Would you pay monthly for certain features

[frag]

I have a phone to make and receive phone calls with and that's it. I don't text or have ant fancy apps and i sure don't need it to start my truck. I'm mid 70's and don't need all these newfangled stuff. I wouldn't even have that except the wife makes me carry one.

 

[surfvideo]

This is a personal preference topic, one in which I gladly pay. As others have mentioned in colder weather it’s great, I start my truck while I’m at the airport terminal returning from a trip in both winter and summer and my truck is ready to roll when the shuttle drops me off, and at the office when my remote won’t reach the truck. I also like the vehicle health reports emailed to me, and with the latest update to the 12” screen it’s back.

 

[Rodsaylor]

They can eat **** if they ever expect me to pay for services that are part of my car, I understand XM as that is a fee for service system, but remote unlock and lock from my phone! I am disconnecting all external antennas so nobody can hack my ****.

 

[White six four]

This is a personal preference topic, one in which I gladly pay. As others have mentioned in colder weather it’s great, I start my truck while I’m at the airport terminal returning from a trip in both winter and summer and my truck is ready to roll when the shuttle drops me off, and at the office when my remote won’t reach the truck. I also like the vehicle health reports emailed to me, and with the latest update to the 12” screen it’s back.

No it's an eye opener topic. If the big 3 plan on making that much off these type of fees they obviously aren't going to stop at just charging people for remote start. I realize that what works for some people doesn't work for others. Everyone is different. Personally I have no problem driving my car or truck when it's still well below freezing inside the cab.

 

[hunterdan]

I'm not paying extra for features that I'm already paying monthly for in my car payment. This is one of the dumbest ideas manufacturers have had. You either have it, or you don't. If I remember right, toyota tried to do it, but faced a ton of backlash for it.

 

[Bandit517]

It's bad enough with the uConnect, XM, and such subscriptions. My diesel Cruze I had a 6 month trial on XM when I bought it. The remote start from my phone was a super nifty feature working in a factory. I could pull out my phone, open the app and start my car before I even left the building (WAY outside the range of the fob). But even that I didn't keep the subscription. As others have said, I already pay for the vehicle. The options it was built with (And charged for on the sale price) should be it, no added fees or subscriptions for specific features. I wouldn't mind trying the uConnect on my truck, at least for the trial period, but I've read that trucks from Canada use a different software that doesn't work in the U.S.

 

[zogg]

I absolutely refuse to pay monthly for any ad-ons when I’ve paid for the item to begin with.

Case in point:

I bought a Ring doorbell and thought it was cool. I can talk to people at the door, see people at the door and initially could see video history of who had been at the door.

Suddenly, the history function quit. So, I get an email saying the I can continue the history videos for $3 per month forever. I we back through all of the paperwork I received with the dammm doorbell and there was NO MENTION of a monthly fee. I emailed and wrote two letters to the company and heard NOTHING back.

Last year I bought a new truck. As the salesman was installing my license plates, I began to remove the dealer’s advertising plaque on the tailgate. The salesman said that I could not do that. I said it’s my truck and I can set it on fire if I want to. But, I’ll leave the plaque on the truck for advertising if the dealer pays me $10 a month fee. The salesman said to go ahead and remove it. Goofs

 

[JHoward]

Last year I bought a new truck. As the salesman was installing my license plates, I began to remove the dealer’s advertising plaque on the tailgate. The salesman said that I could not do that. I said it’s my truck and I can set it on fire if I want to. But, I’ll leave the plaque on the truck for advertising if the dealer pays me $10 a month fee. The salesman said to go ahead and remove it. Goofs

This is a good one. I'd like to have seen the expression on the Salesman's face!

JHoward

 

[craiger4233]

I gave the subscription to uconnect a try. The first time my dog locked me out of my truck with the key in the ignition while i was throwing a cast net for bait, I tried to use the subscription. Fortunately I had not left my phone in the truck. Guess what?! It did not work they tried about 10 times to remotely unlock the truck and couldnt. I was at sea level with nothing to block signals. No storms! Nothing! So they called a truck to come out to unlock me. fortunately before the truck arrived my dog rolled a window down I was able to get in.

 

[Nuke71]

I just got an email offer to reactivate remote start (since my trial ended) for the low price of only $17.99 CAD. If it was $5 I probably would, even if it was $10 I would maybe consider it, but $17.99 is still way too much! You would think they would get a significant amount of subscribers at $5 or $10 as opposed to $20.

I have to admit, always having my phone on me and not my keys, it was convenient to use the app to start my truck in the summer (A/C) or winter (Heat) and be ready when I jumped in, or lock it at night on the way to bed just to be sure.

