A Letter to General Motors

[rbattelle]

I just sent this comment to GM via their website:

Please stop implying people who don't purchase GM automobiles or OnStar equipment are bad fathers and don't care about the safety of others. In one Saturn commercial, a gentleman discusses all the great fatherly things he wants to do - that's why he bought a Saturn. I bought a Dodge; does that mean I'm a bad Father? In one OnStar commercial, children are shown asking questions like "who will call for help if the airbags deploy"? Since I don't own a GM product with OnStar, doesn't that imply I don't want emergency services to respond? Or how about the OnStar commercial where children are shown asking questions like "would you buy a vehicle without seat belts?" with the implication that a vehicle without OnStar is as unsafe as one without seat belts.



So apparently if I don't buy a GM vehicle equipped with OnStar I'm a bad father and I want to see my family in a twisted, mangled car wreck with no way to contact emergency services.



I resent that.

I can't help but wonder whether I'm the only one who thinks this.



-Ryan

 

[DennyDay]

Amen Brother!



And they don't tell you were it won't work. Like under trees, most narrow canyons and . . . . oh! They can't unlock the locked in kid in a parking garage. . . . . and I did bust the window out in the heat in Houston . . . kid is Ok dad was p----d at Mom, and Mom was p----d at me for breaking her window . . . . and she was more p----d at the cop who gave her a ticket and sumons for child endangerment!! I love life . . . sometimes





Denny

 

[daytripper63]

G. M. isnt built as good as a DODGE/CUMMINS so they need Onstar so they can call for help :-laf

 

[scootergmc]

No offense, but I think you need to turn down your sensitivity meter. I understand where you're coming from, but c'mon, it's advertising. Heck, if my kid doesn't take me to Outback for dinner, does that mean she's a bad daughter?

 

[klenger]

It seems like GM could make a lot of money by selling OnStar to Ford 6. 0 owners. :-laf

 

[Cummins Thunder]

No offense, but I think you need to turn down your sensitivity meter. I understand where you're coming from, but c'mon, it's advertising. Heck, if my kid doesn't take me to Outback for dinner, does that mean she's a bad daughter?

Let the man raise some hell!! :-laf

 

[rbattelle]

No offense, but I think you need to turn down your sensitivity meter.

No offense taken. Perhaps you're right. On the other hand, I feel like GM is genuinely trying to give people the impression that if you care about others you must buy their vehicles. It's like they think "our company is slowly spiraling into the toilet so we better convince people that if they don't buy our boring, poorly engineered vehicles they're going to end up hurting someone. "



Plus I'm still angry with them for inventing "skip shift". :-laf



-Ryan

 

[RustyJC]

If you get to feeling too guilty about not having OnStar, you don't have to buy a GM product to get it. My 2003 Acura 3. 2TL-S came with OnStar as part of the navigation system package.



Rusty

 

[Hohn]

Ryan-- I'm with you.



Add to it this: "And if you're products were so good, why would you have to sell them at employee price??"



:-laf



jh

 

[MKinner]

GM is going downhill fast. I just traded our '98 Yukon for an '05 Jetta TDI and my wife and i just love it. Couldn't believe the quality they put into a small package. You will NEVER see that with a GM car. All Onstar is, is a convienence. It won't prevent you from getting in a wreck. I'll just stick with my cell phone. #ad

 

[crobertson1]

GM is going downhill fast. I just traded our '98 Yukon for an '05 Jetta TDI and my wife and i just love it. Couldn't believe the quality they put into a small package. You will NEVER see that with a GM car.

I completely, but respectfully disagree. So does J. D. Power and Assoc. VW is down near the bottom as far as initial quality, while GM is making huge strides in quality. Incidently, 11 of the bottom 12 are MINI, Scion, Saab, Subaru, Kia, Volvo, Porsche, VW, Land Rover(duh), Mazda, and Suzuki.



GM has two in the top 5- Buick and Cadillac. Dodge didn't fare too well .

 

[lil red cummins]

100% with you ryan.



i have even remarked to my wife how much i am offended by their ad tactic.



i have the feeling that i am being "scolded" or even "shamed" in their commercials, for not owning a vehicle with onstar.



i can darn well live without onstar.



jim

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

Good job Denny



Did you administer any dope slaps? :-laf



Back to topic: Onstar is one of the few commercial I just can not tolerate listening to. Onstar commercials are right up there with:



Matthew Lesko's free gov't money.

Geico Auto insurance stupid stuff.

The "which cough is hooping cough" commercial.



I will bolt for the radio dial to turn this stuff off. :-laf

 

[JPope]

Good job Denny

Actually Denny GREAT JOB Oo. maybe the mother will get a lecture :-laf from the Judge, that will sink in and make her realize the danger!!!!!

 

[rbattelle]

GM's Response

Here it is:

Dear Mr. Battelle,



Thank you for contacting us recently regarding our commercials. We appreciate you advising General Motors of your concerns and providing us the opportunity for review as we recognize individuals have many different views.



Feedback from customers, such as you, is very helpful to us. We have documented your concerns and will be forwarding your comments to the appropriate department for their consideration. Thank you again for taking the time to let us know how you feel.



If you have any product or dealer related questions or concerns, feel free to contact our General Motors Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-222-1020 Monday through Friday between 8:00 a. m. and 11:00 p. m. , Eastern Time.



If you should need to contact us in the future, simply reply to this message or call our General Motors Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-222-1020. Customer Relationship Managers are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a. m. to 11:00 p. m. , Eastern Time.



Again, thank you for contacting General Motors.



Sincerely,



Jonathan Pizarro

Customer Relationship Manager

General Motors Customer Assistance Center

Just boilerplate. I didn't really expect anything else, but I just wanted them to hear my annoyance.



-Ryan

 

[tURBOdIEZEl]

G. M. isnt built as good as a DODGE/CUMMINS so they need Onstar so they can call for help :-laf

thats why they need to offer an "employee discount" for all customers. to move there overpriced cars... . not to metion the finanial problems GM and FORD are encountering.....

 

[EMD Diesel Power]

What good is OnStar when you;re really going to need it? such as a severe frontal collision or rollover. Most of these incidents bust up the batteries and viola... . No power to run the system.



Ask anyone whos airbags deployed and where the OnStar system did work... . you'll find they were in a light to moderate crash and the battery system was still intact.



Id rather use a system thats based on the EPIRB-rescue beacon system (system-contained battery)... but even they fail too.



Just my two cents. To me, ONstar isnt worth the money.

 

[LandShark]

If we didn't have Onstar we wouldn't have BlondeStar .

 

[KBennett]

I completely, but respectfully disagree. So does J. D. Power and Assoc. VW is down near the bottom as far as initial quality, while GM is making huge strides in quality. Incidently, 11 of the bottom 12 are MINI, Scion, Saab, Subaru, Kia, Volvo, Porsche, VW, Land Rover(duh), Mazda, and Suzuki.



GM has two in the top 5- Buick and Cadillac. Dodge didn't fare too well .

Come on! Now I am beginning to doubt JD Power. Subaru and Mazda are below GM?? I know Volvo is having some issues but aren't they owned by GM? Buick has always had a good rep but Cadillacs seem to fall apart after a while.



I am with you Ryan, some of the marketing out there is really pushing the limits. Like every time a Ford truck commercial comes on "best power in it's class" and then "the truth" commercials come on. Let's put them all head to head and then talk about the truth.

 

[BNH4221]

I know Volvo is having some issues but aren't they owned by GM?

I think it is Ford that owns Volvo. And Cummins too

GM owns Saab.



Steve