Microtransactions infesting cars more and more

[Scream And Fly]

We've seen the trend lately with companies looking to add subscriptions to just about anything in an event to gain a steady revenue stream. That would be fine if the customer received their money's worth, but now I see subscriptions to things that are ridiculous, like simple PDF readers. So now it looks like automakers are looking to normalize selling options as subscriptions. For example (link below), BMW will sell you a car with all of the hardware present for electric heated seats, performance suspension, and other things. But to enable it, you need to pay a subscription. Yeah, don't forget to pay your car-sub bill this winter if you want your heated seats. I really hope this doesn't become the norm. It's already bad enough that all new cars are feeding a steady stream of your information to various companies.

BMW Owners Are Stealing Their Heated Seats Back (msn.com)

[David - WI]

Tesla did similar thing... turned off a guy's self-drive after he bought a used Tesla that was sold with self-drive enabled.

[CDave]

We will see what the market will tolerate.
With people who knows.

[Lake X Kid]

We've seen the trend lately with companies looking to add subscriptions to just about anything in an event to gain a steady revenue stream. That would be fine if the customer received their money's worth, but now I see subscriptions to things that are ridiculous, like simple PDF readers. So now it looks like automakers are looking to normalize selling options as subscriptions. For example (link below), BMW will sell you a car with all of the hardware present for electric heated seats, performance suspension, and other things. But to enable it, you need to pay a subscription. Yeah, don't forget to pay your car-sub bill this winter if you want your heated seats. I really hope this doesn't become the norm. It's already bad enough that all new cars are feeding a steady stream of your information to various companies.

BMW Owners Are Stealing Their Heated Seats Back (msn.com)

The steady revenue stream, reminds me of what the Big 3 (GM, Ford, & Chrysler) were accused of back in the 1960's, 70's, & 80's, but then it was Auto Parts. Sorry Ford guys, but anti Ford people use to say, Ford stood for ... Fix Or Repair Daily.

The German made automobiles had a reputation of superb engineering and quality built. And then when the Japanese automakers came to America in the 1980's and started stealing market share from the Big 3. The Big 3 started designing and building longer lasting automobiles, and some even went to 7 year warranties.

And now in present day when the car industry is building quality automobiles & high mileage power-trains. Apparently now selling auto parts is not the lucrative steady revenue stream it was in the 20th century.

[Dave S]

I drive OLD sebanzzzers........The people at food bank got me by 30 years.........Sucks being Wht privvved.....

[Forkin' Crazy]

F**k them!!! I'll drive my old sh!t until.... My 05 hotrod truck and my 06 work (beater) truck (fixing to be hotrod truck number 2) will last and last. Fixing to have to put an auto trans in the 06 (billet parts etc) and you talk about high dollar!! Damn near half of what the truck is worth.

I have read about this and it was BMW that was at the front from the article I read. BMW, VW, or anything affiliated is a POS as far as I am concerned. I had a buddy that bought a new high end VW Jetta. It was great until it was out of warranty. Then things started going wrong, the interior literally started to fall apart. It turn into a POS! He lost his ass on that one!

I had been looking at a newer 911, but there is a bearing that WILL go out and CRATER the engine. You know how much one of those are?

Kind of like a Tesla or any of this new junk, I would have to trade it every 2 years.

My old Dodge Cummins may have problems every once and a while, but the 2 million + miles I have accumulated on them for the past 25 + years and have had to call a wrecker twice (once was my fault), that is so not bad.

[powerabout]

I have a few buddies that are mech eng's that worked for various OEMS, most of their engineering time with a new product line was testing and engineering in failure at set cycles and time.
Its been going on for 50+ years
answer
Rent / lease and give it back regularly.