Do. Not. Subscribe. To. Things.
this post was submitted on 17 Aug 2025
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The best I can do is subscribe to all of them
As much as we should hate Tesla, in 2019, they increased the Model 3’s power FOR FREE. I was at 5.2 seconds 0-60, and that was a free update to 4.9s 0-60. I didn’t even have the AWD or performance model. They figured out how to make the motors better and just gave it to everyone. Why isn’t VW doing the same? Fucking greed.
VW are worse. They are handicapping features of the car unless you pay the extortion.
I already hate how much tech is in my 2020 model. I'm going to drive the thing into the ground.
Y'all know you can buy VAGCOM software and interface and bypass everything VW throttles in a VW right?
It's amazing for VWs you actually own too
So: time for a reassertion of right of first sale for cars, along with right to repair.
If buying isn't owning then stealing a car isn't actually stealing
I'm not sure that's how that works
Well, it wouldn't be stealing from the person driving it. It would be stealing from the ruling class which is way more moral.
While I hate subscription models, this essentially is a tax on poor fuel consumptions. I like that.
Next we need a frequent driver and frequent flyer tax too
It's on EV cars and while slower acceleration is somewhat more energy efficient, it's not as pronounced. Also this is probably not a huge delta.
How is it a tax if you're lining a corporate pocket? Or is there some government involvement with taking that money to use it for something?
While I support using less fossil fuels, this is a terrible way to do it. We should not welcome things that require us to pay a subscription to continue using physical goods we paid for and own.
The company that lied to its customers about fuel immissions and did it for years is going to screw us again with this. Fawk VW and its Nazi engineering!
While I don't care for VW, I think it is a bit much to call them Nazi. That world has been watered down way to much already and should be used when it makes sense. VW can be a shitty company without being Nazi.
It was founded by the German Labor Front, a literal Nazi organization, in 1937. Now, it's been a long time since WWII, and I'm sure their corporate culture has changed significantly, but calling them a Nazi company is accurate. More accurate to say they're a company with Nazi roots, to be sure.
Being historically tied to Nazis doesn't mean much in 2025
By that logic Germany is fully Nazis and should be avoided at all costs
it's somewhat overdramatic to call VW of today a Nazi company, but not completely baseless.
They originated as the people's car - it's what Volkswagen literally means. The original beetle was the result of the Nazi government's requirement for a German-built car that was accessible to the people i.e. white, German people.
A brand that repeatedly ensures that I will never buy from them.
I hope companies eventually figure out people just aren't that stupid. Also, I really hope that people aren't that stupid.
On a positive note, this could be the push that America needs to get serious about mass transit.
Narrator: it wasn't.
I should have included a /s.
It's £165/yr for 27 more hp.......27hp. Jesus fuck is that insulting.
Even more so when you understand the car already has it... so they take it away just to make you pay for it
What's more egregious about this to me is that you're required to maintain the subscription for what amounts to a one time firmware change.
ECU tuning isn't something that's going to need constant improvements and updates like your typical software product where companies can somewhat justify continued development costs. The engine and transmission are what they are from the factory and unless VW is going to send you a bigger turbo or other performance part, your tune shouldn't need to change past the initial improvement from stock.
Exactly..
Every car has more HP than you get. Cars are tuned to be as reliable as possible in every condition with a variety of fuel qualities. That is why you see test vehicles on the road, they are gathering data to refine the engine tuning.
That is why you can tune as car and get more HP or even to make them more efficient without changing a single part.
But a subscription? That's more akin to saying we'll send someone to de-tune the car you've had tuned unless you pay us protection money monthly.
Its also available as a one time lifetime payment.
I had a Volvo V70 that I could get an extra 30hp for $2000 through the factory supported polestar tune... I decided not to because I couldnt try before I bought. If I could have bought it for a month then decided I probably would have.
The Lemmy community is outraged by this, car enthusiasts just see this as business as usual.
Not only that but recent lineups from a lot of manufacturers have 95% of the same power train including essential parts, and loads of different models with different tunes. The lowest trim BMW 1 series from a few years ago can be tuned to 200 HP without any mods… it's illegal in a lot of places, it doesn't stop people.
Yes, but in this instance are they just changing the tuning of the car or did they litterally just make your car worse to charge you for it? And call it an upgrade?
Edit: this sounds like they want to charge you for sport mode... which is basically on all newer cars... either way its pretty trashy move
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Friendly reminder. VW was founded by the nazis as a nazi car.
One of few good ideas that the Nazis had, though. Take away the exclusionist policies, and what you're left with is socialism
Own nothing, pay everything. This bs subscription models for everything need to die. And people who thought about them along with them.
"Historically many petrol and diesel vehicles have been offered with engines of the same size, but with the possibility of choosing one with more potency," they said.
Lol yeah, with ECU tuning from a third party, you assholes just had a board meeting and realized you could turn it into a subscription and then all came on the table and licked it up
Aarrrr matey, I'm sure a good pirate will be able to fix your engine troubles...
Honestly, I wish. The car hacking community is almost nonexistent, and doing it voids your warranty. I'm just hoping it picks up as warranties expire due to time/milage.
When I bought my car one of the first brands I decided against was Mercedes due to their subscription model for their electric car.
VW going for subscription is a surefire way to give Chinese car manufacturers an even bigger part of the market. So, so short sighted
I already decided I'm going to buy BYD. It's the best electric car out there.
I would say that excludes them from my future purchases, but honestly, I'm hoping never to buy a car again. Public transit and bicycling are far cheaper, less polluting, and more sustainable (especially in population centers). Maybe I'll spend a little of the money I save on an occasional day rental if needed.
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