LE and non-LE opinions on ON-STAR

[Cass]

I would like to hear about your experiences with On-Star. I'm not thinking about getting it (they don't come standard with lemons...), but with all the advertising out there I'm just curious how often it is actually used and how effective it is.

I'm especially interested in what LE personnel have to say about it, but I wanted to include non-LEOs as well so I'm posting it here.

Just a few questions off the top of my head:

- How many calls have you had where On-Star alerted police, ambulance, fire rescue?

- In how many cases did the victim not have access to a cell phone or other means of calling 911, i.e. depended exclusively on On-Star?

- In how many cases was the victim unconscious, trapped, immobilized or otherwise unable to call 911?

- Have you ever had a scene where On-Star FAILED to contact police/ambulance or gave an incorrect location?

- Do you have/would you like to have On-Star in your personal vehicle?

- Should the system become standard in all vehicles or is it overrated?

For non-LEOs:

- Do you/would you like to have On-Star in your personal vehicle?

- Have you ever used it in an emergency?

- Would you have been able to call 911?

- Was the correct information/location given?

Thanks for your time.


PS: I've only ever heard of On-Star. If there are similar products out there, then please include those too.

[texaschickeee]

IMO waste of money. If you lock yourself out eou get billed for the popped lock, and unless your in BFE there is someone to call if there is a crash.

Again....IMO

[Cass]

IMO waste of money. If you lock yourself out eou get billed for the popped lock, and unless your in BFE there is someone to call if there is a crash.

Again....IMO

BFE? Just learned another word/abbreviation. :eek:

And thank you for your opinion.

I myself am pretty skeptical about OnStar, but I thought if anybody had any "success stories" or "stories of survival" to tell, it would be law enforcement. I've just never heard from anyone who actually used it successfully. :confused:

[texaschickeee]

BFE====Bum F Egypt......middle of nowhere:eek::eek:

[Jynkxxie]

Well......not to rock this boat, but I love it. I have owned 3 Pontiac's, and had it on each one.


I have had my lock popped. Never been charged. If they could not pop it, they had a lock smith come out and make me a key. No charge.

When I have broke down, they sent a flat bed.

When I had need to make an emergency phone call and my cell is dead...I have my car.

They run monthly diagnostics, and send me an email. Keeps me informed of what problems I may unknowingly have, like recalls, etc.

When I got in an accident, this incident was several years ago, but they called me. I didn't call them. And they knew my location.

Even if you don't keep your subscription, the service is always just a push away, and you only get billed I think for that month in which you have used the service, you don't get back billed.

So I don't pay for all of the services, because there are plenty, but I give it two thumbs up.

Also...to add, this was kind of cool. A long time ago I had to leave my car in Toledo. I called onStar and asked them to give me the GPS location of my car. I called them back during my vacation, to check that my car was still in the same location I had left it. I don't know. That was worth it to me.

[StationM]

I'll answer from the dispatch/call-taker side.

I have not yet had an accident call where they were the only source of information (due to unconscious driver), but I have taken transfer calls for accidents (with the victim/customer on the line) as well as disabled vehicles. They usually give fairly decent location information, which is better then the average citizen can provide after an accident. Because they have mapping as well as lat/long info, it beats the heck out of a cell 911 call.

We've had several recovered stolen vehicles where they provided updated locations (including vehicles in motion) and then could follow-up with remotely sounding horns or flashing lights. Good hint from deputy...specify the time limit for the horn unless you want to go deaf...their system is in 15 second increments. It's great for the recently stolen vehicles.

I think if you do a lot of long distance driving it's a good thing. I'd definitely recommend it for older/elderly drivers.

I'd also recommend Lojack if you are concerned about vehicle theft.

[Creeker]

I'm with Jynxxie.

I have it on both of my cars.

We have used it a time or two on lockouts, (hers:D) and before we had a nationwide cell plan, we used the cell when we were out of state to make reservations at motels... not the "Concierge"... which is fairly expensive.

