Latest grab by auto manufactures

[charles todd]

I guess I have driven 40+ years and never had remote start. If they block a feature I don't need or want, who cares? I'm not a big fan of the overall concept, but how often do you need remote start?

Almost everyday.

CT

 

[Blue Mule]

Here is a question, how the hell are you alright with subscription prices for basic features in a product you've already paid an absurd amount to acquire? Let alone that these are items that previously did not require you to take an emotional fisting from these companies, and has literally been implemented for no other reason than to bend us over?

Is it an ego thing? Is it insecurity? I mean, I have both of these one form or another, and they manifest in my personality, but that doesn't mean I want to willingly be sodomized by the businesses I'm compelled to deal with on any regular basis.

Frankly, if they're going to attempt to impregnate me I'd prefer them to pay me.

[EDIT]: If I've missed a joke, well, I admit my own foolishness and apologize; this entire thread is nothing but stroke inducing levels of raised blood pressure.

Sadly it's not a joke. It's already happening.

 

[bmaverick]

I worked at an OEM and in aftermarket technology. Most industries are trying to implement subscription models because investors like recurring revenue. Our customers and dealers told us to include the subscription cost with the new sale so we did. Over 15 years, the subscription cost grew exponentially and was on the glide path to being 1/3 of our annual net revenue. It does not take one long to realize you must reduce it and that resulted in shifting it to our customers. We didn’t like it, but had no choice in a world where costs were increasing faster than MSRP. While it is easier to do for connected features. It will be interesting to see if OEMs can pull it off for non connected features where the hardware heated seats) is already present in vehicle.

This to a degree is opposite to the Right-To-Repair laws. Purchasing is no longer the face value of truly owning. I can see the near future to buy the product, but pay a monthly fee just to start the vehicle. If you miss payment of the fee, the kill switch is applied.

How about another monthly fee of, want to drive the speed limit of 70mph on the interstate, pay an extra fee, else the vehicle is limited to no more than 60mph. Don't think this hasn't been considered in this realm of gadgets and devices.

Fees and more fees on the bill. Want to use that backup camera Ka-Ching. Want to use the rear climate control for the back passengers, Ka-Ching. Want to sit inside and listen to toons, Ka-Ching. Wait that is happening now. Want to charge you cell phone or devices, Ka-Ching.

When you look at several of the add-ons, people will be wise enough to circumvent much of it. Its human nature. If paying to run devices in the vehicle comes along, a simple extra battery, solar panel or tap into the vehicle harness with trailer spicing hardware would do the trick.

As we look at vehicles going this way, you know darn well TRACTORS are aiming towards this too.

 

[bmaverick]

Unfortunately it''s not 100% compatible. I regularly have compatibility problems when I give my OpenOffice documents and presentations to Windows/Mac users running the MS versions, or I get their documents or presentations. It hasn't been enough to get me to build a Windows VM for my Linux work machine like I did to run Sketchup on my personal Linux machine, but it's still a pain.

For personal use it's probably much less of an issue. If you're fortunate to not need to share business presentations or documents with drawings in them, you'll likely not run into any problems.

The problem is Windoze/Mac. I've had issues of MS-Word into Windoze/Mac too.

I tried Sketchup and it's lousy. I run FreeCAD v19 instead. And the translators for parametrics to others systems are free with it too. A full package. FreeCAD: Your own 3D parametric modeler

 

[cullenskink]

I've always given thought to switching to Linux, since I was a teenager actually, but it comes off as rather intimidating.

I've been using Linux (Ubuntu ) as my primary desktop OS for 4 years, no regrets. I recently converted my 70 year old hunting buddy to Linux, he was getting really annoyed using Microsoft, he thinks linux is the best thing since sliced bread. It's trivial to install and free as in beer.

 

[Raul-02]

Maybe there will be a Python app for fixing cracked blocks?

A few years ago I found a tig consumable that lets me TIG cast iron with no preheat. I used it it worked. If ya want I'll see if I can dig up the product name and source.

 

[Raul-02]

tried Sketchup and it's lousy. I run FreeCAD v19 instead.

I've been struggling with Free Cad. It seems an imponderable mess compared to the very expensive commercial package TurboCad that runs on windows. I keep a hard disk with Win 7 on it for just the one program.

 

[charles todd]

I know what you're saying but to me it's the same as AC. When I first started driving many decades ago ( shortly after horse and buggy ), none of my cars had AC or power windows...just something else to break. Once I started getting vehicles with AC and PW, it got to the point they were almost a necessity.
I use remote start all the time in the winter, I'm a firm believer in letting the vehicle run for a bit when cold. In the summer I don't often use the remote start but when I start my truck, I'll sit there for a couple minutes with it running...........M

I remote start almost daily in the summer. Amazing how much cooler it is inside a black truck when you start it from the other side of the parking lot.

CT

 

[patriot1776]

I see the aftermarket or your local tuning/performance shop taking care of this if it comes to it. We have a shop here in my small town that is a nationally known GM performance shop, they manufacture and install custom performance parts among other things, included among those other things is their ecu work, there is nothing they cannot program, delete, add or modify on a gm vehicle. And that's just a small local shop.

 

[merlynr]

Just read GM,Subaru and others now are going to have a mandatory subscription for;heated seats,remote start ect.Can you imagine!Unreal.In GM's case you are forced to purchase OnStar,no choice rolled into the price.
I was considering a trade,this may be enough for me(and a lot of others) not too.High end luxury
vehicles have had this for a while.

my daughter just purchased a cherokee suv and I wonder what she will get hit with?