Onstar Fail...
 

So, yesterday afternoon, I used onstar to try to get directions. The place is called Fantastic Games, but used to be called Fantastic Games & Toys.

I kind of knew where it was, so when I got the initial directions, they seemed a little off. So I called back and asked for the actual address. The address they had put in was a different address from where the actual place was (the address they used was from the old store name, which had changed 5 years ago).

So, I ask if they can google the address since that's where I found the address in the first place. They said they couldn't, and kept searching their database.

By this time I was a little frustrated because this isn't the first time they've totally messed up on the address. I tell the Onstar Rep that I'm pulling out my Android and I just wanted to let him know that if I got directions on the phone faster than him by just saying "Directions to Fantastic Games in Edmonds Washington" to my phone, and it gave correct directions faster than him (a supposed thinking human), that he would be an utter failure.

Lo & behold, the phone correctly understood my query, and correctly gave me directions to the place within about 45 seconds. I made special effort to let the Onstar guy know how bad a failure the he was as the phone was giving directions in the background.

Moral: Unless Onstar updates their database to have current address' and trains their operators to actually know towns here in Washington state...I'm dumping it in 3 months when the free year is up.

I was not planning on getting GPS for my car unless it free because my phone "android" works 100% of the time

I'll not doubt for a minute that a good GPS is best but if you had the street address why didn't you just give them that? For what it's worth the few times I've used Onstar it's worked pretty well.

i don't get in my car without knowing exactly where i am headed.

I don't get it. :iono: At that point, why didn't you just hang up? It actually makes sense that they can't use Google. Man, if Google noticed OnStar using their service everyday... imagine the publicity nightmare! :barf: I've never used OnStar for directions... I use my Android. Easier and simpler. No need to belittle someone making slightly above minimum wage who's hands are tied behind his back and forced to use limited resources.

Save that sort of thing for when XM calls. :thumbsup:

:sm0:

to me, OnStar is useful to make an important phone call in an area where there is NO cell phone signal... that's about it.

:word:

And that's exactly how I've used it. Nicely said.

I've used Onstar multiple times for directions and they've only led me astray once. I know it's lazy, but I find using Onstar much more convenient than reading a map. I've tested it against Mapquest and they've actually given me better directions than Mapquest. As Greasy mentioned above, I also keep mine for the instance where I may need to use it for a phone call.

When Onstar couldn't give me to directions to a hospital in downtown Atlanta - I pretty much decided I was done with Onstar and will not renew.

A friend had googled it, mainly so I could get the name of the place as I had forgot it.

He mentioned the street address, but it was 5 digits and I didn't remember it entirely because the friend had googled it a half hour earlier. I'm 47, so I wan't going to remember that, lol. I just knew the first 3 digits of the 5 were 233 and the street was wrong entirely.

Other problems I've had with OnStar are that they don't have ANY idea of city names out here in Washington State. Lynnwood is a well known part of Seattle, but they thought it was spelled Linwood. They also have problems spelling Puyallup and many other names here. This is probably because they are based in Detroit, but still...you'd expect a little competence and hire people on how well they know geography. I'm betting they don't even have training on that.

Lastly, it's also not the first time I've been steered wrong. One night I asked to go to a Sonic, and got sent into the middle of nowhere. Several other times I've been told a place doesn't exist in their database, even though it can be found in a google search.

I tried Onstar out when I first got my Camaro but was less than impressed with the navigation part. It seems it was conceived before aftermarket GPS solutions became so popular. Now that smart phones have pretty solid navigation built in (some of them free) I believe Onstar is going to have to evolve to stay competitive.

Emphasize the safety features, diagnostics, theft prevention, remote unlocks etc and start charging a reasonable rate for this. Are you listening Onstar???