2012 Chevrolet Sonic LTZ: OnStar Calling -- With a Deal
May 14, 2012
At 6:20 a.m., I'd just finished fueling up the Sonic and was headed into the office when the radio muted and the car chimed at me. I didn't even have time to ask myself if I'd left a door open or a gas cap off. An ethereal pre-recorded female voice filled the car: "This is OnStar with an important message. Please press your blue button."
I half-thought it was a safety issue (even though Ms. OnStar did sound pretty blasé), so I pulled over and hit the button as instructed.
OnStar connected me with a live human this time. The customer-service rep said the ping was a reminder that our OnStar service was expiring June 1, and if I wanted to renew, OnStar could offer me a special promotional rate. I thanked her and told her we'd think about it. And then I went back to the business of driving the car.
For me, OnStar's use of its gadgetry to entice me with a subscription deal was too intrusive. The system is supposed to be there for my safety and convenience, not to sell me stuff. What's next? A deal on ShamWows?
What do you think? Should OnStar use its in-car capabilities to market its service?
Carroll Lachnit, Features Editor @8,575 miles
