markcincinnati

I received an email telling me that my 6-months free trial of Audi Prime and Audi Connect were about to expire.

The way I read it, Audi Prime is required to get/have/use Audi Connect. I interpreted this to mean that you could subscribe to Audi Prime if you really didn't want to offer a WiFi hotspot in your car. When my wife and I go anyplace together we take the SQ5 most (90%) of the time, I don't see any need for Audi Connect in my S4, therefore. But, when I called to extend my Audi Prime subscription they told me I have NO CHOICE. I have to have both Prime + Connect @$33/mo (prepaid 6-months) or $27/mo (prepaid 18-months) with what would work out to be 1GB of data per month (average).

The dollars are not what the following is about -- THIS IS AN OUTRAGEOUS PRICE -- what this is about is VALUE. Now, if I could use this "phone" somehow as a phone, MAYBE. But, what I want are the features listed on the website under "PRIME" (see below). Audi Connect PLUS is a completely separate item on the email "invitation" I received (also copied below):

Audi connect PRIME

"Enjoy a dazzling array of enhanced infotainment and navigation services, including Google Earth™ and Google Street View™. With Audi connect PRIME, you can find an alternate route through traffic, stream Internet radio, find a parking spot—even help keep an eye on your vehicle when you’re not in it."

Audi connect PLUS

"Keep your Wi-FiŽ hotspot with a choice of monthly or extended data plans. Audi connect PLUS gives your passengers Internet access for up to eight compatible devices."

So, the reality is that you can't have one without the other.

Not happy. It is just these kind of things that puts customers off of a brand.

If you know of any way to unbundle these two "features" please let me know, let us all know.

+1

Here in OHIO, tinting is allowable to a "Maximum" darkness of 50%. I threw caution to the wind and went with Ceramic Tint @ 40%. Frankly, for purposes of HEAT, the darkness is immaterial. But for purposes of "sunglasses", darkness is what it is all about. Thankfully, 40% (meaning 60% light blockage), is exactly what I was looking for (thank god) and night-time visibility is seemingly unaffected. I know if I lived in Florida, Texas, Arizona or New Mexico, I might feel differently, but for pure functionality, 40% is the correct number (and since OHIO is so far behind the rest of the states -- mostly -- well, you get my drift)! What I didn't know is that the concerns with glass cleaning some folks have with non-ceramic tint, simply don't exist with the ceramic tint. Apparently, ammonia is the kiss of death for many tint applications; and, some full-service car washes are still using ammonia. $449 w/lifetime warranty: Whole-car -- excluding windshield which is an invitation to the Highway Patrol to pull you over. I went with "SolarGaurd" simply because they do the most Audis and Porsches for the dealers here in Cincinnati.

superswiss

That pricing is for Connect PRIME only. $199/6 month or $499/18 months. It's all here: https://www.audiusa.com/technology/i...e/audi-connect. Connect PRIME includes 6GB of total hotspot data, or at least it used to. Perhaps that's what they were saying. A separate Connect PLUS subscription is required if you need more than the allotted 6GB. Connect PLUS requires an active Connect PRIME subscription.

The prices are what they are. Mercedes charges similar pricing for their mbrace service. I believe mbrace is actually even more expensive. There is a market for connected vehicle services and this is what the market is currently willing to pay for these services in the premium segment. If not enough owners renew their subscription, Audi will be forced to lower the pricing.

It was nice in the B8 etc. that all we needed was a data subscription and the services themselves were free, however, that's no longer the case. The pricing is higher now, because you not only pay for the data, but also for the services.

mplsbrian

Metaphor time

Currently, Netflix offers three plans at $8, $10, and $12 a month. The $8 plan allows you to watch 1 screen at a time but doesn't include HD. The $10 plan includes HD and streaming to 2 screens at once.

If for example I want to pay a compromise $9 price to have HD but only to 1 screen at once, my only option is to call up Netflix Customer Service and ask. They are the only ones who can say yes (or no) and enable that on my account, as they control access to and prices for that content and how they bundle stuff is 100% up to them. It has nothing to do with my smart TV so I can't call Samsung and ask, and it isn't a hardware thing so I can't get out my soldering gun and code it into the TV somehow. It's totally up to Netflix to honor my request to un-bundle services (or not).

Currently, as superswiss said, Audi is bundling 6GB of hotspot data with the subscription whether you want it or not, just like I am forced to pay for 2-screen access in order to get HD netflix streaming. If you want some of the AudiConnect features for some of the cost, and you have already called up and asked and been told no by AudiConnect Customer Service, then I suspect you have found The Answer(tm). We can only hope that will change...I agree the price is exorbitant and includes a lot of stuff that doesn't make sense for this sports-focused compact sedan (but might for a Q7 that is hauling a family of wifi-hungry kids around on road trips).

One thing that people *have* figured out is how to route data connections for things like AudiConnect and Google Earth and the Wifi hotspot out through an external SIM. This is analogous to changing your ISP at home: it changes how you access services, but it doesn't give you the service too. However, if you do this, you will bypass the "bundled" 6GB of data that Audi "gives" you when you subscribe to AudiConnect -- so if you're going to subscribe to AudiConnect anyway, you may as well just use the plan they give you (at least for the first 6GB).

