Want to heat your seats? That’ll be $4.99 says BMW

Table of Contents

• Intro – Imagine paying monthly for heated seats
• BMW announces new monthly charges for heated seats and other features
• What this means for customers: customers will have to keep paying for features they already paid for
• Why this is not good: customers feel cheated, it’s a money grab
• What BMW should do instead: listen to customer feedback and make changes accordingly
• Conclusion

Intro – Imagine paying monthly for heated seats

In recent news, it was announced that BMW will be starting to charge for subscription services. This has caused a lot of uproar among customers, as many feel that this is an unfair move. While it is understandable that the company needs to make money, many feel that this is not the way to go about it. It remains to be seen how successful this new business model will be, but as of now, it seems like it may not be good for BMW.

In the quick news clip that I saw said that people in South Korea and the UK will have to pay monthly for the ability to use their heated seats. Which kind of feels like I bought it and now I need to keep paying for it? Read our quick article to get to the bottom of this new money making ….. feature? ( maybe it is a feature for BMW’s bottom line)

Honda would NEVER…..

BMW announces new monthly charges for heated seats and other features

Heated seats and other features in BMW cars will now come with a monthly fee, the company has announced. The new charges will apply to customers in the South Korea for now, but there are rumblings that they could roll it out everywhere.

This isn’t the first time this new addition to their cars has come up, as they did talk about charging people to access features, like Carplay before.

The fees will range from $10 to $37 per month, depending on the car model and the features selected. Heated seats, for example, will cost $10 per month while wireless Apple CarPlay will cost $80 per year. ( These are based on some people providing info about what they have been offered, but I would bet they are testing price points so this could change at any moment.)

Critics say the move is just another way for automakers to make money off of customers after they have already purchased a car.

What this means for customers: customers will have to keep paying for features they already paid for

The news that BMW will start charging for subscription services has caused a lot of uproar among customers. Many people are upset because they feel like they are already paying for features that they should not have to pay for again.

Some customers are even threatening to boycott the company if they do not change their policy. It is clear that people are not happy with this decision and it remains to be seen how BMW will respond.

If you’re one of BMW’s many luxury car owners, you might be disappointed to hear that the company will soon start charging for subscription services. This move doesn’t come as a surprise, as many other companies are doing the same thing, but it’s still disappointing nonetheless. BMW’s subscription services include things like roadside assistance and maintenance, which are both essential for any car owner. The monthly fee for these services isn’t too bad, but it’s still an added expense that many people weren’t expecting.

Why this is not good: customers feel cheated, it’s a money grab

When customers feel cheated it isn’t good for anyone , and to most if feels like it’s a money grab for the company. This is not good for business and it will only lead to more customers feeling upset and angry. Eventually, this could lead to a loss in business. It’s important for companies to be upfront and honest with their customers, especially when it comes to subscription services. Otherwise, they risk losing their trust and business.

What BMW should do instead: listen to customer feedback and make changes accordingly

It’s no secret that BMW has been facing some serious issues lately. The company has been hemorrhaging money and its stock price has been plummeting. In an effort to turn things around, BMW is considering charging customers for subscription-based services. This is a terrible idea and here’s why:

First of all, it would be a huge mistake to start nickel-and-diming customers when they’re already unhappy with the product. BMW cars are supposed to be a world class car, but this feeling of squeezing pennies will get on peoples nerves real quick.

Second, it’s not clear what exactly these subscription services would include. Would they be worth the price?

And third, who knows how this will play out. I have a hard time believing it could be retro actively assesed, in which one day you get in your car that you alread PAID to have heated seats and there is a message saying sorry your seats are disabled until you pay us more money.

If BMW really wants to turn things around, they should start by listening to their customers and making changes accordingly. That means making cars that are more reliable and affordable. It means being transparent about pricing and features. I could never imagine a Honda S2000 trying to charge for access to features that come with the car.

Conclusion

This type of squeeze or “microtransactions ” are becoming more and more common everyday. This isn’t a feature for people it is for the company to make more money and keep getting money out of customers. It is no secret that there is a huge push for your right to fix, which Tesla is battling right now.

People are tired of getting gouged by dealerships for maintenance and this isn’t going to restore faith into any car company, let alone BMW who is supposed to be an elite car company.

Tesla is already stating that they might go to monthly charges for their FSD packages… but the question is how can they even be charging for the access as it isn’t FSD as they have been talking about. There is no hands free driving where the user can just sleep. So for the 10k or more that Tesla is charging at point of sale, they aren’t even delivering what they’re charging for and with no actual delivery date in site.

Just the thought of paying for something that ends in .99 just feels like it is cheapening the luxury aspect of BMWs. You aren’t supposed to be worrying about the monthly fee on cars that can easily get over $100k just to get off the lot. Paying for premium gas, and expensive maintenance bills that comes hand in hand with owning a BMW.

You just don’t expect to have this luxury company pinching pennies after you are sold on this luxury lifestyle.

Overall, this will leave a bad taste in anyone’s mouth. Getting a brand new BMW should be a happy day for the new car owner, not one where they have to deselect options to avoid monthly charges. This isn’t a cell phone where you need a long distance discount package, this is a car. You buy it with the heated seats, you expect them to work. If not, what are you even buying then? Access to give them more money?