Satellite Radio

[Will_C]

I bought a new truck and it came with satellite radio. I enjoy listening to it, but I only drive the truck occasionally. I don't think I can justify the subscription just to have it in my truck.

I got thinking- if I could use it when I was using my tractor or mower, it would be worth it-that's about 150 hours a year. I currently have headphones that I listen to radio with.

Is there same sort of portable receiver that I can plug a headset in while I'm working? Can I use the same subscription on that unit that I have for my truck? I'm not much of tech head, so I would need a simple answer!

Thanks,
Will

 

[BoylermanCT]

Two options that I can think of. They sell portable satellite radios, and you can buy an extra base for your tractor. Keep switching the radio from the truck to the tractor as necessary. Option 2 may be easier - download the XM / Sirius app for your phone. Make sure you have unlimited data on your phone. Note that not all channels are available on the app, but most are. I've had XM for 13+ years and would not have a car without it.

 

[Garycw]

Yes you can.
Also it's best to let subscription run out then the quickly offer you about 80% off to renew. Then repeat

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I had XM once, and will never have it again. It was next to impossible to cancel the service, they simply refused to honor my cancelation and kept billing for the service.

 

[sseelhoff]

There is an app that let's you listen on portsble devices. I would look into that.

 

[techman]

What garycw said. After it expires they will offer 6 mos for $ 25. You need to let it expire each time for a few weeks, they they will call and email with the 6 month offer again.

paul

 

[Bird]

Our 2014 Ford Escape is equipped for the satellite radio and after about 16 months, I think they've finally given up on getting us to subscribe.:laughing: I think they tried every sales pitch and every discount you ever heard of, but the fact is that I almost never turn the radio on in a vehicle anymore, so it would be worthless to me. There were many years of my life during which I never the radio off in the car, so it might have been a good deal back then.

 

[IXLR8]

You can get a portable device, it will be a separate subscription from the one in the truck. At one point there was a discount for multiple subscriptions on one account but I don't know if they do that any more. As others have said, you can get multiple bases and use the portable one in multiple places; tractor, truck, home. Like others have said, I cancel my subscription before the auto renew takes place, within 3 days I get an email offering 5 months for $20 if I return. I take that and repeat every 5 months. I travel 200 miles twice a week, go thru 4 radio markets and I get tired of chasing stations as I make the trip... I won't be without Sat radio as long as I have to make the trip. For less than $5/month it is worth it. It also works great for my 1200 mile trip twice a year from Maine to North Carolina... listen to the same station the whole trip.

 

[kcflhrc]

I love the comedy channels on XM. But like other's have said, they will keep dropping the price. Last offer I got was $25 for 6 months and the offer before that was $99 for the year.

 

[sseelhoff]

You can get a portable device, it will be a separate subscription from the one in the truck. At one point there was a discount for multiple subscriptions on one account but I don't know if they do that any more. As others have said, you can get multiple bases and use the portable one in multiple places; tractor, truck, home. Like others have said, I cancel my subscription before the auto renew takes place, within 3 days I get an email offering 5 months for $20 if I return. I take that and repeat every 5 months. I travel 200 miles twice a week, go thru 4 radio markets and I get tired of chasing stations as I make the trip... I won't be without Sat radio as long as I have to make the trip. For less than $5/month it is worth it. It also works great for my 1200 mile trip twice a year from Maine to North Carolina... listen to the same station the whole trip.

I looked up their website. If you subsribe with a satellite radio, you an add a streaming account for $4 per month. With the way they discount, you can probably get a much better deal by negotiating with a CSR by phone for both reciever and streaming.

 

[Garycw]

Yes call them. They'll bend over backwards to sign u up and keep you. It doesn't cost them a cent to add accounts. The programming is already there. Just make sure you put on your calendar with a alert when to cancel before auto renew.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

My wife has a 2014 Mazda with the Sirius satellite radio. I never listen to music otherwise; they have "Willie's Roadhouse", a classic country music channel which I like to listen to. Sharn Jean likes the Elvis channel (How much Elvis does a woman need?). My biggest complaint is that the darn thing...the whole vehicle...is so high tech, that it's difficult for me to negotiate. The radio also has the Blue Tooth (a great function) and the Tom Tom GPS thingy. Although I assume it's there someplace, I don't think I could get NPR on FM radio if I had all day, let alone an AM station.

 

[MMagis]

Just make sure you put on your calendar with a alert when to cancel before auto renew.

When you talk to them, just tell them you don’t want it to auto-renew. They tried that with me, and when I renewed at the discounted price I told them I don’t want it auto-renewing every year. I’ve never had a problem since.
I will say, I let ours run out every year and I’ve yet to receive an offer for $25/year. I think after the discount, it’s about $80/year plus taxes etc… Runs about $100/year. Seems high, until I remember I’m paying the same for TV every month.

 

[Garycw]

My wife has a 2014 Mazda with the Sirius satellite radio. I never listen to music otherwise; they have "Willie's Roadhouse", a classic country music channel which I like to listen to. Sharn Jean likes the Elvis channel (How much Elvis does a woman need?). My biggest complaint is that the darn thing...the whole vehicle...is so high tech, that it's difficult for me to negotiate. The radio also has the Blue Tooth (a great function) and the Tom Tom GPS thingy. Although I assume it's there someplace, I don't think I could get NPR on FM radio if I had all day, let alone an AM station.

NPR Is down near the 88-95 MHz range. Pretty good stuff. I did like the XM but after a cpl months I don't miss it at all.

 

[jk96]

I use pandora radio from my phone most of the time.

 

[newbury]

If you look at the sat radios they always have an old model going fairly cheap and the "new model" for full price. SWMBO and I are retired, we "commute" from Northern Virginia to Mississippi about once every two months, a 12 to 16 hour drive. Our VW Jetta came w/ Sirius and I was on the verge of getting a Stratus 7 to put in the truck and move between the truck and the car when the truck's radio went on the fritz so I couldn't use their FM tuner to speakers kit..

I'll probably eventually get the radio, kit's w/ antennas etc for each vehicle, several "home kits" so I can move the radio between houses and shops, antennas and bluetooth senders for the tractors. When I'm running the tractors I tend to have bluetooth earbuds in my hearing protection.

I had been hoping that Dewalt would come out w/ a 20v Max satellite workshop radio, but I'm about to give up.

 

[ultrarunner]

Mom's car came with it and they constantly call and mail her...

She NEVER listens to the radio and her trips are 10 minutes or less.

I told this to them and it did not stop the sales calls... thank goodness they do not have a credit card!

 

[Jstpssng]

I keep saying that I'm going to get it... The place which I rented the last couple of winters has Dish, including the basic XM stations, the latter is about all I'll tune in. Willie's Roadhouse is about the only country station I'll listen to, plus the various classic rock stations.

When my company trucks came with XM I never found reception to be that good. Mountains, trees, sometimes snowstorms would block the signal. I've been told that the external recievers don't have that problem; any comments?

 

[grnspot110]

I had it free for a few months with my used (certified pre-owned ) 2013 Silverado, never used it! Got tired of all the calls & junk mail from them & chewed one caller out about it, calls & junk mail stopped!

 

[Will_C]

You guys are great! I have Pandora on my phone-I can simply get a cord and use it when I am mowing, etc. with my headphones! Never thought of that before!

As far as the satellite radio in the truck, I'll see if I get a better offer when the subscription expires. I am ok with a few dollars a month, but $99 a year for a truck that is driven 500 miles a month is too much!

Thanks,

Will