XM Radio

[JimW1949]

I am not sure if this is the right place to post this, it isn't really about a vehicle, but it is about something inside of a vehicle.

My neighbor bought a new car, a 2011 Mailibu. It has XM radio in it and he got a 3 month free subscription with it. He got a letter from them with a price sheet and according to what the neighbor says, they want something like $14.95 per month just for the XM radio, and more if you want the traffic alert stuff. But I have heard that you can negotiate with them for a cheaper price. Has anybody ever done this and if so, how much of a better deal did you get?

 

[coxmaster]

There are quite a few different package options available so make sure he looks at that. But yes, you can negotiate. Ive seen anywhere from 10-50% off, depending on how long you subscribe and what package you choose.

 

[vi edit]

I always get letters in the mail trying to get me back for $7.99 a month for 6 months. Still wouldn't pay it though. They have their stations compressed into bit rate oblivion. Some of them sound like 44kbs MP3 feeds. It's terrible.

 

[CVSiN]

I always get letters in the mail trying to get me back for $7.99 a month for 6 months. Still wouldn't pay it though. They have their stations compressed into bit rate oblivion. Some of them sound like 44kbs MP3 feeds. It's terrible.

this... and spotty coverage worse than FM is you ask me..
Im on my second month and will be cancelling most likely before rebill.. unless they offer me a HELL of a deal.

 

[evident]

call them up, threaten to cancel, do this until they offer you the $77/year plan. At that price, XM is a steal. i would pay full price for it though because to me I couldn't survive my commute without it.

 

[CVSiN]

call them up, threaten to cancel, do this until they offer you the $77/year plan. At that price, XM is a steal. i would pay full price for it though because to me I couldn't survive my commute without it.

I agree the content is worth it for sure.. I love alot of the stations.

but it fuzzes out all the time and sounds like crap on music stations while Howard Stern seems to get max power and quality..

 

[coxmaster]

I've never had any signal issues, but I guess technically I have a Sirius receiver not XM (Same company, but they use different broadcast technologies still)

 

[CVSiN]

I've never had any signal issues, but I guess technically I have a Sirius receiver not XM (Same company, but they use different broadcast technologies still)

yah I had the Pioneer XM module installed on my 3200DVD setup.
professionally installed.
And it still seems to fuzz out even in 100% open air clear skies.. I dont get it..
and dont even try anywhere there are sky scrapers..
they block it 99% of the time.

 

[vshah]

xm sounds so terrible, i can't deal with it. most music stations are 32kbps, most talk ones are 16. nuts.

 

[JimW1949]

Thanks for all the input. As soon as the neighbor gets home from work I will let him know your thoughts and suggestions.

 

[KentState]

yah I had the Pioneer XM module installed on my 3200DVD setup.
professionally installed.
And it still seems to fuzz out even in 100% open air clear skies.. I dont get it..
and dont even try anywhere there are sky scrapers..
they block it 99% of the time.

Something has to be wrong. Have had it for in the last 4 GM cars without reception issues plus after market in two cars when it launched in 2001/2002. Where in the US do you live? I know that depending on how far north you live, it can have more problems.

 

[CVSiN]

Something has to be wrong. Have had it for in the last 4 GM cars without reception issues plus after market in two cars when it launched in 2001/2002. Where in the US do you live? I know that depending on how far north you live, it can have more problems.

Houston Texas.

Alot of my friends that have it report the same thing down here.. trees buildings all kinds of stuff mess with it.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I have Sirius satellite radio and I pay $149/year for it...and I get Howard Stern, which is the reason I got Sirius to begin with. If it weren't for Howard Stern I probably wouldn't bother with it at all. Although, I do enjoy some of the music stations. Kind of cool listening to Richard Blade on the 80s channel...he has good taste in music and I used to listen to him in the early 90s when I lived in Los Angeles.

 

[boomhower]

I've had it for years and have no complaints about the sound quality. I've had both XM and Sirius but it's essentially the same thing, I believe I actually have Sirius the moment.

