Question about OnStar
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 223
Likes: 26
From: Monclova Ohio
Question about OnStar
My freebie must have been up a couple of months ago. Now I am being dinged for $36.05 a month. Is there a "ala carte" type service so you don't have to have everything? My car sits in storage all winter so there is no point having all that and I am really not sure if it is all or nothing type service. Any suggestion on is it worth having or a waste of money?
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,194
Likes: 305
From: Lake Havasu City Arizona
SoCal Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '12
Obviously you gave them a credit card if you are being charged for it. But to your question if you store your car for the winter you can call them and they will stop charging you while its stored. Once you bring the car back out you can call them to reactivate the service. Once my initial service ran out I discontinued using it.
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 39
Likes: 22
From: Dandridge Tenn.
I purchased my 18 GS in November. Tried to get the free trial period posponed until March. No luck with that. Advised that they could suspend a current account but not a free trial period. Makes no sense, sell a car that can't be driven for several months and have the free trial period run while its in the barn.
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 368,297
Likes: 24,776
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '25
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Just call OnStar and ask them what is available. $36/month is pretty steep.
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 49
Likes: 2
From: Port Orange Florida
My freebie must have been up a couple of months ago. Now I am being dinged for $36.05 a month. Is there a "ala carte" type service so you don't have to have everything? My car sits in storage all winter so there is no point having all that and I am really not sure if it is all or nothing type service. Any suggestion on is it worth having or a waste of money?
I do this because they recovered my 14 in two hours after it was stolen
this past year...they shut it off and told the police the exact location.
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Drifting
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,705
Likes: 539
From: Hampton VA
I have onstar and the monthly updates have been good. I have used the services a couple times. Once when my eletronics were going crazy but the car ran. A technician told me I could drive it but it would shift rough and other times when check engine lights came on told me the problem and the car could drive. Plus I think their stolen car tracking is much better than lojack 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 2,762
Likes: 1,017
From: MOUNTAIN HOME Arkansas
I have onstar and the monthly updates have been good. I have used the services a couple times. Once when my eletronics were going crazy but the car ran. A technician told me I could drive it but it would shift rough and other times when check engine lights came on told me the problem and the car could drive. Plus I think their stolen car tracking is much better than lojack
I have the Protection plan, no nav from them, & it's $199 per yr. The monthly report has always been spot on. If breakdown away from home it is very helpful. JMHO
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 8,133
Likes: 144
From: Ex-SF Bay Area; now happily Denver area
I just kept the free basic plan because I wanted to be able to call them from my cellphone to unlock the car in case I misplaced my fob. I think the free plan is good for 5 years.
Their customer service reps were nice but it still took 3 calls to get it transferred from the prior owner.
Their customer service reps were nice but it still took 3 calls to get it transferred from the prior owner.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,300
Likes: 3,199
From: Oro Valley Arizona
On Star
Yesterday's newspaper for sale today. Don't get it? A vehicle report for something I drive everyday is worth zip. Accident notification. If I'm not dead, I'll use my cell phone. If I am, I don't care.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 25,583
Likes: 16,942
One of my best friends is an ER trauma surgeon. He's always talking about how every minute counts after a critical injury, where most victims are not capable of using a cell phone. I find that OnStar instant notification of impact and precise location very comforting. Many would be dead people aren't, because they got to a trauma center very quickly.
Even in a best case scenario, it's likely to take many more minutes for a bystander to make a 911 call and get the location precisely pinned-down. I consider that one particular OnStar feature a very small price to pay for max odds of saving the lives of my loved ones and myself.
Even in a best case scenario, it's likely to take many more minutes for a bystander to make a 911 call and get the location precisely pinned-down. I consider that one particular OnStar feature a very small price to pay for max odds of saving the lives of my loved ones and myself.
Last edited by Foosh; Dec 29, 2017 at 09:33 AM.
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 26
Likes: 8
the answer is yes. Onstar can still locate the vehicle even if your not paying for the service. remember that you can "re-activate" your service at any time with a simple phone call and a credit card which means that they can "re-connect" "re-locate" your car at anytime. I've seen it before where the police will contact Onstar to get the location of stolen vehicles they believe to be insurance jobs. and yes, Onstar will bill the police dept for providing such service.
Last edited by CZ51; Jan 26, 2020 at 08:03 PM.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 282
Likes: 69
From: Granbury Texas
I keep Onstar Safety and Security and have since my trial period ran out on my new (in 2014) 2015 C7. The published price being $250 per year I was able to get them to discount that to $160 per year incl. all taxes. I drive my car year round as I live in the Ft. Worth area of Texas, but if I stored it for the winter they would make the service dormant and pick up again when removing from storage.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,248
Likes: 265
From: Louisville Ky NCM Lifetime Member 429 (Member Since 1993)
St. Jude Donor '12-'13, '16
the answer is yes. Onstar can still locate the vehicle even if your not paying for the service. remember that you can "re-activate" your service at any time with a simple phone call and a credit card which means that they can "re-connect" "re-locate" your car at anytime. I've seen it before where the police will contact Onstar to get the location of stolen vehicles they believe to be insurance jobs. and yes, Onstar will bill the police dept for providing such service.