brian42
Ram Guru
Kudos for anyone who thought "Hmmm...a Lethal Weapon 4 reference; I'll check this out".
Just when you thought it was bad enough to take the hit on a new vehicle and walk away with $XXX/month in payments for XX years, now all those neat features are going to cost you more.
Regardless if it's something the auto maker pays for (heated seats) or doesn't (Apple CarPlay) it looks like it's not far from having some features be a subscription service vice a one-time premium included in the vehicle's price.
Purely conjecture on my part, but that can easily translate over time to non-essential functions being at a cost also.
It will start with telematics like Guardian - oh wait, that's already a pay service. Next will be NAV. It comes "free" when you pay for the NAV system from the factory. I can easily see the premium price for the equipment then a monthly/annual fee to have it active sometime down the road. Eventually that could reach down to the "basic" features. I paid for the Level 2 package that has heated seats and steering wheel and can see a day where newer trucks require a subscription for "extended comfort features" for the heat to actually work.
A couple of articles if you haven't seen this yet:
www.caranddriver.com
www.consumerreports.org
Just when you thought it was bad enough to take the hit on a new vehicle and walk away with $XXX/month in payments for XX years, now all those neat features are going to cost you more.
Regardless if it's something the auto maker pays for (heated seats) or doesn't (Apple CarPlay) it looks like it's not far from having some features be a subscription service vice a one-time premium included in the vehicle's price.
Purely conjecture on my part, but that can easily translate over time to non-essential functions being at a cost also.
It will start with telematics like Guardian - oh wait, that's already a pay service. Next will be NAV. It comes "free" when you pay for the NAV system from the factory. I can easily see the premium price for the equipment then a monthly/annual fee to have it active sometime down the road. Eventually that could reach down to the "basic" features. I paid for the Level 2 package that has heated seats and steering wheel and can see a day where newer trucks require a subscription for "extended comfort features" for the heat to actually work.
A couple of articles if you haven't seen this yet:
On-Demand Options: Automakers Move Toward Subscription Services
Carmakers are making buyers subscribers.
Why You Might Need to Subscribe to Get Certain Features on Your Next Car - Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports explains why you might need to subscribe to get certain features on your next car, noting that some automakers plan to charge fees for some features.
). I'm fine with the loaded maps as I seldom use it even though I've got the Travel Link but can use the NAV if I so desire since there's a map file. I'd say it's "free" but there was an extra $1000 or so to get the NAV unit. It's easier to stomach a one-and-done cost rather than nickel and dime every month.
