ok..if you like XM radio/traffic, but can't afford it..
09-27-07, 01:14 PM
#31
BINGO! 
Got my $77 rate today. I even tried to get 3 years (I'm really indigent) @ $77 per year, but no dice!
Joedaddy, if you're ever in the neighborhood, I'll buy you a beer.
Got my $77 rate today. I even tried to get 3 years (I'm really indigent) @ $77 per year, but no dice!Joedaddy, if you're ever in the neighborhood, I'll buy you a beer.
10-01-07, 09:19 AM
#32
Pole Position
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: WA
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Nav Update Needed for NavTraffic?
Last week I too took advantage of the discount for resuming XM service and NavTraffic at $77 and $47.88 respectively for a year. I quickly found out though that the NavTraffic does not currently provide traffic flow (different colors for different speeds) for a significant part of the freeway system, at least for my 07 460L. I inquired of XM and received this response:
"Specific coding relating to the display of the traffic data is contained in the map database and is updated with the release of new map database updates. Therefore, if your map database is out of date, you may not be able to see all of the available traffic data available as part of the XM NavTraffic service."
Thus maybe my not quite year old LS does not have the most current Nav update (I have map version .06.1 and CDDB ver 1129) that could include the coding for the NavTraffic service. I know Navteq provides flow information now for the freeway portion that I am missing in NavTraffic because that flow info is provided for free online at traffic.com. However it just started to show up there several months ago so maybe the XM response is correct and my Nav does not have the most current coding that will allow the flow information to appear in all areas where the information is available. If this is the case then getting the NavTraffic just became much more expensive if we have to also purchase updated Nav software to get the currently available traffic flow info.
"Specific coding relating to the display of the traffic data is contained in the map database and is updated with the release of new map database updates. Therefore, if your map database is out of date, you may not be able to see all of the available traffic data available as part of the XM NavTraffic service."
Thus maybe my not quite year old LS does not have the most current Nav update (I have map version .06.1 and CDDB ver 1129) that could include the coding for the NavTraffic service. I know Navteq provides flow information now for the freeway portion that I am missing in NavTraffic because that flow info is provided for free online at traffic.com. However it just started to show up there several months ago so maybe the XM response is correct and my Nav does not have the most current coding that will allow the flow information to appear in all areas where the information is available. If this is the case then getting the NavTraffic just became much more expensive if we have to also purchase updated Nav software to get the currently available traffic flow info.
10-01-07, 11:51 AM
#33
Rookie
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: MA
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That doesn't quite make sense. What coding would be needed unless its for a new road not in the navigation database. The system already knows how to overlay the flow information onto the digital map, so why would expanded coverage matter. Sounds like standard form response. Its make it sound like it would be better to use the traffic flow information on your cellphone through windows live mobile, yahoo to go, or google mobile.
10-13-07, 10:14 PM
#36
Lexus Test Driver
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: New York
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I did it last weekend for my mom's LS460L. Girl on the phone gave me trouble at first, asking for promotion code, but I told her I left the card at work. She conceded finally & gave me the deal plus XM traffic. Thanks to the OP & others for posting this deal, much appreciated.
11-08-07, 10:52 AM
#37
Driver School Candidate
okie..I just renewed, no questions about the offer at all $77 for 12 months, tried to sell the traffic nav, but doesn't help in my rural area anyways, also tried to sell something else that I have no idea what it was...I just said no thanks...and all was well.
Hope this works next year!
Hope this works next year!
11-09-07, 08:48 PM
#38
Lead Lap
I just thought I'd jump in here and let you know that this little "trick" has been on the Acura TL site for a good bit longer. Long enough in fact that some of us have cleared the first year of this $77 service and learned "the hard way" that your $77/year agreement comes with one stipulation you may not know about....
