[bluecrabby]

How much does Digital Key subscription cost after the 1st free year?

If you don't want to continue use it after the 1st year, do you have to cancel it to avoid being charged automatically?

Thanks!

[FlashMonkey929]

Originally Posted by bluecrabby

How much does Digital Key subscription cost after the 1st free year?

If you don't want to continue use it after the 1st year, do you have to cancel it to avoid being charged automatically?

Thanks!

I don't think there's a charge associated with it if your car came with the feature.

[bluecrabby]

Originally Posted by FlashMonkey929

I don't think there's a charge associated with it if your car came with the feature.

That's what I thought... if the car came with it, it should work forever?

the salesman was showing me how the credit card size card in the X1 worked.... he told me that the feature is only available free of charge during the first year... it didn't really register in my mind until I was looking up how much additional key cards would cost.

then I saw this article, which said:

"IS BMW DIGITAL KEY FREE?
Yes, it is free for the first year of usage. After the first year, if you want to keep the feature of Digital Key For5, you’ll be charged $88 annually."

https://www.bimmer-tech.net/blog/ite...r%20of%20usage.

Unless that's wrong or outdated info?

[thenew3]

Originally Posted by bluecrabby

That's what I thought... if the car came with it, it should work forever?

the salesman was showing me how the credit card size card in the X1 worked.... he told me that the feature is only available free of charge during the first year... it didn't really register in my mind until I was looking up how much additional key cards would cost.

then I saw this article, which said:

"IS BMW DIGITAL KEY FREE?
Yes, it is free for the first year of usage. After the first year, if you want to keep the feature of Digital Key For5, you’ll be charged $88 annually."

https://www.bimmer-tech.net/blog/ite...r%20of%20usage.

Unless that's wrong or outdated info?

Are you talking about the physical credit card sized key, or the use your phone as key "digital key" feature? They are two different things.
The physical credit card sized "Digital key" comes standard with the car and is free forever.
The phone as key was free on idrive 7 vehicles for first 4 years, then after that it's about $150/yr but that's part of the connected pro, I think you can get it individually through the bmw store for less than that if you don't want the other features included in connected drive pro.
Not sure how it's changed for the idrive 8 based cars like the X1.

[bluecrabby]

Originally Posted by thenew3

Are you talking about the physical credit card sized key, or the use your phone as key "digital key" feature? They are two different things.
The physical credit card sized "Digital key" comes standard with the car and is free forever.
The phone as key was free on idrive 7 vehicles for first 4 years, then after that it's about $150/yr but that's part of the connected pro, I think you can get it individually through the bmw store for less than that if you don't want the other features included in connected drive pro.
Not sure how it's changed for the idrive 8 based cars like the X1.

the phone as key will cost $150/year after the first few free years? $150???? where do I report this highway robbery?

[thenew3]

Originally Posted by bluecrabby

the phone as key will cost $150/year after the first few free years? $150???? where do I report this highway robbery?

$150 was for the whole package, not just the digital phone key, there is a list of things it includes. (for idrive 7, not sure if it's same for idrive 8).
They also have option for individual options for less.

[FlashMonkey929]

If using the phone as a key, it would need a way to communicate with the car to use remote start, locking, and unlocking from a distance, which is Connected Drive and I think requires a subscription (that's free for the first few years). But I think with Digital Key Plus with the ultra Wideband chip, the phone should still work for proximity unlocking and starting the car, and the key card should work regardless of subscription status. With the ultra Wideband chip, it communicates directly with the phone instead of relaying through cell towers, so it would be pretty crappy of BMW to gatekeeper that feature behind a paywall.

[Speedbird71]

Originally Posted by FlashMonkey929

If using the phone as a key, it would need a way to communicate with the car to use remote start, locking, and unlocking from a distance, which is Connected Drive and I think requires a subscription (that's free for the first few years). But I think with Digital Key Plus with the ultra Wideband chip, the phone should still work for proximity unlocking and starting the car, and the key card should work regardless of subscription status. With the ultra Wideband chip, it communicates directly with the phone instead of relaying through cell towers, so it would be pretty crappy of BMW to gatekeeper that feature behind a paywall.

I get the feeling these decisions are not technically driven, they are business driven. An alternative business path would have the second owner pay BMW for digital features again. That seems less unreasonable tho less predictable

[Speedbird71]

And on this topic....

https://www.autoblog.com/2022/11/21/...-for-features/

[bluecrabby]

Originally Posted by Speedbird71

I get the feeling these decisions are not technically driven, they are business driven. An alternative business path would have the second owner pay BMW for digital features again. That seems less unreasonable tho less predictable

perhaps BMW installs 2 turbos in the little in-line 4-cylinder engine, but only 1 is active.... a few months down the road, you feel that your X1 is too slow... go to the screen and add the 2nd turbo subscription for $1500 or $99 per month. Restart the car the the 2nd turbo is now active and you get 50 extra horsepower which slashes the 0-60mph time down to 5 seconds flat.

they already do that for the X1's seat heaters, as all seats come with the seat heating elements built-in... once you but the subscription, you get to heat up your rear end when you drive.

[Speedbird71]

Originally Posted by bluecrabby

perhaps BMW installs 2 turbos in the little in-line 4-cylinder engine, but only 1 is active.... a few months down the road, you feel that your X1 is too slow... go to the screen and add the 2nd turbo subscription for $1500 or $99 per month. Restart the car the the 2nd turbo is now active and you get 50 extra horsepower which slashes the 0-60mph time down to 5 seconds flat.

they already do that for the X1's seat heaters, as all seats come with the seat heating elements built-in... once you but the subscription, you get to heat up your rear end when you drive.

Iksnay on the ideanays. They may be reading this.

On the other hand, charging a monthly fee to make ones car go faster, faster, isn’t an original thought…