OnStar--Cool or Creepy?

[Zane]

Today i had the chance to use OnStar 4 times...    

 

Afterwhich, i am SOOO glad its was there!!  I would still be driving around Boston without it.

But, i've heard all these things whereas people are freeked out about OnStar as it can read all the sensors in your vehicle. So, what do you think? Cool, or Creepy?

 

I Vote for Cool.  

[LarryE]

biggest piece of $h!t i've ever used,  it's been the useless crap ever invented

 

our supposed one year free membership on the trailblazer lasted a whole 4 months.

 

 

plus the lady that does our drug testing has a tahoe with it, and she was having stalling problems so she used it to have them send a tow truck and they told her that her fuel pressure and fuel was low..  all from reading the onstar sensors

 

thats way to f#@ked up right there

 

 

thank gawd dodge doesn't use it on their ram 2500hd's

[General Lee 01]

Not exactly my tool of choice.

 

 

I'm glad it's only an option, and not Standard Equipment.

[LarryE]

not really an option when you buy one off the lot,  the dealership refused to take it off our trailblazer.

[ekonk]

I voted for creepy, but I think it's somewhere in between.  The stuff it can do is definitely cool, but when someone can tell where you are and a bunch of info about your car (info that YOU can't see without special equipment ) something doesn't quite seem right...

[BlueRado]

I vote for somewhere in between.  I think I would like the convenience, but I sure don't like the idea that they told this lady that her fuel level and pressure was low.

 

That, in itself, is no big deal, but I just don't like the idea that the data can be taken, and can be stored, and CAN be used later for who knows what, and it doesn't really matter what the public is told, if it's in a database, it can be used.  

 

Maybe the vast majority of any info they could grab and store is useless anyways, but I could think of reasons why an insurance company would like to know you regularly hit your governor limit.

 

My 2 cents!  

[Zane]

Ok, lets take this another step further...

 

How many of you that think its creepy, have actually used it?  

[CMNTMXR81]

I have it, as a matter of fact, I just re-newed it today.  Next time you're in an accident and you're unconcious and your vehicle is on fire, how the heII are you gonna call for help?  No need to worry about it with OnStar.  Those airbags go off, they know and are on it!

 

For those with paranoid dilusions of grandeur, I have a little FYI for you, they've already had black boxes in various GM vehicles for years!  Long before OnStar.  And what that little black box stores is the last 15 seconds of operation.  So if you're busy in the backseat with your Lady last Saturday...it doesn't retain that!  And if worse comes to worse, the PCM itself can be busted into for freezeframe data if needed, so you should all boycott your vehicle's PCM!    

 

Some of you are WAYYYY too paranoid!  I suppose you don't have cellular phones either!  If that cell phone of yours is on, they can find you!

 

OnStar, black boxes, and PCM's can also be used to HELP you in an accident too!!!  

[Import Hater]

I think it's great!  I use the personal calling all the time.  It's a true handsfree totally integrated cell phone.  Works great.  The check engine light came on once when I first bought the truck.  The told me that there was a code for the EVAP system stored.  I knew right way that the crappy locking gas cap I had laying around that I decided to use wasn't airtight, which set the code.  Being  mechanic, of course I could have found out the code when I plugged my scanner into it, which I did anyway to clear the code.  But being able to know how serious of a problem it is on the fly if the check engine light comes on is very useful.

 

And the theft recovery potential is good for a break on insurance for most insurance companies.

 

Rob

[Z71GUY]

Ok, lets take this another step further...

 

How many of you that think its creepy, have actually used it?  

I have used it many times.  My buddy just bought a new 03 GMC dually 4x4 D/A.  We used it a couple times going to a race a few weekends ago.  I voted for creepy.  There's already too many databases with information about people out there....we dont need another one.  (Oh and I dont want to hear that there is no database from onstar users either)

 

 

Eric

[Import Hater]

Of course there's a database.  Everytime I renew my personal calling minutes, I can just easily tell it I want the same package as last time with the credit card number they already have.  Makes things easy.  Instead of having to speak to the operator and read your credit card number out again (and for all you creepy conspiracy believers, that cell phone transmission can be intercepted too).

 

Rob