RC4G

Received a card in the mail yesterday offering free OnStar basic service for 3 years on any 2011 or newer, pre-owned GM vehicles:
https://www.onstar.com/us/en/get-onstar/pre-owned.html

I had received the card because I purchased my Denali used last year and had never registered it with OnStar. Both our Grandsport were originally pre-owned and are eligible as well.

After having been locked out of my wife's 2012 Grandsport when it auto-locked the doors at a car wash with the key fob sitting in the cup holder, having the ability to unlock the car with my phone for 3 years for free sounds pretty good to me.

It also include a 3 month free trial to their full suite of security services that they will increase to 5 months if you register a credit card to auto-renew at the end of the trial but you can decline that offer.

unixcorn

I just got an email with the same advertisement. I have a 2008 so I won't be able to take advantage of this. Anyone care to guess why they are limiting this to 2011 model years and newer?

Vette_DD

You're more likely to keep the 2011 (or newer) longer than you would the 2008?

BadgeZ28

Those of us with older models are not worthy

billyboy47

BINGO! Just kidding.

ToddTucker

I'm seeing 3 months, not 3 years.

StrykerZ06

madmatt9471

I see the 3 months and the 3 year thing but must investigate what they actually mean by the "and 3 Years of Basic for Eligible Vehicles(31)"

Thanks,Matt

not08crmanymore

Although I won't use them later on because they're to expensive,I am taking advantage of the free trial and some cheap phone minuts too. My 13 also came with free maintenance for 2 years which surprised me too.

LowRyter

what is the advantage for OnStar vs cell phone?

Kent1999

3 months for the full OnStar service, *and* 3 years for the basic OnStar service.

maustin195

OnStar is satellite based. Cell phones still have lots of areas with no coverage but OnStar would still be available.

LowRyter

ok.

gbrtng

It's marketing - they sign you up and then pester you with advertising whilst tracking your movement. Read the fine print in the user agreement and then run away.

Kent1999

Not quite. OnStar uses the same terrestrial-based cell towers as regular cell phones.

The advantage is its integration and ability to talk to your car's systems.

Kent1999

I'm lucky -- I haven't been pestered too much by OnStar, despite being a customer for the last 5 years (and a current subscriber for their 'free' 3 years of service). I'd be surprised if I got 1 ad/email every 2-3 months from them. If that's the trade-off for free service, it seems like a pretty good deal, considering the volume of junk mail from all other sources I get.

Anyone with a modern smartphone can be tracked via GPS or even tower triangulation by their carrier, so that point's really not a disadvantage unique to OnStar. And with what -- 10 million subscribers? -- I don't think they have the time, resources, nor financial incentive to track everyone, just for the hell of it. I choose to carry a smartphone, so dropping OnStar accomplishes *nothing* to get me "off grid".

Yaupon

I see OnStar is offering a free 3 month trail on their web-site. They also indicate 3 years of basic service for eligible cars 2011 or newer. Sweet...I think.

maustin195

Thanks you are correct. I saw they used satellites for location and assumed for cell also. As usual you assume something and it turns out bad.

simplegto

It is cell phone based not Sat phone. I did the free three year deal and all it includes is emails to you and your dealer when service is due and if you have a problem such as I got an email on a cool morning when a tire was low. Extra for 911 cals if air bag goes off and extra for stolen car recovery and extra for turn by turn and phone. It covers nothing except giving you junk mail from your dealer when you need an oil change.

ByRiver

I would just not leave my key fob in the cup holder and just forget about signing up for a tracking device.