Generally speaking I feel you should either pay the cost up front OR a smaller subscription fee, not both. Paying a subscription to turn things on for a $50k car I paid for outright seems insane.
The exception would be things that cost them, but those should be very limited. Charging for over the air updates or remote start via a mobile connection rather than connecting your car to your wifi or direct connection for example.
That being said I don't have as much of a problem with one time cost upgrades that come pre installed in all the vehicles if there is a cost benefit that comes down to the consumer.
For instance, let's say we have a economic base engine and premium engine upgrade option: the upgrade revs higher, makes more power, is less fuel efficient, and comes without some of the tax breaks the more economical engine would have. If you can make the performance engine run like the economy engine via tuning, and making all the cars with the higher performance engine saves costs in design and manufacturing, and is reflected a lower MSRP, I don't have any real problem with charging for an "upgrade" that is little more than turning on the performance settings in the engine computer.
The idea of charging for premium engine tuning as if it were an upgraded engine makes sense to me as the customer is getting the same service they previously received, especially if it is at an equal or lower cost.
The exception would be things that cost them, but those should be very limited. Charging for over the air updates or remote start via a mobile connection rather than connecting your car to your wifi or direct connection for example.
That being said I don't have as much of a problem with one time cost upgrades that come pre installed in all the vehicles if there is a cost benefit that comes down to the consumer.
For instance, let's say we have a economic base engine and premium engine upgrade option: the upgrade revs higher, makes more power, is less fuel efficient, and comes without some of the tax breaks the more economical engine would have. If you can make the performance engine run like the economy engine via tuning, and making all the cars with the higher performance engine saves costs in design and manufacturing, and is reflected a lower MSRP, I don't have any real problem with charging for an "upgrade" that is little more than turning on the performance settings in the engine computer.
The idea of charging for premium engine tuning as if it were an upgraded engine makes sense to me as the customer is getting the same service they previously received, especially if it is at an equal or lower cost.
