On Star trial

[ArgentWing]

The On Star trial on my vehicle has expired. I really don't care about any of the features other than navigation. I don't have an unlimited data plan on my phone. I'm assuming the least expensive option for me is to change to an unlimited data plan on my phone and use android auto. On Star wants $22.99 per month for a plan that enables me to use this feature. Honestly I use this feature once in a blue moon but I do admit I enjoy the convenience. In a previous vehicle I owned it was possible to purchase and install an SD card which added navigation. Is something like this available for Cadillac? Sad that a $70k + vehicle doesn't automatically include this feature. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[rubberduck]

How much you pay is how well you negotiate a deal. This is similar to my experience with SiriusXM (which I do not have in the Blackwing).

 

[ArgentWing]

How much you pay is how well you negotiate a deal. This is similar to my experience with SiriusXM (which I do not have in the Blackwing).

Funny you mentioned Sirius XM. I just got off the phone with them. I canceled my account. I had signed up for a continuation of service after my free trial ran out. They offered $4.99 a month for a year. I discovered today that it doesn't include premium or "on demand" channels like Howard Stern. Apparently times are a changing as they allowed me to cancel without issue. No trying to further sell me on anything. No deals!

 

[Mike Martz]

The On Star trial on my vehicle has expired. I really don't care about any of the features other than navigation. I don't have an unlimited data plan on my phone. I'm assuming the least expensive option for me is to change to an unlimited data plan on my phone and use android auto. On Star wants $22.99 per month for a plan that enables me to use this feature. Honestly I use this feature once in a blue moon but I do admit I enjoy the convenience. In a previous vehicle I owned it was possible to purchase and install a computer chip which added navigation. Is something like this available for Cadillac? Sad that a $70k + vehicle doesn't automatically include this feature. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks

You are probable not going to like this but here goes. Get an Apple phone, it is slightly more secure than an android and Apple Car Play is more intuitive than android. You then have your choice of Apple Maps, MapQuest, Waze or even Google Maps all with free lifetime updates. We don't have unlimited data and I use Apple Maps all the time plus Pandora and have never had a data issue.
My 5BW does have the SD card from Cadillac so I have their navigation system and it doesn't stack up well against the others. I tried it out a few times but quit using it all together.
The other nice thing about Apple is that I can show my wife (who isn't great with technology) how to use it on her phone and that translates well to using it in the car. She can search for places on her phone and then as soon as Apple Car Play connects, go into Apple Maps and off she goes.

 

[ArgentWing]

You are probable not going to like this but here goes. Get an Apple phone, it is slightly more secure than an android and Apple Car Play is more intuitive than android. You then have your choice of Apple Maps, MapQuest, Waze or even Google Maps all with free lifetime updates. We don't have unlimited data and I use Apple Maps all the time plus Pandora and have never had a data issue.
My 5BW does have the SD card from Cadillac so I have their navigation system and it doesn't stack up well against the others. I tried it out a few times but quit using it all together.
The other nice thing about Apple is that I can show my wife (who isn't great with technology) how to use it on her phone and that translates well to using it in the car. She can search for places on her phone and then as soon as Apple Car Play connects, go into Apple Maps and off she goes.

I can't argue with any of your advise but I will say it's highly unlikely that I'll make that change. I, like your wife, am not great with technology. Honestly things like cell phones just aren't of interest to me. I was the last hold out for flip phones. It wasn't until I pulled out my flip phone at a bar and extended the antenna and saw people break out in laughter that I finally got an android smart phone

 

[sps4runner]

I waited until they shut down my 3G service. Otherwise I'd still have it. Can't work touch screens & phone too damn big.

 

[rdollie]

I can't argue with any of your advise but I will say it's highly unlikely that I'll make that change. I, like your wife, am not great with technology. Honestly things like cell phones just aren't of interest to me. I was the last hold out for flip phones. It wasn't until I pulled out my flip phone at a bar and extended the antenna and saw people break out in laughter that I finally got an android smart phone

Sounds like you won't use navigation that much? If so, try your current Android Auto setup. Don't know the year of your car but if it doesn't include wireless Android Auto, you can connect with a cable and you probably have an icon on the screen that says something like 'Projection' or 'Android Auto'? If you do, click the icon on screen and follow the setup instructions for one-time pairing that will show up on the car screen and phone screen. After that you can use Google Maps, Waze, etc..

I've been using Android Auto and the slightly clunkier Apple CarPlay for years (I'm in the minority but I've found more inconsistencies/clunky connections with my Apple CarPlay than Android Auto.) Sadly, at least in my '22 5BW, neither integrates with the HUD (unlike my older '19 BMW which does.)

