Review: BMW's CarPlay and Qi Charging Support Offer a Convenient All-Wireless Setup, but Subscription Plan Remains Questionable

[alexgowers]

A subscription to use software with such an expensive phone and expensive vehicle is pure greed and makes no sense from customer satisfaction!

I mean if you are buying a car like this there is no difference between 55k and 55.3k, the buyer could not care less. However ask him to pay just to use something you gave for free and you’ve got an unhappy customer and probably less money out of him too! It’s bad practice all around.

 

[btrach144]

I want CarPlay in my next car but I won't be paying BMWs ridiculous fees for something they didn't even develop.

What's next, they're going to start charging me for using the seat warmer?

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

People that buy BMW's must be used to getting their wallet drained because anyone that thinks it's a good deal to get charged $80/yr (forever, and prices may go higher) for a "feature" that almost all (sans Toyota/Lexus, Mazda and maybe a couple others) cars manufacturers include now for free(in even base models) has too much money. How much do you think it costs to embed the code in a car system to enable CarPlay (which actually comes from the iPhone and is just "mirrored" on the receiver)?

This nothing more than a fleecing of anyone that buys into this 100% profit scheme by BMW.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

It was previously a $300 one time fee. So even with your first year included, it's a bad deal for anyone who keeps their vehicle for 5 or more years.

For the 30% of BMW drivers who buy the car rather than lease, it's a crappy deal unless they get rid of the car after just a couple years.

I've owned a number of BMWs (including my current M3). I'd much rather pay outright than deal with another silly fee each year.

The fact they charge a fee at all is garbage. What other manufactures charge you more to access those feature? Honda, GM, Hyundai, and numerous others don't charge anything to access CarPlay.

In the UK, 95% of all new BMW's are leased!!! Quite shocking isn't it The whole country is in dept :'(

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Are you willing to pay BMW $80/year just to use CarPlay? They use to offer it as a $300 one time fee but claim that this is a better deal. That is, unless you own the vehicle for more than 4.75 years.

I only keep mine 4 years. Once the warranty expires out they go b/c repairs are a lot more than $80. BMW has been on the subscription model for most of it's services for a few years now so nothing really new here. BMW Apps -- kind of a pre-Carplay utility that let you control music apps like Spotify and Pandora with your car controls once was a pay-for option for life of car. Then was put inside a package and you only got 3 years, $50/yr after that. Mine just expired so I dropped it. Marketplace at work. I did subscribe to real time traffic b/c I'd go nuts w/o that.

But bottom-line here is that if you are a buyer of a mid-lux car like BMW or Audi, etc. you expect to get hosed somewhere. There is no value play buying these cars if that's your bag. People complaining about this either aren't in the market for one of these cars or are really getting upset at the wrong price tag.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

After reading the slow wireless charging and setting up, I still don't understand the laziness of humans with this thing. I have CarPlay in my A3. I open my centre armrest and plug the lightning cable into my iPhone X and leave it there. I then close the armrest. That whole process takes me 1 second!!!

 

[Chupa Chupa]

In the UK, 95% of all new BMW's are leased!!! Quite shocking isn't it The whole country is in dept :'(

Why is that shocking? It's common with higher priced cars. People buy the # of years they want to pay for the car then return it and start over again. Personally I buy b/c I like to keep my cars 4 years. 2-3 seems too soon. But if that's the route you like then a lease is the only fiscally smart approach.
[doublepost=1527728582][/doublepost]

After reading the slow wireless charging and setting up, I still don't understand the laziness of humans with this thing. I have CarPlay in my A3. I open my centre armrest and plug the lightning cable into my iPhone X and leave it there. I then close the armrest. That whole process takes me 1 second!!!

Yes, but if people are like me, they get to their destination, there mind is not on their phone and they leave it in the console. I use to hook my phone up in the console but forgot about it (out of sight, out of mind) until I needed my phone. So I ditched that idea and bought an iPod for music and leave that in my car 24/7. Never hook my phone up anymore. But it's also a PITA. Just something else to do when you get in the car. Pass. Wireless is where it's at. It's just more natural.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

Why is that shocking? It's common with higher priced cars. People buy the # of years they want to pay for the car then return it and start over again. Personally I buy b/c I like to keep my cars 4 years. 2-3 seems too soon. But if that's the route you like then a lease is the only fiscally smart approach.

It's shocking to me as I live dept free. Being in dept to me is truly shocking as it controls a person and prevents opportunities! I buy less and appreciate what I have but having zero dept is the best feeling ever.

