Not really. I'd say that if anyone thought it'd be a good idea to move to charging subscriptions for hardware features, BMW would be the one to try.
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The Car Thread ... !
- Thread starter D.T.
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I'm definitely not since I don't plan to buy a[nother] BMW anytime soon
Good point on the lease! (at least in terms of cost)
Sounds like Adobe of the car world.
I hate paying a fee to use something I already have! Greed.
But it's not cheaper on a lease.
Assuming a 3 year lease with a 60% residual, and paying sticker price for the car (god help you if you do), the most you currently pay is $120 (40% of $300). But now on a three year lease with the first year free, you'll still pay $160.
I'm not saying it's cheaper than it was, I'm saying it's cheaper than the $300 option when you buy.
I really am waiting to see what Toyota does with the new RAV4 due later this year. The circa 200 bhp I-4 engine with eight-speed automatic from the current Camry will likely be the only engine choice; there's a chance we may see a more radical body design change, too. And unlike current RAV4's with the Entune infotainment system, I expect the new RAV4 to support at least Apple CarPlay
Whinging aside, yeah, I'm seeing/theorizing that, too. That 4 cyl. in the Camry is getting solid reviews so far, and people over at CL who've bought a Camry have stated the driving dynamics are really good for a Camry. It would be nice if Toyota and Honda brought over their diesel 4s for the Rav-4 and the CR-V. Fat chance after the scandal, but maybe this bird brain administration can relax the rules.
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vs.
- RGB
rgb(0, 66, 37)
- RGBA
rgba(0, 66, 37, 1.0)
- RYB
red: 0%, yellow: 16.5848%, blue: 25.8824%
- Hex
#004225
- RGB
rgb(0, 56, 38)
- RGBA
rgba(0, 56, 38, 1.0)
- RYB
red: 0%, yellow: 13.083%, blue: 21.9608%
- Hex
#003826
Isn't it pretty much census that BRG is also not metallic?
This reminds me of the old debates of pink vs red vs magenta vs telemagenta regarding Walmart sourced aftermarket gear shifters and pedal covers in Daewoos.
Hahaha, the font size/color was a nice touch
Related note: I'm not _that_ fussy with my car/house/stuff, but good grief, I can't believe the photos some people post - a guy just posted something from the interior and the car was a goddam wreck. Really? You couldn't at least wipe of the dust/grunge?
I do a detail every 9 months, but yeah, just keep it clean in the meantime.Hahaha, the font size/color was a nice touch
Related note: I'm not _that_ fussy with my car/house/stuff, but good grief, I can't believe the photos some people post - a guy just posted something from the interior and the car was a goddam wreck. Really? You couldn't at least wipe of the dust/grunge?
I can't imagine that thing is still running.
Speaking of still running - does the A4 look like a Jetta? I don't see it.
The Jetta? Nah, not really. Maybe a tiny bit of the rear lights, but that's it. The current Jetta's design language comes from the mid 2000s refresh. The current Jetta is toned down from that atrocity on mankind. The 2019 Jetta coming soon has some Audi influence, but it's minimal. It's a conservative approach. The A4 simply has more aggressive styling where it needs to, sharp creases, way better interior, etc. The only similarity I see is the rear lights, but even those aren't the same.
Plus, the new Jetta will only be getting a small motor initially or it's the only motor. The 1.4 turbo may be a hard sell given its performance numbers, but I think it'll sell well in congested areas where you don't need a lot of power, but also want some refinement without paying through the nose, and decent MPG.
Overall, I'd say the Passat is closer to a base, stripped out Audi, but it still has evolutionary cues from the VW lineup. I think the new Passat will garner a lot of attention alongside the Arteon which are finally coming over in the latter half of this year. They've been available in Europe for a while now. If the German marques can keep upping their reliability each year, it may offer a new marker for lower trims to compete against the Japanese.
It's dual benefit, IMO. MBZ, BMW, VAG, et al. offering cheap entry models or cheaper vehicles on the more affordable spectrum allow them to fund their other projects for their higher end vehicles. There's always going to be cries of brand dilution.
