Uconnect Guardian Sirrius WiFi Subscriptions worth it?

[EMS_Pilot_66]

Xm/Sirius will offer he best deal once ur subscription completely comes to an end and they "want you back". Guardian, i believe is a set price with no "specials", but i could be wrong. To me, everything that is offered can be offered/is better if you're willing to do a few extra "taps". To me, the ONLY reason to partake of the subscription service is pure, unadulterated "convenience" (fewer taps, or tapping all in one screen)...

In all honesty and my past experience with Uconnect subscriptions, their pricing is definitely aimed @ ppl that never "think about what are they truly getting" and just plunk down the cash each month or yearly even....... If you're one to think about "price & budgeting", the answer is an unequivical "NO WAY".... For budget conscious consumers, there are much better uses for your 20 bucks+ a month....

And if you lock yourself out of your vehicle, all it takes is a one time charge of $19.99 for a month of remote service and they will unlock it and then you just cancel it....

I believe that if the fob is inside the vehicle it will not lock the drivers door without someone sitting in the drivers seat or a seat, I could be wrong. And people wonder why their car is stolen with the fob inside it.

You’re correct that SiriusXm will offer a decent price for a package but XmGuardian will not as it’s a different division so no trying the “well if I get the all-access package what deal will you give me on guardian”.

Guardian app is nice but definitely doesn’t warrant $250 a year. If by the time someone realizes their truck is stolen(again since you left the fob in it, you gave them permission), it’s either torn down or wrecked.

 

[SemperGumby]

One thing people should keep in mind is the possibility of your insurance giving you a discount for having the vehicle tracking enabled with the subscription active.

 

[Lil Miss Always Wrong]

I believe that if the fob is inside the vehicle it will not lock the drivers door without someone sitting in the drivers seat or a seat, I could be wrong. And people wonder why their car is stolen with the fob inside it.

You’re correct that SiriusXm will offer a decent price for a package but XmGuardian will not as it’s a different division so no trying the “well if I get the all-access package what deal will you give me on guardian”.

Guardian app is nice but definitely doesn’t warrant $250 a year. If by the time someone realizes their truck is stolen(again since you left the fob in it, you gave them permission), it’s either torn down or wrecked.

Yes, i said that : ) Guardian is a SET price and they have no bargaining power, "take it or leave it" sorta thang : )

And you CAN lock the fob inside, IF u use a valet key or the button lock, it just won't let you "lock the key in by pushing a "fob". It will also beep at you. If you have locked it with the buttons, and then unlock with a valet key, alarm goes off. IF you lock it with valet key, and unlock with valet key OR (of course) the fob, no alarm... I have tested all of these scenerios, and am one that like to leave one fob in the vehicle at all times, and always keep a "slim valet key" with me on belt loop, so i ALWAYS can just "get in and go" when i want, without having bulky fob on my person at ALL times...

 

[Cmerkert]

Yes, i said that : ) Guardian is a SET price and they have no bargaining power, "take it or leave it" sorta thang : )

And you CAN lock the fob inside, IF u use a valet key or the button lock, it just won't let you "lock the key in by pushing a "fob". It will also beep at you. If you have locked it with the buttons, and then unlock with a valet key, alarm goes off. IF you lock it with valet key, and unlock with valet key OR (of course) the fob, no alarm... I have tested all of these scenerios, and am one that like to leave one fob in the vehicle at all times, and always keep a "slim valet key" with me on belt loop, so i ALWAYS can just "get in and go" when i want, without having bulky fob on my person at ALL times...

View attachment 20791

Which is the valet key? The slide out key in the fob, or one of the two regular metal keys that cam with the truck?

 

[EMS_Pilot_66]

Vale

Which is the valet key? The slide out key in the fob, or one of the two regular metal keys that cam with the truck?

valet key is the slide out. I received no reg keys

 

[SemperGumby]

Unless I'm confused there is no such thing as a valet key on these trucks. How do you expect them to start it without the fob?

 

[Lil Miss Always Wrong]

Unless I'm confused there is no such thing as a valet key on these trucks. How do you expect them to start it without the fob?

oops, i prolly shouldn't of said "valet" key, i meant a key that just opens the door. sorry for the confusion : )

But it could serve a purpose as valet IF you didn't tell them where inside the key was and just handed them the door key, but then you'd have to instruct them how to make sure they DID NOT lock with the buttons or once it was open again using only the key, the alarm goes off. Doubt they'd get THAT right, lol.... I find it better to just keep it for MY USE : )

I had them made at hardware store (a buck apiece with my discount : ) just becuz, like i said, i like to keep the actual fob in the vehicle at all times....little chance of anyone "knowing its INSIDE there" cuz its hidden, PLUS, who would ever think there's a nut like me out there that sacrifices, "the ability to push a fob button & chooses to use a key instead", but since i never have to take it out of its hiding place once i've gained entry...

Once i worked out all the bugs of my nutty system, i find it pretty convenient and now its foolproof, and i can attest to that cuz no bigger fool than me : ) That fob is just too bulky to keep on me at all times, and i go in and out of truck several times a day, quick trip here, quick trip there : ) the other way i just always found myself being somewhere where the fob wasn't ... lol : )

 

[392DCGC]

Unlimited data WiFi for $20 a month isn't a bad deal. I suspect it's that cheap because most people won't use much data in the truck, unless they have kids. Some things to note that I've discovered though - having the LTE active gives the truck internet access for a few things. The nav system will actively search for addresses outside its local database when typing in a destination (and maybe other things that I've yet to notice). Sirius can stream over LTE if you lose satellite reception, and you can select some of their on-demand steaming content. Though it's a shame they couldn't have the truck just use your phone's connection for this when you're connected via CarPlay/AA.

