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BMW Plans to Turn CarPlay Into Subscription-Based Service Next Year
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Wow, I won't be buying a BMW. What a ripoff. What exactly are you subscribing to? The ability to use CarPlay? I would tear out their installed system and install an aftermarket carplay system into my BMW (if I owned one). Who wants to play that much a year for a free system provided from Apple!
I have a BMW and refuse to pay a subscription to access something like this. I shouldn't have to pay a subscription when I've already paid the sticker price. On expensive cars, everything should be included as a one time payment.
you are CLEARLY not the target market, so who cares? are you seriously comparing a BMW to a nissan leaf? or a nissan truck? BMW couldn't give half of a **** about your opinion on the matter, you weren't going to buy one with, without, monthly, or 300 dollar charge. believe it or not, there ARE people in the world where buying a BMW -IS- a viable option, and consideration of 300 vs. 80/year is perfectly fine.
I mean if you’re looking at an Audi, Mercedes, and BMW this could certainly factor into the decision. To me it’s not so much the cost as it is the blatant nickel and dining of their customers. Not to mention that this move of companies trying to turn everything into a subscription leaves a bad taste in my mouth and supporting this would just perpetuate that business model.
The numbers don't really bear this out. Without exception, BMW's unit sales (and profit) have increased YoY every year for the past 5 years. Try again.
i have a BMW, and realize that if i am in a position to own a BMW, 80 bucks a year vs. 300 one time purchase doesn't make a difference to me.
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LOL right?? "this is why...." is it? cause i went from a Honda to a BMW - last month.
I AM in the market that BMW is aiming for. For me, to pay for something that other folks give away for free can influence my decision. But it wont be the only thing that makes the determination. Here is a partial list of brands offering carplay: "Apple's list of CarPlay-enabled vehicles includes over a hundred 2016 and 2017 models from 21 auto manufacturers, including Audi, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Citroën, DS Automobiles, Ferrari, Ford, GMC, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Opel, Porsche, Peugeot, Seat, Škoda, Suzuki, Volkswagen and Volvo." And am pretty sure more are coming.
There are plenty of brands there that compete directly with BMW that could get my money. All else being equal, the fact BMW wants me to pay for something I can get for free somewhere else may just be enough to sway my decision, on principle if nothing else.
It risks setting a precedent that if the consumer hates the car manufacturer's radio GUI, that they have to pay a premium (or a subscription) to get rid of it.
And you're partially correct, I'd never buy a BMW to begin with. The only thing I plan on buying in the next 5 years is a 2" lift and a set of 35" BFG KO2s.
Oh, and a Car Play radio.
Fully agree. If you take a mid size sedan with average engine from a german car brand and check all the options the car costs twice or 2.5x as much as the basic.
A 2018 Cadillac CTS sedan standard price is around $ 49'000 and if you check all the options it costs around $60'000. The option list in german cars is very long and the standard fittings are comparatively poor.
Take a look on the inside of a Mercedes E-190 AMG and a Cadillac Deville or a Lexus LS 400 the differences are like day and night.
Dang it! I knew this was going to happen some day. Time to get a loan so I can go back to school. Obviously new math has made my old degrees worthless!
I own a BMW. And i won’t be buying another one. Finicky piece of junk, and now they are taking nickel and diming to new extremes.
Just a question, doesn’t the Apple CarPlay update come from the iPhone? I know when I updated to iOS 11, my Apple CarPlay looked slightly different and a few more things.
I buy my BMW's, not lease and love their cars, but this is beyond ridiculous. It is also ridiculous to require a 300 up charge and a upgraded stereo even to get CarPlay. I've never been a fan of iDrive. I just put up with it. Our Jeep Grand Cherokee's Uconnect system is much easier to use and more intuitive. BMW's do not drive or handle as well as they used to. Next time for me at least it will be an issue as there are many sedans now that equal or exceed what used to be the Ultimate Driving Machine. Yes they are making more money globally (softer less powerful models for the Chinese market)but have lost marketshare in the U.S., I don't think this will reverse that. Sad!
It's actually more expensive for everyone, purchasers and leasers.
If you lease the car for three years, it will now cost you $160 (since the first year is free).
However, it did NOT cost you $300 before when it was a one time payment. Assuming the residual on your lease was somewhere in the 60% range (often BMW residuals are even higher), that means you were only ever going to pay a maximum of 40% of $300, or $120. And that's if you had paid sticker price for the car, which god forbid if you did. If you didn't, then you got another little discount off that $120.
If you lease the car for three years, it will now cost you $160 (since the first year is free).
However, it did NOT cost you $300 before when it was a one time payment. Assuming the residual on your lease was somewhere in the 60% range (often BMW residuals are even higher), that means you were only ever going to pay a maximum of 40% of $300, or $120. And that's if you had paid sticker price for the car, which god forbid if you did. If you didn't, then you got another little discount off that $120.
I would rather take the money and buying the right cable and obtain the right software to program (in the BMW parlance, “code”) my BMW to enable CarPlay and a bunch of other features.
There’s also someone in every town who will do stuff like that for you for a small fee if you’re uncomfortable with that (or you can get the gear, learn how to code BMWs, and be that guy and make some money on the side).
There’s also someone in every town who will do stuff like that for you for a small fee if you’re uncomfortable with that (or you can get the gear, learn how to code BMWs, and be that guy and make some money on the side).
I hope BMW gets a lot of “negative” feedback. It’s bad enough that many of us are being subscription(ed) to death and now BMW thinks it can charge owners annually just to connect their iPhones. BMW owners should send a strong message to Munich that what they’re doing isn’t right.
Typical German 'precision' , yea - precision in overcharging and providing DUBIOUS value to the end consumer.
Meanwhile I'm getting CarPlay for free in my 2017 Shelby GT350 and 2017 Fiesta ST.
And those cars are infinitely more fun to drive. Way quicker on a given track and way cheaper to insure and operate.
When you're getting beat by the italians (google M3 vs Giulia QV) you know you're doing something wrong.
Meanwhile I'm getting CarPlay for free in my 2017 Shelby GT350 and 2017 Fiesta ST.
And those cars are infinitely more fun to drive. Way quicker on a given track and way cheaper to insure and operate.
When you're getting beat by the italians (google M3 vs Giulia QV) you know you're doing something wrong.