News Cars- subscription service charges

DonSSDD · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

News Cars- subscription service charges

cdnpont · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

If we are fool enough to buy into this creeping subscription cost, then we as consumers deserve it.

If I was looking at a car that would cost me extra down the road for heated seats or adaptive cruise, I'd laugh in their face and exit stage right.

Leo2+2 · Guru

cdnpont wrote:
If we are fool enough to buy into this creeping subscription cost, then we as consumers deserve it.
If I was looking at a car that would cost me extra down the road for heated seats or adaptive cruise, I'd laugh in their face and exit stage right.

X2

gparis7 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Really no different in concept than a Sirius satellite radio subscription, except that they are now charging for stuff that used to be free if you bought the hardware as part of the car's equipment package. I disagree with this but I doubt that my views will make any difference to these manufacturers. You pretty much have to accept whatever they see fit to put on the market.

MC · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

I don't like the concept at all. If you're going to add the weight and complexity of all that hardware to every car, then you darnwell should be able to use it. I can't see it floating with non-premium brands, though - BMW owners might consider it quaint and trendy (or 'exclusive'), but your average car buyer will see it as a money grab and not bother paying for it. Personally, I see it as a rip-off.

It is all starting to sound more and more Orwellian every day...

Also, somebody will probably create an aftermarket 'tune' to unlock those features at some point.

DonSSDD · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

cdnpont wrote:
If we are fool enough to buy into this creeping subscription cost, then we as consumers deserve it.
If I was looking at a car that would cost me extra down the road for heated seats or adaptive cruise, I'd laugh in their face and exit stage right.

X 3.

A good Russia hack. Had a neighbor with a Saab whose key switch went south, he needed a security system code to get the car started again. No Saab dealers around any more and not available through proper sources. He went online and found a $100 download from a Russian, worked like a.charm. Putin may be tracking his car now or interfering when he goes to vote?

Greaser · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

gparis7 wrote:
You pretty much have to accept whatever they see fit to put on the market.

Manufacturers can try what they want,but if no one buys it,

that market will collapse. Plus there will always be someone who will create an

opposing market to what is being pushed out there.

I have resisted Sirius radio ...and I don't have cable or satellite TV.

Not enough hours in the day and just too many choices to pay for what I don't use.

When free over the air radio or TV becomes obsolete, I'll find something else.

And the cell phone I have is actually used as a phone only. Yes I'm an old fart,

but I worked too hard all my life to piss away my hard earned money.

(...and putting it into my Pontiac is not pissing it away.) wink wink

This subscription idea I will resist , they will never get my money.

I will always find an alternative.

HK1837 · Addicted!

DonSSDD wrote:
I did a rant in the Barracuda thread, then read about new car services where there is a monthly fee to use the service after a free period initially. Like On Star for instance.

BMW are said to be adding this feature to heated seats and active cruise control. Tesla has some of this apparently as well as with OnStar, you will have to subscribe to On Star in order to get active cruise control.

I guess paying up front for features is not enough, well have to pay monthly. Your car will be like a Windows computer, every time you turn around (good pun?), youll need to wait for a software upgrade before your car will allow you to drive. Plus in your Visa and away we go.

Imagine it....Car starts to run slow and everything starts missing a beat. So you have to pull over, close all the Windows and re-boot it! Then you sit there for 15 minutes while it does a software update. After which time the left indicator doesn't work and you can no longer use the power windows as the App is not supported by the latest software revision, which co-incidentally uses so much more power that the car now runs 20% slower and gets 25% worse economy. So you take the car to the re-cycle yard and buy a new one with more power so you can now use the left blinker and open the windows. But the new car is 50% bigger and heavier and no longer fits in your garage. But it has a good camera and had a bigger screen..... And it is now waterproof to 2m.

cdnpont · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

We're doomed.

Stay with the oldies.

bjburnout · Uber Guru

cdnpont wrote:
We're doomed.
Stay with the oldies.

biggrin

long stroke · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

I would show my good collective finger on this one. Folks........... never be a sap because when you make a sap move that makes you a sap. smile

norontcan · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Marketing has become a blight on our society. ( that said by a guy who has a diploma in marketing )

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

DonSSDD wrote:

A good Russia hack. Had a neighbor with a Saab whose key switch went south, he needed a security system code to get the car started again. No Saab dealers around any more and not available through proper sources. He went online and found a $100 download from a Russian, worked like a.charm. Putin may be tracking his car now or interfering when he goes to vote?

biggrin Put Smirnoff's in the windshield washer.

gparis7 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

MC wrote:
I don't like the concept at all. If you're going to add the weight and complexity of all that hardware to every car, then you darnwell should be able to use it. I can't see it floating with non-premium brands, though - BMW owners might consider it quaint and trendy (or 'exclusive'), but your average car buyer will see it as a money grab and not bother paying for it. Personally, I see it as a rip-off.
It is all starting to sound more and more Orwellian every day...
Also, somebody will probably create an aftermarket 'tune' to unlock those features at some point.

I don't like it either. But I do fear that the more technology which goes into our cars, the more vulnerable we are to all of the hazards that folks here have identified.

norontcan · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

A number of years ago many companies started adding new services to your devices, like your phone, and automatically adding the extra charge to your bill. It was up to you to decline the services and their extra cost. This became know as " negative billing " and was outlawed. What is described above seems like a modern day variation on this and should likewise be met with the same public reaction.

MC · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

norontcan wrote:
A number of years ago many companies started adding new services to your devices, like your phone, and automatically adding the extra charge to your bill. It was up to you to decline the services and their extra cost. This became know as " negative billing " and was outlawed. What is described above seems like a modern day variation on this and should likewise be met with the same public reaction.

I really can't see this catching on. People are somewhat savvy these days and will see right through this as a cash grab. Sounds more like a marketing experiment to see how people will react to it.