Be prepared to pay Toyota to start your car with your key fob

[Lozzy]

These CaaS subscriptions have been really poorly executed by most car manufacturers. Part of it lies in the way the car was sold to customers ("look, it can do this!") without emphasising that it's actually a trial. And a big part of it's the cost - looking at you, Audi.

The only ones to do it well that I've seen are Volvo. It's always referred to as a Volvo On-Call Subscription and it's a fairly insignificant cost (£35 for a year, £60 for 2 years). For that you get a mobile app with car location, remote activation of horn/headlights, remote start, remote boot/car opening, scheduled preconditioning, driving journal, temperature, diagnostics and reminders of service etc. All of this via a data sim in the back that Volvo pay for, which easily justifies the cost imo.

Compare to Audi, where (at least on my wife's car) for about £120 a year you get Google Maps imaging and the ability to send a f**ng tweet.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

I would like to say I'd never pay for a subscription service for my car...but a quick thought and I do pay for Sirius XM/ Nav Traffic (which barely works right).

It actually makes more sense to pay for the app on my phone and use the phone for XM and Nav Traffic.

 

[grinninglibber]

Another reason why to never buy a Toyota

 

[gusticles41]

I've never had a car with remote start but can someone explain to me why you'd want your car to start without you in it?

It's a very appealing feature here in Wisconsin. Defrosts the windows and mirrors, turns on my seat and steering wheel warmers. I don't dread going to work on a 0 degree day so much.

But yeah, what an atrocious tactic. Get bent.

 

[Cal Jeffrey]

Really the only positive spin to this is that the trials are so long that most people will not even notice unless they buy the car used with the trial still active. Three years for the Audio Plus and 10 years for the Premium audio especially, is a long trial where subscriptions are concerned. I'm not defending Toyota, but just saying in a lot of cases, the original owner is not even going to notice he or she was on a subscription trial.

 

[Plutoisaplanet]

The only ones to do it well that I've seen are Volvo. It's always referred to as a Volvo On-Call Subscription and it's a fairly insignificant cost (£35 for a year, £60 for 2 years). For that you get a mobile app with car location, remote activation of horn/headlights, remote start, remote boot/car opening, scheduled preconditioning, driving journal, temperature, diagnostics and reminders of service etc. All of this via a data sim in the back that Volvo pay for, which easily justifies the cost imo.

All of this is free on every Tesla... But yeah that's a fair deal.

On Teslas, the connectivity feature you pay for is only cellular data access for in-car functionality, except talking through the car speaker/live camera view from the app which is not free. You also don't have to pay a subscription for Autopilot, voice commands (since Tesla uses natural language), and traffic-based routing.

Even then, as long as you have WiFi you can use basically every connectivity feature except traffic/satellite visualizations. So in the end, you have the option to pay for music streaming, karaoke, video streaming, Internet browsing, and traffic/satellite visualizations. It's not terribly important, but if you're traveling with kids and supercharge somewhere, it's probably worth $10 for a month of access.

 

[Avro Arrow]

This is too funny to me because I've had my Veloster for 6½ years and Sirius/XM has worked on it since day one without me paying them a dime. I use it primarily for the comedy stations.

 

[toxicfiend]

Its like EA bought Toyota and implemented this idea.

 

[captaincranky]

Also, the doors still remain locked and even at that you have to insert the key to be able to drive it. Or at least be close to it. My car is like that but with my truck I have to put in the key.

You understand that we peasants have long had a makeshift solution for this, two ignition keys on your fob, one detachable. Walk out, detach the key, start the car, and lock the doors behind you.

OK, so you can't start the car while you're sitting at your breakfast table. But like I said, it's use is relegated to we of the lower echelons of society, such as myself.

Besides, in your basic 6" snowstorm, you could leave the car "warm up", and still go out and still have to scrape the windows clean. Not to mention the fact it's a huge ticket to drive unless all the snow is off the vehicle

 

[Tinderbox]

Who needs this complication in their lives? I’m trying to reduce subscription junk. I’m also currently in the market for a new vehicle but Toyota is definitely off my list because of this.

 

[scavengerspc]

You understand that we peasants have long had a makeshift solution for this, two ignition keys on your fob, one detachable. Walk out, detach the key, start the car, and lock the doors behind you.

We also once used to get up and walk to the TV to change the channel. Those have remotes too. We used to have to get up and walk to the phone to answer it. Not to mention, if you wanted some basic information, or needed to research, you had to go to the library.

OK, so you can't start the car while you're sitting at your breakfast table. But like I said, it's use is relegated to we of the lower echelons of society, such as myself.

Honestly, my nephew is fixing up a 20-year-old Trans Am, that has a remote starter, as his pet project, and I'm not so sure how upper echelon you have to be to own one of those.

in your basic 6" snowstorm, you could leave the car "warm up", and still go out and still have to scrape the windows clean

But with the interior warmed up, you can clean off the show with a broom instead of a scraper.

 

[captaincranky]

We also once used to get up and walk to the TV to change the channel. Those have remotes too. We used to have to get up and walk to the phone to answer it. Not to mention, if you wanted some basic information, or needed to research, you had to go to the library.

And some point you have to concede that maybe we've gotten way too complacent and soft with our creature comforts.

Honestly, my nephew is fixing up a 20-year-old Trans Am, that has a remote starter, as his pet project, and I'm not so sure how upper echelon you have to be to own one of those.

I saw the funniest thing, The Vietnamese kidz around the corner were putting a remote start into an old Honda "Civic". Well, they pushed the button, and the car crashed into the one in front of it. I guess either the stick shift Honda didn't have a neutral safety switch, or they managed to wire past it.
In any case, with the old Pontiac, be careful what you wish for. Although, when I think "old Trans Am", Images of 1979 and prior, like sugarplums, dance in my head. (You know "Rockford era").

 

[scavengerspc]

And some point you have to concede that maybe we've gotten way too complacent and soft with our creature comforts.

Oh hell, I absolutely do. But it's our world now, so my philosophy is if it makes things better and provides even a moment of relaxation, what the hell is the harm?

In any case, with the old Pontiac, be careful what you wish for. Although, when I think "old Trans Am", Images of 1979 and prior, like sugarplums, dance in my head. (You know "Rockford era").

Yeah, so true. To him, it's an old (2002) TA because he was 5 when it was new.
Context pisses me off sometimes.

 

[captaincranky]

But it's our world now, so my philosophy is if it makes things better and provides even a moment of relaxation, what the hell is the harm?

In this case, it would seem, a ten dollar a month bill from Toyota?

 

[Underdog]

The harm is a little by little move toward total obesity due to taking convenience way too far.

 

[tesmith47]

The scam is simply not notifying buyers that they will eventually have to pay for it... anyone who has satellite radio in their car is already paying a monthly fee... same with Onstar.... this isn't unique to Toyota...

What needs to happen is for car companies to be transparent with these things.

the big difference is that the radio/ search services are not needed to use the damn car!!!

 

[Squid Surprise]

the big difference is that the radio/ search services are not needed to use the damn car!!!

You don’t need the remote start to use the car either... it still starts just fine with you in the drivers seat.