Our modern cars are essentially computers on wheels which are filled with a mind-boggling list of features and tricks most people will barely find either the time or the inclination to use. It’s a waste of money and getting auto equity loans from the car manufacturers is costly. They have taken it upon themselves to fit their new automobiles with a long list of features just to ensure that their list is longer than the list of their competitors. Our society, which has the tendency to promote consumerism, has blurred the lines between wants and needs and this is especially true in the case of modern automobiles.
The list of features which drivers don’t really need in their vehicles is essentially endless however we’ve curated a list of some of the top features which are absolutely not required during the driving experience.
All Wheel or Four Wheel Drive
There are few places in the country which actually require the abilities of a four-wheel drive yet it has recently become a popular feature among buyers. The point is that the majority of drivers don’t really need all the traction during normal driving. This added traction comes at a cost and needing a payday loan in minutes to pay for more fuel consumption and expensive components seems a waste.
Optional Navigation Systems
There was a time when having a GPS-based navigation system in your car was really a helpful accessory, however, today our smartphones have replaced a large number of devices in our lives which include dedicated navigation systems. If you’re being asked to pay for an expensive dedicated navigation system, then ditch it and go with your smartphone.
Appearance Options
One of the most common ways for car manufacturers to mint extra money from unsuspecting buyers is by charging extra money for ‘special edition’ or anniversary editions and usually the differences between these special editions and normal versions are only cosmetic in nature and most people can’t even tell the difference. A badge is not worthy of the thousands of dollars they ask from you.
Extended Warranties
The majority of our automobiles consist of mechanical parts and mechanical parts have a tendency to fail at some point in their lives. Some car manufacturers and dealers often offer secured loans with car titles and extended warranties for a large amount but it’s important to not give into the sweet talk of the salesmen as they’re just doing their job. Saving some money for the eventualities is often a better way to save on costs instead of paying a large sum for an extension of a year or two in the warranty.
CD Changers
The world of storage has been changing at an extremely fast rate. There was a time when CD players were all the rage to the point that people were carrying their Walkman with them wherever they went but this has all changed since then and pen drives have long replaced CD drives for the sharing of data on computers. Mobile internet speeds have also increased by leaps and bounds so if it’s music that you want access to then it is a better idea to download an app like Spotify and save the money you would’ve spent on getting a CD player.
DVD Entertainment Systems
People with children know that it’s often a difficult task to keep the children entertained on long journeys. In these conditions, DVD entertainment systems have given support to parents for a long time but it has also been changing for quite some time now as tablets like the iPad have been become more popular. Moreover, it’s often cheaper to get an iPad or any Android tablet as they’re interactive and kids love spending a lot of time on these devices.
Leather Upholstery
Luxury cars these days are covering the interiors of their vehicles in plush materials with German brands throwing leather in the mix. Even Lexus is offering to cover the entire dashboard in leather but real leather is often very expensive, the synthetic options often last much longer than leather. If this is not standard on the car you’re buying then don’t spend so much money on a single feature. If however, getting your car seats covered in leather is what you want then a better alternative is to get an after-market solution as they’ll be much cheaper.
Heated Seats
There are very few places where it is uncomfortable to sit on the car seat when it has been freezing outside. The effectiveness of these seats varies by a great margin and those who’re getting these seats for the first time often have very high expectations and the final product may not be worth the hype. If the heated seat doesn’t come standard and you’re not living at a place where it is absolutely necessary to have this feature because of the cold, then it is better to save some money on this.
Capacitive Controls
Our smartphones have capacitive touch as it is the best way to interact with these handheld devices however when the car manufacturers try to implement this in their products, automobiles, the results are short of brilliant. There are many reasons for this, first and most important is that the knobs and switches which these controls are trying to replace didn’t need the driver to take his eyes off the road whereas these are often slow and clunky and require the attention of the driver. If this is coming in your car, then it’s recommended to move to another model or vehicle.
Ambient Lighting
One of the most popular features these days is LED lighting in the interior of the car which is also connected to the entertainment system and changes colors based on the music which is being played in the automobile. Being able to change the color of light near your feet is not worth the hundreds of dollars which the manufacturers charge for this feature and any driver can do without these lights. After all, the lights which really matter are the ones in front of the vehicle which allow you to see in the dark.
