Sirius Radio Renewal

GOTTOYS

Well-known member
Because I'm pretty Ummm, frugal, ok call it cheap...I decided not to renew the Sirius radio subscription on my truck when the free first year ran out. I noticed they had shut it off a couple days ago. I had called them and the best price they had for a renewal was $12.95/mo. plus taxes. I decided to wait and see what they would come down to..Today I renewed it for $6.42/mo plus applicable taxes. Comes to $7.63 a month with fees and tax. Of course I don't think I will get to listen to Howard Stern (Oh Gee) or the other smut peddlers but I think I can get along without them...Don:)
 

Hastey

Oklahoma Chapter Leaders
We have four of them darn things. We told them we couldn't afford to keep them and were getting rid of two and got them for around $24.00 a month. The bottom line is that they have to broadcast the satalite signal no matter what so they're going to get what they can. Beat's a sharp stick in the eye! (for them)
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
When my year is about up I call and they always give me a high $$$$ figure. "Nope says I", and after haggling with them it is usually about $9.00 a month. Cant stand Howard Stern...Im happy with my XM country and oldies music. If CNN comes on....my radio shuts off. Love my Onstar....would not be without it. $29.00 for a 100 minutes of phone calls.

BTW, what does Dodge and Ford have simular to Onstar?? Also do they get just Sirius radio?? No XM?? Never owned either one so I dont have a clue about them.
 

GOTTOYS

Well-known member
GM had an exclusive on On-Star for several years. I believe one or two of the foreign manufacturers offer it now as well. You can also have an aftermarket installation done on any vehicle now. It never appealed to me when I drove GM products. I feel it's overpriced and I hate the scare tactics they use in their advertising. JMHO..Don
 

szewczyk_john

Well-known member
When my free year ran out Sirius offered me a life time deal for that one radio. It was around 300 bucks if I remember right. Knowing that I would have the truck for a long time it seemed like a good idea at the time. We will be looking for a new Dodge in 2 or 3 years but I keep the old one and still have that radio. I really like using the radio on longer trips so I think the lifetime deal is the way to go if they still have it.
 

ultrafarmer

Well-known member
I let mine expire and they sent me a 5 month deal for $25. Then $13 a month after that. I can cancel if I want after the 5 month cheap deal. I can't be on here all morning we are packing for Alaska. By.
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
Don, I'm not sure what scare tactics your referring to. I like the fact that if we crash and are not able to call for help that Onstar will send help. BTW, even if the cell part of Onstar wont get reception....the red emergency button will work to get help. Don't ask how I know...but it did in a deep valley out of Yellowstone. For anyone that doesn't know....Onstar is Verizon.

Frugal...cheap?? You squeek when you walk. LOL
 

JWalker

Northeast Region Director-Retired
Lifetime membership for $299 around 3 years ago. Pull it out of one vehicle and put it in another. Have a set up for each car. I'm on the road about 9 hours a day and love my Sirius.

BTW......if you don't like Stern.....turn the channel.
 

Jimmyt5

Well-known member
Got Sirus with my new Dodge for a year, after ten mths it was shut off. I called the girl and she said I am sorry, I will give you an other year free. I'll take it, thank you very large..........
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Don, I'm not sure what scare tactics your referring to. I like the fact that if we crash and are not able to call for help that Onstar will send help. BTW, even if the cell part of Onstar wont get reception....the red emergency button will work to get help. Don't ask how I know...but it did in a deep valley out of Yellowstone. For anyone that doesn't know....Onstar is Verizon.

Frugal...cheap?? You squeek when you walk. LOL

When I schmucked a large deer a few years ago with my Avalanche (75 mph, dead center in the grille), Onstar was on the horn before I fully realized what had just occurred. I was coughing on the airbag dust and had to convince her I was not injured. She got the cops out there pronto. Before that, the wife blew a tire on the freeway after hitting some debris in an area I would not want to be changing a tire in. They got her a tow truck quickly to mount the spare and get her on her way.

If you think you can rely on finding your cell phone after a bad accident, maybe you should ride with emergency crews that respond to the mess. Stuff is everywhere and the inside of the vehicles look like a mini-tornado went through them. And if you're unconscious or incoherent, who you gonna call? Out on the freeway, did you remember which exit or milemarker you just whizzed past at warp speed?

I will not be without OnStar in any vehicle, even though I wear a cell phone in a secure holster on my hip.
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
John, GM has now made Onstar available to anyone. The Onstar module (brain) would have to have a GPS built into it. Also somehow it will have to connect to the air bag module (SDM). Don't know how it would work in a 40 Ford. But I did install XM in the 58 Chebby. Works great.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
John, GM has now made Onstar available to anyone. The Onstar module (brain) would have to have a GPS built into it. Also somehow it will have to connect to the air bag module (SDM). Don't know how it would work in a 40 Ford. But I did install XM in the 58 Chebby. Works great.

Bob, they have some kind of GPS signal locating ability, even if you don't buy (and can't access) the navigation or concierge options. I don't know about retrofitting it into an older vehicle, though. We've got XM in both vehicles. Wife insists.
 

dieselsweetheart

Well-known member
Yes if you watched the last Celebrity Apprentice you would have seen that one of their tasks was to get the word out in a commercial that Onstar is now available in all vehicles as an "after market" product. I think it's a great idea because you might not be coherent to call 911 or know where your cell phone flew to.

