Scientific breakthrough (kinda long): OnStar draws a perfect vacuum.

[el ess A]

I swear, EVERY time I've gone to renew my OnStar subscriptions, they always seem to inject powerful drama into the experience. Without any external help it seems.

So my subscriptions came due on the Caddy and the GMC at virtually the same time. I knew this because a month or so ago they were sending me "alert grams" in the mail saying my credit card had expired, etc. (the card I had on file expired in July, but I had since got a new card. Just never told them I guess)

So...last week I use their website and toss in a 3-year plan for the Caddy and paid for it. Then, went back to the site, dropped another 3-year plan for the GMC in the cart and paid for that. Simple huh? Oh, helllllllll no.

So check this...because my credit card on file had expired, and I've NEVER contacted them about the ZL1, they sent me an OnStar email about the ZL1's monthly "checkup" but in it said they couldn't process it because my credit card on file had expired. Wait a minute...OnStar for the ZL1 was for 6 months. Dealer activated it, not me. So why all of a sudden don't I get the benefit of what I already paid for when I bought the car? A-holes.

That's ok, because last week right after that, I was going to renew the GMC and Caddy anyway (more for the wife's benefit, I never use it). So today, I'm looking at my credit card account and saw that the 2 separate 3-year plans were charged on my card. I go back to the OnStar site and it says now that the Caddy is good until October 2019!!! WTF? And my GMC had no update.

Using the chat feature, I find out that they weren't exactly rocket scientists, yet were somehow able to pull a vacuum deeper than out in space. I asked if they could just apply the 2nd three-year plan to the GMC and fix the glitch. Oh no. They would have to cancel the 2nd three-year plan, which put the Caddy back to a 2016 expiry, and I'd have to either call them, press the blue button of stupidity, or go back to the website and purchase a plan for the GMC!!!

So she asks if I would confirm to cancel the 2nd three-year plan for the Caddy. OF COURSE! And.....while you're at it, cancel the GMC too. Oh, but she can't do that. I have to call the number or hit the idiot button.

Begrudgingly, I thanked her for her time and what little help (if any) she gave me, and called the number. So I get "Felix" who I would suspect is working the night shift in some middle-eastern call center. I canceled the GMC, and said, what the hell, while I was at it, cancel the 2010 Camaro, too. "you realize sir by cancelling you won't be getting (rolls off benefits)" I told him yes, but I'm sure if I get in a wreck, the guy I get in a wreck with will likely have OnStar or a cellphone so help would probably get there anyway. And if I hit a tree, then I'm a dumbass anyway for driving into a tree.

And what really grinds my gears about all this, is that you only get LIMITED information about your account on the website so you really don't know everything about your plan or options to change things. They just toss you into a "continuous coverage" plan without even asking you, or having no way to opt out on your own without hitting the dumbass button or calling them. (Anyone got the idea by now I'm not a big fan of OnStar?)

So when the time comes, the ZL1 won't get renewed either. I'll keep it on the wife's Caddy because there ARE some good things OnStar has that make it worth it to have on her behalf, but as for me I could care less. I drove cars for 33 years without OnStar, so I'm pretty sure I can get by without it. What a racket. I really tried to stay with them, but their incompetence doesn't impress me enough to stay. Sorry for the wall of words but I'm fed up and needed to vent.

[snymat68]

I cancelled mine on the Camaro shortly after buying it. Never had onstar. Never want onstar. Even unplugged the connector going to the mirror to shut those damn lights off.

[RubyCamaro]

Yeah, a lot of things about that system are just totaly stupid & useless. Sorry you had to deal with that crap. There has got to be a better way to manage what started out to be a great idea.

[punkindave]

Pretty much part of the "dumbing" of the world. We're expected to accept it too.
I just bought a 2013 and was completely unimpressed with the things they tried to get me to do..
Sorry guys, I won't give you a credit card, if I like the free service I'll set up the renewal online as I'm certain you'll warn me when I'm due.
NO I don't want the cell phone minutes that'll expire every contract period (in 6 months).

[ssrs2lt]

agree ive never had a renewal go smoothly.. ive never got a discount either. I was happy when the card expired so they couldn't auto enroll my forgetful self.

[motorhead]

You think Onstar people are bad, try dealing with the useless A-holes at Sirus.

[RolltideSS]

Originally Posted by motorhead

You think onstart people are bad, try dealing with the useless A-holes at Sirus.

I was getting a call a day from them when my last car finished it's six month trial and "I'm not interested don't call again" apparently means nothing to them

[StreetSS]

I cancelled OnStar on my cars as well. Sucks you don't get multi-car discount. At least the operator said there was none. The experience of talking to them lit a fire under my a$$ and I went through all my bills and cancelled many recurring but unnecessary subscriptions that we don't really use often (Netflix, gamefly, service plans, XM, etc). There is no shortage of companies that want you to commit to sending them $ out of your wallet on a monthly basis and automatically renew this commitment for you out of the kindness in their hearts.

[Number 3]

Don't ever give anyone your credit card to pay for services like this. Just pay by check. OnStar and XM have been virtually painless for us. Both are great services, they just become bad when you try to opt out or change. If they have your card it always seems to be worse.

Now Audi connect? I had two reminder emails and nothing since the service expired. Interesting difference.

[patternpilot]

I never renewed onstar after the trial period and never heard from them. I renewed the XM because I got a great deal the first year. The second year I told them I would pay what I paid the year before and they said ok. So, no problems here. I love XM, as they have exactly what I want to listen to.

[LStick]

They were pestering me non stop for a week when my Camaro's Onstar expired.

I never gave them or XM any charge account info- no worries.

[ChrisBlair]

My first car with OnStar had a three month trial. The dealership did not activate it.

I activated it one month after I got the car. They need the radio ID. I gave it to them.

Two months later: cancelled. I caleld them up.

"You three months are over", they said.

I asked when I activated it. they told me. I asked how many months I had OnStar. they said "two".

"Good", I said. "Now give me my third month."

"No, the three months are over".

I explained what the difference was between two and three. They knew when i activated it- they had to send the signal, and they recorded the date!

They refused to give me the third month. I told them I would never, ever, under any circumstances give them money for Onstar. Ever. They don't care. make you safe? make you secure? A nice thing they do for you?

Bullshit. It's money, and that's all it is.

[white ZL1]

I've never had any issues with OnStar in over 2 years.

[ChrisBlair]

I guess that proves that they didn't jerk me around and I'm lying.