Onstar got me
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 4,284
Likes: 1
From: Whitehall Pa.
Onstar got me
I was just thinking that my Onstar was running past my expiration date when I received my credit card bill (that should have been $0) and to my surprise there was a $18.95 charge for Onstar. The only time I used my card was to purchase extra minutes last year. Nice of those folks to store my number and add Onstar without my permission. Like most of the members say, have them direct bill you and NEVER give them your card number. Now I'll have to deal with Bob out of Bombay to get this taken care of.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 790
Likes: 63
From: Ft Worth TX
Just push the Onstar button and complain. They will probably accomadate you. I have had good luck working out problems with them this way. I really called to complain about poor phone voice quality and to cancel the service and ended up getting some free service and an offer for their tech guys to troubleshoot. I'll probably still cancel, but their efforts and willingness to try to help were at least noteworthy.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 6,113
Likes: 8
From: Pottsboro; Sometimes Dallas Texas
St. Jude Donor '12
I was just thinking that my Onstar was running past my expiration date when I received my credit card bill (that should have been $0) and to my surprise there was a $18.95 charge for Onstar. The only time I used my card was to purchase extra minutes last year. Nice of those folks to store my number and add Onstar without my permission. Like most of the members say, have them direct bill you and NEVER give them your card number. Now I'll have to deal with Bob out of Bombay to get this taken care of.
On another note....I was soooo glad I had renewed my OnStar last weekend (I have my 'Z and a Yukon w/OnStar) and I was at work in the city and locked my keys in my Yukon. I called their 800 number and in 3 minutes my Yukon was unlocked for me. (my keys were sitting on console).
They gave me a discounted rate. (instead of 199/year (=18.95/mo) I got 149/yr on each vehicle).
Tim
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 943
Likes: 159
From: Brighton Mi
Why does anyone give out their credit card for subscriptions? All that ends up happening is that you end up forgetting to cancel (or even cancel but it does not get cancelled) and then you have to waste time getting the problem fixed.
Lookup shopsafe or virtual credit cards. Bank Of America has shopsafe (from MBNA) and Citi has virtual credit cards. You login to your card site, generate a card for a fixed amount and time, and use that. Then who cares if it is stored. Saves a lot of hassle and gives you control over what happens.
Lookup shopsafe or virtual credit cards. Bank Of America has shopsafe (from MBNA) and Citi has virtual credit cards. You login to your card site, generate a card for a fixed amount and time, and use that. Then who cares if it is stored. Saves a lot of hassle and gives you control over what happens.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 21,502
Likes: 461
From: Southern Utah
It would be interesting to see how much total business in the US is done by just re-billing automatically on credit cards and automatic bank account withdrawals. I've got to think that an awful lot of money is spent this way without anyone really even knowing about it or acknowledging it. As a business, it must be almost a dream to get people signed up for something and then know that a significant percentage of customers will keep paying you every month even long after they have forgotten what service you were providing to them.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 21,844
Likes: 140
From: When all is said and done... there is a hell of a lot more said than done. Riverside,Texas
St. Jude Donor '05 thru '26
It would be interesting to see how much total business in the US is done by just re-billing automatically on credit cards and automatic bank account withdrawals. I've got to think that an awful lot of money is spent this way without anyone really even knowing about it or acknowledging it. As a business, it must be almost a dream to get people signed up for something and then know that a significant percentage of customers will keep paying you every month even long after they have forgotten what service you were providing to them.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,055
Likes: 9,817
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
OnStar had good Customer Service. If you call them they will work with you to resolve the issue. I haven't had any issues with them having my credit card number.
Now XM is a totally different issue. Extremely difficult to deal with and even if they don't have your credit card they keep sending a bill instead of letting the service lapse. Then they insist on you paying for what you didn't want. Two different companies but one has integrity and the other doesn't.
Bill
Now XM is a totally different issue. Extremely difficult to deal with and even if they don't have your credit card they keep sending a bill instead of letting the service lapse. Then they insist on you paying for what you didn't want. Two different companies but one has integrity and the other doesn't.
Bill
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 19,574
Likes: 167
From: Frederick, MD
If XM and OnStar doesn't have your current card number they will still bill you. Failure to pay the bill will result in a collection agency coming after you and charging another 75% or so plus the negative credit hit. OnStar is a lot better than XM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,658
Likes: 827
From: FORT LAUDERDALE FL
if you cancel the service in writing and get confirmation (including no service) they can send as many "bills" as they want. get a dun from a CA? provide the cancellation docs. it's simple but most don't do it. you cannot assume that not paying the bill (and still get the service) that you are cancelled.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 12,641
Likes: 464
From: Houston TX
OnStar had good Customer Service. If you call them they will work with you to resolve the issue. I haven't had any issues with them having my credit card number.
Now XM is a totally different issue. Extremely difficult to deal with and even if they don't have your credit card they keep sending a bill instead of letting the service lapse. Then they insist on you paying for what you didn't want. Two different companies but one has integrity and the other doesn't.
Bill
Now XM is a totally different issue. Extremely difficult to deal with and even if they don't have your credit card they keep sending a bill instead of letting the service lapse. Then they insist on you paying for what you didn't want. Two different companies but one has integrity and the other doesn't.
Bill
I'll second all of that...!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 4,284
Likes: 1
From: Whitehall Pa.
I'm going to give them a call and see what they can do. At least if I want to keep it they should give it to me for the price they've been giving members. Some of the catalogs I have ordered from keep my credit card info which isn't much to my liking.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,194
Likes: 305
From: Lake Havasu City Arizona
SoCal Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '12
Give them a call, i just did a few days ago complaining about 18.95 each for 3 vettes. One of them the onstar has not worked since day one and i got an email they would start billing me for it in a few months. so i called them, cancelled the car where the onstar never worked and reduced the bill on the other two cars to 12.95 for each car. since the cars are just part time, also if you are in snow country like i am, you can call and have the service "suspended" for the time period that you do not use it and they will extend your contract for that period of time. onstar good, xm bad.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 159
Likes: 0
From: Dallas TX
ive had good experience with dealing with onstar customer service. i hit the button to speak with them, since my current plan that was carried over from my 2010 silverado was nearing expiration (in june). i was told "no, your plan isnt going to end until december, the free 6 months that came with the vette is already set to begin"
then... "since there was some confusion about the end date of your current plan, id like to extend your service 3 more months until march of 2012..."
gee thanks! i would have been satisfied just knowing i needed to call back in in december, but now im going until march just simply for calling to inquire.
then... "since there was some confusion about the end date of your current plan, id like to extend your service 3 more months until march of 2012..."
gee thanks! i would have been satisfied just knowing i needed to call back in in december, but now im going until march just simply for calling to inquire.