How much does Tel-Aid cost..
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: Dallas Texas
2003 E320, looking to buy a Black 03 ML500
How much does Tel-Aid cost..
Any one know how much the Tel-Aid monthly charge is?
Is it worth it? I'm quessing it is just like On-Star for GM.
Will
Is it worth it? I'm quessing it is just like On-Star for GM.
Will
Member
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
From: Louisiana
CLK500
Its about 200 something a year i think for me. I guess you can say its liek an on-star. My description is like its an AAA roadside assistance( quality may be better), and theres an info button you can use just incase. I've never really used it and i guess its a good thing. The last time i pressed the button was to activate it. Anyone else is wlecomed to fill in what i missed. I guess its a nifty button for when the $*@% hits the fan.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,586
Likes: 1
From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
The first year of TeleAid is "free" (included in the purchase price, that is) and it costs $240/year thereafter.
TeleAid is separate from M-B Roadside Assistance, I think. When our '03 got a flat tire recently that I didn't feel like changing, I called Roadside Assistance on the telephone and they sent somebody from the dealer to change it. I don't think that was only because I had paid $240 to TeleAid, although maybe somebody can clarify that.
What TeleAid does provide, assuming you're in an area of its cellular coverage, is GPS-based location services. If you have an accident, it can locate your car and call 911 even if you are incapacitated. It can also locate your car if it is stolen, maybe, and can give you driving directions.
The one time I tried to use TeleAid for assistance (two flat tires), it couldn't connect. My Treo cell phone was able to connect, though, and so I called M-B Roadside Assistance using their 800 number. I might not renew TeleAid when it next comes due if I have M-B Roadside Assistance without it.
TeleAid is separate from M-B Roadside Assistance, I think. When our '03 got a flat tire recently that I didn't feel like changing, I called Roadside Assistance on the telephone and they sent somebody from the dealer to change it. I don't think that was only because I had paid $240 to TeleAid, although maybe somebody can clarify that.
What TeleAid does provide, assuming you're in an area of its cellular coverage, is GPS-based location services. If you have an accident, it can locate your car and call 911 even if you are incapacitated. It can also locate your car if it is stolen, maybe, and can give you driving directions.
The one time I tried to use TeleAid for assistance (two flat tires), it couldn't connect. My Treo cell phone was able to connect, though, and so I called M-B Roadside Assistance using their 800 number. I might not renew TeleAid when it next comes due if I have M-B Roadside Assistance without it.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,161
Likes: 1
From: Obama Land
K Car
Originally Posted by DWP
The first year of TeleAid is "free" (included in the purchase price, that is) and it costs $240/year thereafter.
TeleAid is separate from M-B Roadside Assistance, I think. When our '03 got a flat tire recently that I didn't feel like changing, I called Roadside Assistance on the telephone and they sent somebody from the dealer to change it. I don't think that was only because I had paid $240 to TeleAid, although maybe somebody can clarify that.
What TeleAid does provide, assuming you're in an area of its cellular coverage, is GPS-based location services. If you have an accident, it can locate your car and call 911 even if you are incapacitated. It can also locate your car if it is stolen, maybe, and can give you driving directions.
The one time I tried to use TeleAid for assistance (two flat tires), it couldn't connect. My Treo cell phone was able to connect, though, and so I called M-B Roadside Assistance using their 800 number. I might not renew TeleAid when it next comes due if I have M-B Roadside Assistance without it.
TeleAid is separate from M-B Roadside Assistance, I think. When our '03 got a flat tire recently that I didn't feel like changing, I called Roadside Assistance on the telephone and they sent somebody from the dealer to change it. I don't think that was only because I had paid $240 to TeleAid, although maybe somebody can clarify that.
What TeleAid does provide, assuming you're in an area of its cellular coverage, is GPS-based location services. If you have an accident, it can locate your car and call 911 even if you are incapacitated. It can also locate your car if it is stolen, maybe, and can give you driving directions.
The one time I tried to use TeleAid for assistance (two flat tires), it couldn't connect. My Treo cell phone was able to connect, though, and so I called M-B Roadside Assistance using their 800 number. I might not renew TeleAid when it next comes due if I have M-B Roadside Assistance without it.
In my last MB, I used the first year of Tele-Aid, and decided to renew for the second year (peace of mind). Then one day while I was driving home from work, I witnessed a very bad accident. I stopped and pressed the "Help" button and waited..... and waited...... after about 10 minutes of no response (there were other people there with cell phones, so police/ambulance etc. had been called), I left the scene and headed home. My radio would not work due to my tele-aid still showing as connected. About 5 minutes before I got home, and about 40 minutes after pressing the "Help" button, the lady came on asking if I needed assistance. I told her I did 40 minutes ago! I promptly canceled my Teleaid service after that.
