OnStar Navigation System: Questions/Opinions

My two cars are so old, tape cassette players were the big option when I got them. But regarding the new OnStar system that comes in a lot of new cars, I was wondering if anybody has it and what you think of it.

The ads say it is free for the first year in many models of new cars, but then $16.95 minimum per month afterwards.

A few specific questions:

  1. In all my years of driving, I have never once locked myself out of the car, nor have I ever been so lost as to find myself in the middle of a ghetto at 2:00 AM. So is the price worth the features?

  2. Does having OnStar mean your car can be found if it is stolen? It seems a good thief would just rip the OnStar system out. Is OnStar a theft deterrent?

  3. Are there any other companies that offer this service – if so, I have never heard of them so, Is OnStar a monopoly?