I just bought a 2010 HHR and have never had On-Star and have not "hit the button" yet.

What do you get for free for the first year? Is this worth initiating? It looks like the directions and theft protection are extra cost, correct?

This is our second HHR -- the first is a 2006.

 

You'll get monthly reports sent to your email saying your mileage, oil life, and routine checks of different components. It's free, I'd activate it! Also, if something is wrong with the car (check engine light) they can see what's wrong by calling them. Plus I believe you get like 30 free minutes to use on the phone that comes with it.

 

Push the button. It's free for one year. They will tell you all of the features after you push the button.

 

I was 7 miles down a bad dirt road in Northern Maine.
It was looking worse by the yard.
I called Onstar to see if I had reached the county line yet (1 mile before a bog) 3 miles before the next real road.
I hadn't so I turned around and went back.
That time saved me from trying to go even farther down a road I went too far on already.

I also bought 100 extra minutes for wicked cheap.
I've only used Onstar phone twice but both times were real important, time dependent and I didn't have reception on my cell phone.

Those two things were worth the price of admission and I still have over a hundred minutes to kill in the next month.

I won't renew because I can't afford it but am glad the service was available when I needed it.

In other words, of course you should activate it. Why not? You never know.

 

not what you really want to hear but.....I had a ton of problems with my HHR. Luckily it stranded us at HOME. All the times I had problems I called On Star for the diagnosis and everything was recorded and while it didn't help solve the issue at first, my dealer was able to pull up the reports and not think I was on drugs or making it up. The codes were not stored.

The fact that they offered to call me a tow truck (when I was out of town with problems) and line up a rental car for me was enough to make me subscribe after the first year.

Think about it, you could be stranded for a number of reasons, and in the pouring rain while out of town, you call on star for help and they line up a rental for you to save you the hassle. Or a tow truck. or an ambulance.

I'm simply sold on it and think it should be standard on every dang car sold by GM.

 

Thanks. This is my second HHR and we have had no problems with our 2006 so hope our luck holds. Are all the services free for the first year? How much are the phone minutes? Does someone calling you cost you minutes as well as you calling someone? Hope your HHR problems smoothed out over time.

 

Since they found bare wires in the harness in the engine compartment, 95% of the issues are fixed. The other 5% are my car hates 10% ethanol gas under 40*f.

It's cheap insurance and really depends on how much you drive. We are driving more on vacations now because flying is costly for 4 people and it's also my company car and I do travel some for work.

Peace of mind is what it is for me. Press the button and ask for the cost of the minutes. Yes incoming apply towards it. I almost never use the minutes.

 

I think I got 30 free minutes.
They would have expired after 30 days but they offer 100 cheap minutes for very cheap that last a year and extend the free minutes to last the year.
press the button, press the button, ......

 

It is all explained on OnStar's Web Site.

 

Yes it is worth it, there is no down side to activating it whatsoever.