Audi Connect - Is it worth it?

[AndyMD]

Hi all,

Just wandering to get a data sim card or not for Audi Connect. Currently using Android Auto and want to know if Audi Connect offers more than Android as the cheapest data sim seems to be around £12 per month. So far Android lets you dictate and send texts, speak to google maps etc. What will Audi Connect do above and beyond this?

Cheers
Andy

[jake25]

Don't know about connect yet as I am still waiting for my car. However as far as data sims go Three does a 12gb sim that is valid for a year. I think it is £30 from thre direct or £28 from Amazon.

[jimihat]

If you connect your phone will it just use the phone for data or do you NEED a separate data sim?

[AndyMD]

It looks like a separate sim as I've tried every which way to use the phone data but the car keeps asking for a sim card

[xtremist]

Set up a wifi hotspot on your phone and connect your car to that. You will then be able to make an informed decision if a SIM for the car is required (and the ongoing cost of the service).

Yes the car will keep on reminding you to put a SIM card in, but just ignore the warning and it goes away with the click of a button.

[MJC_OK]

There's a similar thread here (http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php/174843-Audi-Connect-Data-Package) discussing the merits of Audi Connect. If you've got it included with your car, you may as well use it I reckon. There's a good deal here (http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/3-payg-4g-trio-data-sim-pack-preloaded-with-12gb-data-24-99-ebay-memory-2435725) to get 12GB of data for £24.99, with Three, who always have excellent speeds in my experience

[AndyMD]

Just want to know what merits it has above Android Auto??

[MJC_OK]

erm...did you read the other post? There's a pretty good summary of what it adds

"Love: Wi-fi spot, Google Map, Traffic updates, petrol prices, weather, Parking info - visit lots of new places for work each month in city centres so this is useful to me.

Neutral: Twitter (don't use), News (have radio), Train times and plane times - Don't use enough to be worth it for me, but can see its good for others

It all seems pretty quick and reliable (4g network) and no issues with screen flicker etc. I also love the ability to send my following days appointments to the car from my laptop the night before so in the morning I can just leave the hotel (well Premier Inn who am I kidding!) and go, and not have to sit there loading the addresses. Sending them to the car the night before also somehow helps structure my day for me mentally. Overall I guess its worth it, BUT if I have got my sums wrong and start chewing more than the 10k of data so I have to turn it off after 2 weeks of the month then it won't be so good, as the cost will soon rack up.."

[AndyMD]

Yes I did read it. Android Auto seems to do most of those things and the standard MMI nav without adding the cost for an extra sim. Android has Weather, Traffic, Google maps, HiFi hotspot, Apps including Audio Books and Podcasts. MMI can list car parking etc . For me just to see petrol prices doesn't warrant the extra cost, unless I'm missing something?

[MJC_OK]

I think you have your answer then :) I think the big thing is syncing calendars and such, but if it's not something you need then it's not much use