Should my vehicle be updated with Apple CarPlay?
QUESTION
Hi John,
Thanks for the great content you provide via your YouTube channel. It’s thoroughly entertaining and informative.
My wife and I purchased a BMW X3 M40i in 2019. We absolutely love the vehicle and the brand. Previous to this we had three Mercedes-Benz vehicles, as personally endorsed by Adolf himself.
Ben’s big Beemer came with Apply CarPlay in the US, the Fatherland and the UK, but not here.
At some point subsequent to our purchase, BMW decided to offer Apple Car Play as standard. This is a great move as it puts them in line with other brands who offer it at no cost.
I asked BMW if they would be prepared to allow me to have it free of charge, but they said no. I also followed up with the local dealership where I purchased the vehicle from. No luck there either.
Given the value I bring with my promotion of the brand amongst friends and anyone else who asks (and some who don’t) you would think that giving me the Apple Car Play would be a prudent move.
Perhaps I’m being unreasonable expecting BMW to provide me with Apple Car Play for free, or perhaps BMW were unreasonable for charging for it in the first place, when many other brands of far less expensive vehicles were offering it for no cost.
If you have any advice at how I might go about getting BMW to kick the tin so am to speak, or if there are any strings you could pull at your end with your contacts at BMW I would be most grateful.
Given the experience I had at Mercedes-Benz (no issues whatsoever) I would easily consider another Benz over a BMW next time around. So BMW are not on a sure thing with me.
Kind regards,
Ben
BUYING A LUXURY CAR? Here’s what I recommend
Protecting a dead industry: Luxury Car Tax & Import Duty >>
2021 Lexus RX Review and Buyer's Guide >>
2021 Lexus LC500 Review & Road Test >>
2021 Lexus LX570 S Review & Buyer’s Guide >>
2021 BMW M3 Competition Review & Buyer's Guide: Ultimate Sedan Supercar >>
2021 BMW 4 Series: Full Australian Review and Buyer's Guide >>
My AutoExpert AFFORDABLE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE PACKAGE
If you’re sick of paying through the neck for roadside assistance I’ve teamed up with 24/7 to offer AutoExpert readers nationwide roadside assistance from just $69 annually, plus there’s NO JOINING FEE
Full details here >>
ANSWER
Ben,
BMW pays Apple a licensing fee for the tech. It’s in a contract, and it doesn’t include retrospectively adding the tech to existing vehicles (the head unit in your car might not have appropriate hardware, either).
I get that other brands have it for free (welcome to prestige vehicle ownership, where you pay through the neck for everything that’s standard on a Kia…) however, not even the mainstream brands can retrofit Apple and Android integrations to vehicles that did not offer it ex-factory.
My advice: just live with it the way it is.
(Alternatively, investigate aftermarket options.)
I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but there’s nothing more you can do, frankly.
JC
MORE CONSUMER REPORTS AND RESPONSES
When should my car’s cabin filter be replaced? >>
How can I change my new car purchase after paying a deposit? >>
Should my Subaru dealer repair my car free under Consumer Law? >>
Is my faulty Honda a lemon? >>
How do I fight the manufacturer for a new engine under warranty? >>
Should Mercedes-Benz repair my SUV's headlight under consumer law? >>
LIVESTREAMS
Don't forget to join me for my 'Ask Me Anything' Q&A livestreams on YouTube (Sydney time).
Subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the bell icon to get an alert you every time I go live.
More reports
If you’re about to start your first novated lease, to take advantage of green car tax concessions for EVs and plug-in hybrids, then it's extremely important to get the price of your vehicle beneath the required threshold. Here’s how…