Car connect....... is it worth renewing?

Audio, Navigation, Electronic Issues and Fixes
Rigger
Posts: 312
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 11:24 am

Post by Rigger »

Hi,

I have just received notification that my car connect subscription is coming to an end and I have 2 questions which I hope will generate some responses;

1) I bought the car in Mar 17 and thought the free period for the connect services was 2 years. There are some references in other threads to the free period being 2 years. Can anyone confirm the position?

2) is it really worth subscribing to the service? I only had the basic service with no tracker/security option and it seems to be a lot of money to be able to locate my car on the iPhone (haven’t reached the dementia stage yet), check the fuel level remotely or else sound the horn. I can’t say that I am overly impressed with the facilities provided.

Oh and I have only done 4500 miles since Mar 17 so I am struggling to see the advantages of car connect......

All views greatly appreciated.......
2017 - Macan GTS ~ now sold
2007 - 997.1 Turbo (Manual)
2021 - GR Yaris

spook
Posts: 924
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 3:18 pm

Post by spook »

Hi,

Sounds like you had the 12 months Porsche Connect.

My understanding is you should get:

Porsche Connect - Two way communication between the car and you and also the tracking service ? 12 months free via Vodaphone

Porsche PCM Connect - Gives real time traffic updates and you are able to use your mobile for destinations and them upload it to your PCM - 2 years free

1st you pay Vodaphone for and the 2nd you pay Porsche.

However I never had either on my Macan but I have been reading up ready for my soon to be built 911.
911 C2 Pickup 14th April 2018 :D :D
http://www.porsche-code.com/PJN1HBF2
Pensioner Petrol S - http://www.porsche-code.com/PHMKHZF4 - Deposit place 11/11/14 - Pick up 09/05/16 - SOLD 30/08/17 :-(
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Ian.g
Posts: 1156
Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2016 8:04 pm
Location: Worcestershire

Post by Ian.g »

I think you have answered your question yourself! Mine runs out next week and I haven't found it useful enough to justify £99/year. Maybe some will, but I will be saving my money for something else.
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Taz
Posts: 249
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 9:49 pm

Post by Taz »

The tracker is definitely worth having and my insurance company actually requires it to be .

It does work as the transmitter battery failed recently and the ‘card not in car’ message came up when I started the engine. I drove off and within 400 yds I had received a text, then a few seconds later a call from Vodaphone. The helpful lady did say that whilst she had reset the system it might take a few moments to get through the system. I explained this to the policeman who pulled me over two miles further down the road !!!
So when is this ‘old enough to know better’ supposed to kick in ?

Cayenne GTS - Mar 2022
Cayenne S - Aug 2019 to Mar 2022
Macan Turbo - Feb 2018 to Aug 2019
Cayenne S - Apr 2015 to Feb 2018
Cayenne - Jul 2013 - Apr 2015
BMW R1250GS - since Dec 2021
Rigger
Posts: 312
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 11:24 am

Post by Rigger »

Thanks for the views......... looks like it will be a “No” from me on this one........
2017 - Macan GTS ~ now sold
2007 - 997.1 Turbo (Manual)
2021 - GR Yaris
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Taz
Posts: 249
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 9:49 pm

Post by Taz »

Posts above say that Car Connect is free from Vodaphone for the first 12 months. When I bought my car and took delivery last Monday I was charged £265 and also was told that there was no refund for the service currently on my Cayenne which still had 7 months left to run. I was not happy about that so I called Vodaphone and was told that they did not refund or transfer any service - that’s poor service in my view.
So when is this ‘old enough to know better’ supposed to kick in ?

Cayenne GTS - Mar 2022
Cayenne S - Aug 2019 to Mar 2022
Macan Turbo - Feb 2018 to Aug 2019
Cayenne S - Apr 2015 to Feb 2018
Cayenne - Jul 2013 - Apr 2015
BMW R1250GS - since Dec 2021
User avatar
Taz
Posts: 249
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 9:49 pm

Post by Taz »

This is an extract from an email that I received from Vodaphone when I was registering my car ..............


The prices of the safety and security services to get the tracking device activated are:

1 year safety and security: £235
2 years safety and security: £450

You already have the remote services for free for the first year, which is the app on your mobile phone. If you would like to continue using this app after the expiration date, it will be £99 per year.

Or you can subscribe for the safety, security and remote services together as one package, the costs of these are:

1 year safety, security and remote: £266
2 years safety, security and remote: £476
So when is this ‘old enough to know better’ supposed to kick in ?

Cayenne GTS - Mar 2022
Cayenne S - Aug 2019 to Mar 2022
Macan Turbo - Feb 2018 to Aug 2019
Cayenne S - Apr 2015 to Feb 2018
Cayenne - Jul 2013 - Apr 2015
BMW R1250GS - since Dec 2021
Col Lamb
Posts: 9323
Joined: Fri Oct 30, 2015 8:38 pm
Location: Lancashire

Post by Col Lamb »

Its a Vodafone service, you will therefore get their standard of service, and their take it or leave it attitude.

I found the freebie service rubbish and whenever I tried the locate option out of town it failed to connect.

I would never buy any service with Vodafone in the name, my view is based on working for them on a contract many years ago.
Col
Macan Turbo
Air, 20” wheels, ACC, Pano, SurCam, 14w, LEDs, PS+, Int Light Pack, Heated seats and Steering, spare wheel, SC, Privacy glass, PDK gear, SD mirrors, Met Black, rear airbags
Bigboyrolo
Posts: 1393
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2015 9:33 pm

Post by Bigboyrolo »

I am having it retro-installed on the Panamera eHybrid on Monday, really just for the ability to operate the charging timer via the app to coincide with good solar panel output. I wonder if the installation fee covers 1 or better still 2 yrs subscriptions. I'll know soon enough and will see if any of the other stuff proves useful. Not convinced about the tracker system yet, either that I need it or Vodafone.
"Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time" Pink Floyd.
BMW 2019 440i Convertible
2016 Panny S e-Hybrid Black/Cream sold Apr 19
Macan S VG/Luxor, sold @ 9700 miles March 18
Macan SD Dark Blue/ Pebble, sold @ 16k miles Dec 16
Paul1970
Posts: 314
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2018 5:31 pm

Post by Paul1970 »

A bit of insight on the tracking experience. My car was put in the back of a trailer last week with me sitting in the cab. Within seconds I had received a theft alert text but didn’t receive a call until a couple of hours later. When I asked them why they hadn’t called they said they were busy but they were tracking the vehicle following the alert.

The next day the car went on another trailer and again it triggered an alert followed very quickly by a call. So from my perspective it’s a facility worth having.

One point of note. As soon as an alert is triggered the app becomes restricted so that you yourself can’t track the vehicle. Whether that’s to stop you turning vigilante I don’t know, but it’s a flaw in my view.


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Porsche Cayenne GTS, Quarzite Grey) (Nov 21) (Mine :D )
E-Mini (Oct 21) (Hers)
VW ID3 (May 23 local runaround) (Ours)
Porsche Macan GTS, Sapphire Blue, 2018 (sold :cry: )
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