Thanks cemerson. I have now changed my order to spec in Connect!
Audi Connect
- Thread starter RossR
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OP's final question relating to subscription cost didn't get answered, as far as I can see. Does anyone know whether there is a cost and, if so, what it is?
If the annual charge after the 3 year initial period is significant that needs to be taken into account in the decision whether even to bother buying it.
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illingworth22
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Also the iPhone App which lets you search and send to the car as well as internet radio, you tube/itube music also. Yes i'd miss it!
I have a 3 Ireland sim which costs 12 euro per month.... data roaming is also set to be lowered.
I have been assuming - seemingly wrongly - that Connect is Audi's version of BMW's ConnectedDrive for which there is a subscription after 3 years.
In the BMW camp there are a load of online features, including Real Time Traffic Information (RTTI), accessed through the car's SIM. After a few years you pay fairly heavily for them.
If I understand correctly the Audi approach with Connect is (since last MY) that you pay for your own data SIM in the car and then FOC Google features like Google Earth imagery, live traffic updates, parking information, Google search for destinations, etc are accessed without Audi being involved and so not charging.
I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm summarising things incorrectly or incompletely.
In the BMW camp there are a load of online features, including Real Time Traffic Information (RTTI), accessed through the car's SIM. After a few years you pay fairly heavily for them.
If I understand correctly the Audi approach with Connect is (since last MY) that you pay for your own data SIM in the car and then FOC Google features like Google Earth imagery, live traffic updates, parking information, Google search for destinations, etc are accessed without Audi being involved and so not charging.
I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm summarising things incorrectly or incompletely.
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illingworth22
Registered User
illingworth22
Registered User
All you have to do is register your car at the MyAudi web site! which in its self is quite cool..... well its a bit buggy and in its infant stages at the moment, but still good!
All freeeeeee with the exception of your data charges!
Not true. The licences for some things (text message dictation, online traffic) run out after 3 years. I have no idea what the renewal costs are.
Wish someone could come up with what the renewal cost is as I'm always drawn to new technology but don't like getting fleeced.
I can't believe everyone thinks Connect is wonderful and worth the money but hasn't a clue what the cost is after the license expires
Normally I'd simply say ask a dealer but I'd not hold my breath that they will know.
I can't believe everyone thinks Connect is wonderful and worth the money but hasn't a clue what the cost is after the license expires
Normally I'd simply say ask a dealer but I'd not hold my breath that they will know.
I don't have Connect
Also, if licences do expire and require renewal then there should really be information about this on the Audi site.
I'm surprised things like traffic info expire to be honest. The TMC system requires Audi to pay a licence fee to TrafficMaster but they've always done this without recourse to charging the customer.
I agree, and I wasn't even warned or told about this when I bought the car (though I did already know) which is pretty shocking on Audi's part. If the cost for Connect is £350 & includes 3 years' licence on this, then I expect the renewal costs to be much cheaper. If it isn't, or renewal isn't possible, I'll be pretty annoyed.
Yes, I agree. Seems underhand that Audi are not up front if there are on-going costs. Frankly, the Traffic Info is the primary feature I'm interested in - can live without dictating texts.
Searching other Audi forums doesn't seem to come up with an answer either. Seems that Nobody Knows just like QI
Searching other Audi forums doesn't seem to come up with an answer either. Seems that Nobody Knows just like QI
I suspect that like lot of technology these days you don't miss it until you try it and then you can't do without it. Been there so many times.
Well BMW seem to charge about £120 a year but that includes the data whereas with Audi you have to provide your own data plan. Even £10 a month is steep if you then have to provide your own data on top.
My car will be on a three year lease so doesn't affect me but agree that Audi have been a bit evasive or underhand with this.
My car will be on a three year lease so doesn't affect me but agree that Audi have been a bit evasive or underhand with this.
Well Audi UK finally got back to me yesterday after I had emailed an enquiry about the on-going cost of Connect after the initial 3 years.
Seems the answer from Germany is......they don't know. They cannot predict what features Connect will have in a few years and so cannot advise what it will cost.
Make of that what you will.
Seems the answer from Germany is......they don't know. They cannot predict what features Connect will have in a few years and so cannot advise what it will cost.
Make of that what you will.
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Hmmm, didn't know about the expiry at all. Not sure if they can get away with charging for it after 3 years as not mentioned in brochure and maybe someone can confirm if it's in the handbook or not?
I've spec'd connect as it's a awesome feature, google earth, street view, mobile apps, etc.
I've spec'd connect as it's a awesome feature, google earth, street view, mobile apps, etc.
I'm a bit of a Technophobe and had it on my last A3, but for me (cant speak for others of course) it was a total waste of money. So when I got my S3 I went for the SD card Sat Nav. I don't miss Technology pack nor Audi connect at all.
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Leaving aside the features of the Tech Pack and Connect the thing which swung it for me was the 800 x 400 pixel resolution of the 7" screen. I found the 400 x 200 resolution of the standard SD navigation to be very poor - like watching an old TV compared to HD. But then my background is imaging so it means a lot to me but I quite understand that it isn't important for others.
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This should be important to everyone looking at a A3 / S3. The standard screen should have never been fitted in the first place to any car.
And I find the standard screen to be fine... The standard SD nav does its job too no complaints for me - certainly not an extra £1000 worth (but I don't have an S3 where it might be expected for resale values). I'd rather have spent that on mag ride.