Our other car has Onstar, which I like a lot better. I've used them a few times (never in an emergency though), and they have some other cool features that Teleaid does not such as hands free calling (you have to buy the minutes, but they're not too bad), and a free monthly system's diagnostic that gets emailed to me. This gives me oil life, and other neat info. Considering this is my wife's daily ride, and I am not often in that car, it helps me keep track of things since she's not great at getting her car serviced in a timely fashion.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,017
Likes: 16
From: Ft. Lauderdale Area, USA
2015 ML 350
Yup, the OnStar response & response time by GM is VASTLY superior to MBs Teleaid. MB should just contract with OnStar to handle the job as other manufacturers have.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 314
Likes: 10
From: In the shadow of D.C. (No.Va.)
'05 E320CDI, 1987 300E, Vanagon Syncro, Turbo Arrow III
They dropped my subscription without telling me...
The Tele-Aid (ATX) folks have always been nice to me, but I have occasionally has to wait to get a person. I'm not thrilled with the reliability of the telematicssplatform, as sometimes it seems to drop calls.
So I decided to renew only the run-the-car-into-a-tree-and-get-help service, and not the "luxury & convenience package." after my first free year expired. They had continually removed services from the package (like the conference calling service), and Sirius traffic info pretty much gave me the same info as the Tele-Aid traffic system (on those occasions when Tele-Aid traffic was actually available). My understanding was that they would still give me route assistance for $2.99 per incident even without the subscription to "luxury & convenience."
I was driving from Baltimore to Virginia, and the entire Baltimore beltway was closed due to a serious accident. I drove off onto side roads, and pressed the "i" button - NOTHING. I pressed the wrench button - NOTHING.
I called ATX on my mobile, and it turns out they misunderstood my request to ccancel only "luxury & convenience." and cancelled ALL OF MY SERVICE. I asked the rep "So if my airbags were to deploy, what would have happened?" She said "nothing."
I said "well, I guess it's good I found out this way (pressing the button) rather than while bleeding in a ditch. " It was a little rude, but I was miffed.
So I decided to renew only the run-the-car-into-a-tree-and-get-help service, and not the "luxury & convenience package." after my first free year expired. They had continually removed services from the package (like the conference calling service), and Sirius traffic info pretty much gave me the same info as the Tele-Aid traffic system (on those occasions when Tele-Aid traffic was actually available). My understanding was that they would still give me route assistance for $2.99 per incident even without the subscription to "luxury & convenience."
I was driving from Baltimore to Virginia, and the entire Baltimore beltway was closed due to a serious accident. I drove off onto side roads, and pressed the "i" button - NOTHING. I pressed the wrench button - NOTHING.
I called ATX on my mobile, and it turns out they misunderstood my request to ccancel only "luxury & convenience." and cancelled ALL OF MY SERVICE. I asked the rep "So if my airbags were to deploy, what would have happened?" She said "nothing."
I said "well, I guess it's good I found out this way (pressing the button) rather than while bleeding in a ditch. " It was a little rude, but I was miffed.
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Arizona
'03 ML350IE, '07 S550, '08 ML350CDI
I took my ML350 out on the snow 2 years ago. Wasn't trying anything stupid, already had a Jeep once and learned that AWD doesn't make one bulletproof in the snow. Still had the OEM Dunlops, so knew I might get into trouble and was being pretty cautious. Well, I started heading down a forest road into deeper snow, so I stopped, was making a u-turn, and slid off the side and was stuck. I couldn't get it out, so I pressed the Tele-Aid button. In seconds, someone was on with me, and they knew exactly where I was ("you're 1/4 mile S of Hwy 87 on Forest Road X") and I was amazed.
THEN...
THey handed me off to MB Roadside assistance, who could not figure out where I was for the life of them. They kept naming cities that were hundreds of miles from me, and I would name a closer city, and this went on for like 45 minutes. Eventually, a good samaritan happened upon me and pulled my back up on the snowpacked road.
I renewed Tele-aid the next year, but finally decided I would find a better use for $20/month.
It might make sense if you travel a lot, have health problems that might necessitate a reasonably quick response, etc., but definitely not worth it for getting stuck, needing roadside, etc.
THEN...
THey handed me off to MB Roadside assistance, who could not figure out where I was for the life of them. They kept naming cities that were hundreds of miles from me, and I would name a closer city, and this went on for like 45 minutes. Eventually, a good samaritan happened upon me and pulled my back up on the snowpacked road.
I renewed Tele-aid the next year, but finally decided I would find a better use for $20/month.
It might make sense if you travel a lot, have health problems that might necessitate a reasonably quick response, etc., but definitely not worth it for getting stuck, needing roadside, etc.
