Angry at Cost of Connected Services

[mack23]

I bought the 2024 1500 ZR2. Dealership talked up all the tech and apps, google navigation. Never stated I had to pay for it. Didn't know I was on a trial until it ran out after 2 months. I thought the Google navigation was glitchy and actually froze even on trial. But now no apps are usable, the Google navigation is slow as hell, VOICE COMMAND even to make a bluetooth call won't work. Find out GM charges $40/month for "connected services" wifi access or $60/month connect services with Onstar. My mind is absolutely blown that on a $79,000 sticker truck GM has the audacity to charge customers another $480-720/annually to use ANY OF THE TECH in the vehicle.

I recently was in a Cybertruck (not my thing), but the tech in that vehicle is tenfold the ZR2 and they pay $99/year for hi-speed access and it's $80k - $7500 federal credit. So here I am in the same cost vehicle getting bilked as a consumer nearly 5x more than a Tesla and am paying it for a crappy Google nav platform, iheartradio, and Amazon Prime Music. This absolutely BLOWS MY MIND. We have a 2023 Cadillac Escalade (also a 2021 Mercedes GLE53 AMG SUV Coupe) and it never occurred to me that GM would charge me for tech. Escalade has a native GPS, as does the Mercedes, but to charge for GOOGLE which is on my phone, no way.

Please don't tell me to use Carplay. I didn't buy a vehicle with a 13" screen to use 6" of it with Carplay. I love my ZR2. I was so amped to get it. But the absolute slap in the face by GM with the cost of these connected services makes me hate their company and I 100% would have reconsidered this purchase.

 

[TexanZR2]

There are work arounds.
Make sure you’re signed into your google account and have all off-line maps downloaded. You can download them using the hotspot from your iPhone or the Wi-Fi from your house.

Create an automated shortcut in your iPhone that turns on hotspot every time CarPlay connects and turns off hotspot every time it disconnects.

The Google tablet that is your truck’s head unit should grab the hotspot 9 out of 10 times and allow all of the tech to work.

 

[amateurhour]

At least you can still use the seat heater without a subscription….

 

[DNZR2]

There are work arounds.
Make sure you’re signed into your google account and have all off-line maps downloaded. You can download them using the hotspot from your iPhone or the Wi-Fi from your house.

Create an automated shortcut in your iPhone that turns on hotspot every time CarPlay connects and turns off hotspot every time it disconnects.

The Google tablet that is your truck’s head unit should grab the hotspot 9 out of 10 times and allow all of the tech to work.

Sure but at the price we pay we shouldn’t have to come up with a “work around”.

 

[ZR2BIZON]

At least you can still use the seat heater without a subscription….

Take this shit down before Mary Borla sees it and we have to bundle heated and ventilated seats for 9.99 a month.

 

[RCF71]

I’d prefer they don’t put anything in the native system personally. Just gimme CarPlay and delete all that crap, as they will NEVER make it work as well as our phones.

 

[TexanZR2]

Sure but at the price we pay we shouldn’t have to come up with a “work around”.

I agree unequivocally.

I’m hoping that a jailbreak is eventually released for our truck’s head unit that allows people to run whatever apps they please. Or maybe even a replacement screen that allows you to utilize the entire display instead of the current crap set up