[DeKay]

Originally Posted by mobike008

It is a wonderful option and a great move by BMW.

What if ventilated seats are a monthly subscription and we need it 365 days in India for 10 years?

Would it still be a great option after spending a crore on a new Bimmer? I for one think that would be a real Bummer.

[attinder]

Originally Posted by mobike008

It is a wonderful option and a great move by BMW.

I don't think that how it will work. Customers will pay for the hardware and then pay more to use it.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by DeKay

What if ventilated seats are a monthly subscription and we need it 365 days in India for 10 years?

Would it still be a great option after spending a crore on a new Bimmer? I for one think that would be a real Bummer.

If you know pricing model of luxury manufacturers, they usually give car bare bones and have a plethora of alacarte options to choose from.

Taking an example of a BMW in USA :

Cost of a car can start from $60,000 but, by time you add the Ala carte options, the cost of car will jump to $70,000. If some key features are given as subscription model then a buyer will have options to reduce his overall cost from $70K to a lower figure as many a times some features are not required (take wireless charging for an example) but, currently clubbed into Ala carte options as mandatory.

If they give subscription model with option to add and delete (Pay as you go model like Azure Cloud Subscription), it makes a lot of sense and can save lot of upfront money for a buyer.

However, this model should be done sensibly and not go to extremes to make money off a consumer. Heck, who knows what will happen in next 5-10 years.

Nevertheless, its an interesting concept and as a BMW owner, I welcome it. !!

Originally Posted by attinder

I don't think that how it will work. Customers will pay for the hardware and then pay more to use it.

Hardwares will be built-in and features enabled via. OTA like any software updates.

[Nissan1180]

A fundamental point conveyed in a Reddit thread about this topic is interesting. Subscription is an appropriate means of generating revenue when there is a constant evolution and improvement of the product. Cable companies, streaming platforms are examples. Subscription may not be the business model that generates the best outcomes in this scenario.

[Axe77]

Nice! I’d like to see a pay per use horn. Specially made for India.

Special waiver from other subscriptions if you use your indicators. (One at a time, not both hazard lights driving during rains like in MH).

[RedTerrano]

A monthly subscription to heat your BMW’s front seats costs roughly $18, with options to subscribe for a year ($180), three years ($300), or pay for “unlimited” access for $415.

I think BMW is offering this model as a sneak peak. Got a base model but want high end model features?
Try it out ($18).
Not sure you really need it? ($300)
Wife says you must have it so she can brag about it at the kitty party? ($415)

I am no marketing expert but I think this is the classic bait and switch (in a good way). Except there is no switch. It is an optional upgrade on a feature level. e.g. Someone might want the High beam assistance but not the seat warmer.

Having said all this, could BMW have offered this by wording it in a better way?
Absolutely.

[ajayc123]

To me it looks like that all variants will have the hardware (ie seats with heating capability).

For those who don't choose to use this feature, it will be a wasted feature, so a lot of unused hardware being wasted. On one hand we talk about sustainability, and on the other hand such things are introduced. I am not liking this approach.

I can't comprehend the sense behind it, but if somebody who has means to pick the brains of somebody in BMW involved in the initiative, lot of us should love to be enlightened about the rationale behind this seemingly irrational idea. I am not sure if any market research has gone before introducing this, or is it one of those 'fake' visionary leader type ideas.

The only thing that possibly comes to my mind is that having just one model (no variants) would simplify the supply chain, and manufacturing processes, with price based activation of specific features.

[Rehaan]

Mod Note: Thread closed, and replies moved to the existing discussion here:

Link (BMW charges $18 / month for heated seats; Other features also offered via subscription)

[antz.bin]

Well, this might make sense when leasing.

You pay only for features that you use, only when you use it.

No need to pay for heated seats in peak summer. For Cooled seats in the North Indian winters.

All of it is an expense anyways. Why not reduce the recurring expense? But then what happens when the lease ends and I get the option to keep it?

Anyways, if I am paying full price on the showroom floor when I drive it out, it better have all the features that it has enabled by default. If the hardware to support the feature is present and I have already paid for it, it should be made criminal for the manufacturer to disable it under any pretext other than legal compliance.

[Guna]

Charge the customer for the hardware (as it is already present in the car but not enabled) and charge further in the name of subscription which uses fuel purchased by the customer (I am referring to heating feature).
It is understandable if the subscription involves paying to the third party services like telecom, data, traffic info etc.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by mobike008

It is a wonderful option and a great move by BMW.

This model is designed to put extra money in BMW’s pocket, not to save you any.

You have already paid for the hardware which will come with car when you buy it. You are then paying extra fee just for the privilege of using it. In short, you are getting fleeced.

[charanreddy]

Classic case of penny wise pound foolish.

After buying a BMW worth upto $100 K, you make the customer feel like a beggar by offering him essential upgrades for <$1K. The customer has already made a decision to purchase your more expensive product vs the likes of a Kia / Honda / Toyota. Why provide a sub par experience by even bringing up the small stuff ?

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by mobike008

It is a wonderful option and a great move by BMW.

Subscription model is a great way to choose a feature which are generally options to save money for a consumer.

The hardware is already there. They are charging you for the hardware in the car cost and now additionally to enable it. This is like you download those games and they ask you to pay inside the game for everything.

BMW are not saints to give u free hardware and then only ask you to pay when you need. lol.

This is plain and simple way to make more money not to help out poor customers who can't afford BMW's to reduce the price by $400. Save money for a BMW is epitome of irony.

The only advantage this has is that they can streamline manufacturing and not have so many options when manufacturing and then just charge extra to customers for enabling.

This has far severe implications in long run. They are doing it now for heated seats and high beam assistance.

This means in future they can do it for performance. All cars come with 300BHP motor but default is 250bhp. You pay subscription to enable 300BHP. Or pay additional for sports plus mode that has more power.

It's a scary thought and one that we shouldn't become fools into believing they are doing it for our benefit. This is a dangerous trend.

[Gildarts]

Locking software features behind paywall makes sense. But heated seats are hardware oriented, which require ventilated seats with the fans and coils cost higher than normal seats. The customer has to foot the bill for the higher hardware cost and then pay extra to use it? Is that really fair?

[Mohitkumaar]

I am ok with paying 18 USD a month, as long as they convert it to a full purchase when the 18 per month totals to 222.which is the outright cost