Tesla to start charging customers for a "connectivity" fee going forward

[ivinsfan]

So in reading the article in the OP.... I have a question. Do existing, legacy, early adopter tesla owners have to start paying in 8 years? The wording was a bit ambiguous - does this only apply to new buyers (post July 20) or all tesla owners after july 20, 2030?

The article also suggested Tesla would probably start charger sooner than the 8 years....

After years of having Tesla envy... This whole subscription thing has ended that. When I go EV it will be with another manufacturer.

Lots of anti Tesla snark in that story. Take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Chuckanut]

So in reading the article in the OP.... I have a question. Do existing, legacy, early adopter tesla owners have to start paying in 8 years? The wording was a bit ambiguous - does this only apply to new buyers (post July 20) or all tesla owners after july 20, 2030?

The article also suggested Tesla would probably start charger sooner than the 8 years....

After years of having Tesla envy... This whole subscription thing has ended that. When I go EV it will be with another manufacturer.

I think other manufacturers will do the same. I am sure the top dogs at other car companies are salivating at the idea of charging for every little thing the car can do. Publicly they might trash talk Tesla, privately, they are offering their first born to their deity in the hopes Tesla shows that they can get away with it.

 

[aja8888]

Can I ask why you picked such a biased headline?

That was the way I understood the contents of the article.

 

[ivinsfan]

That was the way I understood the contents of the article.

That for cars purchased after July 1 after 8 years of free connectivity tesla will begin to charge those owners a fee.or in late 2030.i find it kind of hard to get too worked up about that.

 

[aja8888]

That for cars purchased after July 1 after 8 years of free connectivity tesla will begin to charge those owners a fee.or in late 2030.i find it kind of hard to get too worked up about that.

I'm not worked up. I don't own a Tesla and don't have plans to buy one. I posted this for information and discussion. If you are unhappy with the thread, just don't read it.

 

[audreyh1]

So in reading the article in the OP.... I have a question. Do existing, legacy, early adopter tesla owners have to start paying in 8 years? The wording was a bit ambiguous - does this only apply to new buyers (post July 20) or all tesla owners after july 20, 2030?

It only applies to new buyers who ordered cars after July 20 of this year. They will have to start paying in 2030 (after 8 years) for basic connectivity if they still have the car.

And about people who buy software upgrades such as Full Self Driving or Enhanced Autopilot, these software upgrades stay with the car. If the owner sells their Tesla to another individual (private sale), then that person gets the software upgrades.

If an owner sells the car back to Tesla, then it’s at Tesla’s discretion whether or not they pass the software on to a new buyer. The seller is compensated for the software that comes with the car. Tesla decides whether or not they want to sell the software upgrades to the new buyer. I expect it’s reflected in the selling car price.

 

[youbet]

.i find it kind of hard to get too worked up about that.

Just curious, why are you trying hard to get too worked up about that? Just stop trying and everything will be OK!

 

[ivinsfan]

Just curious, why are you trying hard to get too worked up about that? Just stop trying and everything will be OK!

I can't work up much Tesla angst...I wonder how many Tesla critics on this thread own Tesla stock..

 

[NW-Bound]

And about people who buy software upgrades such as Full Self Driving or Enhanced Autopilot, these software upgrades stay with the car. If the owner sells their Tesla to another individual (private sale), then that person gets the software upgrades.

If an owner sells the car back to Tesla, then it’s at Tesla’s discretion whether or not they pass the software on to a new buyer. The seller is compensated for the software that comes with the car. Tesla decides whether or not they want to sell the software upgrades to the new buyer. I expect it’s reflected in the selling car price.

The above makes sense, if it weren't for a bad error.

I searched for and read again a story on people who bought a used Tesla and found out that they did not get the software option they thought came with the car. It was caused by a terrible error in the car manifest which listed the software option, else the car buyer would not know about it.

Hopefully, the process has been corrected.

See: https://www.autoblog.com/2020/03/23/tesla-removing-content-from-used-cars/

 

[Bamaman]

This is an example of a company with brilliant engineering that really doesn't know how to run an automobile company.

