BMW selling heated seats as a service?

[GazHyde]

Came across this. It does make logical sense for a manufacturer to build everything in at the start and then switch on/off features. Cost savings in simplifying the manufacturing process likely won't be passed on though.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2020/0...ice-bmw-wants-to-sell-car-features-on-demand/

"now the Bavarian carmaker has plans to apply that model to features like heated seats. BMW says that owners can "benefit in advance from the opportunity to try out the products for a trial period of one month, after which they can book the respective service for one or three years." The company also says that it could allow the second owner of a BMW to activate features that the original purchaser declined."

 

[Stevo7682]

Several things spring to mind good idea in some respects but on the other side I think its a way for Bmw to slowly bleed money from customers on a longer term basis .
And another thing are they then going to provide warranty on these options what happens when the second customer buys the car at three and a half years old decides yo go with the heated seats payment option they work fine for a month then break.
I can see issues with that idea but maybe I'm wrong as the powers that be at Bmw may think otherwise.

 

[NZ00Z3]

We saw the same thing with Apple apps. First you paid for the app and got full features, then in later updates they cut the features and put them in a subscription service. I got caught twice, then stopped updating my apps.

So the simple message to send BMW is to stop buying their cars.

 

[RickyBobby]

Same as the Tesla manufacturing model - I can upgrade my Model 3 online to include options like heated rear seats or a reduced the 0-60 time.

 

[t-tony]

Sooner or later though, some smart lad will find a way around this and you'll be able to buy the "less expensive" version on eBay etc.
Nothing like this lasts for ever.

Tony.

 

[RickyBobby]

My thoughts entirely that's why I'm holding out - well I am from Yorkshire an dat

 

[t-tony]

Not far south of Scotland . . .

Tony.

 

[Pingu]

They'll have to do something to protect themselves from the future failure of PCP.

They need an income stream. Aero engines went down this route a few decades ago. You never own the engine, you buy the provision of a service. Each box that you tick has a cost. They monitor the usage and it's DD'd from your account. If you don't pay for last month, the ECU is turned off.

It will kill the 2nd hand market, as BMW will have control over the vehicle from the day it leaves the factory until the day it becomes bean cans.

 

[abh29]

Pity its not available on cars a couple of years old. OH has a X1 f48 bought used 20i in 2018 with 2100 miles Could not order a new one. She would love folding mirrors ,dealer quoted £1800 to retro fit. So I could welcome this type of marketing