View Full Version : A PSA For OnStar
Bailey Guns
10-10-2016, 19:12
News to me, maybe some of you know this already. I'm usually WAY behind the times on most tech stuff:
Just got a 2015 Cruze diesel. Comes with the standard GM-offered 3 months of complete OnStar service. What I didn't know is that for 2014 and newer used vehicles you can get a "Basic Connectivity Plan" free for 3 years. You don't access it thru the little, blue OnStar button in your car but rather thru a cell phone app. So, when the 3 months runs out it reverts to the Basic Plan. No CC info required. Of course, when you push the button to sign up they'll try to up-sell you to paid plans but they weren't aggressive about it and it took about 5 mins.
Through the OnStar app you can remotely start/unlock your car, find it (horn and lights), get diagnostics, send a location to NAV system, etc... The link below will answer your questions. Seems like a pretty good deal to me.
OnStar Basic (https://www.onstar.com/us/en/help-support/basic-plan.html)
Off Topic: My wife liked the little Cruze diesel so much we drove to Missoula, MT for one at a dealer there. She traded her Impala almost straight across. On the way back, over Lolo Pass and the winding mountain roads between Missoula and Lewiston (about 220 miles) the car averaged 52.6MPG! And I was in a bit of a hurry so I had my foot in it most of the way.
Great-Kazoo
10-10-2016, 19:25
So you have 2 now ?
Sounds like functions similar to my 2012 Hyundai that I bought in 2011. It uses their Blue Link app.
Biggest problem I have with the new cars/trucks are the nanny functions like auto-stop/start and "driver aids" that become a distraction.
milwaukeeshaker
10-10-2016, 19:43
The car can be tracked, and shut off remotely. Why would anyone allow that?
Bailey Guns
10-10-2016, 20:00
The car can be tracked, and shut off remotely. Why would anyone allow that?
Probably because I seriously doubt anyone's gonna want to track and shut off my car. You may worry about that...I don't. It's a good deal for people who don't think everyone is out to get them. Maybe not so much for others. And, I will occasionally fill out a 4473 Registration Form when I buy a gun from a dealer.
So you have 2 now ?
I know. I needed a commuter. It got here and Mrs BG went apeshit over it. So she traded for one I had my eye on. Really out of character for her. We've been together 30 years...she's bought 4 cars during that time. She's not into spending money on cars. But she really liked this one. And she's always bitched about the way diesel fuel smells...now, all of a sudden, she's gotta have one. And, during that same 30 years, I've bought 1 car...30 years ago. Had it for like 6 months. I buy trucks. The whole freakin world is upside down.
hurley842002
10-10-2016, 20:39
Probably because I seriously doubt anyone's gonna want to track and shut off my car. You may worry about that...I don't. It's a good deal for people who don't think everyone is out to get them. Maybe not so much for others. And, I will occasionally fill out a 4473 Registration Form when I buy a gun from a dealer.
LOL
What size tank do they have?
Bailey Guns
10-10-2016, 20:55
Not Colorado safe. It holds 16...gallons.
Great-Kazoo
10-10-2016, 22:01
The car can be tracked, and shut off remotely. Why would anyone allow that?
The other side of that equation is............Aunt buys a new caddy. Out of nowhere she hears a voice. Mrs... jones are you ok, Mrs jones help is en route. Seems she had a stroke went off the road and rolled the new car. Onstar noticed she had stopped in the middle of nowhere for 5 min, what ever they use (satellite tracking?) showed her 20+ feet off pavement where no pull off existed.
spqrzilla
10-10-2016, 22:09
The system is also triggered by airbag deployment.
Some years ago, in an insurance fraud investigation, I subpoenaed the Onstar records of a vehicle to discover the accident did not actually happen where the plaintiff claimed ...
They're not 100% reliable on airbag deployment. I've been first responder when on star wasn't activated by the obviously deployed airbag
Was it the obsolete analog onstar? There are still vehicles with it that won't work at all.
...and if you don't pay for service...no notification on airbag deployment.
Bailey Guns
10-11-2016, 06:45
...and if you don't pay for service...no notification on airbag deployment.
Right...this 3 year deal is really not an active account. You manage everything thru the phone app...not the blue button in the car.
I see it being really useful for things like opening doors when you've locked the keys inside.
I've become so use to locking my doors with a key fob, and many manufacturers have added features to auto-unlock the driver's door if the fob is still in the car, that I just don't lock keys in anymore. Out of the feature set you listed, I'm more likely to use remote start and download a nav destination...but that's just me.
SouthPaw
10-11-2016, 08:53
I had no idea the Cruze came in a diesel, but thats awesome fuel mileage!
I absolutely love my OnStar Phone App. I use it to remote start my truck all the time. It has also came in handy when the dealer locked my keys in the truck during a regular service and I was 20 miles away.
hurley842002
10-11-2016, 09:02
Not Colorado safe. It holds 16...gallons.
Perhaps, but 16 gallons @ 52mpg means I can go visit the family in CA on almost one tank.
Was it the obsolete analog onstar? There are still vehicles with it that won't work at all.
Nope. After prompting the driver he hit the on star button and they dispatched emergency crew while I dealt with the passenger and traffic
colorider
10-11-2016, 09:54
Had to use onstar once to unlock doors while traveling. It failed. No signal could get to my vehicle. Canceled the service right then and there. Ymmv.
Bailey Guns
10-11-2016, 16:32
I had no idea the Cruze came in a diesel, but thats awesome fuel mileage!
I absolutely love my OnStar Phone App. I use it to remote start my truck all the time. It has also came in handy when the dealer locked my keys in the truck during a regular service and I was 20 miles away.
They only sold a little over 11,000 diesel Cruze models in the US for model years 2014 and 2015. They sell various models with the European version of the diesel to the tune of between 400,000 and 500,000 per year. Americans don't seem to like diesel cars while Europeans love them. Fuel is cheaper there, too, I've heard.
I'm just getting into the app...mostly just playing with it. Seems to work just fine. I don't know how useful it will actually be...but free for 3 years? It's worth a shot.
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