I would imagine that most auto thieves are "knowlegeless, lazy hacks who just choose the easiest target." Most criminals aren't MENSA candidates.

 

I'm probably the loudest booster of stability control on this board but I still don't see OnStar as a useful or desirable feature. The only thing the obnoxious OnStar advertising has accomplished is to make me hostile to both the trademark and the service. Interestingly, the brands that use the competing ATX telematics system have used a less heavy-handed marketing approach that leaves me more indifferent than negative.

In the end I'm left to conclude that telematics systems (and satelite radio) are merely incidental to manufacturers like Daimler-Chrysler and BMW, but GM management is bent on transforming an automotive producer into a subscription pusher. GM should divest itself of any interest in OnStar (and XM too) and concentrate on actual automotive hardware. Of course, I could be wrong and GM would more profitable as a "service provider" that consisted of solely of OnStar, GMAC and XM satelite radio - without any production capacity or pesky UAW employees. Today, GM execs can only dream of 00.0% North American market share, but I really believe they could make it work.

I can only state that I will not buy any GM product that features the OnStar "idiot button."

 

I hear for an extra $3799 a month, GM will put a sky marshall in your car to prevent carjacking. Also for another $399 the optional duct tape and plastic just in case of biological attack. Oh yea, almost forgot the $199 can of shark repellant.

 

As of October 2004 the statistics are thus:

Most Stolen Vehicles per vehicles registered:

Cadillac Escalade EXT
Nissan Maxima
Cadillac Escalade SUV
Dodge Stratus
Dodge Intrepid

Least Stolen Vehicles per vehicles registered:

Saturn LW station wagon
Buick Rendezvous
Buick Park Avenue
Ford Taurus station wagon
Buick LeSabre

Average for all vehicles in 2004 was 2.5 thefts per 1000 vehicles

 

You've made it clear in a million prior posts that you would never buy another GM product again anyway, so your opinion is basically valueless.

 

OK, Let's take your sarcastic marks as if they were real.

1) Sky Marshall: Since my car does't fly, it's impossible for him to have juristiction should my car be skyjacked somehow.

2) Duct Tape and plastic: After comparision shopping, the $399 is overpriced. I can buy the same products from Home Depot for under $20.

3) Shark Repelant: Since my car is not a boat and travel the high seas, this is impracticle and useless.

However, for $16.95 a month, guess what... people get in wrecks, whether it's their fault or not... sometimes it's not a pretty sight.

What are you not getting? Seriously?

A lot of you people are like the drunks who drive totally (or even partially) intoxicated on the road and think "Ah, I'm a good driver, it'll never happen to me" or like some banker who is constantly gabbing on the cell phone who says "I can handle multi-tasking while driving, it'll never happen to me!"

Not having OnStar isn't really a PROACTIVE activity like describled above, but the "It'll never happen to me" attitude is basically arrogant and foolish. I hope it never does happen to you, but it can. Your life isn't worth $16.95?

Why do you think hockey goalies wear helmets? Because they get cracked in the head every play? No, because they COULD get cracked in the head. They didn't wear masks in the old days... they do now. Boy, what a waste of $400 on a mask, right?

Why do people have house insurance on paid off houses? It's very unlikely that their house will burn down... but 99.99999999% of people will still buy house insurance, because *IF* it does burn down, they are SCREWED if they don't have the insurance. Most people will say a house is incredibly important to you life... I'd say your life is pretty damn important to your life too... saying OnStar offers no value is totally hypocritcal.

 

I never said I'd NEVER buy another GM product. Sure, there isn't a single current GM product that I'd buy and by the look of future product planning, I'm not sure that will change. Cramming OnStar into every product for the sake of subscription revenue is just icing on the cake.

 

I'd say that it's pretty much a CERTAINTY that NHL goalies would loose teeth without hockey masks. In fact, I can't think of any "old time" NHL goalies that didn't have lots of missing teeth.


Actually, mortgage holders have something to say about whether or not you have insurance.

 

The fact that auto boosting is a multi-billion dollar a year business would demand some theives who know what they're doing. Funny how you brush off the relative ease with which the mosty technologically advanced luxury SUVs get ripped off with a pithy sarcastic remark....afraid of a little fact finding? Whatever. I think I've pretty much proven my point with this issue. I'm done.

 

Darth, first off what I typed are jokes so lighten up a little and personally I think the system is too flawed to pay $32 a month for 2 vehicles. I wouldn't pay for a half *** insurance policy either. I personally think its overpriced.

 

I guess you missed the part where I said PAID OFF HOUSES , you know.... the kind that have no mortgages.

 

I actually started that post as a jokey reply, but then I got carried away typing.

If you want to talk about the pricing though, we could have a good debate here. What would good pricing be for the base service, in your opinion.

I kind of agree that it could be lower... say $9.99, since the bulk of the time, the subscriber is not interacting with OnStar's staff....

 

I think the $9.99 would be much better. I laughed at my father who bought the premeir package for the 2 times a year he may need to give them directions.

 

Ya, to make use of the upper packages, you pretty much have to be someone who travels by car constantly for it to be worthwhile.

 

The fact remains that many of those luxury SUV theft are related to insurance fraud or occur because non-OEM aftermarket. Expensive stereo and tire/wheel mods make second owner Escalades particular targets for theft. I would suspect that there are plenty of stereo installers and tire and wheel dealers that have something to do with the trend.

I'd say that a 20-something who drives a custom painted Escalade EXT rollin' on $15K of 30 inch spinners and thumpin' with $7K of subwoofers has a major risk of theft - and a disproportionate impact on theft statistics. If you're a 60 something retiree in the same car, you're exposure to autotheft is too slight to justify $16.95/month.