When you reach the end of your, they AUTOMATICALLY charge to for the next year at the FULL RETAIL rate. This way you don't realize your service is approaching it's term and they "get you" at the higher standard rate. You don't realize it because you never loose service, rather you simply get another bill (but this time it's a MUCH larger one with none of those multi year discounts). you can call up and ask for a multi-year discount but alot of people simply pay their bill and sometimes never even realize that they could get lower rates in yers 2, 3, etc. The ONLY way around this is to "allow" them to sign you up for the automatic renewal when you get the $77 rate and then (3 months later) you need to remember to call in and cancel the auto-renewal "feature" on the account. In my case I canceled it and also canceled the credit card they had on file. So when it came time to renew... I got dead air...PERFECT! I waited three weeks and got ANOTHER one of those cards sayign that they "wanted me back and I could have this NEW $77 rate (I guess their databases aren't all that good)". So I called them up and said, sure, Sign me up for that NEW $77 rate!
Come to think about it, I think the second radio ($6.95 rate for radio #2) is about to expire. I had better go back and make certain there aren't any "tricks" on that one...Hope this helps guys (and gals)!
When you reach the end of your, they AUTOMATICALLY charge to for the next year at the FULL RETAIL rate. This way you don't realize your service is approaching it's term and they "get you" at the higher standard rate. You don't realize it because you never loose service, rather you simply get another bill (but this time it's a MUCH larger one with none of those multi year discounts). you can call up and ask for a multi-year discount but alot of people simply pay their bill and sometimes never even realize that they could get lower rates in yers 2, 3, etc. The ONLY way around this is to "allow" them to sign you up for the automatic renewal when you get the $77 rate and then (3 months later) you need to remember to call in and cancel the auto-renewal "feature" on the account. In my case I canceled it and also canceled the credit card they had on file. So when it came time to renew... I got dead air...PERFECT! I waited three weeks and got ANOTHER one of those cards sayign that they "wanted me back and I could have this NEW $77 rate (I guess their databases aren't all that good)". So I called them up and said, sure, Sign me up for that NEW $77 rate!
Come to think about it, I think the second radio ($6.95 rate for radio #2) is about to expire. I had better go back and make certain there aren't any "tricks" on that one...Hope this helps guys (and gals)!
11-10-07, 08:58 AM
#39
It takes some manipulation to win at this. If you use automatic payments, then they up the price to the full price. However if you stop the autopay, about 2-3 months before the end of your term they start invoicing you for the next payment and TRY to charge $2.00 for each invoice. My intention was to stop the service so I just didn't renew but after a month i decided to start it again and there was a $6.00 charge already on my account from the previous invoices that I had not requested (or stopped). Shouldn't happen and they did reverse the charge but I bet they get away with it sometimes.
01-09-08, 08:53 AM
#43
Lead Lap
OF COURSE, when it DID expire (12/18/07) the idiots @ XM tried to charge my credit card. When they realized that I had canceled that card (about a year earlier because of stuff like this) they proceeded to send me a bill. Do-ah! Knowing it was THEIR error I took my time calling them back (in hindsight I wish I had just left them to their own devices to "figure it out" but am too honest to do that). Of course, I got the run-around and transfered to three different departments before someone with a clue FINALLY was able to resolve the issue ...
XM yoyo: "Yep, shows here that you requested to drop the service"..
Me: Yes, I called in a couple of times in an effort to avoid confusion.
XM yoyo: Hmmmm, I don't have the ability to remove you from service. Please hold while I transf..
Me: Wai....
XM yoyo #2: Hello, ,sdjf in billing. How may I help you?
Me: I was just talking to your customer service rep about a disconnection...
XM yoyo #2: Well, this is billing, I can't help with disconnections, I'll transfer to customer se...
Me: WAIT! WAIT! WAIT!
XM Yoyo #2: Wha....?
Me: I just TOLD you I was transferred to you by THEM?
XM YoYo #2: Oh, right. You DID say that. How may I help you?
Me: Please provide me your CSR #?
XM yoyo #2: My CSR #?
Me: Yes, your "Customer Service Representative number". All call center agents are SUPPOSE to have one.
XM Yoyo #2: Oh, you mean my iweuysd ID?
