[The_Tok'Ra]

Hello,

Looking for your assistance please people. I've just bought a 2021 M340i Touring. The car has the Comfort Plus pack and Technology Plus pack as spec'd when the car was built. It was first registered 15 of March 2021 I think.

I've not got the car yet, I won't see it for a week or so yet, but I've been trying to figure out what I'd need to pay once the car is 3 years old so I could (hopefully continue to) have the following functionality:-

Use the idrive7 Spotify app
Use the idrive7 Amazon Alexa app


I have created a Connected Drive account, And downloaded the MyBMW app for my Android phone, but as I don't yet have the car I cannot add the car to my account as a pin code only visible on the idrive7 system is required.

From research here, it seems that BMW have been messing around a fair bit with the names of the Connected Drive packages and split some of them up so they can charge more (basically)

I think, from what I've read anyway, that when my subscription expires in March 2024 I'd need at least the Connected Booster package at £89 per annum.

Is that right? Or is it more complicated than that?


Thanks in advance!

[Pug2791]

My car is about the same age as yours. The package you would need is “connected package professional”. You may also need “map update package” if you want to keep the maps up to date. However, the app doesn’t say how much either of these packages are and I assume won’t until they are closer or at renewal (mine is august 24 for a march 21 registered car).

[gavinwong]

Originally Posted by The_Tok'Ra

Hello,

Looking for your assistance please people. I've just bought a 2021 M340i Touring. The car has the Comfort Plus pack and Technology Plus pack as spec'd when the car was built. It was first registered 15 of March 2021 I think.

I've not got the car yet, I won't see it for a week or so yet, but I've been trying to figure out what I'd need to pay once the car is 3 years old so I could (hopefully continue to) have the following functionality:-

Use the idrive7 Spotify app
Use the idrive7 Amazon Alexa app


I have created a Connected Drive account, And downloaded the MyBMW app for my Android phone, but as I don't yet have the car I cannot add the car to my account as a pin code only visible on the idrive7 system is required.

From research here, it seems that BMW have been messing around a fair bit with the names of the Connected Drive packages and split some of them up so they can charge more (basically)

I think, from what I've read anyway, that when my subscription expires in March 2024 I'd need at least the Connected Booster package at £89 per annum.

Is that right? Or is it more complicated than that?


Thanks in advance!

On the expiration, I just selected the connected booster. Was simple in the store via the my bmw app. Everything continues to work as is.if you want map updates and personal assistant, they are now charged separately.

[The_Tok'Ra]

Originally Posted by Pug2791

My car is about the same age as yours. The package you would need is “connected package professional”. You may also need “map update package” if you want to keep the maps up to date. However, the app doesn’t say how much either of these packages are and I assume won’t until they are closer or at renewal (mine is august 24 for a march 21 registered car).

Ah, OK thanks Pug2791 August 24.. is that because BMW offerd and extra 90 days to customers after covid caused delays in getting new cars out to buyers?

[Rhino at Work]

To use the Spotify that is built into I drive you need to have a Spotify premium account (£11 a month) which is purchased directly with Spotify. Once you have that you can log in through I drive.

HTH

[The_Tok'Ra]

Originally Posted by gavinwong

On the expiration, I just selected the connected booster. Was simple in the store via the my bmw app. Everything continues to work as is.if you want map updates and personal assistant, they are now charged separately.

OK thank you Gavin. Any idea how much personal assistant costs?

[The_Tok'Ra]

Originally Posted by Rhino at Work

To use the Spotify that is built into I drive you need to have a Spotify premium account (£11 a month) which is purchased directly with Spotify. Once you have that you can log in through I drive.

HTH

Thanks Rhino, I have a Premium Individual Spotify account. Currently it's £9.99 a month, but I think I did get a notification that the price was going up. So that and Connected Booster package?

[Tam the Bam]

Connected Booster XL for my 2019 car is showing at £89 for a one year subscription. This package is pretty comprehensive.

[The_Tok'Ra]

Originally Posted by Tam the Bam

Connected Booster XL for my 2019 car is showing at £89 for a one year subscription. This package is pretty comprehensive.

Thanks Tam, That looks like just what I'm looking for! Hopefully the same package will be available for my car when the renewal time comes around

[225]

Do you need it? I use Android auto for everything on mine.

[The_Tok'Ra]

Originally Posted by 225

Do you need it? I use Android auto for everything on mine.

I keep reading that Spotify sound quality is much better through the in-built app, that would really be my only reason. How do you find the audio quality? My car does have the HK sound package.

The Personal Assistant would be handy too TBH, but that's a nice to have, not a need to have for me. I have never used Android Auto, Does it connect to the car by Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or either? I assume that a phone does not need to be connected by USB, unless you need to charge it anyway!

[gavinwong]

Originally Posted by The_Tok'Ra

OK thank you Gavin. Any idea how much personal assistant costs?

Only know the euro price which is €119. I never used it when it was free, as i just googled what I needed, or asked siri instead of calling a bmw call centre

[gavinwong]

Originally Posted by 225

Do you need it? I use Android auto for everything on mine.

Pretty difficult to use some of the app features without it. I have the 330e, and use the pre-conditioning feature quite a lot. Can’t do that without the subscription.

[Pug2791]

Originally Posted by The_Tok'Ra

Ah, OK thanks Pug2791 August 24.. is that because BMW offerd and extra 90 days to customers after covid caused delays in getting new cars out to buyers?

I bought it from BMW at a year old. I believe it was a BMW owned car for the first year (probably given to a member of BMW staff) and so not sure if that is why it was more than 3 years on the packages. Chances are I won’t renew it as I use Apple CarPlay for pretty much everything including sat nav and music/audiobooks.

[xDrive320D]

Originally Posted by Pug2791

I bought it from BMW at a year old. I believe it was a BMW owned car for the first year (probably given to a member of BMW staff) and so not sure if that is why it was more than 3 years on the packages. Chances are I won’t renew it as I use Apple CarPlay for pretty much everything including sat nav and music/audiobooks.

I was told by the dealer my 9 month old car was an "EX BMW Car" turns out it was actually owned by Scott Group which just happen to own Thrifty rent a car! Oh and found a Thrifty sticker in the book pack a few weeks later... HIRE CAR in other words

Dealers lie!

I was looking at a couple to replace it and both I looked had had the same owner when I asked so seems quite a few ex hire cars get sold through dealers...

[The_Tok'Ra]

Certainly around here where I live, most if not all of the main dealers are struggling to find presentable cars to sell.

I have a work collegue who has a 2016 (F31?) 320d xdrive touring. Bought the car in Sept 2019. Since the middle of 2021 they've been contacting him once a month asking him if he'd be interested in selling his car back to them. He's been offered the same money he paid for the car even though at that time it was nearly 3 years older! Bonkers!!

I guess they are getting cars from wherever they can find them.

[RichardM]

Originally Posted by xDrive320D

I was told by the dealer my 9 month old car was an "EX BMW Car" turns out it was actually owned by Scott Group which just happen to own Thrifty rent a car! Oh and found a Thrifty sticker in the book pack a few weeks later... HIRE CAR in other words

Dealers lie!

I was looking at a couple to replace it and both I looked had had the same owner when I asked so seems quite a few ex hire cars get sold through dealers...

That's been my experience too. Short term lease/hire cars are often then sold on as ex-manufacture cars. I know as I had one for a few months on a short term lease and I then traced it to the dealer that sold it on and asked about it's history. They sad it was an ex-BMW car. I was genuinely interested in buying it but they either lied or had no idea about it's history.