Comment on I can't use heated seats on my BMW unless I pay a monthly subscription

phar@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

• RestrictedAccount@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  True for the US

  According to a BMW spokesperson, seat heaters were offered in subscription form in the UK, Germany, New Zealand, South Korea, South Africa, etc.

  They stopped with the seats but are still trying

  gigazine.net/…/20230908-bmw-drops-plan-heated-sea…

  source

  • phar@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Interesting. Maybe that’s the case another countries I’m in the US. The seat heaters just work you don’t have to do anything.

    source
• unitedwithme@lemmy.today ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Wasnt Mercedes paywalling full throttle use if you wanted to go fast(er)?

  source

  • krisevol@lemmus.org ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Tesla does this currently

    source
  • lemming741@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    There’s added warranty exposure there at least for extra power. That’s assuming it’s actually extra and not artificially deflated. Factory sanctioned tunes are common.

    source
• n3cr0@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  What about the adaptive shockabsorbers? IIRC they were on a monthly subscription.

  source

  • phar@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I believe you just pay once and then it is permanent, no subscription. Still total BS, but not a subscription.

    source
• _chris@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  And to be honest it’s really nice for the second hand market. Every car gets heated seats installed, and the next owner can “activate” them.

  Plus bmw always provided the option to pay in full for them, or BNPL model it.

  source

  • krisevol@lemmus.org ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    It’s a cost savings feature, but people don’t like it. It’s cheaper to make all the seats heated, and put those heated seats in the nonheated trims and give you the option to turn it on for the heated seat price.

    For example if bmw made two seats, one non heated and one heated.

    Bmw with no heated seats $45k Bmw with heated seats 48k.

    Now if bmw only made one seat, and they saved money in production and sold the car like this,

    Bmw with no heated seats 45k. But you have an option to buy the heated seat unlock, or pay a monthly sub. Bmw with heated seats, 48k.

    The price is the same, but you get more options. But people hate this.

    source

    • _chris@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      It’s wild how people don’t see this. Don’t want it? Don’t pay for it. Want it? Pay for it. Want it but can’t afford it? Pay monthly until you’ve paid for it.

      The same group is totally cool with credit cards.

      I guess it’s just presentation.

      source