I want to buy a new car, but it needs to be privacy friendly. Sadly you cannot really buy any new Car that is.

Has anybody any experience on making your modern car not phone home to its company, by removing the hardware it uses to do?

  • LEDZeppelin@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    18
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    11 months ago

    I have a strong suspicion that Sirius XM is some form of government mandated mass surveillance hardware. There’s absolutely no other explanation that every car manufacturer just includes that garbage as a standard equipment that you just can not opt out of.

    These auto manufacturers will nickel and dime you for smallest things like rubber mats they expect us to believe that piece of shit like Sirius XM is included out of kindness of their heart.

    • thecrotch@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      25
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      11 months ago

      Sirius pays them. You’re more likely to subscribe if your car already has the radio. Same reason your shitty Walmart laptop comes with McAfee.

    • Alto@kbin.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      10
      ·
      11 months ago

      It’s becaude it’s a free trial. XM either directly pays car manufacturers or subsidizes the additional hardware costs, XM gets people to try their service who never otherwise would have, car dealers get another feature to add to their list.

    • bluGill@kbin.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      arrow-down
      6
      ·
      11 months ago

      Rubber are a nickel and dime feature because that is one of the few areas where dealers can make money. Most people walk into the dealer knowing the cost the dealer is paying for the car, and they are determined not to pay a penny more. this leaves zero money for the dealer to pay for the lights, building, and other overhead, not to mention a fair salary for the salesman (apologies to the tiny minority of females in car sales) who sold it.

      If everyone (not just you!) would go to buy a new car with the plan to get a fair win-win deal for everyone then the dealer wouldn’t have to find all these ways to nickel and dime you on extras.

      • Alto@kbin.social
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        14
        ·
        11 months ago

        If everyone (not just you!) would go to buy a new car with the plan to get a fair win-win deal for everyone then the dealer wouldn’t have to find all these ways to nickel and dime you on extras.

        Yeah I’m going to be honest, you’re not going to be finding much sympathy for car dealership owners from me. Maybe it’s different around you, but around these parts they’re invariably some of the richest people in town.