SiriusXM

[RivianMatt]

Regarding the various posts I've seen about being surprised that we'll have to pay a monthly subscription to SiriusXM after a free trial ends...really? Yeah, SiriusXM pretends to be a steamer, but its fundamental business model has always been to provide its satellite radio service to vehicles on a per-vehicle basis. So I've been fully anticipating yet another subscription charge that I'll be paying (and yeah, that'll be on top of RivianConnect+).

My family and I have have enjoyed SiriusXM for many years, so I'm very happy to finally have it in my Rivian! Loved listening to my favorite Grateful Dead and John Mayer channels yesterday! And I'll gladly pay the monthly fee in order to have the nice SiriusXM interface on my center screen rather than streaming it via BT from my phone. As is often said on these forums, if you can afford a $100,000 car....(and I say that fully acknowledging that I do watch what I'm spending on various media and software subscriptions very carefully, as those costs can get out of control pretty quickly!)

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[zefram47]

Except that it's not satellite...it's just another streaming service. The one and only use I had for XM was to get music in places where cell service doesn't exist, and that doesn't work in the Rivian because they didn't bother including the hardware for it.

 

[RivianMatt]

Except that it's not satellite...it's just another streaming service. The one and only use I had for XM was to get music in places where cell service doesn't exist doesn't work in the Rivian because they didn't bother including the hardware for it.

Technically, you may be right. That being said, SiriusXM's CEO earlier this month, at a conference in NYC, said that the company is pivoting away from general streaming, because it hasn't been as successful as the company would like, and back to its core competency, which is that of an in-car satellite radio (9 out of 10 of its subscribers use in-car pre-installed receivers. So its revenue focus will like remain on a per-car basis, not a per-account basis, even if some in-car service is technically provided via streaming rather than via satellite radio.

 

[boosted20v]

I've been anxiously awaiting SXM but alas I'll have to wait a little longer since my truck is in service. I've had SXM in every vehicle I've owned for as long as I can remember and have greatly missed it. For those concerned with cost if you have SXM in a vehicle there is a good chance you have a free streaming option available to use. I have 2 cars on the SXM Platinum plan and can stream it on 2 devices as well. I use it on my phone and I'll plan to use the other in the truck as I assume I should be able to do that.

 

[Redline]

I really like SXM. I've kept it on my phone since trading in my BMW last year for the R1S.

I signed in with my account today on my Rivian, and it doesn't seem to recognize my membership. Probably going to have to talk to someone at SXM to figure out how to have it in the Rivian and on my phone.

 

[strykerwsu]

"I don't like what you like amd can't understand why you would pay for it." Definitely seems like that message on many topics seems to come up more and more.

Is this implementation perfect? No. However it does give an option that so many have been asking for once clear the satellite hardware wasn't included.

These vehicles are incrediblely awesome and I'm my opinion Rivian has done a very good job on enhancing them and given customers options on whether they want to pay for all connect+, pay for subscriptions for providers or decide to keep it to no subscriptions with still a lot of functionality while still of course making it intriguing to pay for their services offered.

 

[MountainBikeDude]

I had it in my last vehicle and kept the subscription for 15 years really for only 4 channels, Yacht Rock, Holiday Traditions, Chill, and BBC. Unfortunately, the satellite signal can be very spotty in BC because of all the mountains and tall trees along highways etc. The other downside was on long road trips where you'd think it would come into it's own, it would fall flat because everything is on the same 2 hour repeat cycle. So often, I'd just default to spotify or the like anyway.

 

[MountainBikeDude]

"I don't like what you like amd can't understand why you would pay for it." Definitely seems like that message on many topics seems to come up more and more.

Is this implementation perfect? No. However it does give an option that so many have been asking for once clear the satellite hardware wasn't included.

