OnStar Rant

[Kvapil28]

It was 10 seconds who cares. Dealers always set you up with the free Onstar for 6months on new and 3 months on used. I have never heard of them just coming on with an OnStar ads..

[wadeh]

Originally Posted by 2SS 2011

You will be the same guy who posts on how something happened and you needed onstar and they refused because YOU cancelled them.. and you would probably write a letter demanding why they didn't help you..

<sigh>

Hey thanks! That was exactly the response I needed to feel a whole lot better about this incident and this community!

[cb2011rs]

Enjoy the new car . Onstar IMHO can be a useful tool although I can see where they started off on the wrong foot with you .

[fbodfather]

mmmm........I think I know what happened.

Look at your steering wheel - see the phone button there with all the other buttons? (I'm in an airport and cannot remember exactly what the button looks like....) --

The first time you call OnStar you get a "welcome to OnStar" with a quick overview.......

I suspect you hit that button by mistake as you were driving.

I've never heard of OnStar calling you just to tell you about its services.

I do hope you'll calm down over this - because OnStar offers a lot of great services - AND - it just may save your life - or those of your loved ones - one day. (...we hope you never have to experience the crash response abilities of OnStar....)

[mat300z]

Originally Posted by spectre_

Just curious out of those that have had this happen, how many actually had used the OnStar phone? Meaning, bought minutes for it.
I know when I bought my car and setup the OnStar, I declined to use the phone portion of the service (was not included in the free trial). Thus I haven't received any such calls from them. I'm wondering if that could be part of it...

I have the phone for back up. They offered me 300 minutes for 9.00 dollars. I have only used it 2x. Once when I forgot my phone at the house and had to call my wife cause I couldn't remember what she wanted from the grocery store and one more time to call my daughter on my way home from work to make sure she got home ok (also forgot to take my cell with me that day). It is great for a back up emergency use and for piece of mind. But to answer your question I don't think that has anything to do with the call that was received. I have had onstar in a few of my vehicles and can't remember them ever calling me in the car.

[mat300z]

Originally Posted by fbodfather

mmmm........I think I know what happened.

Look at your steering wheel - see the phone button there with all the other buttons? (I'm in an airport and cannot remember exactly what the button looks like....) --

The first time you call OnStar you get a "welcome to OnStar" with a quick overview.......

I suspect you hit that button by mistake as you were driving.

I've never heard of OnStar calling you just to tell you about its services.

I do hope you'll calm down over this - because OnStar offers a lot of great services - AND - it just may save your life - or those of your loved ones - one day. (...we hope you never have to experience the crash response abilities of OnStar....)

[tramtwo]

I received the marketing call as well... being inundated with technology in EVERY area of life I was not surprised. When I really want away from it all I get on the HOG!

OP get ready for all the junk mail you didn't ask for...

[trooper182]

Lol it still amazes me how little trivial things in everyday life will make us go off. I could understand if you got cut off or had a rock fly and break your windshield but really...mad because your song got interrupted. Now I will admit years ago something like this might have got me mad. Maybe not mad enough to go back to the dealer or threaten to write GM. I guess being in the Army and three deployments has changed my views on things. Not trying to flame you or anything. Just calm down and breath. If you really do not care for the Onstar then just don't renew when the 6 months is up or just disconnect it. But like others have said and not saying it did not happen to you but I have never had Onstar just randomly come on with some ad. And if they did then I would just hit the blue button and hang up.

[Nessal]

Originally Posted by BlueDragonVT

Sorry, but that analogy is completely incorrect. Think something more like this: You are playing a video game on your PS3 through your TV, when your cable provider interrupts your game in order to advertise themselves. When you sign up for cable, or pick up a broadcast transmission, you are accepting the fact that advertisement IN THEIR BROADCAST is a part of the way the provider pays for the service. That doesn't mean they get to break in and pitch themselves whenever you are using the connected device. Onstar breaking into your system in order to pimp their product actually represents an unethical misuse of their access to YOUR PROPERTY. Now personally, I like Onstar, and intend to keep it. Then again, I have never had this issue, and would cancel the service if I encountered this type of treatment from any company I did business with. It is a similar abuse of power to the situation we saw six months ago, where Onstar decided that they were going to continue to collect data from cancelled customers, and sell that data to third parties. That one nearly cost them the majority of their subscriber base and a class action lawsuit, until they backed down and decided it was a bad idea. In the age of electronic access, companies increasingly need to remember that just because they may have the technical ability to do something, that doesn't mean that they should do it, or that they have the right to do it.

Exactly.

[Nessal]

Originally Posted by trooper182

Lol it still amazes me how little trivial things in everyday life will make us go off. I could understand if you got cut off or had a rock fly and break your windshield but really...mad because your song got interrupted. Now I will admit years ago something like this might have got me mad. Maybe not mad enough to go back to the dealer or threaten to write GM. I guess being in the Army and three deployments has changed my views on things. Not trying to flame you or anything. Just calm down and breath. If you really do not care for the Onstar then just don't renew when the 6 months is up or just disconnect it. But like others have said and not saying it did not happen to you but I have never had Onstar just randomly come on with some ad. And if they did then I would just hit the blue button and hang up.

I honestly don't think the OP is mad about the call itself but rather the principle of it all.

Btw, we should be MORE vigilant about this type of stuff in all aspects of life big or small...especially politically. But that's for a different forum.

[jmaynard]

Dude, you blew the perfect opportunity. Here's how it should have gone.

(silenct)
{Onstar}Hello, this is your Onstar adviser, how are you today.
{You}Bitch, where's my money. I told you to bring me my cash today.
(slapping sounds)
{You} Got you ho ass back out there and make me some money
{Onstar} Uuuuuuuuuuuu, sir
{You} Ya, I'm gonna shoot you. You aint making me my money so you needs to die.


Get the point??? You should have had some fun with them.

On a side note, yes, this is VERY rude. Using the equipment Gm installed to hold you hostage to their sales pitch is unacceptable. They have your mailing address. If they want to reach you they should do so that way.

[Kvapil28]

GM want's all dealers to do a Welcome call on new and used before the customer leaves with the car during delivery. Dealers are told by GM to enroll the the customer online before they take delivery.

[2SS 2011]

It's funny Ford Chrysler and Dodge gave the big FU to OnStar when they came calling trying to sell their service to them.. It figures Chevy says YES and all it ends up doing is denying chevy owners the awesome touchscreen technology used in most cars today.. Including Civics!!!

[ColdCamaroSS]

Originally Posted by Kvapil28

GM want's all dealers to do a Welcome call on new and used before the customer leaves with the car during delivery. Dealers are told by GM to enroll the the customer online before they take delivery.

This is certainly a possiblity seeing that the OP has only had the car for about a week.

Fbodyfather,

I don't have bluetooth/steering wheel controls and I have recieved a phone call by OnStar while driving and not initiated by me. I don't remember the context of the conversation but I believe it was a marketing call. It didn't bother me in the slightest, so I do not recall the exact details.