Quick rant thread.

[Jacko 2154]

14 minutes ago, M3AN said:

Je ne comprends pas.

Under what circumstances do you need new belts? Are you saying that any replacement seat triggers new belts? And how can they tell if your belts are new, if they're the same as the old ones?

"Once a vehicle is 14 years old, components of the frontal impact protection system can be removed, provided that the seatbelts for any affected seating positions are replaced with brand new seatbelts."

https://www.lvvta.org.nz/documents/infosheets/LVVTA_Info_01-2020_Removal_of_Front_Seats_Fitted_with_Side_Airbags.pdf

[jon dee 500]

People who join on-line forums just to pimp their Youtube videos.... 

[Jacko 2154]

On 7/6/2022 at 4:50 PM, Jacko said:

Having to drop $900 on two new front seatbelts to meet LVVTA standards with aftermarket seats, to replace your perfect condition existing seatbelts which are exactly the fekcen same. 

Seat belts no longer available. 😕 

[M3AN 4016]

Dafuq!? How do they propose to prove they're "new"?

[nick496 268]

12 hours ago, M3AN said:

Dafuq!? How do they propose to prove they're "new"?

Same way they prove a driveshaft has been modified professionally. Show a recent receipt for the part/work.

I guess that receipt should also not come from pick a part. 

Edited July 11, 2022 by nick496

[Palazzo 477]

I have a receipt somewhere for one new belt for about $1300, $900 for two sounds like a bargain, even if the reasoning for it is poor.

[KwS 2425]

On 7/11/2022 at 12:25 PM, jon dee said:

People who join on-line forums just to pimp their Youtube videos.... 

Can an admin round all these threads up and dump them in one place? They're spreading quicker than covid. 

[Twistee 453]

Had to visit Botany Town Centre today, found it hard to argue with the stereotypes come from somewhere line - new blacked out X7, illegally parked, which even with every driving aid short of a direct connection to the brain still managed to nearly back into me at some speed. FFS!! 

[C-130 Hercules 571]

What's next!? 

 

 

Edited July 13, 2022 by C-130 Hercules
Cropped image

[Sammo 2544]

Partially threaded one of my seat bolt holes, getting too complacent using the impact.

I do love how I tend to learn the hard way every single time 😑

[Young Thrash Driver 1020]

22 minutes ago, C-130 Hercules said:

What's next!? 

 

 

Suppose it could make sense if you only wanted it for 4 months of the year, over 5 years that would run you $600 instead of whatever the upfront cost of the option is.

There is another argument around what you actually own if it is "your" car but you are still paying for functionality it already has. 

[Jacko 2154]

Can we put a hardline on when BMW stopped being BMW? When did the ultimate driving machine etc die exactly? early 2010s?  

[lord_jagganath 421]

^ all car companies died when their financing divisions started making more profit.  

[Eagle 1662]

3 hours ago, Sammo said:

Partially threaded one of my seat bolt holes, getting too complacent using the impact.

I do love how I tend to learn the hard way every single time 😑

Good excuse to die and tap set if you haven't got one.

[Driftit 2078]

18 hours ago, Sammo said:

Partially threaded one of my seat bolt holes, getting too complacent using the impact.

I do love how I tend to learn the hard way every single time 😑

The way of the E30.
Every E30 I have owned was just me reversing all the f ups the previous owners made after f'ing it up even more and having to redo or rebuild.

The pains of a cheap sports car....  Oh wait.

[Daniel0663 30]

https://www.bmw.co.nz/en/shop/ls/cp/connected-drive

The subscription options are already listed on bmw NZ. 

No doubt this will expand as time goes ...... 

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

1 hour ago, Daniel0663 said:

https://www.bmw.co.nz/en/shop/ls/cp/connected-drive

The subscription options are already listed on bmw NZ. 

No doubt this will expand as time goes ...... 

Car as a service bullshit.

[treone 647]

2 hours ago, Daniel0663 said:

https://www.bmw.co.nz/en/shop/ls/cp/connected-drive

The subscription options are already listed on bmw NZ. 