These vehicles are incrediblely awesome and I'm my opinion Rivian has done a very good job on enhancing them and given customers options on whether they want to pay for all connect+, pay for subscriptions for providers or decide to keep it to no subscriptions with still a lot of functionality while still of course making it intriguing to pay for their services offered.

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[boosted20v]

I had it in my last vehicle and kept the subscription for 15 years really for only 4 channels, Yacht Rock, Holiday Traditions, Chill, and BBC. Unfortunately, the satellite signal can be very spotty in BC because of all the mountains and tall trees along highways etc. The other downside was on long road trips where you'd think it would come into it's own, it would fall flat because everything is on the same 2 hour repeat cycle. So often, I'd just default to spotify or the like anyway.

Yacht Rock for the win!

 

[boosted20v]

I really like SXM. I've kept it on my phone since trading in my BMW last year for the R1S.

I signed in with my account today on my Rivian, and it doesn't seem to recognize my membership. Probably going to have to talk to someone at SXM to figure out how to have it in the Rivian and on my phone.

I wonder if it's because you are already using your streaming device? Keep us posted. I won't get to test it out till I get my truck back, hopefully early next week.

 

[NY_Rob]

I third the Yacht Rock love!!!

FYI.. there is a new documentary on HBO titled "Music Box: Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary"

Y'all will love it!

 

[Sonartech]

The new SiriusXM "App" in the R1 is a trap. Somehow, Rivian & SiriusXM managed to cough-up an app disguised as a Satellite Radio - complete with a horse-crap Radio ID, even though it's actually just a streaming app. As such, if you call SiriusXM and ask them about this, they want to charge you the full meal-deal $25/mo plus a $15 "radio activation fee" to cover the costs of what should only be a $9.99/mo streaming app-only plan.

If you attempt to login with a valid (existing) SXM streaming account, it just piles the 1 mo free Rivian trial onto your account, so that you get to pay $25+ for the plan after the trial expires. The streaming login is just used as a means to hook your brand new, horse-crap SiriusXM Rivian "Radio ID" to your account so they can harass you into paying 2x (or more) for the same exact thing you're already paying for with the streaming app only plan. W T F, Rivian. I expect this kind of crap from SiriusXM, but what clown at Rivian craped-out this dysfunctional atrocity? Or was this the price Rivian had to agree to pay to get a native app built for their platform?

Either way it sucks. but it's absolutely no different than a regular streaming plan. Back to Android Auto/Bluetooth.

 

[Gdyear78]

"I don't like what you like amd can't understand why you would pay for it." Definitely seems like that message on many topics seems to come up more and more.

Is this implementation perfect? No. However it does give an option that so many have been asking for once clear the satellite hardware wasn't included.

These vehicles are incrediblely awesome and I'm my opinion Rivian has done a very good job on enhancing them and given customers options on whether they want to pay for all connect+, pay for subscriptions for providers or decide to keep it to no subscriptions with still a lot of functionality while still of course making it intriguing to pay for their services offered.

I received the update this afternoon and just logged in. It’s MUCH quicker now to navigate and Sirius Xm works like a charm. I already have it in our other car and on app so am thrilled for this addition.

They are never going to please everyone clearly, I guess if you don’t want to pay don’t?! ?

 

[SH-MK]

One thing they may be getting overlooked in this whole Satellite vs Streaming XM debate is QUALITY. I swear the bitrate I was getting from the satellite-based hardware on my last couple cars made it barely listenable. (Blame it on XM's millions of channels model) I'm hoping that with streaming, I'll get the same quality I enjoyed when listening on my phone. (please please please)

 

[DBL-R]

I received the update this afternoon and just logged in. It’s MUCH quicker now to navigate and Sirius Xm works like a charm. I already have it in our other car and on app so am thrilled for this addition.

They are never going to please everyone clearly, I guess if you don’t want to pay don’t?! ?

I was able to log in using my account username and password, but it wants me to subscribe. I'm not sure why I would do that when I can use my phone and play through Bluetooth!

Thank you
Ron

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