BMW Heated Seats Subscription Is Real And It Costs $18 Per Month

[manly]

I do think Autopilot is a good long-term investment, but if you're not planning on keeping the car long-term, then unless you can use the features as they exist today, then it may not be worth it for you. I plan on getting a Cybertruck specifically for the 500-mile battery, and I'll probably spring for Autopilot up-front just because I plan on keeping it long-term, so if they get AP sorted out 5 or 10 years from them, awesome! But yeah, I think Autopilot is a much more complex problem than Musk realized...like launching rockets into space is literally easier than figuring out how to do true self-driving cars!

EAP and FSD are terrible long-term "investments" for a couple reasons. #1 They are mostly vaporware relative to Tesla's marketing. It is unclear whether this will be "resolved" within the next couple years, but judging by Musk's track record of overhyping FSD, probably not.

Secondly, although the average American car on the road is over a decade old, that does not apply to your typical Tesla buyer. They are almost exclusively upper middle income households and above, and typically they aren't buying a brand new car with the intention of long term ownership. Because EAP/FSD are non-transferable to your next Tesla, they are terrible for the consumer who's simply not interested in long-term ownership.

I realize you're seemingly the exception to the above, and that's assuming you can even buy a Cybertruck for less than $65k, ever. Perhaps some day, Tesla will again offer something for mainstream car buyers (i.e. the previously affordable Model 3 and Y SR+), but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for them.

 

[aigomorla]

On a tangent, I didn't know they were called self-cancelling blinkers, for the ones that automatically turn off when turning the wheel back to center! Seriously the best invention ever for my ADHD lol. Side note, the triple-blinker is one of my favorite features on my Mustang, it really tickles me haha:

Audi has the best light show... They call it light signatures.

Thats the only thing that makes me jealous at my friends RS7, and regret why i didn't get one.
Well and also the fact his car feels so much more expensive then mine when it costs less.
The interior really puts Tesla to shame in how luxury they feel inside.

But ican totally see VW putting the light signature though a subscription feature.
And that is only the beginning, which i hope this subscription based feature thing never takes off on.

 

[MtnMan]

On a tangent, I didn't know they were called self-cancelling blinkers, for the ones that automatically turn off when turning the wheel back to center! Seriously the best invention ever for my ADHD lol. Side note, the triple-blinker is one of my favorite features on my Mustang, it really tickles me haha:

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Is drivers-ed no longer a thing now? Starting in the mid-60's it became mandatory in my state to get your license @16, otherwise you had to wait till you were 18. I know my grandsons took it, and the only things I really need to teach them were to parallel park, and drive a stick. They both got their CDL licenses at 18, a job requirement for firefighters, at least those that drive fire trucks.

And I'm old enough that I had to use hand signals when I got my first license at 16. Kinda sucked as it was blowing a few snow flurries that day.

 

[Kaido]

Maybe some, but not all. I have been using this feature on my car for over a decade.

On topic, if I ever have to replace my car, I certainly won't be buying anything that requires a subscription to activate a built-in feature of the car. We as consumers need to squash that line of thinking up front by not giving them our business.

Yeah, but it won't happen:

"If you're wondering about the potential of in-car subscriptions from a business perspective, Stellantis estimates it'll make a whopping $23 billion (yes, with a "b") a year by the end of this decade. With the risk of stating the obvious, you're paying for features the car already comes with, at least if we're talking about heated seats/steering wheel."

Here's what I agree with:

1. The manufacturer makes a single model with everything in it.
2. You purchase the trim features at the price point you're interested in
3. You can later do a one-time purchase to unlock new-to-you features that you didn't originally pay for

This is Tesla's approach: apparently the bulk of the Model 3's come with heated rear seats, which only come standard in higher-trim models...but that you can purchase later in lower-trim models. To me, this makes sense, because:

1. It saves on the production run, as they only have to whip out one car model
2. It gives the consumer the opportunity to choose their desired trim level & price point.
3. You can upgrade ACCESS to features you DID NOT PAY FOR later

BWM's approach is offensive because:

1. You already paid for the heated seats
2. It's a subscription to something that requires no paid overhead (no programmers, no LTE modem for your car, etc.)
3. It's nothing more than a money-grab

Yuck!

 

[Motostu]

I think you and I are on the same page. A one time payment for the features would be fine; and the ability to pay to enable other features in the future would be a plus. A monthly/yearly fee to keep them working is unacceptable to me, and I'll either go to another manufacturer or just keep using an older model car before I do that.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Even then if it's a physical part that is already in the car then I should just get to use it, I hate artificial limitations just for the sake of making more profit. MS is bad for that with their software. You buy Windows Server but then you still need to buy CALs or pay more for a certain version to do stuff that in theory you should be able to do with any version. I paid for the damn software I should be able to use it to any extent hardware allows. Same with the car, if the hardware is in it, then let me use it.

