10 Car Features to Avoid: Dealership Add-Ons That Waste Your Money
Car dealerships love to upsell. From flashy tech to premium finishes, they’ll encourage you to add feature after feature, all while ballooning your final price. But not every option is worth the cost. Some are outdated, redundant, or simply not useful for most drivers. Worse, a few may depreciate faster than you can enjoy them.
Before you agree to that fully loaded trim, take a hard look at these car features that often sound great on paper but don’t justify the extra money.
Built-In Navigation Systems
Modern vehicles often include built-in GPS navigation, but it’s usually clunkier, slower, and harder to update than what you already have on your phone. Apps like Google Maps and Waze offer real-time traffic updates and better interfaces. Unless you’re buying a luxury vehicle with next-level integration, skip this in favor of a reliable phone mount.
Rear Seat Entertainment Screens
These used to be a top-tier luxury, especially for families, but tablets and smartphones have replaced them entirely. Built-in screens are expensive to repair, limited in functionality, and usually outdated by the time you drive off the lot. Save the money and invest in a durable tablet with a mount instead.
Extended Paint or Fabric Protection Packages
Dealerships often push paint sealants, fabric protectants, or “environmental” coatings. Most are overpriced and no better than what you can get at a reputable detailer for a fraction of the cost. Read the fine print on what’s actually covered, you’re often paying a premium for a service you may never use.
Keyless Entry Upgrades Beyond the Basics
Keyless entry is convenient, but the add-ons like gesture-activated trunks or smartphone-integrated unlock systems can be glitchy or easily hacked. The more tech you add, the more potential points of failure. Standard remote entry is more than enough for most drivers.
Larger or Premium Wheels
Upsizing to 19- or 20-inch wheels might look sleek, but it can affect ride quality, increase road noise, and reduce fuel efficiency. Not to mention, larger tires are more expensive to replace. Unless you’re going for performance or aesthetics, stick with the standard option.
Built-In Wi-Fi Hotspots
Most people already have unlimited data plans and can hotspot their phones when needed. Paying monthly for your car’s Wi-Fi subscription is redundant for most drivers. It’s a nice perk, but not worth a separate line on your bill unless you have passengers working on laptops during long trips.
Premium Sound Systems You Won’t Maximize
High-end audio brands like Bose or Harman Kardon sound great on the test drive, but if you mostly listen to podcasts, audiobooks, or compressed streaming services, you won’t benefit from the added clarity. For casual listeners, the standard system will do just fine.
Automatic Parking Systems
These systems are marketed as life-changing, but they’re often slow, confusing, and underused. Most drivers try it once, then revert to parking manually. And in some models, it still requires you to shift or apply the brake. Practice parallel parking yourself, it’s free and you’ll avoid relying on something that may fail.
Remote Start in Mild Climates
If you live somewhere with long, harsh winters or blazing summers, remote start makes sense. But if you’re in a temperate climate, this feature becomes a pricey convenience you rarely use. Instead, spend that money on comfort features you’ll actually enjoy daily, like heated seats or better lumbar support.
CD Players or Redundant Media Inputs
Some base models still offer CD players or extra USB ports, but these are becoming relics. Most people stream everything, and phones rarely need more than one charging port. Don’t let nostalgia or unnecessary “extras” distract you from focusing on features that actually support how you drive today.
Conclusion: Spend Smart, Not Flashy
It’s easy to get swept up in upgrades when you’re sitting in a shiny new car at the dealership, but many features are built for show, not long-term value. Before signing on the dotted line, ask yourself whether you’ll still use that feature six months from now, and whether it enhances safety, efficiency, or comfort in a meaningful way.
Looking for more smart money moves? Read: Home & Auto Insurance: Do You Still Need an Agent or Can You Go It Alone? and 4 Reasons Why You Should Review Your Home and Auto Insurance Every Year
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