Mark S.
02-10-2005, 02:18 AM
"John A. Weeks III" <john@johnweeks.com> wrote in message
news:221120040915323944%john@johnweeks.com...
> In article <uThod.134453$R05.107587@attbi_s53>, Casper Milquetoast
> <CasperMilquetoast@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> 1. Sirius has this $499.99 plan available until the end of the year. Is
>> this actually a rare offer, or is it a fairly regular promotion for them,
>> maybe even something I could tell them I wanted to sign up for, even
>> after
>> the current promo ends & before a new one starts?
>
> Sirius has been offering this deal for about 3 years. I don't see
> why they would end it at the end of the year.
The lifetime (of the receiver) deal that is currently in place is not the
same that was out last year. Before, the price was $399.99 and they kept
extending that promotion until February 1st I think it was, and at that
point it changed to $499.99. I'm sure this had something to do with newer
generation/better radios coming out, and trying to increase revenue. The
lifetime deal is good for the company in it's infancy because it generates
cash now when they need it now, but in the future when they become more
financially stable, it becomes in the companies best interest to have all of
their subscribers on other plans as that serves as a continuous form of
income as long as they remain subscribers. Then again Tivo still offers
lifetime deals, who knows maybe Sirius always will, too, but there's no
telling whether they'll jack up the price again or not.
>> 2. Is Sirius even starting to make $$ yet? I'm sure sales will increase
>> once Stern starts up on their air, but if they're shelling out half a
>> billion $ for him & his team... I wouldn't want to shell out the $500,
>> and
>> then have them go bankrupt & shut down on me!
>
> Neither satellite system is profitable due to having a pretty
> large debt load. Both systems have sound backing and are in no
> danger of being shutdown in the foreseeable future.
I agree, although I'm sure you will soon hear from one fellow who will try
and convince you otherwise ;-)
>> 3. I realize that for this $500 deal to actually be worthwhile, I will
>> need
>> to use whatever Sirius receiver I buy soon for over 4 years. What sort
>> of
>> technological advancements for Sirius receivers are predicted to come out
>> in
>> the next 1, 2, 3 & 4 years?
>
> I didn't take the lifetime deal. I think I went 2 years. I didn't
> want to take that kind of risk of having a better receiver come out,
> or buying a new car that had Sirius built in.
There very will could be a Sirius MyFi lookalike, a lot smaller radios,
cheaper radios with more features. Just look at where they've gone thusfar
in a matter of 2-3 years from the 1st generation radios to now. If you're
in it more for the programming than the bells and whistles than the lifetime
plan may be for you. You don't often see people with PnP's get lifetime
plans. It's almost always hardwired, or factory systems.
>> 4. Any ideas on or experience with warranties or insurance? Seems like
>> if
>> I'm going to shell out the $500, I should also shell out a little $$ to
>> get
>> insurance on the receiver, so that if it gets stolen, dropped by me, or
>> just
>> goes DOA on it's own in a year or two from now, it's replacement would be
>> grandfathered into the $500 plan I'd already paid for.
>
> I just added a few XM radios to my plan, and I again went 2 years. In
> speaking with XM, they told me that they will refund any unused part of
> a plan if you drop that radio from the plan. Make sure you ask the
> same thing of Sirius. Your radio could always get broken, and a new
> one would likely be cheaper than any insurance plans or warranty deals.
> I expect the satellite radios to be $25 to $40 in 3 years, so it isn't
> worth it to buy an extended warranty or protection plan.
If your radio breaks while on the lifetime plan, you're going to have to pay
to have it fixed or you're screwed. You won't get a refund from Sirius. If
your radio breaks while under warranty and the repair centre replaces it,
then the lifetime plan will carry over, as I think they just burn your old
radio's radio ID into the new one at the centre anyhow. I'd definitely get
the extended warranty on the radio because the lifetime plan is for the
lifetime of THAT radio, not your lifetime. It is non-transferrable. The
lifetime plan would be good for a hardwired vehicle system, as they're
harder to steal than PnP's. If you bought a new car with the Sirius option
and got the lifetime deal, your vehicles warranty covers the radio thus
guaranteeing that you will be able to get your money's worth out of it as
long as you keep the car long enough. Most car dealers have an extended
warranty package that protects it for 5 or more years nowadays.
news:221120040915323944%john@johnweeks.com...
