More manufacturer-dealer features that lock in owners to increase revenue

I'm sure it's coming, if they can get away with it. and they might, because most consumers don't spend times on car forums and are clueless.
plus, most gen x,y,z'ers or whatever think nothing of monthly payments.

 

I'd actually argue that these dummies are going to exclude themselves from their own market and their competitors will steal their market share by not charging monthly fees to use a car that you own. The entire concept of making people pay monthly fees to keep systems unlocked that they lawfully own, hold a legal title too and also fully insure is vile and its not going to end well for them in not just car sales, but in courts of law too!

 

agreed. that's why I say 'if they can get away with it'. if buyers have options, some will go elsewhere

 

enough buyers to make a difference?

 

It doesn't matter if you don't have enough buyers to make a difference if you get injured in a car accident and the monthly payment you decided not to pay locked you out of an essential safety feature that could have prevented your injuries... Case law has already ruled against the manufacturers being able to put monthly revenue over vehicle safety.

 

I wouldn't count on it. More manufacturers are getting on the "spare tires are passe" bandwagon. The only thing that gets through to them is a drop in sales.

 

and that will only come with a recession, which will affect both vehicles with and without spare tires.
most buyers don't even think to check.

 

Yeah common refrain here: "I got a flat, and just discovered...".

Maybe the powers that be should require a "check list" of that and similar items, say on the Monroney sticker.

 

Customers not thinking to check is why automakers are currently getting away with this BS.

 

The domestic drop in sales that began in US in early 2025 is across the board in near all markets because of an incompetent president who has everyone convinced now more than ever is a bad time to spend what little money you've been able to save. Specific to cars, too many dealerships have more than 200 hundred days of inventory sitting on their lots that aren't selling.

And now thanks to the near dead King's bumbling incompetence wiping out 20% of the world's oil supply, that same frugal necessity is now global. Every single 5% limit in oil supply in modern history has led to a recession and because this is four times more than ever before, it may become worse than a recession.