Quick rant thread.

[Gaz 1059]

I honestly don't see a problem with it. What other means is that bmw can now sell a 3 series for say $40k (prob not but just a random figure) with no features meaning you open up the market to more buyers. They then add features they see applicable to themselves. There are so many people out there who tell me daily, I don't use/care/want any of this stuff and just want to drive

[Young Thrash Driver 1020]

BMW is going to need to up their software security, or else we will all end up emailing some guy in Bruges and enabling massage seats and self driving on our poverty pack 116i

[M3AN 4016]

1 hour ago, Gaz said:

I honestly don't see a problem with it. What other means is that bmw can now sell a 3 series for say $40k (prob not but just a random figure) with no features meaning you open up the market to more buyers. They then add features they see applicable to themselves. There are so many people out there who tell me daily, I don't use/care/want any of this stuff and just want to drive

Perhaps they could answer that market by delivering a vehicle that doesn't include the crap they don't want? And the 316ti was the sub $40k BMW that got people into a BMW, I bet those owners weren't clamouring to subscribe to heated seats, their mortgage wouldn't let them.

And surely at some stage someone's going to point out that installing crap that may never be used is going to break some law of sustainability.

[jon dee 500]

Don't Tesla cars talk to home base via the internet so that Elon can install patches or turn certain features on or off when problems occur ? I guess if that kind of technology is already in the wild it is only a matter of time before BM and other manufacturers want to be in on it. Reading the news the last couple of days it would not surprise me if CO2 content monitors were not mandated pretty soon to keep us safe if there are too many people exchanging breath in our vehicles.

Cheers...

[Gaz 1059]

9 hours ago, M3AN said:

Perhaps they could answer that market by delivering a vehicle that doesn't include the crap they don't want? And the 316ti was the sub $40k BMW that got people into a BMW, I bet those owners weren't clamouring to subscribe to heated seats, their mortgage wouldn't let them.

And surely at some stage someone's going to point out that installing crap that may never be used is going to break some law of sustainability.

An extra $350 for a lifetime of heated seats is hardly going to break the bank. 

The associated cost with making assembly line changes to accommodate all these changes are horrendous. I'll use the f15 as an example, they came with 4 different headlight options. The 4 lights that need to be designed and manufactured, then loaded into the assembly line at the right time.Thats 4 different lights that need to be held on the shelf for spares. Instead they can design and build one light, keep one light on the shelf at the dealership instead of waiting however long for parts from Germany. 

[dirtydoogle 383]

The subscription, in theory should be cheaper over the lifetime than the option then? (Haven't looked) 

The cost of the individual parts is small over the production lifecycle of a car, so either way, subscription or buying heated seats as an option, you are bound to be ripped off 🤷‍♂️

[Sammo 2542]

*insert joke about indicator subscription*

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

1 hour ago, dirtydoogle said:

The subscription, in theory should be cheaper over the lifetime than the option then? (Haven't looked)  🤷‍♂️

It is, but don’t let the facts get in the way of a click bait story.

1 hour ago, dirtydoogle said:

The cost of the individual parts is small over the production lifecycle of a car, so either way, subscription or buying heated seats as an option, you are bound to be ripped off 🤷‍♂️

The parts cost is not insignificant, but putting that to one side, it’s the cost of handling and planning and balancing all the variety that racks up very quickly. Often viewed as an un-seen cost (as it’s outside old fashioned cost analysis methods) it has become very apparent to most manufacturers with the explosion of complexity over the last few years. Hence why pretty much EVERY company is now scrambling to dial back the number of choices.

I’ve just paid the subscription for the heated seats in my E30 ‘vert so I could drive it more this winter. They don’t seem to make much difference tbh.

[Palazzo 475]

2 hours ago, Gaz said:

An extra $350 for a lifetime of heated seats is hardly going to break the bank. 

The associated cost with making assembly line changes to accommodate all these changes are horrendous. I'll use the f15 as an example, they came with 4 different headlight options. The 4 lights that need to be designed and manufactured, then loaded into the assembly line at the right time.Thats 4 different lights that need to be held on the shelf for spares. Instead they can design and build one light, keep one light on the shelf at the dealership instead of waiting however long for parts from Germany. 

Did the buyers ask for 4 different types of headlights? Or was that an option to upsell  for more revenue?

[Driftit 2078]

Good thing we nearly all drive classics huh.

