So how many of you have renewed Uconnect?

[RSConsulting]

I cancelled mine less than a month after picking up my truck, because it was WORTHLESS.

More than once - I hit the "emergency button" (by accident, reaching for the interior lighting switch) - it would ring and ring - no one would pick up (good thing there wasn't an actual EMERGENCY), and you COULD NOT GET IT TO SHUT OFF. Like - as in - having to DISCONNECT THE BATTERY to get it to turn off.

The only option I had - was to turn off ALL of the Uconnect Services - since I couldn't just turn off the emergency service.

The other services (app on phone) rarely worked with any consistency either - so no great loss.

Couple that with the $$ they want for services that don't work worth a damn - I'm not missing anything.

The only thing I listen to on XM Radio - is the Patriot Channel. So, unless they offer me a helluva cheep deal when renewal comes around, not going to renew that either.

I've got 400GB of my music collection in my AppleMusic Cloud account - so I have plenty of stuff to listen to.

YMMV...

Rick

 

[Buck]

$15/mon - paid yearly $180

they asked 300.00 from me

 

[Stevenc150]

they asked 300.00 from me

Thats prob $300 for all services / monthly... if u pay annually, u get 2mons free & I never get the useless security also. But the price has increased


The only way to pick choose correctly is do it yourself thru the mopar owner's website

 

[FastBlackRam]

My Guardian trial expired a year ago. Never used the service while it was free, this truck and previous trucks. I do renew SiriusXM. For a while, I had 3 vehicles that I was paying for SiriusXM. I hate horsing around with the stupid phone just to listen to music. It stays in my pocket....

FYI you could keep the package on one vehicle that includes the all access phone app and then stream it Bluetooth on your other vehicles, assuming they have the streaming capability. I did that on a couple BMWs a few years back.

 

[Jus Cruisin]

FYI you could keep the package on one vehicle that includes the all access phone app and then stream it Bluetooth on your other vehicles, assuming they have the streaming capability. I did that on a couple BMWs a few years back.

Thanks.

Yeah, I know that's an option but I'm just plain lazy when driving and don't want to mess with the phone. Plus I tend to hop around 4 or 5 stations when driving.
Now, I do use the Bluetooth on my boat which works great. I tried to see if I could get a 5 or 6 month contract that I could renew. No go, so the Bluetooth is perfect for the boat.

 

[Ortiz7983]

So which one do I need just for remote start? Uconnect I assume?

 

[Kidder]

So which one do I need just for remote start? Uconnect I assume?

Sirius XM Guardian Convenience, the most expensive one. A total ripoff if you ask me. And, if you have any issues at all be prepared for awful customer service.

 

[brian42]

uConnect is the platform (software) that the vehicle uses for connectivity (inside and outside the vehicle). Other manufacturers use other platforms (SYNC, ConnectedDrive, etc.) for their infotainment systems - think Windows, iOS, Chrome, etc. That is the basic operating system that your truck is running on.

SIriusXM is the vendor that provides the services for that platform (Guardian, Travel Link, Traffic, etc.). These services are anywhere from free (trial), discounted, or full price depending on what kind of deal the manufacturer has worked out with the vendor. Obviously FCA has not worked out any long-term deals outside the free trial - which really isn't free. While it looks nice that you get 1 year of SiriusXM satellite radio and Guardian service (and 5 years of traffic, weather, and Travel Link if you have the NAV unit) and other vehicles get 3 months trial, companies don't stay in business by losing money.

You're "free trials" are included in the main price of your truck. Sure it's at a discounted rate since FCA is "buying in bulk" to give everyone in a RAM 1500 a taste of satellite radio and its services, but it still costs you. Who knows, your truck may have been $300 cheaper if there were no trials given to you by FCA when you bought it.

As an example I ran my truck through the 'build your truck' tool for 2020. The MSRP on the exact same truck for 2020 is $5000 cheaper than my 2019. Everything is relative. Competitive pricing (what are the other guys charging for their new trucks) and loss compensation (how much FCA spent in warranty repairs for the previous model year) all go into the calculation, along with any deals included with the vehicle - free trials, maintenance, etc.

While I am all for dumping the services you don't want or annoyed by (those freakin' weather warning pop-ups), I refuse to cancel something that I paid for (even though it says 'free trial').

 

[Ortiz7983]

I understand that things are not free. I just want to go back to having remote start on my iPhone. So that’s why I was asking. Mine always worked 100% in that “free” year. And I don’t mind paying $100-$400 a year for it. Now if I didn’t have it, then yes I would mind.

 

[brian42]

Mine worked too. If I didn't have remote start I would consider calling SiriusXM and seeing if there was a deal on the Guardian services.

I don't live in a cold area but it is nice to start the truck and give the A/C a few minutes to work on the cab temp before I walk out of the house when it's 105F outside.

 

[dandar]

Just got a letter from them for $60 for 6 months. Basically pay them equivalent of what I pay for Netflix or Showtime just to be able to start my truck or send it an address from my phone. If they added Sirius XM and ability to use it on my cell phone over wifi all for $10 I might go for it.

 

[brian42]

Not much better than the "MSRP" of $12.99/month.

 

[peeceejay]

I only got my truck on Friday last week - so over the weekend I sat down and tried to navigate the confusing systems they've got. I work in technology and am a self confessed geek - and even then, I found them tough to navigate. I came from a 2018 Audi Q5, that had several of these things included, for reference.

