SXM Guardian worth it or not? Pro’s/Con’s

[McBroom]

I apologize man for my part.


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We’re still friends [emoji41]


- The Blue Mule

 

[NorthStar1]

McBroom,

To get this back on track, I'll give you my opinion and experience. I have Guardian on my 2018 that I drive as well as my 2019 my daughter-in-law drives. I've always had it no matter if it came with a new truck or I renewed it as I'm a USAA insurance member who gets a discount for a theft tracking system aka "Anti-Theft Discount". Guardian qualifies with USAA and that savings is approximately $20 every six months or $40 per year. Granted, I make all my family members take the Online Defensive Driving (Comedy Driving) course every three years as the cost of the online course is $30 but I save $18 a year in discounts after taking the course as I believe in getting all the discounts possible when it comes to insurance.

So, to answer your question, yes, I believe it is worth having for not only the discount but also peace of mind in that I can always see where my trucks are located, remote start via my iphone, can send addresses to it via my iPhone (Send-N-Go), can see my tire pressure, oil change interval, odometer, fuel level and monthly vehicle health report on my iPhone as well. As an added bonus, they just updated the app with Family Drive Alerts so I can set a Valet boundary alert, curfew alert as well as speed alert to keep an eye on how the Rams in my family are being driven. Not bad if you've got a teen in the family and also good if your car is being valet parked so it will alert you if they go for a joy ride or it gets stolen while in valet.

IMO the #1 problem is the price...they need to learn that a $100 a year plan will sell much better than a $250 a year plan. Look at the fools at SiriusXM who make you wait until your subscription expires (which could cost up to $280 a year) and then calling a week later to ask if you'd consider coming back for $60 a year. They need to learn to retain the customers they have with reasonable rates and quit playing the same games played at car dealership.

 

[NorthStar1]

I'll also add that USAA checks up to ensure you have an active subscription to Guardian otherwise they cancel the discount. After my first free year on my 2018, I renewed with a teaser rate. It was a week after I renewed that USAA sent me an email indicating my first year with RAM had expired and that I needed to provide proof of a second year of subscription if I wanted to maintain the discount. I sent them the receipt and all was good. Again, a $40 per year discount doesn't pay for the subscription but it does help defray the cost on an item which I personally find to have a number of benefits - including the ability to remote start my truck from twelve floors up in my office when it's 99 degrees outside.

No, I don't work for Guardian nor do I get compensated for my comments...and most likely will get flamed by a few guys who disagree...but for me and my family it does the job just fine.

 

[adrianp89]

I don’t think I’d trust that as far as I could throw it.


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That is the best there is for aftermarket vehicle control. Period. It blows the socks off the Sirius Guardian, Guardian is like little league baseball and Drone is the MLB All-Star game.

Anyways - what is the best price someone has renewed at? I need to renew but I think I will just with the 1 year for $60 basic Sirius plan.

 

[McBroom]

Thanks men for clarifying what all is involved in the SXM Guardian. I appreciate most of your comments and have learned quite a bit from the important comments.

@MADDOG please close this thread.


- The Blue Mule

 

[corneileous]

That is the best there is for aftermarket vehicle control. Period. It blows the socks off the Sirius Guardian, Guardian is like little league baseball and Drone is the MLB All-Star game.

So what does it do that the Uconnect doesn’t? And what makes it so much better of an alternative?

Anyways - what is the best price someone has renewed at? I need to renew but I think I will just with the 1 year for $60 basic Sirius plan.

That’s just for the SiriusXM satellite radio. The SiriusXM Guardian is all the other stuff that has to do with the app-controlled starting, locking, unlocking, yada, yada, yada.



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[Coop]

McBroom,


IMO the #1 problem is the price...they need to learn that a $100 a year plan will sell much better than a $250 a year plan. Look at the fools at SiriusXM who make you wait until your subscription expires (which could cost up to $280 a year) and then calling a week later to ask if you'd consider coming back for $60 a year. They need to learn to retain the customers they have with reasonable rates and quit playing the same games played at car dealership.

I agree completely. If it were 9.99 a month it's a no brainier. As it's priced today I'll likely cancel my sub April thru November. Might be different if the vehicle Heath reports were working, but for owners of the 12" it's not right now. Either the price should be lower or it should offer more features. I'll have to call my agent to see if it makes a difference in my rates though.

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[Swordfish]

My problem is that it is so flaky. During last winter, it worked maybe 2 out of 10 times I tried to use it and my truck is right outside my front door under the open sky. I called Sirius multiple times and they don't have a clue. I won't pay for something that doesn't work when it is supposed to.

 

[corneileous]

My problem is that it is so flaky. During last winter, it worked maybe 2 out of 10 times I tried to use it and my truck is right outside my front door under the open sky. I called Sirius multiple times and they don't have a clue. I won't pay for something that doesn't work when it is supposed to.

I don’t blame you. If it only works part of the time, I wouldn’t advise paying the $250 a year to have that service.

Fortunately, mines been working awesome but, the only thing I have a problem with it, is it doesn’t seem to work right from my Apple Watch. But ****, I don’t need it to work from my Apple Watch so it really only needs to work from my phone so other than that I love having the service. I don’t know how many times I parked the truck, went into a restaurant and wonder if I locked the damn thing or not. Lol.


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[dpinvidic]

What gets me is that my 2014 RAM with "Uconnect" is $149 for a year. This gives me voice/Text and remote start/Stop.
The same thing with Guardian is $250. They "claim" you get better vehicle locating service...not sure how all this related to remote shutdown in case of theft.
But $100 price difference is significant.
Here in AZ I love the remote start. Have to decide on what to do with the 2019 Grand Cherokee when the free subscription expires.

Dan

 

[DAVECS1]

What gets me is that my 2014 RAM with "Uconnect" is $149 for a year. This gives me voice/Text and remote start/Stop.
The same thing with Guardian is $250. They "claim" you get better vehicle locating service...not sure how all this related to remote shutdown in case of theft.
But $100 price difference is significant.
Here in AZ I love the remote start. Have to decide on what to do with the 2019 Grand Cherokee when the free subscription expires.

Dan

This right here is what bothers me the most! I have had an FCA product since 2009 and I paid less for better software. My 2015 ram worked wonderfully. I upgraded and I am getting less features (stuff that works right) for a higher subscription. For reference I never let the services lapse in my 2015. I have on my 2019

 

[S0CAL]

Closed the thread. We went off the rails I fear.