rydfree
Well-Known Member
LuckyMonkey7
Active Member
yeah, never going to buy a subscription to "unlock" features that are already installed.
Making a product then purposefully limiting it to charge a subscription is bullshit.
Making a product then purposefully limiting it to charge a subscription is bullshit.
AzScorpion
Moderator
I think this will backfire on most non luxury vehicles, there's usually a work a round for most things. You just order a base model then add the features you want afterwards like heated seats from Katzkins. At least with these you'll also get cooled seat which I would love out here. Remote start same thing go aftermarket. I really don't care about Sync and most of its features. Sure I use them but if they were gone I'll just go back to pushing the buttons. lol I've never done any updates and just use my phone for the navigation which is so much better than the Ford one.
Joeiconic
Well-Known Member
I have a bmw 330i that’s been out for a few years and no one has yet been able to come up with hack to the ECU that would allow a user installed tune. It’s pretty much piggy backs only if you want a tune. So, it seems manufacturers can llimit the user work arounds on software if they want to. Which they would have to be able to do to sell subscriptions. I’m guessing a lot of buyers would pay a one time fee for a significant tune, but maybe not $1200 a year.
Floyd
Well-Known Member
I don't borrow a car from a car company
I don't rent or lease a car from a car company
I BUY a car from a car company!
Once I write the check it is MINE!
I own it, They don't.
If they make it impossible for me to have features permanently active or make it unreasonable or exclusive to get it repaired, then I simply will NOT BUY anymore.
I have cars which are driveable, repairable and dependable, as old as 28 and 73 years old.
I own them and I can fix them myself.
If Ford wants to "be my car company" or sees "a Ford in my future" They will just have to refrain from holding features or repairs HOSTAGE !
I don't rent or lease a car from a car company
I BUY a car from a car company!
Once I write the check it is MINE!
I own it, They don't.
If they make it impossible for me to have features permanently active or make it unreasonable or exclusive to get it repaired, then I simply will NOT BUY anymore.
I have cars which are driveable, repairable and dependable, as old as 28 and 73 years old.
I own them and I can fix them myself.
If Ford wants to "be my car company" or sees "a Ford in my future" They will just have to refrain from holding features or repairs HOSTAGE !
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Trigganometry
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Same here, I’m of the mindset of if I own it and despite possible warranty issues it’s mine to do what I want with it. I’ll use iPhones as an example. There is an active community out there that hacks these things as soon as they say we have a secure OS. Same goes with everything else out there that is remotely similar. If enough people want access there will eventually be a hack for it. Forscan for us is the hack!
OP
OP
Dr. Zaius
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #8
Right now, Ford is still the only mainstream manufacturer that provides its app features at no cost. They have supposedly committed to always offering the features for free.
Hyundai Blue Link is $100 a year after the complimentary 3 years.
Kia Connect is $149 a year after the complimentary 5 years.
Toyota Remote Connect is $80 a year.
GM OnStar is $15 a month for remote start/lock/unlock.
After a few years, these prices add up to enough to buy a long extended warranty on your Ford.
I was thinking of several different vehicles for the wife when she finally gets tired of her Toyota and after seeing this Ford has moved to the top of vehicles to check out first. It was already up there but this helps cement its position.
Deleted member 15875
Isn't this what Musk started with Tesla's?
Dr_Strangelove
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For 5 years I've been making a joke in other forums about how one day "They will give you gears 1-3 for free and 4-6 for $999 a year."
Well, folks, that day is here!
Well, folks, that day is here!
Deleted member 15875
The EV companies craft their business models on services, so if you don't like what you see now, it's only going to accelerate. Remember when the airlines where all on the verge of BK, then implemented baggage fees? This event alone turned the airlines from BK to profitable operations, virtually overnight.
Everything in automative has been hyper-focused on profitability. It's much easier to control on the EV side as the BOM for an EV is a fraction compared to an ICE vehicle.
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LuckyMonkey7
Active Member
I don't know who started it, but fuck be upon them.
I was really interested in an electric motorcycle until the company went that way. Same battery installed, but limited to charge only 80% of it unless you paid extra. Same battery charger, but limited to half speed unless you paid extra. Absolutely disgusting.
sklnbnz
Well-Known Member
I expect that we will see more and more of this over the coming years... As we know with Forscan there are lots of things that you can unlock that only come on higher packages (like turning on some of the off road menus and buying a $90 switch and turning on Terrain Management) etc... But, I see more subscription based things on the horizon. It has happened with Software, Streaming, Sirius, Mapping apps etc... As long as we, the people, become more and more ok with $100 per year here, $20 per month there etc... More and more companies are going to go with this ongoing revenue stream model, especially when it comes to EV's... (Thanks Elon)
Langwilliams
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First every entertainment company was pushing a monthly fee for their service now the auto industry is. Guess "you'll own nothing and like it" is about to come true. Talk about encouraging people to hold on to their old cars an not upgrade or drive people to another brand. Hopefully consumers avoid the companies doing this but I don't have much hope of that with the "gotta have the latest tech" fever going around now.
Trustable
Well-Known Member
Nothing like bringing SAAS to cars now. They’ve tried to do that with video games to a point and it’s not worked horrible but not great either. I don’t think it’s ever gonna become mainstream, but I could see the luxury makers doing this. With the ford app, it is heavily lacking compared to other payed such as Kia. If the ford app was better I could understand paying for it if you found it a necessity but as it stands right now it isn’t worth anything at least in my experience/opinion. I’d say this is one of those things were people who are upset by this we’re probably not going to buy from that brand anyways, so if people do want to pay for that let them. With most luxury being leases as well( I think at least) I am not sure how this would play out with the the minority being long term owners (4+ years.)
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