BMW Of Tigard

I discovered the vehicle I wanted at this dealer for a fair price, but I noticed an additional charge for StarGard, a GPS-based theft recovery device, which is mentioned at the end of the vehicle description, at $ 695. After a quick call before heading to the dealership to see the car in person, the salesperson I spoke with informed me it was non-negotiable because it was pre-installed on all vehicles. That was enough for me to continue my search, as the vehicle I was interested in already had the full functionality of this $695 device built into the factory electronics system. I was unwilling to pay $695 additional for something the car already did. The existing functionality was more secure as it couldn’t simply be located by a would-be thief and removed like this product. I have read that this product, marketed initially to dealers for inventory management, was repurposed as a profit-increasing add-on to sell to consumers. However, similar devices are available for as little as $50 online, questioning the justification of the $695 charge. Beyond the unnecessary cost, the privacy implications of a device that tracks location and can disable the vehicle are concerning. Opting not to support this practice, I chose a dealership that did not force customers to buy products that had redundant functionality to what the manufacturer provided or other unnecessary and unwanted add-ons. This decision highlights the importance of awareness and refusal to endorse potentially deceptive sales tactics. Worse comes to worse, and I would prefer to hide an Apple Air Tag under the floor mat. Of course, this is just my opinion, and I do not proclaim myself an expert on this product, its cost, value, or anything else. I am relaying my thoughts as something for other consumers to consider. As always, it is advisable for every consumer to do their own research and conclude whether this product delivers $695 worth of value to them.