Consumer Reports Rates OnStar




We've all seen the commercials: someone is in an accident with no one nearby to help. A service like OnStar comes to the rescue, providing a live operator who can get you help in an emergency. But how well does the service perform?

Bill Cassara bought a GM car a few years ago. It came with OnStar emergency service free for one year. “Just the basic service…if you crash your car, the air bag goes off, and a voice will come on and say are you okay? Should we send an ambulance? I really liked that idea.”

OnStar is owned by General Motors. The company offers a basic package free for one year with certain cars.

Donato Vaccaro just analyzed results from Consumer Reports' survey of OnStar users. If you buy the service separately for your car, packages range from 16.95 to 69.95 a month.

With all of the OnStar packages, you get a live person to talk to in an emergency. “The higher levels of service, the ones that might cost more, give you the opportunity to get driving directions or even make theater or restaurant reservations,” says Vaccaro.

When it comes to how people use OnStar, Consumer Reports found 22 percent of the respondents called OnStar with an emergency, everything from a medical emergency to a remote door unlock for when you lock you keys in the car.

Other common calls to OnStar were from people who'd run out of gas or gotten a flat tire. And survey results show many people are taking advantage of other features offered, like directions and weather reports.

But no matter what people used it for, Consumer Reports found people liked OnStar. “In fact, we found that more than two thirds were highly satisfied with their service.”

That includes Bill Cassara. He renewed his OnStar service after the free trial. About half of Consumer Reports' survey respondents say they'll do the same.

Consumer Reports says be aware. OnStar has the same limitations as a cell phone. As with cell service, there's the potential for dead spots and dropped calls, so you can't be absolutely certain OnStar will work in an emergency.

 

I asked specifically about those holes in coverage when I first talked to Onstar to familiarize myself with the feature. The GPS system and cell phone system are two seperate systems that are integrated into one reature. If you are in a remote area and the cell feature does not have signal, the GPS still does because its global. So let's say you are out four wheeling in the middle of nowhere, and there isn't cell phone coverage for miles. If something bad happens and your airbags deploy, or you push the red button, the GPS locates you and the signal is still sent to OnStar. The Operator will try to cummunicate with you, but even if they get no voice responce, they will still send help to your GPS coordinates.

 

do you guys both have onstar?

 

I have it and will sign up for it when it runs out.

 

My XM just expired..I think I'll leave it that way too...My Onstar works great..But my cell phone reception sux..I get dropped calls or incompleted calls incoming or out going...The onStar folks claim my area is undergoing a reconfiguration of the cell towers/network..blah, blah..And my coverage will be spotty for an undetermined period of time..In order for me to use it, I have to come to a stop somwhere to make a call if I don't want lose the connection or make one...Reception is most the time, scratchy and difficult with an echo...Anybody else have this same problem?

 

I have the service you get when you buy the vehicle. Other then the GPS feature so help can find me easier, I have no need for it, so when it expires I won't renew. I also don't have a cell phone and haven't for years.

 

Dennis it VERIZON what do you expect. They suck and they treat there people like ****. Your just a number
GTE WAS BETTER STUPID MERGER[:@]

 

This Febuary, my wife totalled our Envoy into a telephone pote during an ice/snow storm. She was fine but the top of the pole and the power lines it was holding dropped on the roof of the truck. Onstar had the police there in minutes. They made sure she was okay and kept her in the truck and people away until the power company could cut the power. Now we have the H3 and we will always have Onstar.

The Onstar direction service is also a lot more convenient than twiddling with the typical built in navigation screen. Just push a button and get the directions while driving.

 

ON Star came with my H3 as standard equipment. I haven't activated it but it has been informative reading the posts here......the auto-dealer really amped up the sales pitch about the on-star.

 

it should be free for 1 year with 100 min of cell time.