Edit: Forgot to mention, I saw a black Bentayga in the wild on Saturday. Not bad looking.
Plus, the new Jetta will only be getting a small motor initially or it's the only motor. The 1.4 turbo may be a hard sell given its performance numbers, but I think it'll sell well in congested areas where you don't need a lot of power, but also want some refinement without paying through the nose, and decent MPG.
Overall, I'd say the Passat is closer to a base, stripped out Audi, but it still has evolutionary cues from the VW lineup. I think the new Passat will garner a lot of attention alongside the Arteon which are finally coming over in the latter half of this year. They've been available in Europe for a while now. If the German marques can keep upping their reliability each year, it may offer a new marker for lower trims to compete against the Japanese.
It's dual benefit, IMO. MBZ, BMW, VAG, et al. offering cheap entry models or cheaper vehicles on the more affordable spectrum allow them to fund their other projects for their higher end vehicles. There's always going to be cries of brand dilution.
Edit: Forgot to mention, I saw a black Bentayga in the wild on Saturday. Not bad looking.
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Yep, the new A25A-FKS engine rated at just over 200 bhp is already getting a lot a good plaudits, probably one of the best engines of its type in the world. As such, the new RAV4 due later this year will likely get this engine, at least for the North American market.
Is the paired transmission new or is it a modified Aisin of what they put in the IS200t and the NX whatever it was?
I follow some notable current car enthusiasts on various auto websites and YouTube, and they all make the same point, is that CarPlay and android auto is really becoming a primary where consumers are looking for this option in a vehicle today. Three years ago, no one really cared, but today, once you have experience with CarPlay, it really does make a significant difference when interacting with the user interface paired With the iPhone.
Uconnect, Sync, Mylink, ect all have improved, but for me, CarPlay is an advantage moving forward with how integrated we are with our phones and factoring the actual time spent on the road. It can be frustrating with systems like Entune that have the same reported problems that users/buyers are well aware of when considering a car purchase.
One of the main drivers for us outside of just generally preference (I've been running CP since Dec '16), is +consistency+ across cars with different OEM A/V setups, so it's a little bit of that "ecosystem" play.
Yes. Consistency is a great thing to have in a moving vehicle.
We’ve long ago arrived at consistency in the general operational controls — gas is always the pedal on the right, then brake and clutch to the left — and most HVAC and radio controls aren’t too difficult to figure out (red is hot, blue is cold, etc).
But when something like the navigation UI can be made simple and familiar, it helps avoid the annoyances that come with learning new stuff.
My car came with a Garmin nav system, and my god, it’s a cluttered, ugly mess. It’s a great demonstration of how so many onscreen elements can convey so little useful information. It won’t even stay on a wide-overhead view with traffic indicators like CarPlay’s Maps can.
CarPlay has become a must-have for me and my wife. If the car doesn’t come with it, I should be able to add it via an aftermarket head unit (which is exactly what I would’ve done if I had bought a lower trim of my current car). If I would lose too many functions, like HVAC controls or the rear view camera, by swapping head units, then I’ll pick a different car.
Yeah, you know, I was about ready to install an aftermarket CP unit since the T4R is a little older and has a head unit that doesn't include any car functions - though we're on deck to just replace it outright at this point - one shopping factor being CarPlay! FWIW, we're looking at the '18 Grand Cherokee which has CP across that model line! (nice 8.4" display to boot).
I'm hoping for a more open dev mechanism for CP in the future, like ATV3 to 4/4K, maybe not a whole "App Store", and I realize there's an extra level of consideration for car electronics (safety, integration, etc.), but just a _little_ bit more would be great.
My 2015 Golf doesn't have CarPlay. In theory you can upgrade the head unit to the 2016 model which does. But it's a pretty full on DIY job.
But with parking sensors, reversing camera, car information etc, it sounds like a lot could go wrong.
But with parking sensors, reversing camera, car information etc, it sounds like a lot could go wrong.