Subscription-based connected services?

[C/G]

Tell me you're a boomer without telling me you're a boomer

Bummed out Boomer!

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[6thGen1419]

Free Connections Year is up!

Has anyone tried plug and play converters into the USB data port in the center console to avoid paying a subscription fee? Specifically for Music Lovers plan. I use CarPlay-Apple. You'll obviously lose the remote connect but maybe it's worth it.

I really hate these add ons, it's BS IMO.

CG

Apple CarPlay does not require any of the Toyota subscriptions services. The "Music Lovers" thing is if you want to stream music using the car's internet access rather than your iPhone's Wifi/Bluetooth access via CarPlay.

Drive Connect gives you voice controlled access to maps, directions, routing, live agent assistant, etc.

Remote Connect gives you ability to control the car (remote start, lock, status, etc.) via the Toyota App.

I just setup auto renew because my first year is expiring. I added the Go Anywhere for $15/month. It gives you Drive Connect and Remote Connect.

 

[C/G]

Apple CarPlay does not require any of the Toyota subscriptions services. The "Music Lovers" thing is if you want to stream music using the car's internet access rather than your iPhone's Wifi/Bluetooth access via CarPlay.

Drive Connect gives you voice controlled access to maps, directions, routing, live agent assistant, etc.

Remote Connect gives you ability to control the car (remote start, lock, status, etc.) via the Toyota App.

I just setup auto renew because my first year is expiring. I added the Go Anywhere for $15/month. It gives you Drive Connect and Remote Connect.

Thx 6thGen1419,

Drive Connect sounds like the best bet based on your description.

That keeps everything the same as the trial, assuming you are using your own data to manage CarPlay/AA.

CG

 

[Abq4RunnerORP]

Will not ever pay for a subscription for a car.

 

[6thGen1419]

Thx 6thGen1419,

Drive Connect sounds like the best bet based on your description.

That keeps everything the same as the trial, assuming you are using your own data to manage CarPlay/AA.

CG

If you don't use or want the remote control, then yes. My first year came with everything including the "Setup the car as a WiFI hotspot" which I never used because it's managed At&T for Toyota and I saw some stories and I don't need it. My phone can act as a perfectly good hotspot. Kind same reason Music Lovers thing is a waste, IMHO. I do like having the Drive Connect and the Remote Connect.

 

[C/G]

If you don't use or want the remote control, then yes. My first year came with everything including the "Setup the car as a WiFI hotspot" which I never used because it's managed At&T for Toyota and I saw some stories and I don't need it. My phone can act as a perfectly good hotspot. Kind same reason Music Lovers thing is a waste, IMHO. I do like having the Drive Connect and the Remote Connect.

The sales pitch Toyota makes is very misleading. No idea if it’s actually Toyota or a subsidiary, perhaps a little bit for everyone. Someone needs to clean this up. If Toyota were to use what you’ve outlined no doubt subs would approach their choices differently or not at all.

 

[6thGen1419]

The sales pitch Toyota makes is very misleading. No idea if it’s actually Toyota or a subsidiary, perhaps a little bit for everyone. Someone needs to clean this up. If Toyota were to use what you’ve outlined no doubt subs would approach their choices differently or not at all.

I don't get at all why they would seperate out the Drive Connect and Remote Connect as two seperate things. Toyota doesn't let you buy them separately but says things like "when you buy this Drive Connect, the Remote Connect is included ... " It seems unnecessarily complicated. Just make one thing and call it Toyota Connect or something. I bet they need to have the WIFi Streaming service as separate because AT&T is essentially the service provider and probably needs to get their cut.

 

[L-2]

I think I'm a "Boomer", being born in 1954, and don't understand what or how to subscribe to any infotainment available from Toyota.

There apparently was only a 30 day something available when I first bought my 2025 Trail Hunter 4Runner; maybe it was wifi or Sirius, but it expired before I even looked into how to use those things with all the new features along with limited time of other things going on at the time. I just remember not getting around to learning about all the new features for ~month after buying it. I'm guessing paying for making one's vehicle a wifi hotspot might be good if someone has a small family or uses the 4Runner has a commuter carpool. I wouldn't know how a vehicle wifi hotspot would compare to a few people merely using there own cellular data for whatever they may need to do, speed and data/streaming cost-wise.

I use my iPhone through 4Runner's Apple Carplay, using a cable from head-unit to iPhone. I've used my iPhone without a cable previously but after reading posts here, I now just keep the cable plugged into the head-unit. The cable seems just a bit more stable and keeps my phone charged during 5 hour drives which I often undertake. I admit, sometimes I'll forget my iPhone in the 4Runner when I get out and often run back to get it. Without the cable, I'd seldom use the wireless phone charger feature, as it didn't work well in my '17 Tacoma. Therefore, I never got used to wireless charging in the car.

I first used a Garmin GPS plugged into the 12-volt cigarette lighter socket, but I now leave it in my 2017 Tacoma. I do like the Garmin Drivesmart 65 GPS when driving, however, and miss having it in the 4Runner. I'm still getting used to a few map apps I use in the iPhone which are: Apple maps, Google maps, and Waze.

Having both the iPhone and Garmin GPS connected to the 4Runner may have complicated 4Runner connections and reliability, too, but that could also be just me being old.

I'm still a bit angry about my old 2017 Tacoma's infotainment, if you know how Toyota sold it with an infotainment system called "Entune" then discontinued Entune (ended support), prior to my 2017 head-unit failing.

To answer the OP, I've got zero experience with paying for any infotainment subscriptions. The question would then be, what features are desired from these subscriptions and what other options are there, of which I've probably described the options to those subscriptions rather than subscribing.

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