SiriusXM

[Paul Hackett]

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!)

It's not satellite based but cell phone based. As of last evening it does not work as I spent 2 hours on the phone with XM trying to transfer my lifetime subscription over with no success. Additionally what I was able to see within the application is nowhere near as seamless an operational system as in a "traditional" vehicle. I'm still using my lifetime through the phone app communicating through bluetooth to my R1S, which living in the Front Range foothills means I'm able to use it about 40% of the time since cell phone service is spotty in the mountains.

And I should mention they (XM) couldn't figure out how to at least set it up so I could listen with the 30 day free trial. Typical.

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[TollKeeper]

I am probably not going to signup as there are enough options in the R1S for me already.

That being said, if it is confirmed to be a true streaming app, I did get an email with a $1 a week special for 1 year. If anyone is planning on getting the streaming service, here is the link to the special.

Is there a activation fee or anything with that? I am not seeing it in the details.

 

[DrBad]

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!

It's in my queue! Watched the trailer and loved the quote from the musician who said "I played on all those Yacht Rock records... where's my yacht, man?"

 

[SANZC02]

Is there a activation fee or anything with that? I am not seeing it in the details.

Not that I see, looks like a simple signup with a $4 monthly charge. What I’m reading is saying it is a streaming only account that should work on the web, phone app, and vehicles like Tesla and Rivian.

I did not signup so I can’t say for sure.

 

[Paul Hackett]

It's not satellite based but cell phone based. As of last evening it does not work as I spent 2 hours on the phone with XM trying to transfer my lifetime subscription over with no success. Additionally what I was able to see within the application is nowhere near as seamless an operational system as in a "traditional" vehicle. I'm still using my lifetime through the phone app communicating through bluetooth to my R1S, which living in the Front Range foothills means I'm able to use it about 40% of the time since cell phone service is spotty in the mountains.

And I should mention they (XM) couldn't figure out how to at least set it up so I could listen with the 30 day free trial. Typical.

So another 45 minutes on the line with XM today and again they told me they aren't familiar with Rivian, it's new to them, and they don't know how to connect to my vehicle and that "they'll escalate it" and I should hear back in 7-10 business days. Pretty week all around. When I transferred to my last new car 7 years ago I didn't even get out of the dealership and was listening to XM.

 

[T800Model101]

So another 45 minutes on the line with XM today and again they told me they aren't familiar with Rivian, it's new to them, and they don't know how to connect to my vehicle and that "they'll escalate it" and I should hear back in 7-10 business days. Pretty week all around. When I transferred to my last new car 7 years ago I didn't even get out of the dealership and was listening to XM.

One suggestion might be to suggest to them to create a new lifetime subscription, comp you for it, and cancel the existing one. It might be simpler for them to navigate the payment arena than the Rivian technical arena. You will have to re-save your favorite stations, but there would be no material change on your end.

 

[ATL_Canes]

Is there just a channel listing to scroll through? I see the categories and “for you” but can’t just find a channel listing.

 

[Eric9610]

It's not satellite based but cell phone based. As of last evening it does not work as I spent 2 hours on the phone with XM trying to transfer my lifetime subscription over with no success. Additionally what I was able to see within the application is nowhere near as seamless an operational system as in a "traditional" vehicle. I'm still using my lifetime through the phone app communicating through bluetooth to my R1S, which living in the Front Range foothills means I'm able to use it about 40% of the time since cell phone service is spotty in the mountains.

And I should mention they (XM) couldn't figure out how to at least set it up so I could listen with the 30 day free trial. Typical.

Don't transfer your Lifetime to the car as they only allow a limited amount of transfers. Use your app login from the phone in the car and it will work no other subscription needed.

 

[Erik+]

I have a streaming only account, at 2.99/mo, because I "complained" awhile back. I was able to login with that information and all my saved info and favorites loaded right up, only took a few minutes.

 

[Paul Hackett]

One suggestion might be to suggest to them to create a new lifetime subscription, comp you for it, and cancel the existing one. It might be simpler for them to navigate the payment arena than the Rivian technical arena. You will have to re-save your favorite stations, but there would be no material change on your end.

I wouldn't have any trouble with that on my end but there's a complete aura of confusion regarding Rivian. I've heard more than once the implication that there's something different about the Rivian set up and they're not familiar with it. I write this off as Rivian only wants to do it their way and they're certain their way is the best way. Put a satellite receiver in the shark fin on the roof and quit trying to make a couple extra bucks on income sharing with XM. Totally ridiculous and avoidable. Excuse me I just paid $110,000.00 for a car; you want to charge a couple more bucks for a satellite capable antenna so I can listen to XM like in any other new car, fine, no problem.

 

[Paul Hackett]

Don't transfer your Lifetime to the car as they only allow a limited amount of transfers. Use your app login from the phone in the car and it will work no other subscription needed.

Tried that already, won't let me log in through the car.

 

[SANZC02]

Tried that already, won't let me log in through the car.

Do you typically stream? The streaming credentials are different than your account credentials.

 

[Paul Hackett]

Do you typically stream? The streaming credentials are different than your account credentials.

I can stream over my phone through the bluetooth connection into my R1S, but that's pretty clunky.

 

[SANZC02]

I can stream over my phone through the bluetooth connection into my R1S, but that's pretty clunky.

Strange as the credentials used for the phone app should work on the Rivian app.

Odd how we are seeing so many discrepant experiences reported in this thread.

 

[Eric9610]

Strange as the credentials used for the phone app should work on the Rivian app.

Odd how we are seeing so many discrepant experiences reported in this thread.

my experience has been exactly as yours. Once I learned its the streaming credentials are not account credentials everything loaded correctly.

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