Hey all, Title says it all. After the first free year, are you going to pay for it? If so, then why? If not, then why? For me, i am not sure. It is $129 that i can use on something else. But, then again, in an emergency, it is nice to have.
I can't see the need. You already have bluetooth. On the major highways there are cameras everywhere. It could only be important if you were left unconscious in an accident in some remote area, where it could save your life since the airbag deployment triggers sos. Chances of that happening? One in a million, at best. Still, if you like to cover every conceivable risk, it would be worth it.
I've had similar systems in previous cars, and never used them, so therefore didn't renew after the free period.
I have no idea because I haven't done the math on costs vs. insurance savings yet. I get an extra 15% off due to the GPS locator. Once I have numbers this fall, I will know the real cost to subscribe, then I will decide based on that number.
I think it's required in Mass. Every company I have used has a 20% discount for antitheft, which increases to 35% for a recovery system (Lojack, OnStar, Safety Connect). I think it's just on the portion of the premium that goes to theft, but it's something.
I do live in and travel in the rural and remote Southwest where cell phone reception is spotty and cell towers are sparse. I prefer knowing that I if I was conscious I wouldn't have to rely on Bluetooth, or my cell if the car is disabled, or if I am unconscious that someone would actually witness the accident, see me go off the road, or even see the car's headlights (This is how one of my friends was saved, 5 days after he went off the side of the mountain road because of a deer. Luckily someone was driving that remote mountain road at night.), etc. So, yes, I plan on renewing every year.
There is a flaw in your reasoning. The SOS system also uses the cellular network, so if you're in an area with no cell reception, it isn't going to help you.
The signal is probably amplified to increase range. If the green light is on, I think you are probably connected. But if you spend time in remote areas, it's worth the effort to test the SOS system.
The only way I would subscribe would be if the insurance discount exceeds the cost of the service (which I doubt). I used it several times. When I really needed help SC dropped the ball big time. The other times were to summon local police for other disabled vehicles. By the time SC transferred me to the police they already had calls from others. The last time I saw a collision I cancelled the SC call because I figured someone else will notify the Willingboro police before SC so why bother. SC is Toyota's Help Desk. Sorry to say they earned the Helpless Desk moniker.
FWIW, on my last car (with a similar system) Allstate gave me a nominal discount (something like $10 / 6 months). I even mailed the fancy certificate the manufacturer provided, so I called my agent assuming this was a mistake. He said these so-called recovery systems don't do much good, since they're GPS based, and the signal is easily blocked (park in a garage, for example).