 

[zogg]

Ugh. My son had a phone system to start his truck. Was free for two years and then $25 a year. He called ford directly and said to stick it

 

[BWL]

For anything done over the phone to control the truck I expect a fee as they have to maintain a network to make it work. I just don't want or need it. I can remote start with the fob and at the airport I can start it first and then throw the bags in, sweep the snow off and it's warm enough. They charge fees for integrated software that works on it's own and I'd be furious like remote start with the fob, hands free phone or seat warmers. They want to charge for updates I can live with that as long as it's update to the most current for a fee and you can leave it as long as you want. For example if my phone doesn't work any more because the phones change or to update maps on my gps I'll pay the fee because somebody has to pay to supply it after the fact. Lock out hardware features unless you pay to keep them unlocked then no way.The way things are going I could see them getting a 3rd party at to do all their electronic control systems on a monthly fee basis and making we the consumers pay that monthly fee though. I would not agree with it, but if the manufacturers get together and decide apple or google for example are going to do all their controls and charge consumers monthly we'd have little choice in the end apart from not buying new vehicles.

 

[DA Smith]

I've never heard of this BS. Every vehicle I've had since they first came out with remote start has had it and I have never paid nothing for it. I just punch the key fob start button twice and it starts. Maybe your talking about some kind of remote start where you can crank your vehicle using your smart phone from anywhere in the world if so that certainly sounds useless.

 

[indept]

For anything done over the phone to control the truck I expect a fee as they have to maintain a network to make it work. I just don't want or need it. I can remote start with the fob and at the airport I can start it first and then throw the bags in, sweep the snow off and it's warm enough. They charge fees for integrated software that works on it's own and I'd be furious like remote start with the fob, hands free phone or seat warmers. They want to charge for updates I can live with that as long as it's update to the most current for a fee and you can leave it as long as you want. For example if my phone doesn't work any more because the phones change or to update maps on my gps I'll pay the fee because somebody has to pay to supply it after the fact. Lock out hardware features unless you pay to keep them unlocked then no way.The way things are going I could see them getting a 3rd party at to do all their electronic control systems on a monthly fee basis and making we the consumers pay that monthly fee though. I would not agree with it, but if the manufacturers get together and decide apple or google for example are going to do all their controls and charge consumers monthly we'd have little choice in the end apart from not buying new vehicles.

Evidently maintaining a network isn't a problem. I bought my truck new in 2017, never paid for the app but every year, a couple times a year I get a report on my trucks condition including present mileage so the network seems to be there regardless of a subscription.

 

[krakaman24]

They can probably turn on that tracking at any time since if I was to apply for that service after not having it they just hit the switch and it's on. So if your truck is stolen and the police contact Ram and ask them to locate it does Ram just say Fork off, they didn't pay our ransom, uh I mean subscription fee??

I'm sure you are correct. But you're missing the point. I get a heck of a discount by having the active subscription.

 

[indept]

And what happens when the cell lines stop using 3g which the gen4 trucks use?

 

[krakaman24]

I've lived near Cincinnati for 27 years and never owned a vehicle with remote start.
Not saying it isn't a nice feature, but in no way a necessity.
And no way in hell would I pay a dime to use any feature the vehicle came with.

Op, I live in Montana and it's cold at least 5 months of the year. Remote start is a luxury and not necessary.

Calling it a necessity is a bit of a stretch. Convenient yes, but definitely not a necessity. I live in the snow belt and have never had remote start. I've never had any trouble getting my truck going in the morning. Yeah scraping the windshield sucks, but it's just one of those things you gotta do.

Man everyone getting so sensitive about one word. Maybe not a necessity by definition. And while I've gone many years without a remote start now that I have it I wouldn't go without it.

To each their own.

 

[kurek]

And what happens when the cell lines stop using 3g which the gen4 trucks use?

T-Mobile 4G Adapter

obd-guide.cloud.sdp.prod.iot.sprint.com

 

[Kenobi]

My wife's Mercedes has that "pay to start" setup. It was free the first two years. However, she barely drives the car so it makes no sense to keep it going.

The up side of using a phone to remote start is you can monitor and start your car from any distance. The Ram keyfob remote start is only good for 300 feet and gives you no other 'data' about the car, including if it actually started or not. I do use it on my Ram on the coldest mornings, though, so the window is at least partially defrosted by the time we get in to go to work.

 

[Docwagon1776]

So if your truck is stolen and the police contact Ram and ask them to locate it does Ram just say Fork off, they didn't pay our ransom, uh I mean subscription fee??

Yes. As a former detective and current supervisor for detectives, that is very much the case in the US. The police have no authority to compel Ram to locate the vehicle and most companies will not release any sort of location data to police without a warrant or equivalent court order. There is one exception, if police submit an affidavit swearing the data is needed due to immediate threat to life. Cell phone companies will not give you the location of a cell phone taken in a robbery minutes prior but will give you location data for someone on a suicide hotline, for example. You are much better off as the customer requesting the information and they relaying it to police.