Me: OK, sure that would be fine. ANYTHING that I can use as a reference.
XM yoyo #2: Ok, but I don't know why you would want...it's 2-gazillion and one
Me: Could your PLEASE forward me to one of your supervisors?
XM yoyo #2: I'll try but I don't think one is available right now (no wonder, right?)
XM #2 (after about a 8.5 minute wait): I wasn't able to reach a supervisor but I do have my "team lead", Jeremy on the line to help you...
Jeremy: How can I help you?
Me: Jeremy, thanks for your time. I assume XM #2 has brought you up to speed with the situation (privately thinkg...it's been over 8 minutes remember)?
Jeremy: Well, no. Please tell me what the issue may be so that I can help.
Me: I repeat all the stuff AGAIN and Jeremy finds my file (another 5 minutes)
Jeremy: Well, I DO see that a billing issue has occurred. We should not have billed you at the end of the period.
Me: Correct, Can you assist me to get the taken care of?
Jeremy: Well, we don't do that here (it's billing but they don't handle billing?)
Me: Could you please help me to get this corrected with WHATEVER department DOES have the authority to correct this?
Jeremy: Certainly sir, I will get our disconnection department on the line with us...another 5 minutes goes by and Anne joins us. Jeremy goes over the details on the phone with "Anne" and then it's Anne's turn.
Anne (not her real name): OK, I understand now. May I ask why you are disconnecting the service. (At this point I've burned about 30 minutes of my business day and am REALLY pissed off).
Me: You've already butchered this enough with this current poor service. Why don't you just look at the file? She can't SEE my file (for some reason) but Jeremy did through something and says...
Jeremy: Shows here he is selling the car.
Anne: OK, I can take it from here Jeremy. You can...
Me: WAIT! NOBODY's getting off ANY line. If you can't see the file and need Jeremy to help reference ANYTHING, he's STAYING!
Anne: Well, sir...
Me: Anne, this is REALLY getting old. Please credit my account and CLOSE the SOB!
Anne: So you would like both accounts closed sir? (I have a home account as well on a separate bill but for the life of me I am starting to wonder why)
Me: NO, just the one that EXPIRED please and can you send me an email confirmation of the cancellation so that I don't have to go through this all again in a month?
Anne: No sir, we do not have that capability (I wonder what capabilty they actually DO have at this point!)
Me: Fine, I guess this recording I've been producing during this call will have to do then....
Summary - Satelitte radio technology is GREAT. The content is pretty good (for the most part). Advertising on something I ALREADY pay for is "un-acceptable" but what are you gonna do. It's just too bad that the customer service is among the WORST in the WORLD! I should know, one of my expertises is in helping Fortune 500 companies improve their customer service operations.... ARGH!
01-09-08, 10:47 AM
#44
Lexus Test Driver
Ah, if only that WERE true. You see, I asked to have my subscription CANCELLED rather than automatically renewed 3 months BEFORE the expiration date. I also called 2 weeks before the expiration date to verify that it would not renew (told them I was selling the car to avoid the transfers to other departments, etc). They looked at the file and said "Yep, we show that your subscription will end on XYZ and we will not auto-renew you...right here in the file. Feeling fairl confident having checked this TWICE prior to expiration I thought I was covered.
OF COURSE, when it DID expire (12/18/07) the idiots @ XM tried to charge my credit card. When they realized that I had canceled that card (about a year earlier because of stuff like this) they proceeded to send me a bill. Do-ah! Knowing it was THEIR error I took my time calling them back (in hindsight I wish I had just left them to their own devices to "figure it out" but am too honest to do that). Of course, I got the run-around and transfered to three different departments before someone with a clue FINALLY was able to resolve the issue ...
XM yoyo: "Yep, shows here that you requested to drop the service"..
Me: Yes, I called in a couple of times in an effort to avoid confusion.
XM yoyo: Hmmmm, I don't have the ability to remove you from service. Please hold while I transf..
Me: Wai....
