Instead of palying "hardass," why doesn't Ford "give in" here and either adjoin with GM and allow future Ford owners the right to utilize what I believe is the best option ever to compliment the vehicle world in years, the Onstar system, or invent/institute a similar system? My 75 year old mother drives a GM car and her personnel calling system allowed her to contact the police, via 9-1-1, after she witnessed a hit and run. The hands free phone is simple and most conducive to driving and talking. Ego's have NO place when it comes to customer satisfaction, as far as this reader is concerned.

 

I have no need nor want for Onstar. I have a cell phone that works just fine. My .02 only.

 

I like the fact that it alerts somebody if the airbags are deployed, but other than that little safty feature, who needs it? Cell phones are rampant nowdays, and most folks with Onstar never renew after the first free year.

Does anyone know OnStars financials? I recall that it took FOREVER to turn a profit... (don't know if they still are). GM dumped a TON of $$$ into the service. I don't think Ford wants to blow the cash for little payoff, they've got bigger fish to fry...

My $.02

 

Let's see...OnStar means someone can track you at anytime. Crash computers in GM products means if they think you should have done something else during an accident you did not cause you could get some of the blame. The up and coming HUD/radar windshield means making more drivers dumber than they are. Why because they will not take the time to evaluate their driving experience and weather/road conditions and will simply drive anyway...more accidents not less. If you rely on your car to tell you there is a deer up ahead, your concentration will not be out looking ahead of where you are at on the road. You will be looking at the windshield hoping it will warn you in time. Same as cell phones supposely meant a safer driver because they can contact law enforcement and or loved ones to let them know everything is alright or they had an accident. What happened? More accidents. If you look at the spring Cabela's catalog you will see a work station to place in your vehicle to allow you to use the laptop...cell phone...and do paper work while driving so you are more productive...guess what more accidents. Same as avoidence radar and rear radar. 'I don't have to be fully aware when I back up or tailgate someone while talking on my cellphone, my radar will do my looking for me.' Why did rear radar come about? Because people would not look before backing up and either ran over something or someone. It's sad they we are making drivers dumber and less aware and call it safety.

GMC = Government Mandated Controls

 

Dude, you did read the manual to your F150, right?

 

I really would have no use for Onstar, the airbag deployment notification would be good, and if your car was stolen. But I really don't like the idea of being able to be tracked 24/7. I imagine that days is coming, but for now, no thanks.

 

If you need directions you can call me up anytime for half the price of Onstar!



-ii

 

That's great! Ow.. my ribs..

 

I vote NO for onstar. I've got a cell phone and I hope I have witnesses if I'm in an accident. As for hand free talking, my cell phone came with this nifty ear bud that works just fine, and my cell also has voice activated dialing. I don't think it gets much more hands free than that. Oh I forgot, someone will attempt to put the earbud in place while traveling 80 mph around a curve during heavy fog and icey conditions while working on their laptop and lighting a cigeratt.

Got an email the other day that went something like this... A man was traveling down the interstate running 75mph when he looked to his left to see a lady in the lane beside him applying lipstick while looking in the rear view mirror. When the man looked back he was about to run into slow moving vehicle in front of him, he quickly jerked the wheel to the right, which caused his cup of coffee to spill between his legs, which made him drop his cell phone, the lit cigeratt fell from his hand buring a hole in the drivers seat, and during the rush to remove the burning cigeratt he dropped his electric razor in the floor board. All he could say was "women drivers".

 

to me the nifty ear bud is a PITA compared to my wifes ONSTAR voice activated phone service. I dont miss it in my F150 but it sure is nice in her car. on the Onstar the persons voice on the other end comes through on your audio speakers, everybody I've showed it to is really impressed with the phone service. You cant tell me you'd rather have a little tinny sounding earbud stuck in your ear versus the sound coming through on your audiophile. the tracking system also acts as a nice theft deterent and as hinten alluded to, the F150 keeps track of your every driver input in case of an accident also.

 

I have never understood why everybody needs to be talking on their cell phones all the time? Who did they talk to before they got their cells? They are wonderful devices for emergencies and if you NEED someone in a hurry but it seems every other car, every other person at the store/game/dinning facility has a phone stuck to thier ear. ONSTAR is a nice idea but like has been mentioned, I can read a map, I can find a pay phone and I don't want people to know where I am unless I want to be found!!!! And I hate to see a car/truck/van going down the road with the DVD player visible to the driver with a movie playing or playing XBox. People do need to get back to paying attention to driving and leave all the other stuff to thier family rooms at home! Great email Ultramax21 but man I hope it was just a joke, but you know there was probably a lot of truth there.

 

my "pita" ear bud is about 100X cheaper than the renewal contract for Onstar.

I'm always last to catch on to something, what does "PITA" stand for?


** yes I assume the email was a joke, it was sent to me as a "fwd,fwd,fwd..." you get the point. My girlfriend and her friends send about a million of these a day to each other, she serves as my spam filter and only sends me the ones I'll laugh at.**

 

Onstar - it's neat but that's about it. Onstar is a nifty little service that packages together individual technologies that can be had without Onstar. If you want to be able to track your vehicle in case it is stolen, get LoJack. If you want to talk on your cell phone through your audio system, that too can be installed for a one time fee of a couple hundred bucks (not a never ending monthly fee). The airbag deployment notification is about the only useful feature in my opinion. The other stuff is just fluff and something to bring your friends in your vehicle and say "check this out" as you call Onstar and ask for directions to the nearest seafood restraunt. Something maybe worth a few bucks as a one time deal. Someone mentioned it earlier and I agree - some technology only serves to make people "dumberer" and to assist them in paying LESS attention to what the primary concern is... DRIVING. How bout those automatic windshield wipers that turn on when it senses water on the windshield... How lazy or inattentive do you have to be to desire such a feature - and don't give me the "it lets you keep your hands on the wheel more" garbage.

Pretty soon cops aren't going to need radar guns anymore, they're simply going to tap into the Onstar network and via GPS it will show them exactly how fast a particular vehicle is going and whos name to have the computer automatically make the ticket out to. Big Brother is moving in quickly... It may be inevitable but I'm certainly not going to give in before I have to.

 

I didn't write it before in the thread but it stands for Pain in the azz.

 

I totally agree! When i move back to the states no cell for me! You should see how it is in europe! there are commercials for differant ring tones and differant displays for there phones. They need a life here besides there phones. I have a prepaid phone that sits in my car turned off and only use it i case of emergency. cell phones have become a hobbie!