Well the interior parts quality and design aren’t comparable between luxury and mass market, but the luxury brands generally give you those even in the base models (at least with the C300). It’s the basic junk that every economy car comes with standard that they nickel and dime you on.
This was the point I made a few posts up. BMW and other luxury brands better wise up, Camry and Accord are creeping up in driving while luxury brands are dumbing down. Quality is probably higher in accord and reliability. Not to mention reliability and cost of ownership. Entry luxury buyers doesn’t have the income of high end model buyers. Plus shorter CPO warranties, shorter maintenance. All theses factors add up.
Luxury products make people irrational. There are certainly better made and more functional bags, watches, phones…cars, etc…than the luxury brands…but to the irrational primal brain, our need to flaunt and show off trumps all. Fortunately, the Lease Hackr brain has evolved to instead focus on value value value 
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BMW and MB still sell ~10,000 3s/4s and Cs every year despite this… I don’t think they’re too worried about their business model. 
I really don’t think people that would change their decision over being charged for a silly option are the target market for these vehicles.
That’s true, I will still buy the car, just without whatever option they want to charge supscription for. Wish I knew in advance how useless carplay is. I told my CA last min to switch to the car w/ carplay…
It won’t change their decision one bit. People decried the loss of MSD’s and they didn’t revert. It’s simply crazy that a person will spend $1,000K on a phone and then be hamstrung by a manufacturer who comes with hat in hand for more money so one of its key benefits can be used.
3 series sales have been declining for years. It’s not just the Apple Play option, it’s the other reasons I mentioned. Plus it’s getting pretty long in the tooth. We’ll see if the new model will pick up in sales numbers.
I wouldn’t consider A4, C, 3s models as luxury cars to be honest. They are premium for sure, but far from being a luxury in my opinion.
Also, I use Apple CarPlay every single day and I think it’s totally worth of $300 extra. I wish they provide it for free, but it’s ok to pay for convenience.
I agree, but those interior things aren’t cutting it anymore from a total value standpoint. I can live without double contrast stitching.
Lol yeah the nameplate really screws with the american middle class mind. Mercedes is a prime example.
Wow, way to nickel and dime, BMW…
I think this has been covered here before, nonetheless I find it very daft and stingy of them to charge for CarPlay.
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It was supposed to be $99/year, at least $80 isn’t as bad. CarPlay is a free service though, so it shouldn’t cost the customer a subscription fee.
What if I don’t have iPhone? Will they still charge me?
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I’d assume ‘subscription’ implies it’d be optional?
On the upside, BMW is the only brand to offer wireless CarPlay. All other brands require you to plug in the phone, lowering the chances you’ll use the system on a shorter trip.
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If you can factory order a lifetime subscription as part of the MSRP for $300.00, maybe it could residualize for $1.25 per month over a 36 month lease 
This is actually something worth paying for lol. I’m actually really happy to hear the technology exists. That means it’ll be standard for all vehicles in a matter of time. It is slightly annoying to have to plug in to use carplay every time.
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I have seen services that claim to put CarPlay in compatible bmws for much cheaper . Not sure how they do it though .
Software hack it sounds like.
It does annoy me that you have to Download an app to use it on bmw.
Like the ease of plug and play on other brands like FCA, GM’s that’s I have rented.