More of the article, customer comments were the best part:
Meanwhile, the BlueCruise (BC) changes triggered shocked and angry Mustang Mach-E (MME) forum discussion among owners online, especially at macheforum.com. Here's a sample:
"I am a big, big fan of BC. Big fan ... Except at $800/yr. They can take a walk with that nonsense," said a May 5 post from Livonia, Michigan.
"This is a non-starter. Seriously, just the offer is an insult to your customers and is a stain on the customer relationship. You have to do better," said a May 17 post from Indiana.
"For me, $800/year would mean all of the savings from not having to do oil changes and other maintenance would be erased," said a May 17 post from Colorado.
"Ford really stubbed their toe with this announcement ... What Ford has put on the block as a subscribable service is not that important to people just yet. It may be their in three years, which might be what they are betting on," said a May 20 post from Pennsylvania.
"You are going to be sorry unless you make a course correction on this ... I own a Job 1 Mach-E, a Lightning, AND a '22 Lincoln Corsair GT," said a May 25 post from Ohio.
'I would not pay'
Ford actually posted a response letter to macheforum.com on May 17 seeking to clarify its BlueCruise pricing. The automaker pointed out that BlueCruise renewal for the 2021 model year Mach-E purchased with the optional BlueCruise package would be billed at a discounted rate of $200 a year for three years or $75 a month at the end of the initial subscription period. Following this discounted subscription cycle, customers would renew at the standard price, Ford said.
As for the backlash and potential for moving in a different price direction, Gunsberg told the Free Press on Friday: "We continue to engage with our customers and take their feedback seriously on any product or service we offer."
Karl Brauer, executive analyst at iSeeCars.com, was surprised to hear BlueCruise has gone from about $16 a month to more than $60 a month.
"Ford, like a lot of automakers, has this long-term aspiration of making all sorts of money through technology and subscription models," he told the Free Press. "You can't get much money out of selling an electric car but maybe you can make up for it by selling subscription services to people driving these cars. That's what they're thinking across the planet at the corporate level. And they think people are used to fees, but they're used to just $10 to $20 a month."
No changes on Super Cruise for GM
Meanwhile, General Motors told the Detroit Free Press that the cost of Super Cruise has not changed.
For Cadillacs, Super Cruise is priced as a $2,500 option, said GM spokesperson Aimee Ridella. For GMCs and Chevrolets, Super Cruise is priced as a $2,200 option. Currently, all vehicles with Super Cruise hardware include three years of connectivity to support Super Cruise functionality, Ridella said. After three years, owners may subscribe for $25 per month or $250 per year.