I had XM for a few years on my previous Honda. I paid $10/month for it and considered it a bargain because I took a lot of road trips and camping trips. The only radio you get in the desert is usually some over-modulated station from Mexico. And, forgive my cultural insensitivity, but don't trumpets and snare drums get irritating after a few hours?

So, I was happy to pay a small fee per month. But I did notice that the playlists for the nostalgia stations were artificially limited. The 70s and 80s channels rarely played any of the obscure songs/artists. It was basic top-40 radio, which gets old quickly.

I felt that XM should expand its music stations and skip all the television channels it broadcasts, like E! and CNBC. No need for them.

So I skipped the sat. radio option on my current Honda, and I don't miss it.

However, had I wanted satellite radio, I would have felt ripped off by the claim of "xm ready," considering the ridiculous installation charge. They might as well call the non-nav Civic "nuclear propulsion ready." All you have to do is install a small reactor in the trunk, and get your hands on some Uranium.

 

I am not sure how it works but I have been waiting for a year for Sirius and XM to merge so I can go ahead and activate it. I really misses Howard Stern but refuse to have a big messy receiver in my car. Believe me regular free radio doesn't compare to the entertaiment you get with HS, is worth the money...