regretting Sirius/XM subscription

[duquephart]

2 hours ago, Loco-diablo said:

So I bought my new truck last June and after my 3 month XM trial, I opted to renew it for a year. 

But with all the audio entertainment options I have with this truck, I find myself never listening to XM radio.

Between Apple music (i'm a subscriber), Pandora (I use the freebie base option), iHeart radio and regular FM, I feel I have all the audio entertainment I'll ever need.

I also listen to Podcasts quite a bit.

 

Does anyone else feel this way? 

 

Begs the obvious question: Why did you renew?

[duquephart]

41 minutes ago, Loco-diablo said:

They have my credit card on file. I have 3 vehicles on the account. The wife has it in her Volvo and she likes it, my daughter has it too as (it's part of my annual christmas present to her). 

When I see the auto renewal price is like $210 per vehicle, I call about a week before they whack my card and tell them to cancel it. They come back with a counter offer of under $100 for a whole year.  Works like a charm and I've been doing this for about 5 years in a row now. I've heard that if I actually DO cancel, they'll come back with yet an even lower price . The wife and daughter like it, they use it, and that's fine, they can keep it.  It's just not worth it for me with all my alternate sources of music/entertainment.

 

It's easy to cancel, but it must be done over the phone. You can't cancel from their website. 

 

 

$5 per month including fees/taxes. Give them two choices, make the deal or cancel account. They are smart enough to realize that some money is better than no money. And ----- NEVER GIVE THEM A CC NUMBER!

[beetle]

I got tired of the endless DJ chatter. I let my subscription expire last month and just listening to broadcast radio now, not much difference plus it's free.

[Loco-diablo]

1 hour ago, duquephart said:

 

And ----- NEVER GIVE THEM A CC NUMBER!

Why's that? Will they charge unauthorized fees? I have quite a few recurring payments linked to my American Express.

Netflix, Apple Music, ADT to name a few.... From my experience AMEX will ALWAYS take my side on disputed charges.

[Loco-diablo]

1 hour ago, duquephart said:

 

Begs the obvious question: Why did you renew?

Good question.. I guess during my first 3 month of XM it was new to me and I thought it was decent. I didn't quite realize until later all the capabilities and options I have with this infotainment system. 

[sk]

2 hours ago, Loco-diablo said:

They have my credit card on file. I have 3 vehicles on the account. The wife has it in her Volvo and she likes it, my daughter has it too as (it's part of my annual christmas present to her). 

When I see the auto renewal price is like $210 per vehicle, I call about a week before they whack my card and tell them to cancel it. They come back with a counter offer of under $100 for a whole year.  Works like a charm and I've been doing this for about 5 years in a row now. I've heard that if I actually DO cancel, they'll come back with yet an even lower price . The wife and daughter like it, they use it, and that's fine, they can keep it.  It's just not worth it for me with all my alternate sources of music/entertainment.

 

It's easy to cancel, but it must be done over the phone. You can't cancel from their website. 

 

If you don't mind paying every 6 months they usually drop to $30.  I have 3 vehicles on my account and call them every 6 months threatening to cancel.  It's always the same -- first they offer $100/year, second is $49/6 months (duh- it's the same as option 1!), then on the third time they offer either $25 or $30/6 months.  I always tell them to send me a paper invoice.  A few days later I get the invoice and mail them a check. 

 

The whole thing usually takes me less than 10 minutes and costs me a stamp but I get 3 vehicles with the "Select" package for around $6/month per vehicle after royalties and taxes.  I am not too impressed with XM but for that price I'll keep it.  If they ever stop giving me that deal then I'll just cancel.

[duquephart]

10 minutes ago, sk said:

If you don't mind paying every 6 months they usually drop to $30.  I have 3 vehicles on my account and call them every 6 months threatening to cancel.  It's always the same -- first they offer $100/year, second is $49/6 months (duh- it's the same as option 1!), then on the third time they offer either $25 or $30/6 months.  I always tell them to send me a paper invoice.  A few days later I get the invoice and mail them a check. 

