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

[OnlinePoker]

We've been "warned" about how subscriptions could become the automotive equivalent of a video game's downloadable content, and we're beginning to see more examples. On its ConnectedDrive Store in South Korea, BMW owners can pay a monthly fee to have a creature comfort such as heated seats. It costs ₩24,000 or approximately $18 at current exchange rates. Alternatively, you can get a one-year plan for $176 or a three-year subscription for $283.

The BMW ConnectedDrive Store is a portal used by existing owners to download a variety of apps. It's all done over the air, without having to visit a dealer to have the new software installed. With heated seats, the German luxury brand is kind enough to provide a one-month test period free of charge. Should you want the feature permanently, that'll set you back $406....

...Stellantis [Chrysler] estimates it'll make a whopping $23 billion (yes, with a "b" ) a year by the end of this decade.

https://www.motor1.com/news/597376/bmw-heated-seats-subscription/
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In the future, you will not own a car. You'll own a monthly fee generator for car companies.

[FoxNewsSucks]

1. This will really hurt those

who buy used cars. Often, for financial reasons and won't be able to afford another $100/month to keep various features working. Heated seats are just the start.

Isn't this something started by Tesla?

[2naSalit]

7. Most likely...

And if so, I bet there's some contract with StarLink.

[kysrsoze]

35. Self-driving is a luxury. BMW and Toyota started this gouging of existing customers on hardware.

Tesla hasn't yet gotten to this level of greed. Although they were assholes enough to remove already paid for services when the cars transferred ownership. You could say all this nickeling and diming started with the airlines, and flowed down to the assholes at BMW, Toyota and Tesla.

[jimfields33]

2. I've heard that we won't own our cars someday and just rent them

Of course the average car payment is 750 now so may be the future is now. Lol.

[Thtwudbeme]

3. Or you could buy a Subaru Legacy

You'll still be able to go the speed limit, have heated seats- and be able to get through snow easily.

[TheBlackAdder]

31. They are starting to migrate to that paradigm with remote start first. Heated seats in the future.

.

I have a 2017 OB Touring and a 2011 OB.

Not happy about this. There's a lot of chatter on the Subaru Forums and online that they are going this route.

.

[Novara]

4. Wait, you have to pay extra for the installed options to work?

Do they come standard on every car? If not, you pay for them when you buy the car. How can they charge you additional costs to use the option that's already been installed????

[2naSalit]

8. Good question.

[Totally Tunsie]

12. That's what happens with OnStar with it's navigation features,

maintenance alerts, and roadside assistance options, as well as Sirius Radio. All the screens and tech are installed, but they don't operate until the check clears.

[Novara]

15. I just bought a new Subaru

I'm glad I bought a base model. It has the fancy screen but their Starlink system doesn't come standard on the base model. That's OK - It will allow me to use google maps through my phone. The screen works fine; it's just that I don't have all the subscription bells and whistles.

What a scam that other car dealers install stuff that doesn't work until they extort more money our of you!

[Totally Tunsie]

18. Good luck with your new car.

Hope it serves you well!

[Novara]

25. Thanks! I'm loving it!

It's been 20 years since I had a NEW new car.

[TheBlackAdder]

33. When that Starlink comes up for renewal complain about the price and they'll cut it by 50%.

[Novara]

37. I just checked - I don't have it

I have NO yearly subscriptions for my car. Thankfully!

I looked up the BMW heated seats cost and they've launched it in other countries but not here. You have to pay to disable the block they put on the software. You'd think a high end car wouldn't need to do that sort of underhanded crap.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

20. They're installed standard, but can be controlled with remote activation. For a price.

[OneGrassRoot]

5. wowzer...

I just bought (well, leased) a car. My first car-buying experience since 2002. It was quite a jarring experience. The bells and whistles are pretty cool but I had no idea it was likely to trend in this direction. Unreal.

[In It to Win It]

6. Brake pedals are gonna require a subscription soon.

[Cyrano]

9. Opt to not stop

would seem to be the only alternative.

[Wounded Bear]

13. Freedumb...

[2naSalit]

10. Glad I have...

An older BMW with heated seats. My computer is physically broken, former owner did that but cut the price a lot, and I don't need whatever it did, I guess, because the repair place can access and reset things for me. It's a good car and I like it but my true love is my '92 4runner and if I have to trim down, the Beemer goes, not the Toyota which has everything I want/need in a vehicle.

[marmar]

11. Similar for lower-end Teslas too

[FoxNewsSucks]

16. I saw a story a while back

about a guy who bought a used "high-end" Tesla, then all the "high-end" things stopped working. He argued that he bought it "high-end" as advertised and shouldn't have to pay a fee to Tesla as the original owner already paid the "high-end" fee.

I guess they figured out a monthly extortion would be easier to enforce, and now the other car dealers are gonna do the same.

[shrike3]

14. Dang. I just bought a used Lincoln Town car.

Which gets better gas mileage than I thought. It offers free heated seats. Yikes.