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a4-...di-a4-2908943/

As for your "+1," would love to see some pics of the tint. We have the same color combo and tint laws here in MN and I am considering tint myself. Maybe make a new thread for tint pics?

Spartan-S4

And this is part of the reason I didn't get the Nav/tech package because I knew they were bundled together & were required as a pair. Once the 6 months was up, they get you with more $$$ per year on features honestly I already have on my smart phone/data on the phone.

I'm kinda surprised that you didn't know this about the packages Mark considering how much research/number crunching/value for $$$ you put into everything else you post which is very informative.

I know I'm in the minority here (and this is ONLY my opinion), but I truly believe the Nav package (VC, 8.3 screen, Audi Prime/Audi Connect, Audi Nav) is one of the biggest waste of $$$ in a package you can get on a car. VC is set and forget. 8.3 vs 7.0 screen is difference is so minimal on something you barely look at. Nav can be done on your phone and most don't need nav majority of the time for their daily lives. Audi Connect/Prime requires more $$$ every year and I already have data in my phone/hotspot.

markcincinnati

Well, when I got the S4 (Prestige), it came with the 6-month, free-trial. The dealer told me that I could (as an AT&T subscriber already) "add" a second "phone" to my AT&T bill for "about $10/mo" and that would do what I needed. My wife and I, on our previous 2 Audi's (both 2014's) paid a combined TOTAL of $30 per month -- and we both had Audi Connect (which, granted had "no" data issues or charges, other than it was 3G).

Since I figured I'd cross that bridge when I came to it -- and my dealer had "thought" if all I wanted was what I copied from the email in my OP I could add a second line to my current line -- well (shame on me) "that's my research" done for me.

I think we'll use the service on the SQ5 but I'm a little dubious that we will use it "much" on the S4. Again, it isn't the "price" it's the value, which, as was accurately pointed out is "market" value -- and although I am part of the market, I'm just one customer. The Netflix analogy, too, is appropriate.

As they say, you can't take it with you -- but it is just galling that the charge is this much. I somewhat am thinking there was a tiny bit of a "switch" (I had already been baited via the 2014 S cars.)

Not too many years ago my company paid $1,800 per month for a single office (where there's a maximum of 7 people at once actually in the office) Internet connection (not including WiFi) from a local service provider. When we moved to a new office, we set up the office with not only WiFi but a business class WiFi LAN -- total cost (including going to cloud-based email) about $400/mo. My whole house 100MB WiFi is $79/mo. (not the same, I know) through Time Warner which includes a 'land-line' phone. It's just that "they" (Audi) tells you to "roll up your arm and bend over" -- well you get my drift -- and you do it. it's just aggravating.

superswiss

The whole connected car space is fairly new and with everything new, pricing usually starts high and you see early adopters first. Eventually, the pricing comes down over time as more and more people see the benefits. I use the Nav and Audi connect fairly regularly. I more and more use navigation even if I know the route, to get traffic alerts and get rerouted if there is an accident or something. Google Voice searches on the go are much more convenient than fumbling with the phone while driving and sending destinations to the car from the phone is also fairly useful. The system in the B9 also learns your typical routes (if turned on in the settings) and alerts you if there are any delays on your usual route. The remote car status feature in the B9 is also kinda useful to check if you locked the car and closed the windows if you don't quite remember, or check the oil level to see if you need to top it off before heading out. Value is personal I guess. I agree the current pricing is perhaps a bit steep, but in the larger picture of insurance, fuel cost etc. it doesn't move the needle much.

markcincinnati

A calming, rational voice have you, superswiss.

AndroidRobot

Th connect services aren't needed at all, hell if you don't care about the Google Earth view or whatever else why extend? Most of us have unlimited data plans, if you don't there are plenty of options for music/nav from your phone without using excess data. The VC is well worth it, and comes standard on any prestige trim. I personally love VC, it makes driving more interesting by allowing you to change what info you see whenever you want. The whole connected car option is nice, and I would pay to extend my services for that reason. It's better to know if your car is locked, or if someone (valet/dealer sevoc tech) is driving in a manner they shouldn't be. The S4 or and 'S' is a premium so what's an extra $500 for 18months on a $55k+ car? The extra money is really trivial. I spend about that much on gas every 1.5-2months. People can either embrace the future of technology or let it leave them behind. While the system is overpriced and buggy I'd rather not limit what my car can do for a few $.

Tim Pryor

Thanks for the info, this is what I was looking for and to be honest a bit shocking.
Coming from the older T-Mobile plan of $450 for 30 months, paying almost 2x what it was before is hard to swallow.
This is especially sad when you consider it doesn't include in-car Wi-Fi, which will make it 3x what I paid before.

I'm interested in seeing in a few months the hacks and workarounds for getting it running on another provider.

heisnuts

I completely agree with you on the value aspect when it comes to Audi Connect. I haven't seen any numbers, but I would bet the take rate for the service after the free trial is pretty low. I know I will not be renewing it at those prices when the trial expires.

I do, however, think the prestige package is well worth the money. The top view camera, HUD, and VC with navigation is very useful and the B&O sound system that comes with the prestige package sounds better than the base system. Yes, I know you can use Car Play to get maps on the phone on the display, but that requires hooking up the phone each time you get into the car. I like to look at the surrounding map when driving even when there is not a destination entered so that would mean plugging in the phone each and every time when starting off and then unplugging the phone every time I left the car.