How to fight back against paywalled car features

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Check out John's channel - https://www.youtube.com/@AutoExpertJCCheck out Adam's channel - https://www.youtube.com/@ReDriven

Adam Morris and John Cadogan take aim at the everyday habits that can quietly cost car owners thousands.

From misunderstanding service intervals and abusing dual-clutch transmissions, to mismatched tyres destroying an AWD system, riding the clutch, ignoring new noises and cheaping out on filters, they run through the mistakes that can turn small savings into expensive repairs. Plus, why buying a car around the two or three trips you make each year might be the wrong approach.

Then it's this week's listener question which comes from Grant, who asks: "with so many people complaining about how complicated modern cars are and how much technology they contain, what could be removed from a car without hurting its marketability?"

Finally, Adam tackles one of the industry’s most frustrating trends: paying extra to unlock equipment that’s already physically fitted to your car. A new Mercedes-AMG EV sparks the debate, alongside BMW’s previous heated-seat subscriptions and Tesla’s software-limited performance and range.

If you’ve already paid for the hardware, should a car company really be able to charge you again just to use it?

Join auto industry insiders John Cadogan (Auto Expert) and Adam Morris (ReDriven) as they cut through the BS on new cars, used cars, dealer tactics, EV trends, and everything the motoring industry doesn't want you to know. New episodes weekly — subscribe now.

In this ep:

00:00 The Flying Tesla That Charges You to Land

00:13 Welcome to Auto Uncovered

01:06 Adam Has Bought a New Car

03:25 The Car Owner Mistakes That Cost You Money

04:15 Know When to Abandon Your Car-Buying Plan

06:41 Do You Really Need AWD?

08:08 The Service Schedule Mistake That Can Void Your Warranty

08:48 The Tyre Mistake That Can Destroy an AWD System

10:17 How You’re Killing Your Dual-Clutch Transmission

10:58 Stop Riding the Clutch

12:06 Why You Shouldn’t Turn the Wheel While Stationary

13:03 Never Ignore a New Noise From Your Car

14:05 Basic Checks Every Car Owner Should Know

15:02 Why Cheap Filters Are a False Economy

16:46 When Did You Last Change Your Cabin Filter?

18:01 Can You Trust Your Dealer to Actually Service Your Car?

18:24 Why Pop and Crackle Tunes Can Be Bad News

20:17 Why Your Hands Should Be at 9 and 3

24:04 Listener Questions

24:16 Do Modern Cars Have Too Much Technology?

26:15 Could a Simple, Low-Tech Car Actually Sell?

27:27 The Car Tech We’d Get Rid Of

30:03 The Pointless Features Cars Don’t Need

31:38 You’re Probably Adjusting Your Mirrors Wrong

32:22 Why Car Subscription Features Need to Stop

32:56 Mercedes-AMG’s Paywalled V8 Sound

34:15 BMW, Tesla and Features Locked by Software

35:00 The Flying Tesla Subscription Problem

35:12 Why Car Buyers Need to Say No

38:08 If You Buy the Car, Shouldn’t You Own All of It?

39:15 The Biggest AMG Subscription: Depreciation

40:23 Wrap-Up