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Commercial free?
Well, yeah, I guess if you mean commercials for the local tire store or some such.
They certainly do have commercials for themselves, though. They love to brag about how wonderful they are!
Some years back, I bought a one year old used Jeep Wrangler that had Sirius activated, still under the previous owner's contract. I used it until I got tired of their constant bragging about the various channels available, and the repeat playlists. At that point, I began using the 6 disc CD changer, and listening to commercial radio stations. At least "local" stations had news and other useful information for the area where I was driving.
I allowed it to expire, and never considered renewing. I'm not sure any of my current vehicles are "Sirius enabled", and do not care.
My wife has had it in her previous car and now again in her current car...she likes it, so 'we like it'.
One has to haggle/threaten to unsubscribe every year, and the royalty fees are ever increasing, even though she/we listen to about 4 channels.
For those with good ears/good car audio systems, S XM have really dumbed down the audio quality over the past few years; my guess is increasing number of channels compressed to fit 'down the link' in same band width.
For anyone used to CD quality sound in cars or even decent Mp3, S XM in music channels, sounds like bad AM, imo.
GL, mD
I second this. The music channels are highly compressed acoustically, and the talk channels are all but unlistenable, like a tin can & string telephone. How else can they constantly stream 150 channels EVERYWHERE 24/7?
I can't recommend them because they make it impossible to cancel. Have to do it via phone, can't do it online... Kept "accidentally" hanging up, promising it was done and it wasn't. My dad finally called the bank and told them not to authorize any payments to them. Sirius threatened to send him to collections. Lots of stories like that out there. I debated getting it when I got my new car last year, but after the hassle my dad went through, I decided not to. If you do get it, use a prepaid card so they can't keep charging you.
Doing business with them you might be better off with a credit card since you have dispute rights.
I would never do business with them again.......
If you use a card, you need to remember to call them before your service expires or they will bill you at the standard rate (roughly $200 for a year). They don't remind you the service is about to expire, so if you're forgetful, I wouldn't recommend leaving a card on file with them.
If you use a card, you need to remember to call them before your service expires or they will bill you at the standard rate (roughly $200 for a year). They don't remind you the service is about to expire, so if you're forgetful, I wouldn't recommend leaving a card on file with them.
Absolutely true. I got a message from them a few weeks ago stating the credit card I used 6 months ago was no longer active so I needed to call them to reactivate. A week later I got a call. They wanted me to pay the full rate. When I said no, they wanted me to pay for the past month or so at full rate. No. I got a little testy with the guy who called -- just one of those voices that grind on ya. Then he kept saying, "We're not going to force you to extend." I thought that was mighty nice of him. I finally just hung up. They did cancel my subscription last week. I don't know if I'm still getting charged or not. I've gotta give them a call one of these days.
I do like Sirius. I usually listen to sports talk shows. Out here in Wyoming we can't keep an AM or FM station too long while traveling, and I do travel a lot. But with football season a ways off, I can get by without satellite radio. Most likely they'll call and offer me a deal before long, maybe when I'm in a better mood. And I'll renew for 6 months or so.
There are commercials for their own stations and programs, though less frequent than with regular radio advertising.
For many years I had the old Delta MyFi radio that could be used as a portable personal player, a car unit, or a home unit. A lightning strike zapped it via the home external antenna so I got the cheapest Sirius replacement, which works only in the home. Because we receive only a couple of FM stations at home, and with iffy reception at that, I like having satellite radio at home.
But on the road, meh. I don’t miss having satellite in the vehicle. I enjoy hearing the localness of FM stations when taking road trips, even though some of the stations obviously are part of the mega Clear Channel or whatever boringradioplex.
What I HATE about Sirius is their continued bundling of more than the basic set of music stations with mandatory Howard Stern garbage. I feel like I am subsidizing him when I do not even listen to that stuff yet want to add more music stations. If they keep this up, I WILL cancel the subscription.
If you do renew you will get the option of charging to a credit card or paying by check. Read the fine print. It says when this offer expires you will automatically go to our standard fee per month if paying by check. If paying by check, they cannot do that. I get the bill and pay by check.
If you do renew you will get the option of charging to a credit card or paying by check. Read the fine print. It says when this offer expires you will automatically go to our standard fee per month if paying by check. If paying by check, they cannot do that. I get the bill and pay by check.
I renew by credit card. And I call in advance to TELL them that I want only the music channel subscription. It worked OK this last time, but it sounds like I will need to stay on my toes for future renewals or cancellations.
They would be able to charge so much less if they didn't market so heavily. Having gone through the marketing twice this past winter, (two new cars, one totaled, the other the replacement), I hit upon something that "shuts" them up and to which they have no answer. When they call, I tell them that I live at such a high latitude and it is so mountainous where I live that the satellite signal cuts out all the time, (It's actually true). They have no answer for that and accept that I have a valid reason for poor reception.
If dealing with this Serius is so terrible, and I believe it is. Why hasn't the company been investigated on their business practices. For instance Attorney General Offices. Where exactly is Serius located? Are they still an American Company. I know when I called twice, they seem extremely inefficient. It was obvious my calls were being handled, by people in other countries using American first names. So it has the feeling of dealing with telemarketers or Dish TV.
A business should not be this flighty, or difficult to do business with especially cancellations. So I'm questioning why some type of agency, doesn't monitor their business practices.
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