Now that On-Star is all digital, if you have an account with Verizon, they can add your On-Star as another telephone on your family plan.

Ditto that they send me a diagnostic via e-mail every month. I discovered that I had some low tires a few months ago, and it is also an Oil Change reminder as well.

Just after we got my wife's car, we took a trip up the Outer Banks to my wife's Aunt's in NJ. We took the Ferry for Cape May out of Delaware. For S&G's, we got about half-way through the 1 1/2 hour ferry ride, then punched up the On-Star to tell us where we were at. The system still had us sitting on the dock.

That was in early '04 when it was still Analog, so I can pretty safely assume their system is either better, or only functions on land... who would expect to look for a car being driven on the water.

It can be a little startling when you get your first call via On-Star. You are dittie bopping down the road listening to your tunes or talk (me) and your stereo speakers start ringing.;)

[MyOwnNemesis]

Creeker, since it is digital now have you been back to OBX? Just curious if Onstar would call you and ask about your new submarine subscription??:rolleyes:

I remember a few years ago heading into DC on that new (really elevated) overpass, my GPS had me floating in space.

[Creeker]

Creeker, since it is digital now have you been back to OBX? Just curious if Onstar would call you and ask about your new submarine subscription??:rolleyes:

I remember a few years ago heading into DC on that new (really elevated) overpass, my GPS had me floating in space.

LOL... I haven't tried it out with On-Star since.

Where does your GPS say you are when you hit a long tunnel?

When I travel, for the last few years I've been using MS Streets on a Laptop on a vehicle mount with GPS.

We more recently took that same trip and during ferry crossings it tracked us across the water, just like it should have.

I like using the laptop maps because you can save your trip trails and file them with the pictures of your vacations.

When I hit a tunnel, I get a voice that tells me "Lost GPS Signal" and the tracking stops where it lost it until it picks up a new signal, then connects the "dots" with a straight line.

[MyOwnNemesis]

I downloaded Ozzy Osborne onto my GPS, every time I miss a turn, go another way, etc, he yells at me in a very drugged-out voice "What the hell? You are going the wrong f&&kin way you wanker." or "You missed the bloody petrol station.." I laugh every time.

Yeah, it tracks across water even if the bridge isn't there but the big overpass in DC was sort of funny. There was the vehicle icon and nothing below, no street - nothing, the screen shot kept doing 360's, and defaulted to "searching" mode.

As for tunnels...searching. I read in Omni a few months ago that in the name of CIP the DOT will be adding some sort of cables to primary tunnels to allow for greater GPS signal reporting. Personally I do not think it has a damn thing to do with the DOT..maybe the DOJ??:eek:

[Cass]

Oh wow. I had no clue that OnStar offers all those features that others have mentioned above.

All the ads ever talk about is that "if you're in an accident and can't call 911, we'll send someone over".

Do they have a radar warning system too? And a little voice telling you when you're going over the speed limit? Or when you're low on gas (likely)? Can they tell you how much your parking fine is going to be?

That's good stuff. And I thought Knight Rider was fiction. :rolleyes:

[kels]

We average about two lovely calls from ON STAR a year on my shift.

In eight years, only one has turned out to anything:mad:

[towncop]

Personally, I love ON STAR. We've got it in my wife's vehicle and has been stated above, never been charged for unlocking her doors.

Professionally, I've jugged two OWI's thanks to ON STAR after the drunks were involved in a crash! :D

[Creeker]

Oh wow. I had no clue that OnStar offers all those features that others have mentioned above.

...? Or when you're low on gas (likely)? ...

If you get a car with On Star, I'm betting it will also have a low fuel bell.

I didn't know my '04 Yukon had one until last month when I was gaming the gas stations for a lower gas price.

[Jynkxxie]

Hey Creeker,

They will come bring you gas won't they? Or is that a GM Roadside thing? I don't remember.