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[STEMO]

Another way to screw a few bob out of car buyers

Mercedes-Benz to introduce acceleration subscription fee https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-63743597

[VXL V6]

That's just sad.... What's the betting many will pay it! 

[ronnyd]

Wow, money well spent.   A whole second faster, what will i do with the time.

[Andy B]

I'm sure there'll be an IT bod somewhere that'll be able to get around it

[STEMO]

I'm sure there'll be an IT bod somewhere that'll be able to get around it

It can be 'got around' no doubt, but if you take it to Merc/BMW to be serviced, they'll soon know when they interrogate the car. The service history is also logged digitally and shown on a menu the driver can access, so you can't really take them anywhere else to be serviced, because you'll probably want to sell it one day.
Still, it's not something that will ever bother me. I don't think Vauxhall/Peugeot will ever charge me to make my astra go from 15 minutes to 14 minutes to sixty. 

[Viral_Jim]

The very simple answer is people are daft enough Ste, you know it, I know it, and most importantly MB USA knows it.

In a sense its no different to certain manufacturers of old (Saab spring to mind) that would sell you a car in three different states of tune, at different price points, that were the same hardware with a different SW flashed onto it. Its just that the subscription model is 2022's latest good idea.

[STEMO]

The very simple answer is people are daft enough Ste, you know it, I know it, and most importantly MB USA knows it.

In a sense its no different to certain manufacturers of old (Saab spring to mind) that would sell you a car in three different states of tune, at different price points, that were the same hardware with a different SW flashed onto it. Its just that the subscription model is 2022's latest good idea.

Yep. The likes of Opti, down the pub discussing which model they own, can now ask "How many software upgrades does it have?"

[Andy B]

I'm sure there'll be an IT bod somewhere that'll be able to get around it

It can be 'got around' no doubt, but if you take it to Merc/BMW to be serviced, they'll soon know when they interrogate the car. The service history is also logged digitally and shown on a menu the driver can access, so you can't really take them anywhere else to be serviced, because you'll probably want to sell it one day.
Still, it's not something that will ever bother me. I don't think Vauxhall/Peugeot will ever charge me to make my astra go from 15 minutes to 14 minutes to sixty. 

Good point 

[YZ250]

I'm sure there'll be an IT bod somewhere that'll be able to get around it

It can be 'got around' no doubt, but if you take it to Merc/BMW to be serviced, they'll soon know when they interrogate the car. The service history is also logged digitally and shown on a menu the driver can access, so you can't really take them anywhere else to be serviced, because you'll probably want to sell it one day.
………..

Independent garages that specialise in certain car brands can buy in to the same software that the main dealers use, so any online/in vehicle service history can be kept up to date. I think it was way back in 2010 when a ruling was made that stated that so long as an Indy used genuine parts when servicing a vehicle the warranty remained intact. Both of our Audi’s and the BMW have full online service history but neither of them have been anywhere near a main dealer, although both of the garages we take them to each specialise in these particular car brands.

[Rangie]

I'm sure there'll be an IT bod somewhere that'll be able to get around it

It can be 'got around' no doubt, but if you take it to Merc/BMW to be serviced, they'll soon know when they interrogate the car. The service history is also logged digitally and shown on a menu the driver can access, so you can't really take them anywhere else to be serviced, because you'll probably want to sell it one day.
………..

Independent garages that specialise in certain car brands can buy in to the same software that the main dealers use, so any online/in vehicle service history can be kept up to date. I think it was way back in 2010 when a ruling was made that stated that so long as an Indy used genuine parts when servicing a vehicle the warranty remained intact. Both of our Audi’s and the BMW have full online service history but neither of them have been anywhere near a main dealer, although both of the garages we take them to each specialise in these particular car brands.

. 


Exactly the same with my Range Rover, first two years serviced by a main dealership, since then all independent specialists but by putting its VIN number in to the LR website service  history is available.

[YZ250]

I'm sure there'll be an IT bod somewhere that'll be able to get around it

It can be 'got around' no doubt, but if you take it to Merc/BMW to be serviced, they'll soon know when they interrogate the car. The service history is also logged digitally and shown on a menu the driver can access, so you can't really take them anywhere else to be serviced, because you'll probably want to sell it one day.
………..

Independent garages that specialise in certain car brands can buy in to the same software that the main dealers use, so any online/in vehicle service history can be kept up to date. I think it was way back in 2010 when a ruling was made that stated that so long as an Indy used genuine parts when servicing a vehicle the warranty remained intact. Both of our Audi’s and the BMW have full online service history but neither of them have been anywhere near a main dealer, although both of the garages we take them to each specialise in these particular car brands.

. 


Exactly the same with my Range Rover, first two years serviced by a main dealership, since then all independent specialists but by putting its VIN number in to the LR website service  history is available.

Yep, as you say, they run the VIN as it follows the life of the vehicle. I, like you I believe, run a private plate, so history would be lost, but with the VIN it stays with it. 

[biggriffin]

Truck manufacturers have been doing similar for years, but in plan sight. 420/460/500/540hp same engine different software.

[Rangie]

I'm sure there'll be an IT bod somewhere that'll be able to get around it

It can be 'got around' no doubt, but if you take it to Merc/BMW to be serviced, they'll soon know when they interrogate the car. The service history is also logged digitally and shown on a menu the driver can access, so you can't really take them anywhere else to be serviced, because you'll probably want to sell it one day.
………..

Independent garages that specialise in certain car brands can buy in to the same software that the main dealers use, so any online/in vehicle service history can be kept up to date. I think it was way back in 2010 when a ruling was made that stated that so long as an Indy used genuine parts when servicing a vehicle the warranty remained intact. Both of our Audi’s and the BMW have full online service history but neither of them have been anywhere near a main dealer, although both of the garages we take them to each specialise in these particular car brands.

. 


Exactly the same with my Range Rover, first two years serviced by a main dealership, since then all independent specialists but by putting its VIN number in to the LR website service  history is available.

Yep, as you say, they run the VIN as it follows the life of the vehicle. I, like you I believe, run a private plate, so history would be lost, but with the VIN it stays with it. 

. 


Yes indeed had cherished plates on all our vehicles since 1987 recently sold one I had on retention certificate for triple what I paid for it, so SWMBO has booked a cruise on the strength of that little deal !