[FoxNewsSucks]

21. They do get good mileage

I used to get them as loaners when I took my LS in for work. I was surprised by the mileage. One time, I had to go on a long trip and all the dealer's Town Cars were out so they gave me a 4-cyl Mercury Milan. It only got 2-3 mpg better than the Town Car.

I'm not surprised that carmakers are starting with heated seats to extort us, that may be the most important option on a car.

[shrike3]

26. Turned out to be a good buy for us. Glad I didn't say no.

The current heated seat situation is not a good sign. I'm reminded of that line in a Tom Petty song. "The boys upstairs wanna see/How much you'll pay for what you used to get for free." Now, technically you pay for the heated seats when you buy the car, but at least they used to come with the car.

[bif]

27. I've got a 10-year old hybrid Lincoln MKZ and love it!

When I fill it up, it indicates I can go 650 miles to empty!

[shrike3]

49. I like that feature.

You know exactly where you stand. My husband likes it so much, he cleaned out the garage so I can park it indoors.

[sdfernando]

17. So, if I subscribed (highly unlikely) and my seats stop heating

shouldn't BMW be on the hook for the repair?

[LiberalFighter]

19. Why are heated seats necessary?

Just like why do cars need to be warmed up first before getting in?

Crazy!

[WhiskeyGrinder]

22. Because they feel amazing.

[RussBLib]

24. it's a creature comfort

If it's really cold outside, heated seats are great.

Down here in Texas, our most-recent car has heated and cooled seats. Yes, we paid for the upgrade at time of purchase. It's awful nice to have A/C pumping thru your drivers seat when it's over 100 degrees outside. I would pitch a real fit if the automaker tried to charge me a monthly fee for those seats.

Paying for it over the air? That seems absurd. It's probably hackable, if one is so inclined.

[OnlinePoker]

40. But if they find out you hacked it, it will probably void your warranty

You need to check the fine print in the vehicle purchase contract.

[Zeitghost]

42. I can do without heated seats

But AC seats here in Central CA are a game changer in the summer. So much cooler.

[moonscape]

32. I thought the same and didn't use

my heated seats for several years (live in a temperate climate) until I started having issues with my spine and sciatica. Now? Whoa! Helps a lot having a built-in heating pad. Use it all the time and love it now!

[Victor_c3]

41. I guess you don't live in an area where it gets below freezing often

Especially if your car is parked outside, you have to deal with clearing ice off the windshield and the inevitable frost.

Even a clear windshield will quickly frost as soon as you get inside the car and start breathing if it’s sufficiently cold. The condensation from your breath will make the windshield fog up until it is heated.

The heater doesn’t pump out hot air until the thermostat in the engine opens up, which is usually at 190 degrees or so. Depending on your car and how cold it is outside, that could take 5-15 minutes or more.

Heated seats and steering wheels aren’t necessities, but they sure make getting into a cold car on a cold day a lot more comfortable.

[LiberalFighter]

44. If it is that cold it means I need to dress warmly so I don't freeze when out of the car.

[Victor_c3]

45. And not breath inside the car until it's warmed up

[LiberalFighter]

47. I have never had that problem. I don't live in a northern northern state but north enough.

[FSogol]

23. This is just an internet outrage story. BMW tested that in South Korea last year and discontinued

the program because it was unpopular. The key to avoid crap like this is to buy another product instead. If someone wants you to pay a subscription for something that should come with the product, there are plenty of other car manufacturer's that aren't trying to pull scams.

[Victor_c3]

43. Thanks for pointing that out n/t

[Initech]

28. This is some seriously evil shit.

Fuck subscription services.

[Cracklin Charlie]

29. Wow.

Not me.
I do not like heated seats anyway.

[newdayneeded]

30. Sorry I didn't show up yesterday,

I forgot to pay for vehicle starting service on my car for this month.

[kysrsoze]

34. The ultimate swindling machine. Toyota did the same thing with remote start key fobs.

Assholes.

[ruet]

36. I Don't Have A Problem With This IF...

the heated seats are not a sticker item on the car at the time of purchase AND it lowers the overall costs of the manufacturers product line due to the efficiencies gained from building a single trim level rather than having to manufacture several of them. I have my doubts.

[Hortensis]

38. Apparently the heating coils, etc, are built into every car, whether purchasers

"buy" the heated seat option (which works without subscription because they belong to the owner), or don't, with later subscription available if desired. This is apparently being sold in the UK.

Apparently encrypted codes are used to lock features, but when they did this a few years ago people found ways to hack them. Would hacking seat warmers void the whole warranty? If someone took it to court? How many would do it anyway when everyone's really ticked off?

[onethatcares]

39. I think they do that with turn signals

here in Florida because it seems a lot of people can't afford to use them.

[JCMach1]

46. Kill this with legislation now before fees start on opening the trunk

Or per watt price on regenerative braking...

Ridiculous

[Ron Green]

48. If you don't have your own racket

You’re going to be part of somebody else’s racket.

Rent-seeking is the world we made, or rather allowed to be made for us.