Even base models of cars are still very expensive now days. If I'm paying upwards of 40k for something I better damn well be able to use it to it's full extent without having to pay even more.

 

[manly]

Probably decided to simplify their production lines by including the heated seat elements in every vehicle, but then try to continuing making money by offering it through a subscription or a one-time buy. Not a big fan of consumer-oriented X as a service model. It feels like everything is nickel and dimeing.

Honestly, I don't quite understand the outrage in this thread. Per the OP's news article, you can buy the feature in perpetuity if you want to for ~ $400. I don't know what they normally charge in South Korea, but in the U.S. it's a $500 option for heated front seats. Heated rear seats and steering wheel are separate options, and you can bundle them as part of an optional package.

Depending on where exactly you live, paying $18/month might make more sense. I live in a very mild weather area in SoCal, but I've appreciated having heated seats for approx. the one cold month of the year. If I were leasing a new BMW, the monthly sub might actually make a lot of sense for me.

Although it's argued in this thread that Tesla is charging a subscription for strictly software enhancements, it's really no different IMO. FSD also relies on hardware that came with the car, and so you now have the option of $12k vaporware license that is non-transferable (if I'm not mistaken), or a monthly fee if you need ADAS for a specific road trip. I'd argue the monthly sub is the smarter play here, but it all depends on the driver.

As for BMW, there are things that they are fairly criticized on. Mainly, the slogan of the "Ultimate Driving Machine" has been watered down by a large portfolio of expensive CUVs/SUVs. The 3 Series at one time was semi affordable for middle class buyers, but they've abandoned affordability in the U.S. market. What used to be a la carte options such as heated seats are often bundled into expensive packages that greatly inflate the transaction cost of a new BMW. Tesla is eating their lunch in the U.S. market, and I don't see how this Porsche pricing strategy they've adopted is going to end well.

As recently as 2018, you could get into a 320i for about $33k and add the economical Sport package (it wasn't fast, but considered a nice daily driver). Now the 330i starts at about $42k, and per usual German luxury car marques, it's somewhat stripped down. I guess the X1 is the last "affordable" BMW now, starting at $35,400.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not pro subscriptions in general. However, if the OEM is giving you options that provide flexibility and don't actually cost you more, what's the problem?

 

[MtnMan]

Honestly, I don't quite understand the outrage in this thread. Per the OP's news article, you can buy the feature in perpetuity if you want to for ~ $400. I don't know what they normally charge in South Korea, but in the U.S. it's a $500 option for heated front seats. Heated rear seats and steering wheel are separate options, and you can bundle them as part of an optional package.

Depending on where exactly you live, paying $18/month might make more sense. I live in a very mild weather area in SoCal, but I've appreciated having heated seats for approx. the one cold month of the year. If I were leasing a new BMW, the monthly sub might actually make a lot of sense for me.

Although it's argued in this thread that Tesla is charging a subscription for strictly software enhancements, it's really no different IMO. FSD also relies on hardware that came with the car, and so you now have the option of $12k vaporware license that is non-transferable (if I'm not mistaken), or a monthly fee if you need ADAS for a specific road trip. I'd argue the monthly sub is the smarter play here, but it all depends on the driver.

As for BMW, there are things that they are fairly criticized on. Mainly, the slogan of the "Ultimate Driving Machine" has been watered down by a large portfolio of expensive CUVs/SUVs. The 3 Series at one time was semi affordable for middle class buyers, but they've abandoned affordability in the U.S. market. What used to be a la carte options such as heated seats are often bundled into expensive packages that greatly inflate the transaction cost of a new BMW. Tesla is eating their lunch in the U.S. market, and I don't see how this Porsche pricing strategy they've adopted is going to end well.

As recently as 2018, you could get into a 320i for about $33k and add the economical Sport package (it wasn't fast, but considered a nice daily driver). Now the 330i starts at about $42k, and per usual German luxury car marques, it's somewhat stripped down. I guess the X1 is the last "affordable" BMW now, starting at $35,400.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not pro subscriptions in general. However, if the OEM is giving you options that provide flexibility and don't actually cost you more, what's the problem?

In the vehicles I have and have had with heated seats, it was not a single option for $$, but a feature of the trim level of the vehicle. Sure, I paid for it, but I can't say how much, as there is a lot of differences between trim levels.

Additionally, they also don't have their hooks in your bank account, or credit to pay the "monthly fee". Just one more thing to deal with when you get a new credit card, which is just a PIA.

I wouldn't buy a home in an HOA, nor a vehicle with a "subscription based" butt warmer.