I got Sirius XM (as it's now called after the merge) with my new VW Jetta...6 months...when it ran out, DH got me a new subscription as a Xmas gift. But I know he got free months when he dropped his a couple years ago... yep, they will make a deal...just gotta know they will make a deal!
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
John, the air bag module would be the key player in installing Onstar in any vehicle. Thats what sets off the call to Onstar if a crash accures and the bags deploy. The GPS is a must or they would not know where you are. Big brother watching you.

I doubt that installing it in a non-GM vehicle would get the owner the diagnoses options for check engine and other warning lites that GM has on it's vehicles. Every month I get an email from Onstar on my trucks health and services needed.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
John, the air bag module would be the key player in installing Onstar in any vehicle. Thats what sets off the call to Onstar if a crash accures and the bags deploy. The GPS is a must or they would not know where you are. Big brother watching you.

I doubt that installing it in a non-GM vehicle would get the owner the diagnoses options for check engine and other warning lites that GM has on it's vehicles. Every month I get an email from Onstar on my trucks health and services needed.

Agreed. As far as I'm concerned, it's worth the cost to have it.
 

kakampers

Past Heartland Ambassador
When I schmucked a large deer a few years ago with my Avalanche (75 mph, dead center in the grille), Onstar was on the horn before I fully realized what had just occurred. I was coughing on the airbag dust and had to convince her I was not injured. She got the cops out there pronto. Before that, the wife blew a tire on the freeway after hitting some debris in an area I would not want to be changing a tire in. They got her a tow truck quickly to mount the spare and get her on her way.

If you think you can rely on finding your cell phone after a bad accident, maybe you should ride with emergency crews that respond to the mess. Stuff is everywhere and the inside of the vehicles look like a mini-tornado went through them. And if you're unconscious or incoherent, who you gonna call? Out on the freeway, did you remember which exit or milemarker you just whizzed past at warp speed?

I will not be without OnStar in any vehicle, even though I wear a cell phone in a secure holster on my hip.

Boy! Don't I know that...about 20 years ago I was hit broadside, on the driver's side, and rolled over in a Chrysler mini-van...they found my eyeglasses over 300 yards away on the hood of a car that was behind me, saw the accident occur, and just missed hitting my undercarriage as he swerved passed me and stopped!! Apparently, they flew out the driver's window from the impact as the car was passing me, and landed on his hood..it all happened in a fraction of a second...

So, Yep! I think Onstar is the bomb too! Especially since we had this new truck one week, when my little dog stepped on the lock button while we were pumping fuel at a truck stop...the keys in the ignition AND both cells sitting on the console...had to borrow a cell, but Onstar had the doors open in less than 3 minutes...PRICELESS!!
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Boy! Don't I know that...about 20 years ago I was hit broadside, on the driver's side, and rolled over in a Chrysler mini-van...they found my eyeglasses over 300 yards away on the hood of a car that was behind me, saw the accident occur, and just missed hitting my undercarriage as he swerved passed me and stopped!! Apparently, they flew out the driver's window from the impact as the car was passing me, and landed on his hood..it all happened in a fraction of a second...

So, Yep! I think Onstar is the bomb too! Especially since we had this new truck one week, when my little dog stepped on the lock button while we were pumping fuel at a truck stop...the keys in the ignition AND both cells sitting on the console...had to borrow a cell, but Onstar had the doors open in less than 3 minutes...PRICELESS!!

Glad you survived that accident. I've responded to a number of freeway accidents, and even the "minor" ones aren't pretty. If the windows are down, or they break out, stuff flies everywhere. Not much better on surface street accidents, either.
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
Kathy, the key must not have been pushed all the way in. If it was you can't lock the doors no matter what you do. There is a little plunger inside the ignition lock cyclinder that tells the BCM (body control module) that the key is in place. That little plunger is what makes the BONG BONG (well the BCM does) when you push the key in to start the truck. It also controls the memory seats, radio presets and all kinds of fun stuff. Ain't electronics wonderful. When they 1st came out in the 1980's with a BCM we GM techs called them alot of things and not very nice ones.
 

porthole

Retired
The Fords use a Sirius radio. My free trial (6 months) tuns out this week. Been getting the mail and phone calls for about a month. Don't really care for sat radio, the integrated ipod works great.

This i don't like about the Sat (XM or S) is the constant jibber jabber between songs or talking over the beginning - end of songs. Use to despise all the XM commercials for XM before the big buy out.

Finally answered the phone the other day for S, soon as I answered they sales pitch started and ended with "can we sign" you up now. No, I said, too expensive. Caller said OK and hung up - that was a surprise.

The S Travel link that Ford uses is nice, but not worth $12-$15 a month.

BTW, the newer NAV radios in the fords tie the systems into your cellphone. oO in an accident, as long as you cell is on and connected the system is supposed to send out a call. "911 Assist"
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
Duane, the jibber-jabber on XM is based on the stations you listen to. I get very little of that on my favorite presets.
 
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