 

[ArgentWing]

Sounds like you won't use navigation that much? If so, try your current Android Auto setup. Don't know the year of your car but if it doesn't include wireless Android Auto, you can connect with a cable and you probably have an icon on the screen that says something like 'Projection' or 'Android Auto'? If you do, click the icon on screen and follow the setup instructions for one-time pairing that will show up on the car screen and phone screen. After that you can use Google Maps, Waze, etc..

I've been using Android Auto and the slightly clunkier Apple CarPlay for years (I'm in the minority but I've found more inconsistencies/clunky connections with my Apple CarPlay than Android Auto.) Sadly, at least in my '22 5BW, neither integrates with the HUD (unlike my older '19 BMW which does.)

Thanks for the info! I actually set up android auto this afternoon and I believe it offers everything I need! My concern was that it would use alot of data but after thinking about it I don't really think that will be an issue.

 

[shbox]

Thanks for the info! I actually set up android auto this afternoon and I believe it offers everything I need! My concern was that it would use alot of data but after thinking about it I don't really think that will be an issue.

When using Android Auto, holding down the talk button gets you google assistant to ask questions, send texts, navigation, etc. It will read your texts to you and let you reply hands free. I use it all the time. If you just tap the talk button, you get the in car GM Nav.

 

[ArgentWing]

When using Android Auto, holding down the talk button gets you google assistant to ask questions, send texts, navigation, etc. It will read your texts to you and let you reply hands free. I use it all the time. If you just tap the talk button, you get the in car GM Nav.

Oh that's very cool! I'll definitely have to check that out. Look at this. An old guy learning new tricks. Love it!!

 

[Tall Steve]

Oh that's very cool! I'll definitely have to check that out. Look at this. An old guy learning new tricks. Love it!!

 

[Barstoolman1127]

Man, if there was ever a thread, proving that the only people that buy Cadillacs are just simply old, this is the one!

 

[Head Hunter]

Man, if there was ever a thread, proving that the only people that buy Cadillacs are just simply old, this is the one!

I mean I was 25ish when I bought my first V2 - couldn't have afforded one prior to that even if I wanted to, haha

 

[rubberduck]

Man, if there was ever a thread, proving that the only people that buy Cadillacs are just simply old, this is the one!

Around 1991 when I was young I rented a *HUGE* Caddy for a road trip all over Arizona and it was sweet. I miss those big boats. Now if one wants a boat, there’s only the full size SUVs. Not the same experience at all.

 

[Tall Steve]

Around 1991 when I was young I rented a *HUGE* Caddy for a road trip all over Arizona and it was sweet. I miss those big boats. Now if one wants a boat, there’s only the full size SUVs. Not the same experience at all.

I agree, my father owned a big Cadillac sedan and I loved that car..

 

[ernsteeng]

My dad used to a get a new car every 2.5-3 years from his job. He had probably had 4 or 5 Oldsmobile Custom Cruisers over the years. The big suv's are definitely not the same as those old big boats. I miss those wagons and Oldsmobile itself....

 

[xeerohour]

Ok, as far as navigation goes, I bet even without unlimited data you have multiple gigs of data, more than enough to handle navigation. Not only that, but at something like $20 a month for on-star, you can almost certainly get a plan for your phone cheaper than onstar. Also your phone will warn you how much data you've used, and you can set that up in your phone's settings.

But put all that aside. Inside google maps you can download the maps for your area, or an area you're going to go to, so it already lives on your phone. Just download the stuff when you're on wifi and then use android auto without concern.

Google maps nav data is going to be more current and more accurate anyway.

My onstar expired last year and I haven't missed it once.

 

[dribs15]

Man, if there was ever a thread, proving that the only people that buy Cadillacs are just simply old, this is the one!

 

[bloominguez]

Around 1991 when I was young I rented a *HUGE* Caddy for a road trip all over Arizona and it was sweet. I miss those big boats. Now if one wants a boat, there’s only the full size SUVs. Not the same experience at all.

I miss some of those big boats, too. Back in the day my family had a 1977 (give or take a year, might have been a '76) Oldsmobile Toronado. Something like this:

This was in Upper Michigan. People have no idea how great a winter car that was. FWD, with a *ton* of weight (or more) on the front wheels. The thing just ate up roads where other cars were spinning their rear wheels. One of the safest winter vehicles I've ever ridden in, I think.

 

[ArgentWing]

I'm only sixty!

Man, if there was ever a thread, proving that the only people that buy Cadillacs are just simply old, this is the one!

Enjoy your youth! You'll get there one day if you're lucky. Then you can reflect on how disrespectful you were.