The whole buying experience simply sucks. That's before and after the purchase--including the way they handle parts & service.

The world has little or no need for a Plaid S that few drivers have the skills to handle. Same with many other Tesla models.

 

[ivinsfan]

This is an example of a company with brilliant engineering that really doesn't know how to run an automobile company.

The whole buying experience simply sucks. That's before and after the purchase--including the way they handle parts & service.

The world has little or no need for a Plaid S that few drivers have the skills to handle. Same with many other Tesla models.

Have you had a Tesla? They sell a lot of vehicles but being pretty rural in a cold climate means I don't really know anybody that drives one. They sell a lot of cars.

 

[MRG]

I'm glad this is a Tesla issue and not other vehicles. DW was just offered a $100 CD to update the maps on her 2019 Jeep Wrangler.

 

[Luvtoride]

This is an example of a company with brilliant engineering that really doesn't know how to run an automobile company.

The whole buying experience simply sucks. That's before and after the purchase--including the way they handle parts & service.

The world has little or no need for a Plaid S that few drivers have the skills to handle. Same with many other Tesla models.

Sorry you’re not happy with your purchase. Most of us are extremely happy with the sales, delivery and driving experience of our cars.

 

[SecondAttempt]

If you are that cheap, you do not deserve these special cars.

I drive a BMW that is about 7 years old. I bout it used as a lease return with less than 15,000 mile on it about 4 years ago. It cost less than a new Camry at the time, although it was a particulary bad time of year to buy a car. The local dealer calls, texts, and emails me at least once a week to trade in for a new one. They are offering top dollar as a trade in and a good price on a new one.

Now, I love driving the car, I truly do. But BMW clearly makes their money on service. It is ridicululous. I have never owned a less reliable car. Way too many things have broken. Tires last only about 20,000 miles and are only available from the dealer. In the developed world it may be different but in Kona Hawaii the dealer is the only option. Sure I could buy from Tire Rack and find an installer. But guess what. The dealer is the only installer in town. And they charge less for the tires than Tire Rack. It goes on and on.

Bottom line is, I learned my lesson. I will never own another BMW!

I did not buy the car as a status symbol. I bought it because I thought they were very reliable and the price was good. Next one will be a Toyota or Honda.

I'm posting here because it came with something called "Connected Drive." It let you do things like unlock with an app, remote start, turn on the a/c remotely, etc. It was not something I used much. They shut that down earlier this year because it relied on 3G which is being decommissioned. I used to get notices from the dealer to come in for an oil change because they "estimated" I was at the mileage. I've seen nothing since they turned off Connected Drive.

I think the a$$holes were spying on their customers! Honestly I don't really care if BMW knows where I drive or how fast. It's just creepy to think they are collecting this kind of data. Yes, I know lots of companies do it. It's still kind of creepy.

 

[SecondAttempt]

I'm glad this is a Tesla issue and not other vehicles. DW was just offered a $100 CD to update the maps on her 2019 Jeep Wrangler.

When we moved our Acura to Hawaii a few years ago from Arizona the maps in the navigation system did not cover Hawaii. With one road around the island and Google maps on my phone, who cares. Well, without being able to figure out where it is, MANY things did not work - radio, clock, etc. When I contacted Acura they said that the navigation system has to have contact at least every 300 miles to maintain its position. They suggested driving back to Arizona then driving to Hawaii stopping for an hour every 200 miles. (Seriously?)

Then they said I would have to take it to the Acura dealer on Maui (we live in the Big Island) to be reset. I actually asked the guy if he understood the geography of Hawaii and he said he did not but said the dealer was only 70 miles away. I asked if Acura recommended a raft or driving along the ocean bottom but got no firm answer.

Oh, and they also wanted to sell me a new CD which...you guessed it...only covered the 48 contiguous states.

Finally I called the dealer on Maui and they talked me through a convulted reset procedure and were amused but not surprised by my story. But kudos to that dealer.

 

[SecondAttempt]

I can't work up much Tesla angst...I wonder how many Tesla critics on this thread own Tesla stock..

