Audi Connect - I think I might be done with Audis
 

We have a Q5 3.0T (2017) and an A5 SB (2018). My live traffic updates stopped working yesterday, so I called Audi about it. Their ridiculous plan involves either $200 for 6 months or $500 for 18 months (no other steps in between, no way to break out traffic.)

So all in for a 3 year lease we are looking at an extra $1K just for traffic updates. I don't know how anyone else finds this acceptable.

My wife's lease on the Q5 is up in a few months, have been cross shopping the X3 M40i and the SQ5 - the M40i drives with a little more engagement, has wireless CarPlay like the A6/Q8, and gives you traffic for years.

Am I missing something here, or am I going to have to switch two leases to BMW just to get live traffic on the car without paying a grand for each car after the fact?

How can any company think people are OK with this situation? Are you guys just living without traffic updates or using your phones? This seems like a dealbreaker to me in a $60K car.

If something is THAT important to you ("live traffic updates"), then I wouldn't think an extra $330 per year over three years would be a deal breaker.
I find it ironic how some folks with six-figure garages get hung up on relatively small amounts of money.
And didn't you know that Audi Connect has a trial/subscription arrangement before leasing?

What he said^. Pretty sure it was clearly spelled out on the contract you signed and initialed as a trial with an expiry. Connect your phone, and you get all the real time traffic you need from carplay or android auto. Don't want to do that or pay the $330, then it isn't that important of a problem.

Forget Audi Connect for traffic. CarPlay and Waze is currently a very good no-cost solution.

I don't mind paying for a service that the car manufacturer provides - I just don't want the car to become an after-sale profit center for the manufacturer.

If Audi succeeds in getting enough full-price participation in Audi Connect, it won't be long before everything is a "service":

• Air conditioning - why pay year round - Audi AC Subscription is free in the northern hemisphere from November to May. Other months are $50/month or the "summer package" price of $150 (August not included);
• On-demand Adaptive cruise control - $5/hour (or portion thereof)
• Horn Use - Try the buck-a-beep option or all the horn you can blare for $29/year (full year package comes with bonus decibels)
• this list could go on for pages...

Subscription for service is simply a way for manufacturers to lock-in a revenue stream (and increase profit) - this is NOT a car ownership experience that I'm willing to participate in - no matter how easily I can afford it.

1) My phone gives me all the traffic information I need for no extra cost
2) At the risk of piling on, I think the last sentence pretty much sums it up--if you find the car otherwise lacking in several different ways, this being one, then by all means get something else. If this is your primary complaint, given that a) you bought it knowing that this was the case, and b) there are other available no-cost options that do the same thing, there is a serious perspective issue here.

The cost of Audi connect is crazy. But I did know that going in. I would have kept my subscription if the damn navigation was any good. It would understand when I gave it an address, but when I gave it the name of a place, it rarely understood me. So I let mine expire and use android auto with google maps. Not sure why google maps can understand what I am saying, but Audi navigation does not.
But that being said, I get traffic alerts with google maps. I don't know if the 2017 Q5 had Android auto or Apple car play, but if it does, I would use that.

I love the navigation on my wife's 2017 BMW. I think all car companies should do what ever they do. They do have a subscription for extra services, but you don't need them as they give you enough free tools.

This is just the state of the auto industry now. My previous four cars have been Infinitis, and their cost is similar for inferior data features. But I agree with the other comments above. I knew in advance the cost of keeping those services after the six month trial, and I will pay. Could be worse... some manufacturers even charge a subscription to activate CarPlay.

Brilliant. Best thing I've read in a while, and sad too since it will likely be true to a certain level.

Since we read it first here, do you think that if we were to be early-adopters that we could be locked into a fixed lifetime price?? If yes, I would be willing at this time to sign on to bullet point 3 - the all-you-can-blare $29/year option. On those days that I don't have my hearing aids in, I would definitely need the bonus decibels.
And thanks for the heads up @StickyAK!!!!

Thanks, Sticky, for the lol's. You really got me with "August not included". Funny!