I transferred my XM Radio subscription from the Audi. XM tagged my remaining balance onto the end of the free year trial period. No problem there.
I started the $20/mo for unlimited data with ATT - same exact setup as the Audi. I use this heavily (11yo with an iPad on road trips!). No problem there.
Then the whole Sirius Guardian / UConnect thing. Thats where it got complicated. They have 5 packages, and the differences are minor.

Vehicle tracking is something I had free on the Audi and used all the time when my parents visit and borrow the vehicle (they don't have smart phones).
Sending addresses is something I always TRIED to use on the Audi, with poor success, so I'll see if it's any better. To be honest, I started using Waze on my phone.
Audi didn't have remote start (at all), and so far, the key fob remote starter has been great. I can see the value in a phone based remote start, but it takes 30+ seconds to start, and by then I'm by the vehicle anyway.

The big feature I miss is a vehicle status. The Audi app gave me oil life, fuel levels, mileage, doors, sunroof and windows, lights, hood / tailgate, service intervals - all free. Also, geofence, speed alerts, valet alert - all included. See attached photos.

And of course, the SOS button, which I've had to use.

I wish the UConnect did that. I'd pay for that.

As it is - I likely won't pay to renew it.

 

[Ortiz7983]

Mine worked too. If I didn't have remote start I would consider calling SiriusXM and seeing if there was a deal on the Guardian services.

I don't live in a cold area but it is nice to start the truck and give the A/C a few minutes to work on the cab temp before I walk out of the house when it's 105F outside.

I use my fob to remote start at home. But when you live in Houston and you are at a store and the truck and leather seats are too hot for the wife’s legs and a** cheeks, well I need to use the app to start the truck at the cash register. 5 minutes helps tremendously.

 

[FastBlackRam]

Just got off the phone with them, the 6 months for $60 is valid to start a subscription until February of next year. Then the $24.99/month kicks in. I use it so infrequently, I am not going for it at this time. If I somehow miss it in my life over the next 6 months I could always go for the 6 month thing and see where they are with promotions after that. I asked if they would do that price for a year and they said no.

$24.99/month is outrageous and I won't do it just on principal. Their business model needs to change to where they would get so many more subscribers at a lower cost that it would be more profitable that way for them.

Meanwhile I just renewed (starts on August 25) my Sirius XM All-Access for $4.99/ month for 12 months. Total cost $82.66 after taxes. Well worth it. Everyone should go for that deal IMO. A good deal from them based on my past experience with them.

 

[Ortiz7983]

Just got off the phone with them, the 6 months for $60 is valid to start a subscription until February of next year. Then the $24.99/month kicks in. I use it so infrequently, I am not going for it at this time. If I somehow miss it in my life over the next 6 months I could always go for the 6 month thing and see where they are with promotions after that. I asked if they would do that price for a year and they said no.

$24.99/month is outrageous and I won't do it just on principal. Their business model needs to change to where they would get so many more subscribers at a lower cost that it would be more profitable that way for them.

Meanwhile I just renewed (starts on August 25) my Sirius XM All-Access for $4.99/ month for 12 months. Total cost $82.66 after taxes. Well worth it. Everyone should go for that deal IMO. A good deal from them based on my past experience with them.

I’m curious to know if it’s worth getting Sirius XM with all the stuff you can listen to for free through apps and websites through your phone. I’d like to hear people’s thoughts on this. Maybe I’m missing something that I don’t know about.

 

[brian42]

I don't do social media or have 50 free accounts everywhere so I may not be the best basis for this.

I did not think I was going to care about the SirusXM radio, but it turns out I really like it. I enjoy regular radio too but having theme-based channels with minimal ads is nice. It is also nice that these channels are there as I take a trip. Now I don't have to keep searching for new stations when they fade or have nothing if there's no signal.

I have Pandora but I don't really use that in the truck. I pretty much use my SiriusXM, regular radio, and a 16GB thumb drive for music.

I did not stick with the All-Access since sports channels and some of the extended features on the APP do not interest me. To keep that package is ~$120/year after taxes and fees. That's their "sale price" if you call them and threaten to cancel (or one of the 11,000 e-mails a day you get from them).

When my trial expired I went with the Select package and got it for $72 for a year ($60 + taxes and fees). For $6/month it's more than worth it for me.

 

[LimitedGRR]

I’m curious to know if it’s worth getting Sirius XM with all the stuff you can listen to for free through apps and websites through your phone. I’d like to hear people’s thoughts on this. Maybe I’m missing something that I don’t know about.

Between my Apple Music and amazon prime, I have 0 need for Sirius XM plus i can listen to what i want with playlists and stations i can build with the apps. No need to pay for a 3rd source of music


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ortiz7983]

Between my Apple Music and amazon prime, I have 0 need for Sirius XM plus i can listen to what i want with playlists and stations i can build with the apps. No need to pay for a 3rd source of music


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That’s pretty much where I am at. I have Amazon prime but never used the music or radio feature. It’s Apple Music, free pandora, and free YouTube for me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[FastBlackRam]

I’m curious to know if it’s worth getting Sirius XM with all the stuff you can listen to for free through apps and websites through your phone. I’d like to hear people’s thoughts on this. Maybe I’m missing something that I don’t know about.

I like the convenience of having all that content integrated in the system. That's the difference for me. Plus I like Howard Stem and you can't get him anywhere else. And their promo prices are very reasonable. I know what everyone is saying about having so many ways to play content. But the integration in the system is the key for me.