Turbo6TA

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,

383vett

You could have bought a more useful Garmin for less.

Turbo6TA

Yup ....

seamus2154

They do this to everyone. They suck. I had this same issue and I bought a Garmin after stopping my CC payment to Onstar. I paid 160. dollars w/ lifetime map updates refurbed from Garmin.

red2012

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.

Turbo6TA

$139 for 1 year of "Directions and Connections" (turn-by-turn nav)

... and 300 minutes!


Now I feel bad!

Gearhead Jim

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.

AtomicZ_Eric

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.

Bill Dearborn

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

Turbo6TA

Your right ... In my situation, I told the lady at OnStar I had no beef with her at all ... I just didn't like some of the policies that the company was pulling on me.

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.

hwhiteco

Thanks for that info...do you know if your Onstar price was for the Safe & Sound Plan or the Directions and Connections Plan?

Kadorja

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.

99mallett

Sirius/XM does the same thing. You have to call to "unsubscribe" or they automatically keep charging you.

JCtx

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 .

JLB768

Nothing will end a conversation with Onstar faster, than telling them you will not give them a credit card number.

Gman in NC

Garmin and map here.

p4snow

Is this after the free trial? If so, I am coming to the end of that and wonder how they wold get my creit card info.

glenB

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

red2012

Directions & Connections, the whole package.

dvilin

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.