 

[jmarti445]

Opie and Anthony > Howard Stern

Best show on radio, its the reason I reactivated my XM radio, I didn't include the best of Sirius though I have had it before. Plus Octane and Liquid Metal are awesome as well.

 

[CVSiN]

Opie and Anthony > Howard Stern

Best show on radio, its the reason I reactivated my XM radio, I didn't include the best of Sirius though I have had it before. Plus Octane and Liquid Metal are awesome as well.

Hair Nation and Boneyard ftw
Also Howard and Playboy.

 

[rcpratt]

I had Sirius on my old car and now also again on my new car. Same thing with the 3 months free. I got letters pretty much monthly from Sirius with better offers each time. I think the best I ended up seeing was 6 months for $30 (back to some higher rate after that, but you could cancel obviously).

I don't find much use for it, though. The only thing I would ever listen to is sports, and the sports coverage is really spotty - they only have agreements with some leagues and not others. I forget which.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Here you go - 5 months for $20 :
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals/969108/

Works on existing accounts too. Call and say you want to cancel because it's too expensive. It if doesn't work, try another rep.
I've done this 3 times now without issues for the full XM package.

 

[Vetterin]

I got the 3 months with my new car and to be honest I don't think I would pay $50 for a year renewal as I have plenty of good FM stations comming out of Chicago.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

I got the 3 months with my new car and to be honest I don't think I would pay $50 for a year renewal as I have plenty of good FM stations comming out of Chicago.

Eh, $40 is low enough that I like to keep the option open if I ever get bored of FM, 160GB iPod or the 16GB SD. Would love to stream Pandora via Bluetooth audio but don't have a dataplan.

 

[herm0016]

I have xm in my 09 gmc pickup, i only have reception issues when i load up my roof rack with stuff. lol....

i also have a reciver in my work truck and i have no issues with reception and the quality is pretty good. where i work there are usually no FM or AM stations so it is worth every penney to me.

 

[jmarti445]

Hair Nation and Boneyard ftw
Also Howard and Playboy.

I used to have the best of Sirius, never thought Playboy radio was all that great, Playboy TV = great, but couldn't really get into the radio format. The thing that brings XM202/197 down is the Ron and Fez show, Ron Bennington is ok but I can't stand Fez Whatley. To be honest I never thought Ron Bennington was all that great himself. He's been filling in for Anthony while he is on Vacation and I really think the show doesn't have the same allure to it(Anthony is extremely funny).

I think if I had one wish for Sirius XM it would to bring Loveline in some form to a station. I'm from Baltimore and we haven't had it since WHFS went away, I would listen to it when I went to OC but even that station no longer exists(96 Rock). Adam Carolla and Dr. Drew were the funniest when it came to terrestrial radio, but even after Carolla left it wasn't that bad of a radio show.

But all in all I still say that O&A is greater then All. It attracts a younger audience then Howard Stern so if you are older then 40 I could see people preferring Howard to O&A. But Opie and Anthony has had me to the point of Crying from laughing so hard and I've never had another show do that to me.

Special Delivery with Sam and Dave(comes on Saturday nights) is also funny as hell at times. But Ron and Fez is what I would call the detriement to the station. They were passible when they came on WHFS and WJFK but even then I thought Don and Mike was a better show then what they did.

 

[disappoint]

If you listen to Adam Carolla in your Toy yoda Corolla I'm going to inflate my wheels (not tires) to sidewall and drive off a cliff.

 

[IcePickFreak]

Usually if you cancel, they'll offer you the 5 months for $20 shortly after. Cancel again (otherwise you'll automatically go on to their regular pricing) and again they'll offer you the 5mnts/$20 in a week or two.

 

[marvdmartian]

I never bothered extending beyond my free 3 months. My brother in law kept getting calls from them, and finally asked them what's the longest period package you've got? They told him he could get 10 years for $500, and he took it.

That's the cheapest I've ever heard of, at ~$4.17/month, without having to jump through hoops canceling, getting new offer, extending, canceling, etc.