El Cid

How many people continue to pay for MBrace after free subscription ends?

listerone

I had an accident in my Bluetec that caused the airbags to deploy.I was in the middle of nowhere (200 miles north of Montreal) and it was -25F at the time.Within about 15 seconds of the impact mBrace was on the phone asking if I was OK...which I was (just stunned basically).They also knew where I was and dispatched an ambulance.

IMO,mBrace is worth the money just for the accident notification alone.The fact that BMW was offering 10 years of free "BMW Assist"(same features as mBrace and Onstar) was one of the reasons why I replaced the Bluetec with my current "d".

rchase

what all does mBrace actually do other than the accident alert service.

BBLV

It's a joke that Mercedes charges for a service that should be free.

listerone

Who says it should be free? The marketplace? It surely costs *something* to install the hardware (and software) in the vehicles.Also,I think it's unlikely that the person who dispatched the ambulance to my location was working as an unpaid volunteer at the time.


Just sayin'....

rediesel

I won't even let them sign me up for the free subscription.

El Cid

It is NOT FREE, no matter who is providing it. This is the biggest marketing falsehood in the auto industry (after VW). You pay for it with the intial cost of the vehicle or increased prices for parts.
Most companies now advertise maintenance as included for three years or similar. They no longer say free as it is deceptive.

rediesel

Agreed there is no free lunch.

If I had a teenage driver I would definitely subscribe and use the boundary/speed controls. I just don't like being tracked personally.

NickTH

Both of my teenage kids drives Fords & Jeeps.
Now that they're college graduates, they can buy & pay for their own Mercedes,,,

Streamliner

I completely agree. I've paid for the service for many years now and have never had a need for it, thank goodness. It is an additional layer of safety and security that, when needed, can be worth its weight in gold. I do believe, however, that the cost of the service should be worked into the lease payment and there should be no additional charge during the lease period. I hate getting hit up by MB to extend the service, after the trial period. Kind of like going to a luxury hotel, paying a huge rate for the room and then being hit with a "resort fee." Just put it all in the lease, up front and quit nickel & diming me to death!

El Cid

This means that everyone has to pay for a service whether they want it or not. What about people who purchase their cars?
Sort of like adding in insurance, wheel & tire insurance, navigation map updates, maintenance, etc. to the lease.
I prefer to let those who want it, get it and those who don't, don't.
Question for listerone: Did MBrace request an ambulance before they found out whether or not you needed it? Who paid for the ambulance?

Streamliner

No, old friend, I did not make myself clear: I still want the service to be optional and I expect to pay for it, IF selected. I would just prefer to have the cost of it worked into the lease payment, similar to prepaid service, etc. I fully agree that those who do not want the service should not be forced to have it or pay for it.

mnje350

I guess I don't understand why a service like this should be free. Should cell phones be, "free". Why would MB offer an emergency or convienence service for free. Just because their cars are more expensive than other brands of cars? If you want the serevice, pay for it. Just like everything else in life. There is no free lunch. I would hate to pay more for a car just some some folks could get, "free", Mbrace service. Ridiculous!

listerone

Given the circumstances I wasn't 100% certain that I didn't need medical attention so I asked them to send an ambulance...I *did* have a fairly ugly looking laceration on my arm.As for who paid...I found out that Quebec has a special health care system which resulted in me not getting any medical bills.I'm not sure if the rest of Canada has the same policy.


Mercedes wasn't billed,nor was my car insurance or medical insurance.

screw991le

My MBrace had to "fixed" 3 times before it would even work. Something to do with the local cell carriers.

Then the directions download would only sometimes up-load to the nav system from the app.

I can't trust it in an accident, plus for the spotty service, it is waaaaaayyyy overpriced.

thefisch

I don't have a subscription but my car's interface still works to call them for emergency or roadside. I don't think they cut if off, do they?

LunarBlueW212

Yes they sure will cut off the features! Sometimes it is off even when you have a paid subscription. I paid for a 2-year subscription before my free trial was up and was using the mBrace app on my iphone nearly everyday. In September my E350 was in a collision (involving the side & the airbags did deploy) and none of the automatic notification features worked. After the accident I called mBrace to inquire why not and I was shocked when they told me the "system will go inactive" unless the buttons inside the car are pressed every six months. According to them, since I had not pressed the physical buttons inside my car in over 6 months, my mBrace system was "inactive and not communicating". I insisted the mBrace was active and being used because I had locked/unlocked my doors remotely using the mBrace app. Apparently this app is not part of the mBrace "system" and does not count even though it uses the same name.

Be warned: If you paid for 1-year or more of mBrace service, you may only receive 6 months of what you paid for.

thefisch

That's insane that they would stop monitoring a car with a subscription. Without a subscription, I expect they would not be monitor but the buttons still work to call them it seems.