Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you.
Posted on 08/19/2025 9:39:59 AM PDT by packagingguy
Volkswagen is now offering owners of its ID.3 EV hatchback the option to boost their car’s performance — for a monthly subscription fee. Instead of following the traditional model of offering improved performance through upgraded components, VW has locked its car’s true potential behind a software subscription.
Auto Express reports that German automaker Volkswagen has introduced a subscription-based model for unlocking the full potential of its ID.3 electric car, a new model available in the UK. While the ID.3 Pro and Pro S models are listed on the configurator as producing 201 horsepower, buyers must pay a monthly subscription fee of £16.50 ($22.29) to access the car’s maximum output of 228 horsepower.
This subscription, which comes after a one-month free trial, is nearly three times the cost of a standard Netflix subscription with ads. Owners can also opt for a lifetime subscription priced at £649 ($877), which remains tied to the vehicle even if it is sold.
Volkswagen states that the performance upgrade increases the net power by 27 horsepower and the maximum torque from 265Nm to 310Nm without affecting the car’s range. As the ID.3 is registered at 228 horsepower from the factory, owners are not required to inform their insurance company about the upgrade.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
|
|
Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. |
The same could be for warranties as well. A manufacturer would be willing to offer a longer warranty covering more components on a car with standard engine than one with a high-performance engine.
They ain’t the only ones. BMW is doing this too. You pay to heat your seats and other extras.
The drug companies figured this out years ago.
They don’t make medicines to cure anymore. They focus on maintenace drugs you take for life.
What about my point of trying the upgrade for the cheap monthly fee before paying the lifetime fee for the upgrade? Whether it’s a hardware upgrade or software configuration, I tend to like any try-before-you-buy scenario of expensive options.
My brother told me about a conversion he had with a mechanic friend of his. When my brother asked about Volkswagens, the mechanic told him: “I’ve lots of customers who bought a Volkswagen but none who bought a second one.”
But “sport package”
Could be any driving OVER 65mph...Or, FAST take off.
There are a lot of Stupid ways this goes wrong fast.
And insurance would LOVE it if a car was governed to 65max. Or, goverened take off from stop..
Ah IBM. They ordered a low cost computer designed to fill a price and performance hole in the middle of their lineup. It performed too well, so IBM derated it before selling the model. ( Documented in “Computer Structures: Principles and Examples” by Gordon Bell et al. )
IBM used to put ads into televised golf tournaments which were targeting corporate decision makers. In those ads they suggested IBM could put their customer companies in the position of hotels selling snacks and drinks to residents from the minibar - the ideal arrangement to permit ripoff pricing. Not even realizing more than 1000 regular golf viewers would associate IBM with outrageous screw-the-customer ripoffs per targeted executive. “When someone tells you who they are, believe them.” And regular golf viewers also chose between IBM PCs and other manufacturers.
I hear you. I’ve also heard of vehicle ‘feature subscriptions’, where you might only pay an even lower monthly rate for winter features during winter months. Again, it’s an attempt to lower purchase price with the ability to still gain more revenue after sale if the customer then decides they actually do want something, being even more flexible if only for certain months of the year. You could also provide a “30 day free trial” to see if it’s worth the money.
IMHO it’s really just a competitive free market trying to find ways of lowering cost. The optics just aren’t great.
I bought a BMW 330IX earlier this year. It is a lower end BMW with some nice options. It has heated seats and steering wheel. I don't have to pay a subscription fee to use those features. The car came with a subscription feature called Connected Drive. It lasts for 4 years and includes such features as map updates and connectivity to the car using a cell phone app. I've been driving 50 years without a cell phone app, so I doubt I will renew it.
It is only in some of the BMWs. Looks like all the car companies are going to be doing this before long.
Don’t know who is responsible but they note you aren’t required to notify your insurance carrier about the upgrade. So if is not required, it is OK to lie.
Ford does it with their navigation. They want $90k for an F250…and the ability to do “software updates.” You get 12 months of using the navigation before they want more money……..I guess they didn’t realize you could just use your phone and car play to the screen.
I’m on my 5th one.
Some are absolutely garbage
But some. Like the 1.9 TDI is bullet proof.
So why 5? I generally buy them north of 3000,000 miles.i do the bam (bare a** minimum) maintenance whose and let um buck till something spendy goes. Last 3 was the clutch.
You don’t have to.
The car does it for you.
(Just a guess but I bet they find out)
You sell a device that SETS the value to on. And can also REMOVE any signs that it was ever there. Then, the user simply “unsets” things before taking them to the dealer, and no one’s the wiser.
My old ranger doesn’t use that.
When I bought the car earlier this year the big push was for buying extended warranties and maintenance programs. For a $50K car the sales manager was pushing over $10K in warranty and maintenance upgrades.
VW is grifting and should be sued.
They charge for 228hp. The buyer pays *insurance* based on 228hp. But, because they can, VW gives the buyer 201hp and demands an extra monthly subscription or ~$900 before the buyer can have what they bought.
I suspect this is their way of anticipating lowered demand and trying to make up the difference from whomever still wants one. Hopefully it receives the more effective punishment of really bad sales so they learn their lesson. The lawsuit mentioned in the top would probably be a non-starter in Europe and mostly benefitting trial lawyers here.
They’re still built here...
“Buy American. We have a Buick and a Ford in our garage.”
I have a Honda Ridgeline. Made in Alabama with more American parts than Ford or Chevy.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.