 

[az431]

Absolutely. Include Audi, Mercedes and Mini as well.

8% to 10% margin on base price (an unavailable base)
30% margin on mandatory factory-installed "options" (optionally mandatory on the base)
50% margin on port-installed options (PIO) (PIO no-one wants)

The only way to beat this is to special-order and wait patiently three to four months for delivery. And push-back fierce resistance from salesman/dealership.

False. Base Porsche cars are not only easier to get than the higher trims, they are discounted better. There are no "mandatory" options on any Porsche, and CarPlay is free on all models and trims.
[doublepost=1527730319][/doublepost]

It's shocking to me as I live dept free. Being in dept to me is truly shocking as it controls a person and prevents opportunities! I buy less and appreciate what I have but having zero dept is the best feeling ever.

Short sighted thinking. People with solid credit can generally borrow for less than the rate inflation and far less than the rate of return on mediocre investments. The money I haven't spent paying cash for homes, cars, etc has averaged over 15% a year for the past 25 years.

My current mortgage is 2.5%. One would have to be stupid to pay cash instead of borrow.

 

[e-coli]

There’s a less than zero chance I’d ever pay a car company monthly for technology native to my smartphone.

Audi driver for life.

 

[Analog Kid]

There’s a less than zero chance

I'm sure no one could exploit you with your firm grasp of mathematics...

 

[M.PaulCezanne]

Absolutely. Include Audi, Mercedes and Mini as well.

8% to 10% margin on base price (an unavailable base)
30% margin on mandatory factory-installed "options" (optionally mandatory on the base)
50% margin on port-installed options (PIO) (PIO no-one wants)

The only way to beat this is to special-order and wait patiently three to four months for delivery. And push-back fierce resistance from salesman/dealership.

Or buy one coming off lease. I’m looking at a 2015 CPO 535i xdrive right now. It essentially has all the same tech at half the price.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

I only keep mine 4 years. Once the warranty expires out they go b/c repairs are a lot more than $80. BMW has been on the subscription model for most of it's services for a few years now so nothing really new here. BMW Apps -- kind of a pre-Carplay utility that let you control music apps like Spotify and Pandora with your car controls once was a pay-for option for life of car. Then was put inside a package and you only got 3 years, $50/yr after that. Mine just expired so I dropped it. Marketplace at work. I did subscribe to real time traffic b/c I'd go nuts w/o that.

But bottom-line here is that if you are a buyer of a mid-lux car like BMW or Audi, etc. you expect to get hosed somewhere. There is no value play buying these cars if that's your bag. People complaining about this either aren't in the market for one of these cars or are really getting upset at the wrong price tag.

The silliness I deal with on the BMW has always been far less than my 911. That's sad, considering I've been a BMW customer for far longer and Porsche is generally known for stupid stuff to a further point.
[doublepost=1527732188][/doublepost]

In the UK, 95% of all new BMW's are leased!!! Quite shocking isn't it The whole country is in dept :'(

Lease or loan, both are debts. I don't imagine many buy a BMW outright. Some of us do, but I wouldn't imagine the vast majority do so. All depends on what you plan to do with the vehicle when considering the better financing option.

About 10 years ago a friend tried to buy a new Saab with cash. They wouldn't even allow him to do so. He left and went to another dealership to do so. Dealers make little on each vehicle. Financing is where the real money is for most of them.

 

[ThreeOlives]

There are two key misunderstandings here, one that Apple Carplay has no ongoing development costs which seems unlikely as it is still evolving and might need significant changes in host compatiblity and iDrive is a complicated infotainment system and we really don't know what licensing agreements as far as revenue/connectivity that BMW has with AT&T/Apple and backend data providers. It's probably not anywhere close to $80 a year but it is probably not zero either. And that is before support costs and support is obtained by pressing a button on the car and getting a live agent to walk you through it on the car's cellular connection which also potentially adds ongoing costs.

Secondly it's this idea that BMW is specifically fleecing Apple Customers, BMW Connected Drive costs $50 a year and is needed for all app integration with iDrive (Pandora, Spotify, etc).

This is not how I would handle this if I was BMW but if anything the previous CarPlay situation was out of line with BMW's infotainment system pricing, not the new pricing scheme.

