BMW car buyers are furious over the luxury car maker’s plans to charge a monthly subscription for features such as heated seats and cruise control.
Those features are standard in Mercedes Benz and other luxury cars. However, BMW is turning to subscription plans to make more revenue.
BMW buyers will have to pay a monthly fee of $18 to unlock heated seats in their new cars.
One car buyer calls the subscription plan “microtransaction hell.”
BMW began offering heated seats as a monthly subscription in markets like the UK, Germany, and South Korea in 2020.
BMW says subscription-based services currently available in the U.S. include Drive Recorder and a remote start feature, as well as high beam switching and cruise control.
Twitter reacted with outrage to BMW’s subscription plan.
BMW is going to be charging a subscription for heated car seats.
how long until you need a subscription to turn the engine on? or turn the headlights on? AFTER you've paid for the vehicle.— Human V6.2.1r4 (@x_interupt) July 18, 2022
@BMW @bmwindia @BMWUSA @BMW_UK @BMW_SA What the hell is your problem? Who charges subscription fees to unlock built in features of a car you already charge thousands of dollars for, and most other cars come standard with… #boycott this trash. Talk about agressive monetization.
— CDNSnowDay (@PSsSyChOoSiS) July 18, 2022
Damn @BMW…. Bold move with the seat warmer subscription. Not a choice I would have made
— Michelle Staton Art (@MichelleAStaton) July 18, 2022
trying to drive my BMW home before the seat belt subscription expires pic.twitter.com/ANnezeewzb
— Niall (@NiallDu63393476) July 13, 2022
