how far the next turn will be. Much prefer the stock nav, as crappy as it might be .
#18
Safety Car
Back in the day I used these things called a map and compass.....
Today you can use google maps, mapquest etc. for free and enjoy the drive
All this electronic invasion in our lives leads to people who can't think and drive into lakes and then blame the directions.
PSA concluded
Today you can use google maps, mapquest etc. for free and enjoy the drive
All this electronic invasion in our lives leads to people who can't think and drive into lakes and then blame the directions.
PSA concluded
#20
Team Owner
They got what they wanted, another paying customer for a year. But if a portable Garmin GPS would not meet your needs, than I guess cheers to you and OnStar.