 

The whole thing usually takes me less than 10 minutes and costs me a stamp but I get 3 vehicles with the "Select" package for around $6/month per vehicle after royalties and taxes.  I am not too impressed with XM but for that price I'll keep it.  If they ever stop giving me that deal then I'll just cancel.

 

Press them for $30/6 months period. That's what I got. They say $30 and then say that comes to (nearly $40) with the taxes and fees. My reply is you tell me $30 so that's what I will pay. Period. No "invoice fee" either. Worked twice for me so far.

[duquephart]

25 minutes ago, Loco-diablo said:

Why's that? Will they charge unauthorized fees? I have quite a few recurring payments linked to my American Express.

Netflix, Apple Music, ADT to name a few.... From my experience AMEX will ALWAYS take my side on disputed charges.

 

Their business plan is to automatically renew at the "regular" rate hoping you don't notice it or let it slide. If they don't have your number they can't do that. All kinds of horror stories about their auto renew on Google, etc.

[Loco-diablo]

14 minutes ago, sk said:

If you don't mind paying every 6 months they usually drop to $30.  I have 3 vehicles on my account and call them every 6 months threatening to cancel.  It's always the same -- first they offer $100/year, second is $49/6 months (duh- it's the same as option 1!), then on the third time they offer either $25 or $30/6 months.  I always tell them to send me a paper invoice.  A few days later I get the invoice and mail them a check. 

 

The whole thing usually takes me less than 10 minutes and costs me a stamp but I get 3 vehicles with the "Select" package for around $6/month per vehicle after royalties and taxes.  I am not too impressed with XM but for that price I'll keep it.  If they ever stop giving me that deal then I'll just cancel.

Thanks. Good to know next time I negotiate the wife and daughter's contract I'll be a bit more persistant and hold out for offer #3!!

[duquephart]

5 minutes ago, Loco-diablo said:

Thanks. Good to know next time I negotiate the wife and daughter's contract I'll be a bit more persistant and hold out for offer #3!!

 

But go for the $30 total (taxes, royalty fees, invoice fee included in the total). They do it for me so that means they will do it for you. Maybe I'll try for $25 next time -:). Anyone know how low they go?

[Pearl2017]

A 256GB thumb drive full of music plugged in in the console and the ability to assign songs or albums to the quick access buttons makes the low quality pay service a dinosaur. The XM sound quality is sub-par as the music is compressed heavily to push it across the satellite more easily. FYI HD Radio is also Highly compressed opposite what the name implies.

 

Only thing missing from the infotainment system is ability to play .FLAC file format. My i phone can play the lossless format but that means i need to keep 2 libraries

[Ravenkeeper]

I was a XM subscriber, until I retired from the Air Force.  They keep sending me emails to sign back up, but I found that my MP3 thumbdrive and unlimited internet on my cell is way better than XM.  My wife and I could predict the next song on our saved stations.  I have a preset showing for one of our favorite XM stations, so when the FREE previews come up, I know right away (usually 24hrs before I get their email). 

[Loco-diablo]

Yup.. USB is yet another great entertainment source. I haven’t explored that yet, but I have a few thumb drives with music on them.

 

I still throw a CD in now and then.

I guess I’m showing my age!! Lol

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Boardmember]

Well guys, I guess y’all aren’t FoxNews listeners.  Just as well.  I agree I can get music from a variety of sources at better quality.   But The Five on the way home is the icing on that cake.

 

they do have my Amex and I agree with previous post.  If you call S/XM and they don’t respond, Amex will honor your dispute.  Over.  

[MikeNH]

I've had XM on and off (mostly on) since 2003. They play enough variety of music to keep me happy and I enjoy the various options for talk radio shows. Jeep gives you a full year so I'm coming up on my time to call and fight them back down to $30/6 months. They can be super snooty about it- last time I called in for a pay subscription I told them I didn't think the service was worth the full price (it isn't) and the guy said something like "Ok Mr. MikeNH, lets see if we can find a more affordable plan for you". I'd bet anything that line of his gets some insecure turds all hot headed and they end up paying full price.