XM yoyo #2: Hello, ,sdjf in billing. How may I help you?
Me: I was just talking to your customer service rep about a disconnection...
XM yoyo #2: Well, this is billing, I can't help with disconnections, I'll transfer to customer se...
Me: WAIT! WAIT! WAIT!
XM Yoyo #2: Wha....?
Me: I just TOLD you I was transferred to you by THEM?
XM YoYo #2: Oh, right. You DID say that. How may I help you?
Me: Please provide me your CSR #?
XM yoyo #2: My CSR #?
Me: Yes, your "Customer Service Representative number". All call center agents are SUPPOSE to have one.
XM Yoyo #2: Oh, you mean my iweuysd ID?
Me: OK, sure that would be fine. ANYTHING that I can use as a reference.
XM yoyo #2: Ok, but I don't know why you would want...it's 2-gazillion and one
Me: Could your PLEASE forward me to one of your supervisors?
XM yoyo #2: I'll try but I don't think one is available right now (no wonder, right?)
XM #2 (after about a 8.5 minute wait): I wasn't able to reach a supervisor but I do have my "team lead", Jeremy on the line to help you...
Jeremy: How can I help you?
Me: Jeremy, thanks for your time. I assume XM #2 has brought you up to speed with the situation (privately thinkg...it's been over 8 minutes remember)?
Jeremy: Well, no. Please tell me what the issue may be so that I can help.
Me: I repeat all the stuff AGAIN and Jeremy finds my file (another 5 minutes)
Jeremy: Well, I DO see that a billing issue has occurred. We should not have billed you at the end of the period.
Me: Correct, Can you assist me to get the taken care of?
Jeremy: Well, we don't do that here (it's billing but they don't handle billing?)
Me: Could you please help me to get this corrected with WHATEVER department DOES have the authority to correct this?
Jeremy: Certainly sir, I will get our disconnection department on the line with us...another 5 minutes goes by and Anne joins us. Jeremy goes over the details on the phone with "Anne" and then it's Anne's turn.
Anne (not her real name): OK, I understand now. May I ask why you are disconnecting the service. (At this point I've burned about 30 minutes of my business day and am REALLY pissed off).
Me: You've already butchered this enough with this current poor service. Why don't you just look at the file? She can't SEE my file (for some reason) but Jeremy did through something and says...
Jeremy: Shows here he is selling the car.
Anne: OK, I can take it from here Jeremy. You can...
Me: WAIT! NOBODY's getting off ANY line. If you can't see the file and need Jeremy to help reference ANYTHING, he's STAYING!
Anne: Well, sir...
Me: Anne, this is REALLY getting old. Please credit my account and CLOSE the SOB!
Anne: So you would like both accounts closed sir? (I have a home account as well on a separate bill but for the life of me I am starting to wonder why)
Me: NO, just the one that EXPIRED please and can you send me an email confirmation of the cancellation so that I don't have to go through this all again in a month?
Anne: No sir, we do not have that capability (I wonder what capabilty they actually DO have at this point!)
Me: Fine, I guess this recording I've been producing during this call will have to do then....
Summary - Satelitte radio technology is GREAT. The content is pretty good (for the most part). Advertising on something I ALREADY pay for is "un-acceptable" but what are you gonna do. It's just too bad that the customer service is among the WORST in the WORLD! I should know, one of my expertises is in helping Fortune 500 companies improve their customer service operations.... ARGH!
OF COURSE, when it DID expire (12/18/07) the idiots @ XM tried to charge my credit card. When they realized that I had canceled that card (about a year earlier because of stuff like this) they proceeded to send me a bill. Do-ah! Knowing it was THEIR error I took my time calling them back (in hindsight I wish I had just left them to their own devices to "figure it out" but am too honest to do that). Of course, I got the run-around and transfered to three different departments before someone with a clue FINALLY was able to resolve the issue ...
XM yoyo: "Yep, shows here that you requested to drop the service"..
Me: Yes, I called in a couple of times in an effort to avoid confusion.