Yes the first was a 184 Diesel bought at the end of last year. The second is an S3 manual.
I'm sure that for many the Tech pack is great and very much appreciated, but not for me.
coddy85
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Don't forget streetview too! I love having the picture destinations on.
Was looking into this as I plan to keep my next car beyond 3 years.
I contacted Audi Customer services and in response to the question:
"Moving on to Connect, I've read the brochure and if I understand it correctly the 'licence' to use it runs out after three years, what costs can I expect after the third year?"
I got the response
"I can confirm that you do intially get a three year license but this is automatically extended free of charge after this period."
I contacted Audi Customer services and in response to the question:
"Moving on to Connect, I've read the brochure and if I understand it correctly the 'licence' to use it runs out after three years, what costs can I expect after the third year?"
I got the response
"I can confirm that you do intially get a three year license but this is automatically extended free of charge after this period."
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I'm no lawyer nor accountant but I suspect this may be a SOX requirement. If they said the connect services would be available forever then that would be an open ended liability. So they quite probably intend to provide it well beyond three years but they won't put that in writing.
I think it's done this way basically because most of Connect relies on third party services such as Google for the search and imagery and Inrix for the traffic data. Presumably they have to licence it for a set period due to agreements with these companies and, should these agreements change in the future, they may have to start charging or even disable features completely, hence why they can't warrant it working beyond the initial three year period.
I remember a similar issue with TMC many years ago (circa 2006 if memory serves) where most, if not all Audi models, were technically capable of TMC and it worked on the continent but not in the UK. That was down to Audi trying to negotiate a contract to allow its customers to use the data free of charge, which they eventually did.
I remember a similar issue with TMC many years ago (circa 2006 if memory serves) where most, if not all Audi models, were technically capable of TMC and it worked on the continent but not in the UK. That was down to Audi trying to negotiate a contract to allow its customers to use the data free of charge, which they eventually did.
Just in case they don't belive you the reference from customer service was:
AU-2015/01-015509
AU-2015/01-015509
Interesting! I was flicking through the Mark 3 TT brochure (April 2015 edition) at the weekend and came across this under the Tech Pack description:
The Audi Connect services are provided for at least one year from
vehicle delivery. After 24 months from delivery of the vehicle, the
term of the Audi Connect services will be extended free of charge
once for 12 months.
So I have a horrible feeling that we WILL be charged after the 3 year period is up - but what that figure will be is unknown. I also saw that Audi have re-introduced rSAP with Connect on the TT!
Audi Connect
An external data source is required to enable Audi Connect
online services. One of two can be used:
1. A mobile telephone with Bluetooth SIM Access Profile – to
check the compatibility of your mobile phone and whether
it has SIM Access Profile compatibility, please visit
www.audi.co.uk/phonecompatibility
2. A separate SIM card which can be inserted in the included SIM
card reader. When a separate SIM card is used, hands-free
phone calls are possible using the SIM card or by connecting
a different mobile telephone via Bluetooth Hands Free Profile
Bumping this thread, for the last few posts which people may be starting to find useful around now.
I have started getting warnings from my MMI about the licence expiring at the end of next month, so it's something I need to chase with Audi and confirm the details on.
I have started getting warnings from my MMI about the licence expiring at the end of next month, so it's something I need to chase with Audi and confirm the details on.
As for how I'm getting on with this... not too well. The text message dictation (and I think online traffic data) turned themselves off on Sept 1st and Audi have provided no way of renewing them at the moment. I've contacted Nottingham Audi twice, but their knowledge of their own products there is so poor that noone has a clue what I'm talking about, and they've promised to ring me back twice and failed. I've now emailed Audi customer services to try and work out what is going on, because I'm getting nowhere at the moment.
Might have finally got this resolved after nearly a month. Spoke to Audi UK Customer Services today and they are requesting that the licence is updated for another year. They were pretty helpful about it, but given it's free I have no idea why it doesn't auto-renew, and why there is no information on how to get it extended on (eg) My Audi, or even a courtesy email sent out with information.
As for trying to get Nottingham Audi to do it - utterly useless. Noone I spoke to had a clue what I was even talking about (extremely poor product knowledge, but they've been like that all along - even when I was ordering the car I knew far more about it than them), and they failed to ring me back twice after promising to. I'm probably going to go to another branch for my next car and see if they are any better because Nottingham have been not that great throughout the whole process to be honest. Anyone got any recommendations in the East Mids for good branches?
As for trying to get Nottingham Audi to do it - utterly useless. Noone I spoke to had a clue what I was even talking about (extremely poor product knowledge, but they've been like that all along - even when I was ordering the car I knew far more about it than them), and they failed to ring me back twice after promising to. I'm probably going to go to another branch for my next car and see if they are any better because Nottingham have been not that great throughout the whole process to be honest. Anyone got any recommendations in the East Mids for good branches?
Karen O'
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Dont know if im posting in the correct thread. Sorry if im not
My audi connect works fine eg. Fuel prices, google maps ect. But just wanted to know exactly what this is and why its saying i need to "top up to become sim owner" any help would be great
My audi connect works fine eg. Fuel prices, google maps ect. But just wanted to know exactly what this is and why its saying i need to "top up to become sim owner" any help would be great
