jpuli28

If my Vette did not come with OnStar from the factory, can I add it? What will I need besides a rv mirror?

Thanks

BEZ06

Well.....many would say you're crazy to want to add OnStar. Lots on the forum want to disable the OnStar they have.

OnStar doesn't have anything I need, so I recently canceled it at the end of my free trial. My '06 didn't have it, and I don't need it on my '09.

The ONLY thing I'd really like from it is the ability to have them unlock my doors. On many 2011 GM vehicles, you can interface with your car through OnStar and an iPhone app. However, I don't believe the 2011 Corvette OnStar has that capability.

Anyway.....I don't think it's feasible at all to add OnStar to your car. There's MUCH more to it than just getting a rearview mirror!!! The thing gets inputs from a whole bunch of sensors and communicates with a bunch of the computer modules in the car via the data bus, so I think it would be very difficult to connect everything up in a car that doesn't have it.

I hope someone else may have some good news for you that it can be done, but I doubt it!!

Bob

Mr Snappy!

I have three GM cars and three OnStar accounts

I like the email reports and the phone service. On my other two vehicles, the Acadia and my Caddy CTS, I have the ability to call OnStar and give them a destination then it sends it back and guides me to the destination without a Nav unit.

I recently upgraded my C6 to digital OnStar. My 2005 had the OnStar box, but it was the old analog unit. For $19.99 (yes, 20 bucks) they replaced my old unit with a new digital one and made sure it was all working correctly. The only catch was I had to sign up for one year of the service....but DUH, why wouldn't you do that?

I wasn't going to do it, but if I ever take the Vette on a long trip, I want crash detection, emergency service, phone, and most importantly, door unlock service.

To each his own, most would prefer to not activate it and just use their cell phones....I think they are cool as hell.

kornyboy

I got a quote from a dealer because I was curious and it came back at $3,100. I looked at it and they are very proud of the parts ($2,700). They may have thought they would be able to take me for a ride but I told them to forget it. The dealer installed the nab on my vette on delivery so voice commands do not work since it doesn't have a mic. That was the only reason that I even considered it. After doing a little more research and determining that the voice commands don't work very well anyway plus the price, it really wasn't worth it.

wu6fiend

Around here, the major objectors to Onstar all seem to belong to the tinfoil hat crowd. I've found it quite useful. Whether it is worth around $3000 to you, that's only a decision you can make.

keyplyr

No, I canceled OnStar because it didn't work. It's unreliable. When I needed it, no one answered after the recording ended. You'll pay for it every month, year after year but never know if it will work when you actually need it.

wu6fiend

Odd, its always worked perfectly for me. Rings once, then a person answers. Doesn't seem to matter what time of day or night. If you cancelled it due to poor service, thats ok. You are the first person I've heard that had poor service, though.

If you had cancelled because you subscribe to the "Onstar spies on me, and its another indicator of the creeping big government that is trying to take away my personal rights to speed and drive recklessly" school, then I was going to suggest seeking professional help.

It reminds me of a dude that came to see a 2000 Camaro SS I had for sale. He told me he didn't want Onstar, because "the police could shut him down" when they were pursuing him.

Mr Snappy!

Funny,
I live in Kansas and when I drive out in the middle of BFE, OnStar works every time.

You do know that Onstar uses Verizon as its primary carrier which means you get Verizon, Sprint, and Altel towers...which pretty much is 100% domestic coverage.

keyplyr

Well I wasn't referring to the hands free phone. It was the Emergency service. They didn't answer.

Anyway, that's history. I now use AAA and they always answer.

jpuli28

$3k! I thought it would be as easy as the HUD aftermarket (respectively so). Figured a few parts via the forum vendors, plug it in, call OnStar to activate.
I like the idea because of the perks mentioned as well as if its moved without my knowledge I can be notifed and track it.

boraxman

Ive had free trial going for a couple of months now and have never bothered to try it.

Knob Jockey

I suggest you call Gene Culley (GMPartsHouse) and get a quote on the parts needed.

The car will undoubtedly require some re-programming by the dealer as well.

May not be worth the effort/expense.

foremaw

I found this interesting because this is what OnStar says on its website:

OnStar is a factory-installed option and cannot be installed by a dealer or retailer, so you must do one of the following:

Purchase a vehicle with OnStar
Own a vehicle with OnStar

I heard GM might be working on an aftermarket kit but nothing I've seen shows its available.

I have OnStar and like it. Everything works as advertised.

Larry/car

You have never tried it, all you have to do is push the button on the inside rear view mirror. "Like" (I know that I will not like it so I'm not even going to check, and I might like it).

alamike

At $2700 a car, maybe GM should have just offered onstar as an option and gave the buyer a break on the price. I would have never guessed that an antenna and transponder was that high even with a 100% markup.

Mr Snappy!

Oh, I think its more than that...

Unit - Main onstar computer by visor
Wiring to the unit and visor
New interface to computer
maybe new main computer
Entire mirror/user control unit
Antenae
tons of installation hours
and god knows what else.

But for $3K, I would walk away.

gunterwalker

Just get some roadside assistance from any of the carriers like AAA. A whole lot cheaper. I do have OnStar on my truck but in almost 2 years now I've never even used it once.

MARSC6

The wiring may be in the car already. Why a pulled my drivers side a-pillar cover the wiring for the mic was there even though I didn't have that option.

rdm1465

I currently don't have On-Star. When I did in the past, it worked as advertised. Had a deer run out in front of the truck, the airbags deployed, On-Star called me in the truck, and sent a tow truck out. Oh and I did use the the unlock feature a couple of times also.