Everybody is getting bent out of shape about this subscription model, but it's just another option for customers to pay for the extras they want on their car.
You still have the option to pay a one off fee, just like you do now, absolutely no difference.
"BMW drivers can now have heated front seats to order, which is available permanently for £350, for three years for £250, an annual subscription of £150 or monthly for £15."
Someone at BMW has sat down with a big calculator, and worked out, that it's more cost effective to send all the cars out the door, with all the options, than to tailor the cars to customers orders, presumably with a calculated take up rate of the options to potentially increase profits.
If you're leasing the car, you can subscribe for your lease period and save some money.
As a monthly subscription is available, you can presumably subscribe during the winter months for the heated options, and cancel your subscription during the summer.
Maybe you're taking your car on a driving holiday, so you take up 'driving assistance plus' package, for the month ? etc etc..
It also means anyone buying a second hand car, can buy any spec they want and then just buy or subscribe to the options they want, no hunting about for the options you want on your car.
It makes for a great headline, but in reality I don't see what the outrage is about.
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