Porsche Connect Service Cost is $319 in the US

[Mr. 2021 Taycan]

Exactly where I am on this.

Porsche makes insanely great hardware but their marketing efforts alienate customers. They wrongly believe they have a mystique customers can't refuse.

I pay $60/yr for cell backup service to my alarm system, which means Porsche pays less to maintain a cell connection to the car (which uses very little bandwidth). Tesla charges $99/yr for more and better connected services.

Maybe Porsche will get the message when its time for me to get a new car.

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[Frankcan]

Newby question, this hasn't worked for me for months, it only began working for a while when I deleted and downloaded the app for what I assume is the new one. If I dont pay for this service, does it mean I can't monitor the tracker that I have paid for ??

 

[Tooney]

I'm going to live without Porsche Connect for a while and see if I can find 319 reasons to sign up again.

What do you think?

If you live without Porsche Connect, I hope you share you learnings.
From the page you posted:

Questions I have:

• If no Porsche Connect, is voice command service gone entirely, or just some commands?
• If no Porsche Connect, can the car be navigated to a charging site, recognize that it is a charging destination, and activate HV battery pre-conditioning enroute, or is that functionality gone, too?
• If no Porsche Connect, EA sites and the related stations available/total stations info shown on map will not be shown?

It may be possible to test this with PCM. In the Porsche Connect menus, I think there is long list of services and possibly the ability to switch them off.

I doubt that some owners deciding not to pay for Porsche Connect will have any effect on how Porsche prices the service in the future. They have embedded many desirable features of the car in a paid subscription model, which owners essentially buy into when they purchase the car.

 

[electricsidecar]

I haven't been able to test Electric Sidecar with an account that has no Porsche Connect service yet. If someone in this thread has not renewed but would be open to doing a quick install of Electric Sidecar, I'd love to know what works/doesn't work so that I make sure the app handles that case properly! https://electricsidecar.app/ to get the beta

 

[Mr. 2021 Taycan]

Thanks for the input.

All the services you mention are available on my phone and through wireless Apple Car Play.

After 5 days without Connect services I miss nothing. The one connection service I did routinely use was the pre-heat/pre-cool feature that will come into play when the weather in Florida heads back to the 80s and 90s. We'll see how much I care at that point.

It's not the money that bugs me. It's the continual arrogance of charging three times as much as the competition for everything.

 

[ciaranob]

Thanks for the input.

All the services you mention are available on my phone and through wireless Apple Car Play.

After 5 days without Connect services I miss nothing. The one connection service I did routinely use was the pre-heat/pre-cool feature that will come into play when the weather in Florida heads back to the 80s and 90s. We'll see how much I care at that point.

It's not the money that bugs me. It's the continual arrogance of charging three times as much as the competition for everything.

Just so I’m clear, as I’d expect, no issues running wireless CarPlay w/o Connect, right - only missing the “enhanced” integration with Porsche trip planning?

 

[Mr. 2021 Taycan]

Just so I’m clear, as I’d expect, no issues running wireless CarPlay w/o Connect, right - only missing the “enhanced” integration with Porsche trip planning?

I just tested with Porsche Connect disconnected and all Apple Wireless Carplay apps work, except for navigation and car control aspect of the Porsche Carplay App. Voice control defaults to Siri through Carplay. Navigation defaults to CarPlay. Apple Maps and various Carplay charging apps (EA, Plugshare, Charge Port) are available for navigation and charge planning.

Porsche maps and other data driven updates will not be available without Porshce Connect being active. I presume PCM updates will be available at the dealer but will have to see.

 

[alexsas]

I have been without this Porsche connect thing for a month, and as other said, I only miss the opportunity to remotely pre-heat the car. On the second place maybe to keep an eye on a charging process when at work.

Voice commands still work - but I have not got used to them. Charging planner is still planning, but does not know if chargers are busy (I have not had a situation where all stalls will have been occupied).

The conclusion for me is that its price is a rip off based on the relative car value rather than its genuine usefulness.

 

[Mr. 2021 Taycan]

I keep wondering why Porsche is supporting wireless Apple Carplay. I read that Porsche has committed to the next version of Carplay that further integrates all the cars displays and functions.

The answer may be that Porsche will start minimizing their software UI in favor of Carplay, and that they will make Carplay access a connected subscription where Apple gets a piece of the revenue. It may also be a hybrid where basic Carplay functions continue to be free based on a connection to your phone, but broader car display and features become part of a Carplay subscription.

As things stand today, living without Porsche Connect has no lost benefits, just the absence of a few non-critical features.

 

[Jasper4S]

I’m a software developer and understand the $300 bucks. Definitely will renew. Software isn’t free, although it feels like it because it can be toggled off when you don’t pay. App updates, PCM updates, servers, API development etc costs money. This car will last for a few years, so giving you the bill upfront for 10 years makes the car too expensive.

Remember, your iPhone’s value is Hardware wise around $300. The rest is marketing and software costs. You paid it upfront here, so you don’t feel it. But if they made the phone $500 and after 2 years $100 per year everyone would complain. Same goes for Porsche, but I’m glad my car costs “just” $150k and $300 per year after 3 year instead of a one time $165k

I do understand the reason to not upgrade if you don’t like the services or the app or the connectivity issues. But I do not understand the complains about the amount - especially since we drive $100k+ cars.

 

[Mr. 2021 Taycan]

I am not complaining about the price so much as trying to understand the value proposition of Connect services. So far, $319/year + tax doesn't make my value proposition threshold.

 

[PNWTaycan4S]

Porsche’s revenue model. Here’s the surprise notice my sister received today for her Macan:

Navigation & Infotainment Package

Services: Finder, Porsche Voice Pilot, Radio Plus, News, Weather, Navigation Plus Minimum term: 1 Year $205.00 (excl. taxes) Will be automatically renewed

 

[Kbmore22]

Only if you set it up before hand on a timer. You cannot use the preheat activation via the app without service.

The preheat and apple maps integration would be hard to give up.

Mine is definitely still working even though I have no Porsche Connect. All other features are disabled except I’m still able to do preheat/cool and with no timer set up front. Maybe because I haven’t upgraded the MyPorsche app? Can anyone else confirm if preheat/cool works for anyone else without paying for Porsche connect?

 

[Mr. 2021 Taycan]

Nothing in the Porsche Connect App works without a Porsche Connect subscription. Here is a screenshot when I tap the pre-heat/pre-cool icon in the app.

 

[Kbmore22]

Nothing in the Porsche Connect App works without a Porsche Connect subscription. Here is a screenshot when I tap the pre-heat/pre-cool icon in the app.

Strange. Here’s what I see and I’m able to click on the preheat/cool button

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