> In article <uThod.134453$R05.107587@attbi_s53>, Casper Milquetoast
> <CasperMilquetoast@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> 1. Sirius has this $499.99 plan available until the end of the year. Is
>> this actually a rare offer, or is it a fairly regular promotion for them,
>> maybe even something I could tell them I wanted to sign up for, even
>> after
>> the current promo ends & before a new one starts?
>
> Sirius has been offering this deal for about 3 years. I don't see
> why they would end it at the end of the year.
The lifetime (of the receiver) deal that is currently in place is not the
same that was out last year. Before, the price was $399.99 and they kept
extending that promotion until February 1st I think it was, and at that
point it changed to $499.99. I'm sure this had something to do with newer
generation/better radios coming out, and trying to increase revenue. The
lifetime deal is good for the company in it's infancy because it generates
cash now when they need it now, but in the future when they become more
financially stable, it becomes in the companies best interest to have all of
their subscribers on other plans as that serves as a continuous form of
income as long as they remain subscribers. Then again Tivo still offers
lifetime deals, who knows maybe Sirius always will, too, but there's no
telling whether they'll jack up the price again or not.
>> 2. Is Sirius even starting to make $$ yet? I'm sure sales will increase
>> once Stern starts up on their air, but if they're shelling out half a
>> billion $ for him & his team... I wouldn't want to shell out the $500,
>> and
>> then have them go bankrupt & shut down on me!
>
> Neither satellite system is profitable due to having a pretty
> large debt load. Both systems have sound backing and are in no
> danger of being shutdown in the foreseeable future.
I agree, although I'm sure you will soon hear from one fellow who will try
and convince you otherwise ;-)
>> 3. I realize that for this $500 deal to actually be worthwhile, I will
>> need
>> to use whatever Sirius receiver I buy soon for over 4 years. What sort
>> of
>> technological advancements for Sirius receivers are predicted to come out
>> in
>> the next 1, 2, 3 & 4 years?
>
> I didn't take the lifetime deal. I think I went 2 years. I didn't
> want to take that kind of risk of having a better receiver come out,
> or buying a new car that had Sirius built in.
There very will could be a Sirius MyFi lookalike, a lot smaller radios,
cheaper radios with more features. Just look at where they've gone thusfar
in a matter of 2-3 years from the 1st generation radios to now. If you're
in it more for the programming than the bells and whistles than the lifetime
plan may be for you. You don't often see people with PnP's get lifetime
plans. It's almost always hardwired, or factory systems.
>> 4. Any ideas on or experience with warranties or insurance? Seems like
>> if
>> I'm going to shell out the $500, I should also shell out a little $$ to
>> get
>> insurance on the receiver, so that if it gets stolen, dropped by me, or
>> just
>> goes DOA on it's own in a year or two from now, it's replacement would be
>> grandfathered into the $500 plan I'd already paid for.
>
> I just added a few XM radios to my plan, and I again went 2 years. In
> speaking with XM, they told me that they will refund any unused part of
> a plan if you drop that radio from the plan. Make sure you ask the
> same thing of Sirius. Your radio could always get broken, and a new
> one would likely be cheaper than any insurance plans or warranty deals.
> I expect the satellite radios to be $25 to $40 in 3 years, so it isn't
> worth it to buy an extended warranty or protection plan.
If your radio breaks while on the lifetime plan, you're going to have to pay
to have it fixed or you're screwed. You won't get a refund from Sirius. If
your radio breaks while under warranty and the repair centre replaces it,
then the lifetime plan will carry over, as I think they just burn your old
radio's radio ID into the new one at the centre anyhow. I'd definitely get
the extended warranty on the radio because the lifetime plan is for the
lifetime of THAT radio, not your lifetime. It is non-transferrable. The
lifetime plan would be good for a hardwired vehicle system, as they're
harder to steal than PnP's. If you bought a new car with the Sirius option
and got the lifetime deal, your vehicles warranty covers the radio thus
guaranteeing that you will be able to get your money's worth out of it as
long as you keep the car long enough. Most car dealers have an extended
warranty package that protects it for 5 or more years nowadays.