The way of the present? Nope. Nah. Not for me thanks. Imma stay ol’skool analogue with my e31 manual 😎

Edited July 14, 2022 by treone

[Jacko 2154]

I hope they sell exactly none of it and the people who buy new BMWs laugh in their faces... but they wont. 

Worlds going crazy. 

[jon dee 500]

Hardly surprising. The basic principles for "subscription options" are already engrained in everyday commerce. In-App purchases, mobile phone service plans, insurance, hire purchase, etc., and computer software that contains various locked options that you have to pay to unlock. Microsoft is moving towards a subscription model for their Office applications and will probably find a way to block anyone using their apps if they have not subscribed. A lot of other software and internet content is already provided as a "pay to use" service. 

BMW currently offer a wide range of options and this make a big logistical problem for production having to individually equip and program each car with the owners particular choice of options. Far easier to build as many options as possible into every car at the time of manufacture and simply activate the options that the car buyer elects to purchase. 

Where it gets a bit muddy is further down the line when you buy a previously owned car.  Presumably if the new owner does not pick up the subscription payments, the car will default back to base specification. And then the new owner will have to choose and subscribe for any pre-installed options that he requires. 

Jacko nailed it... the training phase is complete and now it is time for big business to monetize their investment !!!! 

Cheers...

[M3AN 4016]

Yes, secondary market (used) vehicles present an interesting set of scenarios, if you sell a car with heated seats, does it actually come with heated seats, etc.

But my IT manager had an interesting take in this today when I shared it with him (other than rolling his eyes). In most cases it's different to a (for example) software subscription (which is becoming the norm). With most software subscriptions you have nothing before you subscribe, you're not carrying any load. With this ridiculous car features subscription, in most cases, you've already paid for it, it's just not activated. If I subscribe to heated seats for a month it's not that a technician comes out to install the heating elements when I subscribe, and returns to remove them when my subscription lapses.

So, if I pay for the equipment up front, and I'm paying gas to haul the equipment around, why aren't I entitled to use that equipment? And if I don't intend to pay extra to use that equipment, why did I have to pay for it up front, and why do I have to pay to carry it around? Surely, if the manufacturer feels entitled to charge me to use it, I should be entitled to have them remove the dead weight I can't use.

It's moronic in the extreme but, once they all do it it will become the norm, and incremental deception will have won again. It's anti-consumer and BMW should be ashamed for being a part of it.

[Vass 830]

Peak capitalism, baby! What a time to be alive

[Jacko 2154]

Whats next, M3s V8s if you pay a subscription. But, 4 cylinders deactivate, the arches collapse and a 320 badge appears on the back when your CC details lapse...

25 minutes ago, Vass said:

Peak capitalism, baby! What a time to be alive

Late stage capitalism....

[C-130 Hercules 571]

Thought the 80s were the height of it.... 

[Young Thrash Driver 1020]

1 hour ago, M3AN said:

Yes, secondary market (used) vehicles present an interesting set of scenarios, if you sell a car with heated seats, does it actually come with heated seats, etc.

But my IT manager had an interesting take in this today when I shared it with him (other than rolling his eyes). In most cases it's different to a (for example) software subscription (which is becoming the norm). With most software subscriptions you have nothing before you subscribe, you're not carrying any load. With this ridiculous car features subscription, in most cases, you've already paid for it, it's just not activated. If I subscribe to heated seats for a month it's not that a technician comes out to install the heating elements when I subscribe, and returns to remove them when my subscription lapses.

So, if I pay for the equipment up front, and I'm paying gas to haul the equipment around, why aren't I entitled to use that equipment? And if I don't intend to pay extra to use that equipment, why did I have to pay for it up front, and why do I have to pay to carry it around? Surely, if the manufacturer feels entitled to charge me to use it, I should be entitled to have them remove the dead weight I can't use.

It's moronic in the extreme but, once they all do it it will become the norm, and incremental deception will have won again. It's anti-consumer and BMW should be ashamed for being a part of it.

It'll come to a head when something breaks (probably a line of code somewhere) and the car is recording a fault- but the fault is in an item that you can't use. Imagine failing a WOF for a TPMS fault when you killed the system to save money for more alibaba ///M badges and monitor tyre pressures yourself instead.