At a Costco middle pump this morning. A Tesla pulls in and parks at the pump in front of me. I'm think wtf?

Then he opens the back and brings out his gas cans for his landscaping equipment....Thought maybe I was about to be privvy to a secret.

 

[MRG]

Sorry you’re not happy with your purchase. Most of us are extremely happy with the sales, delivery and driving experience of our cars.

+1
The buying and delivery are the absolute best car buying experience I've had. Tesla also came to my home to repair a some plastic trim that was broken after a collision. Can't imagine Ford, GM, Toyota making house calls to the remote area we live in. I guess anyone who doesn't like theirs could quickly resell it for a profit.

 

[Markola]

Tesla must be in some trouble. Raising fees, selling assets to raise cash, laying off workers, Elon backing out of buying Twitter…. I think they blame China’s Covid lockdowns shuttering a big expensive plant in China. Whatever. That’s just business.

 

[DayDreaming]

Ugh, here it comes, fee based driving after you shell out big bucks for the car.

https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/c...ubsription-for-connectivity-services-44496388

My last car was a Hyundai. If I wanted to use GPS navigation on the screen built into the dashboard, I'd have to pay a monthly fee. I chose not to, and I used my phone instead. I don't see how this news about Tesla is any different. Do other car manufacturers give you built-in GPS navigation with regular map updates free for the life of the car?

 

[Midpack]

From what I read elsewhere (including another thread on this forum) it's not just EV's going to it, maybe all or most vehilcles will.

While I’m not happy about this development, it’s not unique to Tesla (the other thread names others) and it appears it only affects Tesla customers going forward, past buyers still have lifetime subscriptions. So some misdirected Tesla outrage? What did I miss?

 

[ShokWaveRider]

VW has the same thing. They are all things that I personally find are gimmicks, if one falls for them, then they pay. There is nothing in My RL SEL Tiguan that is not activated. What I mean there are no buttons and features that do not work without a subscription.

If one just HAS to be able to access their car from an App, then go for it and pay, but I do not see anything useful for us that is subscription based.

 

[Chuckanut]

I can't work up much Tesla angst...I wonder how many Tesla critics on this thread own Tesla stock..

Nobody. Tesla went belly up in 2019 as predicted by many financial and auto industry experts. Remember?

Free fuel is a great idea, also. But, Tesla had to do away with that. So is all the water you can use for a fixed connection fee. But, most water districts now bless us with meters. Reality often raises its head and reminds us that the marketplace doesn't give a hoot about past practices or how we would like the world to be.

Would we want to go back to yearly tune-ups, lower fuel mileage, 3000 mile oil and filter changes, pinging car engines, carburetor cleanings, etc? Maybe paying for the occasional software update on our car is cheaper and better?

 

[ncbill]

Another thing to remember is that there have been instances of buyers who bought used Tesla's getting options removed electronically once the sale went through (even though the previous owners paid for those options). Things like Auto Driving mode, Ludicrous Mode, etc.

As Tesla pointed out, those features were included accidentally; the original owner didn't actually pay for them.

So the used Tesla buyer got stuck when Tesla audited the vehicle while in for service, found the vehicle had features not paid for by the original owner, and removed them.

The software giveth and the software taketh away.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

From what I read elsewhere (including another thread on this forum) it's not just EV's going to it, maybe all or most vehilcles will.

For now though I'll plan on keeping my 2003 GMC 4WD pickup for as long as I can. I can't think of a thing that a new truck would do that would make it worth $50k+ to me.

+1000. I am hoping that our 2012 Accord and 2020 4Runner will be around for many, MANY years.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

There has probably never been a time in modern history to hold the good vehicles as what's coming forward will be like you see in the restaurants, grocery stores and other service costs (price increases, added fees, subscription adders, etc).

In addition, your older, well taken care of vehicle will hold its value or maybe just retain a baseline value if it is kept in good condition.

I think you are right. We bought the Accord a couple of years ago for $10K'ish and today KBB shows a private party value around $13.5K (middle of the road figure). Considering it sits in the garage most of the time and we are putting about 3000 miles a year on it, it should be around for a while.