Blue Link pricing

Sounds to me like the marketing geniuses at cable TV, or cell phone providers. Forget the loyal customers and just get new ones.

Looks like Hyundai is giving decent pricing for new customers while screwing existing customers.

They announced that new owners now get 3 years of the basic Assurance Package with a new car purchase, the Essentials package is $99 additional per year.

Loyal customers that have owned Hyundais for years get to pay more. I dropped the Essentials after the trial period because I thought the pricing was too high. At $99 a year for the combined package, I'd pay and renew. But NOOOOO, instead of $99, my loyalty price is $150 for a year.

When buying electronics like computers, flat screen TV's you know you will be able to buy the same thing for less in a few months. But some marketing genius for BlueLink took it too a new level. Not only do you pay a higher price today, you pay it forever. Instead of getting $99 a year from me, they will be getting $0 a year.

These little things will be remembered a new car time too. No way am I going to pay more than another customer at the same time. I have no problem knowing the price dropped for new customers, but forcing the old loyal customers to continue to pay a higher price is sleazy, dumb, and will have consequences in the end. Not even sure it is legal.

This is not the way to foster brand loyalty. Hyundai must have hired the guy that came us with New Coke.

----------------------------- It was not so long ago, that buying a car with electric windows and a rear defroster was a big deal. My first Corvette roadster 4 spd in 1969 did not even have pws a/c, or electric windows. And, the radio was merely a AM/FM which the wind drowned out anyway. In a word simple. Today, my Honda S2000 is a real step up -- a/c, electric pws and windows, etc. etc. Still a manual transmission, though. Would not have it any other way. Sounds like Hyundais come with all of the frills. Just something to break.