Beefier Car Loans for Special Features
- By:
- Greg Mischio | November 27, 2007
Every James Bond thriller has cars loaded with crazy gadgetry. Today's automobiles also have plenty of bells and whistles to offer drivers…but are they worth the price?
Sticker shock afflicts thousands of potential car shoppers every day. When a sales person shows you the bottom line for that shiny new car, it's all you can do to keep your jaw from bouncing off the floor.
Beyond the price of the basic car, much of what's inflating the cost of your new cruiser is the mind-boggling number of optional creature comforts that come with it. Our lust for convenience has moved us well beyond optional air conditioning and cruise control-now we're in the era of heated car seats, keyless entry, and on-board navigation systems.
Naturally, you're going to have to pay through the nose for many of these features. Before you take out that car loan, though, you might want to really ponder if these options are really worth the extra money.
The latest tire craze is run-flat tires. Once punctured, these tires can run for about 50 miles, enough to get you to a repair station (unless you're off-roading through the Sahara Dessert). It's a great concept, but the tires cost $150 to $400. Flat tires are not a very common occurrence, so these special tires might not be worth the hefty pricetag.
If you're a traveling salesman, a satellite navigation system can be an invaluable tool when you're traversing through unfamiliar territory. But for the majority of people who stick to a rather beaten path, the extra cost might not be worth taking out a larger auto loan and going further into debt. You may be better off using Mapquest for your directions before you leave the house.
Heated and cooled seats are attractive to people in northern and southern climates. However, most heating and air-conditioning units in cars work so effectively that the seats aren't really worth their $700 per seat pricetag.
The security benefits behind a keyless entry can't be denied. Anyone walking through a parking ramp late at night doesn't want to waste time fumbling with keys. With a radio-activated key fob, you can unlock your car door quickly and conveniently. However, if you lose the little bugger, you could spend upwards of $200 to replace it.
More options are out there, including premium sound systems, concierge systems like OnStar, and pre-installed iPod jacks. If you must have them, do some shopping before you take out your auto loan. Look beyond the dealer to the auto parts after-market, and find out if you can buy some of the bells and whistles at a reduced price.
Even at after-market prices, these options will inflate your bottom line. You'll have to carefully evaluate whether they're worth the expense. It may be a prudent move to pick your jaw up off the floor and keep your hard earned dollars in your pocket.
Sticker shock afflicts thousands of potential car shoppers every day. When a sales person shows you the bottom line for that shiny new car, it's all you can do to keep your jaw from bouncing off the floor.
Beyond the price of the basic car, much of what's inflating the cost of your new cruiser is the mind-boggling number of optional creature comforts that come with it. Our lust for convenience has moved us well beyond optional air conditioning and cruise control-now we're in the era of heated car seats, keyless entry, and on-board navigation systems.
Naturally, you're going to have to pay through the nose for many of these features. Before you take out that car loan, though, you might want to really ponder if these options are really worth the extra money.
Flat broke
The latest tire craze is run-flat tires. Once punctured, these tires can run for about 50 miles, enough to get you to a repair station (unless you're off-roading through the Sahara Dessert). It's a great concept, but the tires cost $150 to $400. Flat tires are not a very common occurrence, so these special tires might not be worth the hefty pricetag.
Out of this world expense
If you're a traveling salesman, a satellite navigation system can be an invaluable tool when you're traversing through unfamiliar territory. But for the majority of people who stick to a rather beaten path, the extra cost might not be worth taking out a larger auto loan and going further into debt. You may be better off using Mapquest for your directions before you leave the house.
Getting burned
Heated and cooled seats are attractive to people in northern and southern climates. However, most heating and air-conditioning units in cars work so effectively that the seats aren't really worth their $700 per seat pricetag.
Not so fob-ulous
The security benefits behind a keyless entry can't be denied. Anyone walking through a parking ramp late at night doesn't want to waste time fumbling with keys. With a radio-activated key fob, you can unlock your car door quickly and conveniently. However, if you lose the little bugger, you could spend upwards of $200 to replace it.
More options are out there, including premium sound systems, concierge systems like OnStar, and pre-installed iPod jacks. If you must have them, do some shopping before you take out your auto loan. Look beyond the dealer to the auto parts after-market, and find out if you can buy some of the bells and whistles at a reduced price.
Even at after-market prices, these options will inflate your bottom line. You'll have to carefully evaluate whether they're worth the expense. It may be a prudent move to pick your jaw up off the floor and keep your hard earned dollars in your pocket.
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