SiriusXM in the truck is garbage, in every vehicle actually, because the bitrate is so low. If you enjoy the content, get the streaming access and just play it through your cell phone at much higher quality (unless you really need the satellite capability in the boonies).

I prefer the Uconnect app over XM Guardian - Uconnect has an Apple Watch companion app, and shows a picture of the truck. The pricing scheme for Guardian is robbery. Tesla charges $100/yr for full LTE access for maps, streaming, etc. and yet Sirius is charging $20 a month for practically NOTHING. The remote commands should be a separate option for a few bucks a month at most, or included if you pay for LTE. I haven't heard of anyone saying they're going to pay for the overpriced crap, so hopefully they wake up and change their pricing schemes. My wife got a mailer from them for her Grand Cherokee offering 5 months for $60 - better, but still steep.

I absolutely hate Sirius and hope they go under. Those ****ers spam mail and call non-stop, begging you to subscribe, offering deals to come back, and you always get stuck talking to some call center in Asia.

 

[cotonymopar]

the Gaurdian, according to my insurance agent, will give you a discount on insurance… (theft Tracking)

 

[MJP]

the Gaurdian, according to my insurance agent, will give you a discount on insurance… (theft Tracking)

The discount is usually so insignificant i would imagine it doesn’t make up for the expense for Guardian.

 

[Cmerkert]

the Gaurdian, according to my insurance agent, will give you a discount on insurance… (theft Tracking)

How much is the discount?

 

[Jackham]

The nice thing about the AT&T wifi is that you can pay for a month and cancel. I'll subscribe only on the months I'm doing road trips with the kids so they have data.
It gives you 22gb at 4g speeds and then gets throttled supposedly. We used it one month on a trip and the kids watched Netflix and YouTube. It works in Canada and Mexico with no additional charge. We traveled into Canada and everyone had WiFi which was nice.

Of course. The kids could look out the window...but alas.....

 

[Jackham]

So I guess things are kind of strange where in 2019 and what I expect is to have things not perfectly up to date. In other words why are we accepting at all of any maps or data that are "several years" out of date. If I find that I am calling FCA and then my lawyer. Would you accept that from Windows? or Google? Is it because the updates are not being applied after the product is available. None of this makes any sense at all.

 

[MJP]

How much is the discount?

I recall it being something like 10% of comprehensive coverage. Not a whole lot in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Cmerkert]

So I guess things are kind of strange where in 2019 and what I expect is to have things not perfectly up to date. In other words why are we accepting at all of any maps or data that are "several years" out of date. If I find that I am calling FCA and then my lawyer. Would you accept that from Windows? or Google? Is it because the updates are not being applied after the product is available. None of this makes any sense at all.

Let us know what your lawyer says. Class Action Suit? We all paid for what they advertised it to be. Never saw a disclaimer that says *2019 Ram 1500 with 12" Uconnect current to 2017 and not updating.

 

[cotonymopar]

How much is the discount?

it was something like 15%, but my insurance agent said that was a very good thing to have...

 

[Jackham]

Let us know what your lawyer says. Class Action Suit? We all paid for what they advertised it to be. Never saw a disclaimer that says *2019 Ram 1500 with 12" Uconnect current to 2017 and not updating.

Not everything has to be in print. There is a lot of "implied" and good faith in law. I would love to ask their IT head if they think out of date software is acceptable. Pretty sure they would be pissed if their phone operated that way. On the other hand down here in Phoenix metro I have no idea how they possibly keep the maps up to date as they build constantly.

 

[Cmerkert]

Maps are not really the concern for me, it is more the non-working voice to text for text reply or address searching. THe microphone options is there in Nav, and the Reply by voice recognition is there for Text reply, but neither works. the microphone on the voice search in the navigation is great out so that's obviously not activated. And as you can see in my picture below the text reply offers a lit up option that says reply by voice recognition but it doesn't recognize any thing I say except trying to force me to use their awkward and impossible to remember preloaded texts. How stupid is that. Who's going to remember all 12 of their preloaded text when I just want to tell my wife I'll be home in 15 minutes or where are you

 

[Amigo48]

Hey fellows have 2019 mega limited diesel 4x4. I had the WiFi turned on this Friday in the truck, worked fine Friday evening and yesterday morning. But around lunch stopped working. My system wouldn’t even show up on my phone to select. Yes WiFi was turned on in both truck and phone. I do have both apps uconnect and guardian. They where both open. Could they be causing a connection issue. Any suggestions or ideas. Called guardian. That was no help.

 

[SRRouse]

Traffic is 5 years (if you have Nav, it's an option and doesn't come standard with the 8.4). Guardian is free for a year, music is free for a year. Internet, you can sign up for a limited trial (3 months, and I think 1gb). It's through ATT and there are different plan options after that, I think it works out to about $20 a month.
Personally I can't see continuing anything except maybe the music. Traffic and maps are better covered by my phone (maps are way, way out of date, several years at least), music is nice, but there are other streaming services, and you might even have a "free" one with your cell phone plan. Guardian I'm currently on the fence, I like the apps and stuff, but it's really expensive and I'm not sure I can justify being able to use the app to start my truck when I'm too far away to use the fob. Internet is again probably best covered by my phone, it has high enough hotspot limits, and I would only really need it on road trips, which unfortunately don't occur that frequently.
Really boils down to what you want your phone to do as a replacement for the services and whether or not you want to pay ~$120 a month for the extra services.

My biggest gripe is the 2017 map on my $60K 2019 truck.