BMW Marketing right now:  We will attract people to our disturbingly ugly cars by adding subscription services to them.  Next we will add micro transactions to punish those who do not like subscriptions.

I'm convinced the BMW Marketing and design departments have been captured by another brand.

[Choo 16]

2 hours ago, Driftit said:

BMW Marketing right now:  We will attract people to our disturbingly ugly cars by adding subscription services to them.  Next we will add micro transactions to punish those who do not like subscriptions.

Next up would be loot boxes that people can discover in augmented reality, then pay for them to unlock something like an extra 1bhp in performance. 

[Kees 594]

Looks like I’ve got a Christmas tree a bit early this year….. 

[lord_jagganath 421]

4 hours ago, Choo said:

Next up would be loot boxes that people can discover in augmented reality, then pay for them to unlock something like an extra 1bhp in performance. 

pull the gacha and then you get an M3 when you had only bought a 318i

[Young Thrash Driver 1020]

In the US they now have a number of Right to Repair legislation. I'd suggest manufacturers get things ironed out very firmly in this area or they will be faced with Right to Use legislation, never mind hackers giving access.

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

On 7/14/2022 at 10:03 PM, jon dee said:

Don't Tesla cars talk to home base via the internet so that Elon can install patches or turn certain features on or off when problems occur ? I guess if that kind of technology is already in the wild it is only a matter of time before BM and other manufacturers want to be in on it.

BMW have been doing over the air updates for quite a while now, so long in fact that even the technology required to do so is in place in NZ.

Connected Drive has offered facility to turn features off/on for a long time also.

Its not really new news, it just seems to have filtered through to the click-bait media and reached the enthusiast community.

[Choo 16]

People using the express lane at supermarkets even though they are very clearly over the item limit . 

[C-130 Hercules 570]

2 hours ago, Choo said:

People using the express lane at supermarkets even though they are very clearly over the item limit . 

Express lanes still exist? 

[Vass 829]

Not much of a rant but felt worth a share. Was browsing a listing for a random 330i when I came across this... wholesome exchange. I mean, my sense of humour is questionable at best but wtf man, this is not OK 😂

[Navin 180]

On 7/16/2022 at 1:39 PM, E30 325i Rag-Top said:

BMW have been doing over the air updates for quite a while now, so long in fact that even the technology required to do so is in place in NZ.

Connected Drive has offered facility to turn features off/on for a long time also.

Its not really new news, it just seems to have filtered through to the click-bait media and reached the enthusiast community.

I still consider the over the air updates a gimmick...will do until it becomes reliable. My car has had 4 updates in my ownership and only 1 worked 'over the air'. Even that took about 3 weeks just to install, probably due to the conditions and driving time etc but still...

The other 3 had to be done at the dealer due to error codes

[jon dee 500]

47 minutes ago, C-130 Hercules said:

Express lanes still exist? 

The express lane is always the lane next to the one I am waiting in... 

[Twistee 451]

Buying something from TM that is described as could do with paint, when the reality is that the part is FUBAR'd. 

[Driftit 2078]

Finally got power to my new hoist.

Excitedly I chucked each car on it to have a look.  I think I was better off not knowing.

The old Daihatsu 4WD needs every bush.  Every single one.
The AMG's rear tyres are through to the wires.  Woops.  And the sump is leaking.
The 130 has an Exhaust leak.  And a new oil leak.
The S13 has many S13 issues.
I'm too scared to put the E34 on there.  It may never leave.

Oh and the low profile lift jack.... yeah not even close.  Going to modify that for sure.

[Twistee 451]

1 hour ago, Driftit said:

Finally got power to my new hoist.

Excitedly I chucked each car on it to have a look.  I think I was better off not knowing.

The old Daihatsu 4WD needs every bush.  Every single one.
The AMG's rear tyres are through to the wires.  Woops.  And the sump is leaking.
The 130 has an Exhaust leak.  And a new oil leak.
The S13 has many S13 issues.
I'm too scared to put the E34 on there.  It may never leave.

Oh and the low profile lift jack.... yeah not even close.  Going to modify that for sure.

But you have a hoist!! 

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

15 hours ago, Driftit said:

15 hours ago, Driftit said:

Finally got power to my new hoist.

Excitedly I chucked each car on it to have a look.  I think I was better off not knowing..

Whilst it may seem like bad news, you are always better off knowing than not. Could save you a nasty surprise when driving!

[gjm 3258]

Facebook...

 

I don't want to.

Oh well. Good excuse to not use it.