XM yoyo: Hmmmm, I don't have the ability to remove you from service. Please hold while I transf..
Me: Wai....
XM yoyo #2: Hello, ,sdjf in billing. How may I help you?
Me: I was just talking to your customer service rep about a disconnection...
XM yoyo #2: Well, this is billing, I can't help with disconnections, I'll transfer to customer se...
Me: WAIT! WAIT! WAIT!
XM Yoyo #2: Wha....?
Me: I just TOLD you I was transferred to you by THEM?
XM YoYo #2: Oh, right. You DID say that. How may I help you?
Me: Please provide me your CSR #?
XM yoyo #2: My CSR #?
Me: Yes, your "Customer Service Representative number". All call center agents are SUPPOSE to have one.
XM Yoyo #2: Oh, you mean my iweuysd ID?
Me: OK, sure that would be fine. ANYTHING that I can use as a reference.
XM yoyo #2: Ok, but I don't know why you would want...it's 2-gazillion and one
Me: Could your PLEASE forward me to one of your supervisors?
XM yoyo #2: I'll try but I don't think one is available right now (no wonder, right?)
XM #2 (after about a 8.5 minute wait): I wasn't able to reach a supervisor but I do have my "team lead", Jeremy on the line to help you...
Jeremy: How can I help you?
Me: Jeremy, thanks for your time. I assume XM #2 has brought you up to speed with the situation (privately thinkg...it's been over 8 minutes remember)?
Jeremy: Well, no. Please tell me what the issue may be so that I can help.
Me: I repeat all the stuff AGAIN and Jeremy finds my file (another 5 minutes)
Jeremy: Well, I DO see that a billing issue has occurred. We should not have billed you at the end of the period.
Me: Correct, Can you assist me to get the taken care of?
Jeremy: Well, we don't do that here (it's billing but they don't handle billing?)
Me: Could you please help me to get this corrected with WHATEVER department DOES have the authority to correct this?
Jeremy: Certainly sir, I will get our disconnection department on the line with us...another 5 minutes goes by and Anne joins us. Jeremy goes over the details on the phone with "Anne" and then it's Anne's turn.
Anne (not her real name): OK, I understand now. May I ask why you are disconnecting the service. (At this point I've burned about 30 minutes of my business day and am REALLY pissed off).
Me: You've already butchered this enough with this current poor service. Why don't you just look at the file? She can't SEE my file (for some reason) but Jeremy did through something and says...
Jeremy: Shows here he is selling the car.
Anne: OK, I can take it from here Jeremy. You can...
Me: WAIT! NOBODY's getting off ANY line. If you can't see the file and need Jeremy to help reference ANYTHING, he's STAYING!
Anne: Well, sir...
Me: Anne, this is REALLY getting old. Please credit my account and CLOSE the SOB!
Anne: So you would like both accounts closed sir? (I have a home account as well on a separate bill but for the life of me I am starting to wonder why)
Me: NO, just the one that EXPIRED please and can you send me an email confirmation of the cancellation so that I don't have to go through this all again in a month?
Anne: No sir, we do not have that capability (I wonder what capabilty they actually DO have at this point!)
Me: Fine, I guess this recording I've been producing during this call will have to do then....
Summary - Satelitte radio technology is GREAT. The content is pretty good (for the most part). Advertising on something I ALREADY pay for is "un-acceptable" but what are you gonna do. It's just too bad that the customer service is among the WORST in the WORLD! I should know, one of my expertises is in helping Fortune 500 companies improve their customer service operations.... ARGH!
.
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05-14-12, 10:40 AM
#45
Driver
Anyone had any luck?
I just got off the phone with XM, and they don't seem to have a problem letting their potential customers go. I allowed the trial period to expire, and today I got an e-mail from them for $29.94 for 6 months. The catch is it does not include the Nav-Traffic, Weather. If you add this feature the total comes to $85 for 6 mos. I then asked if they had any other promotions going, and basically was told NO. Just wondering what others are experiencing???