 

[macduke]

This is incredibly stupid. Are they going to upgrade the technology every year too or am I going to be paying a subscription for CarPlay Wireless 1.0 in 2028? My first car I had for 13 years, my second car I still have after over 8 years, and my third car I have had for nearly two years. Good thing I don’t like BMW anyway.

I hope somebody hacks this thing immediately. Their security can’t be that good!

 

[B4U]

Next thing we know BMW will be charging people a fee to use steering wheel. So stupid!

They would first charge people for having the option of brakes on the vehicle.

 

[tennisproha]

BMW is a joke. There's absolutely reason to be upset about this even if you lease. CarPlay is not a BMW product. It should be included free. The fact that they have the audacity to charge for it tells you everything you need to know about them.

And it's absolutely a reason to turn away from getting a BMW. I know I will definitely not be getting another one, for this and all the other ******** charges I've had on my current one.

 

[Tonewheel]

Worst design ever, those fixed screens that stick out of the top of the dash.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

It's shocking to me as I live dept free. Being in dept to me is truly shocking as it controls a person and prevents opportunities! I buy less and appreciate what I have but having zero dept is the best feeling ever.

Debt gets a bad rap. It's vastly misunderstood by some. Debt in and of itself is not a bad thing. It allows people to buy homes (who can pull $100s of thousands out of the bank, even millions in some areas, to buy a home?), it provides a way for companies to expand, it lets governments build schools and other infrastructure that could not be built with immediate tax revenue. Debt makes daily workflow easier by not having to write a check or make sure you have a wad of cash in your wallet.

What IS bad is spending and accumulated debt beyond ones means, having no practical way to pay it back before getting swallowed up in interest. THAT is fiscally unsound money management. But debt managed wisely is no evil, and can even be smart if the right things are financed. Having debt is fine as long the debt:income ratio is low. It's simplistic to think that all people who have debt are financial hooligans.
[doublepost=1527766527][/doublepost]

The silliness I deal with on the BMW has always been far less than my 911. That's sad, considering I've been a BMW customer for far longer and Porsche is generally known for stupid stuff to a further point.
[doublepost=1527732188][/doublepost]

I find that hard to believe. I've seen the absurd options and option prices on Porsches. Also no free maintenance at all on those like on BMWs. As I said, every mid-lux car and up has it's crazy gouging somewhere. None are value buys and buyers can't go in buying one like a Corolla. That's why it's in the lux category.

 

[Braderunner]

Too many companies are trying out the subscription model. They are going to find out that most consumers aren't going to keep too many services that require a subscription. For some services, a subscription is the only thing that make sense. Like Netflix, Apple Music, etc. For many services, it just doesn't make sense. The number of companies trying to get a piece of consumer's monthly disposable income keeps growing. It is a trend that won't last.

 

[Vghty]

Recently purchased an BMW I3 (full electric) with wireless CarPlay, BMW iDrive 6, and the Harman Kardon sound system upgrade.

To my disappointment, songs playing from my iPhone almost inevitably have audio glitches. They usually come at standard intervals, like one at 8 sec., another at 16 sec., and one again at 24 seconds. Very annoying. If you play again the same song, the glitches are gone. Seems like a buffering issue.

Anyone having the same issue? Or perhaps found a solution? My BMW dealer will look into it soon but not sure how likely it is he solves the problem. And it disappoints to have such an expensive sound system which cannot properly play songs...

 

[triscuitbiscuit]

If you make enough to afford a BMW in the higher trims, then $80 per year is nothing.

 

[Analog Kid]

many people who own or lease cars only keep them for a few years, so the subscription model ends up being cheaper than a $300 upfront fee for these users

This is such broken logic... It doesn't matter how long you keep the car, you're essentially paying the $80 a year for the life of the vehicle.

If you resell the vehicle, and the new owner expects to keep it for 3 years, then they should pay you $240 less than they would have if they didn't have to pay the subscription. Oh, but if they're planning to resell the vehicle to someone who will keep it 3 years, they should expect to get $240 less in their resale value so they should pay you $480 less. If they assume that the person they sell to is going to resell... See how this works?

Leasing follows a similar logic, except it's typically leased by the dealer so there's a whole shell game they can play to hide the cost breakdown. You can be sure that if they think they're saving you $60 on Carplay costs, they'll get that $60 from you elsewhere.

There's some time value of money adjustments to be made, but basically if the average BMW stays on the road for 11 years, you're paying $800 for CarPlay.

 

[beanbaguk]

An update for June 2019. There are many aftermarket ways you can enable CarPlay permanently for just $100. ‍♂️