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

 

[Busa Dave]

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.

 

[MrScottly]

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.

Why am I thinking it probably never occurs to you to check the rearview mirror before you change lanes, either?

 

[Waterdog]

I was given 3 years of service with my truck. That did not include the Wi-Fi feature. I took advantage of OnStar when they offered the Wi-Fi service for free to FL residents in storm damaged areas for 30 days. I would never pay for that service. It is AT&T and it sucks. Super slow. Much rather use my phone. That said my truck connects to my home WiFi and downloads offline maps without me having to ever think about it and the system mostly works fine for me.

 

[MrScottly]

Ok..(sipping tea, pinky out)....Myyyyy Silverado 2500 ZR2 comes with 8 (eight) years of OnStar Essentials so IIIIIIIIIIII don't have any worries about my Google Nav not working....And unlike those peons below me in those old '24 trucks, I won't have to rely on myyyyyyyy phone to down load maps, so....You little people have fun with that old junk you drive. And might I suggest an upgrade to a newer truck, and maybe a nice merlot

 

[ZR2BIZON]

Ok..(sipping tea, pinky out)....Myyyyy Silverado 2500 ZR2 comes with 8 (eight) years of OnStar Essentials so IIIIIIIIIIII don't have any worries about my Google Nav not working....And unlike those peons below me in those old '24 trucks, I won't have to rely on myyyyyyyy phone to down load maps, so....You little people have fun with that old junk you drive. And might I suggest an upgrade to a newer truck, and maybe a nice merlot

It appears as though your tea was laced with LSD ol' chap.

 

[mack23]

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.

I just feel like what good is a 13" screen when I have to use the smaller carplay screen. The native GPS always work much better. My Mercedes and the Escalade's native GPS work way faster and better.

 

[RCF71]

I just feel like what good is a 13" screen when I have to use the smaller carplay screen. The native GPS always work much better. My Mercedes and the Escalade's native GPS work way faster and better.

I’ll pass on the native, never personally had an anything that was better than google or apple maps on my phone (include ford, gmc, chevy, infiniti, …). No Mercedes or Escalades here though. I just hate paying for crap I ain’t gonna use myself.

I use just the maps on carplay, and then put my music on the portion to the right. Works great imho. If you don’t like our setup, you would absolutely hate the “upgraded cost/downgraded function” screen in my wife’s explorer st. Talk about sucking, its horrendous!

Also, I would use 2 tin cans and a string before sending AT&T an f’ing penny… long story behind that (I won, but not without a fight).

 

[amateurhour]

In just a few years GM will not integrate with carplay/AA at all so all that will be available is the native system. They seem to have gotten the radio glitches to be pretty consistent so they figure they’re ready for prime time. Naturally it’s all going to be subscription based but they won’t support anything else what can you do? I’m sure it will all work great and there won’t be any problems.

 

[ZR2BIZON]

In just a few years GM will not integrate with carplay/AA at all so all that will be available is the native system. They seem to have gotten the radio glitches to be pretty consistent so they figure they’re ready for prime time. Naturally it’s all going to be subscription based but they won’t support anything else what can you do? I’m sure it will all work great and there won’t be any problems.

I just wish the brought back the Pontiac Aztek

 

[TexOffroader]

I just wish the brought back the Pontiac Aztek

Then might as well bring back this futuristic errand runner. I bet the radio didn’t cut out due to that stuff they called AM/FM.

 

[MrScottly]

Poor Old Nutjob Thinks It's A Cadillac

 

[Waterdog]

I think they will lose a shit ton of buyers if they abandon CarPlay. The native shit sucks and google just keeps getting better. No way GM or any other car maker can compete with apple or google in the tech space. Car makers should focus on building reliable cars and let tech companies do tech.