The extras that are worth getting with a new car

La Fenetre

Some manufacturers offer a pile of extras by just going for the car above the entry level. These are probably the best buy. VAG, the cheaters, tend to be the most deliberately stingy and drab with any extras above base spec, unless you fork out extortionate amounts for their extras.

R1_Pete

300+ BHP
RWD

Cookie_Monster

2 additional cylinders

Henry Ford III

I forgot 1 extra that I'd now view as essential - a heated windscreen.

Henry Ford III

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I forgot 1 extra that I'd now view as essential - a heated windscreen.

Oooooh, heated wing mirrors. Never got the point of them - until I didn't have them :P

mickoneill31

I got a new car a couple of years ago. The only extras that I cared about were

Daylight running lights.
Bluetooth - it's just so handy. I play podcasts on my commute every day and having phone calls come through the car speaker automatically is great.
Heated front windscreen - again, great getting into a fogged up car and having the windows clear in 10 seconds.

The ones I discounted were
Reverse sensor. Haven't needed it and haven't regretted not getting it. I know that's not for everyone though.
Fold in mirrors. Same.
Doors that lock when you move away from the car or unlock when you get close - I'd probably get that if I was getting one now.

dr.fuzzenstein

I would like alloy wheels* (but not dealbreaker), cruise control, bluetooth (for voice and audio and controlling tracks from the radio), demisting screen (it's great on my Ford), VERY LOUD stereo (because I'm deaf from listening to all that very loud music), I'm not against Auto and after that it just has to drive well, be comfy, roomy and be reasonable on fuel.


*
As for steelies, if you do it right it can look great, I had a VW T2 T3 transporter, it had steel wheels but chrome hubcaps, you know, those 3/4 size ones. Deep Dish or GTFO.
To this day when I see an old Transporter (T2 or 3) and it has sh*tty alloys, or worse, plastic hubcaps, I die a little inside. Philistines.
Regarde how to do it right:




I might even say "fcuk all the extras, I just want this" maybe with a modern TDI. With extra smoke.

R1_Pete

That T2 is gorgeous

dr.fuzzenstein

R1_Pete wrote: »

That T2 is gorgeous

D'oh! it's a T3, I wrong that wrote. My bad

Skylinehead

Eoin wrote: »

But that is probably the easiest thing to change at any stage you want. Most of the stuff that's actually useful day-to-day is probably either a PITA or not possible to retrofit. To me, alloys are the most sensible thing to skimp on.

That logic does make sense, but it flies out the window when you buy a brand new car for 30k, drive it out of the dealership and it already looks ****

La Fenetre

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

As for steelies, if you do it right it can look great, I had a VW T2 T3 transporter, it had steel wheels but chrome hubcaps, you know, those 3/4 size ones.

Manufactures could easily provide base models with that style of steel wheels as cheaply, the reason they don't is to goad people into forking out on buying a pack of "extras" and paying extremely extortionate rates for same. I'd wager they make more money on extras than they do on the car itself.

La Fenetre

Skylinehead wrote: »

That logic does make sense, but it flies out the window when you buy a brand new car for 30k, drive it out of the dealership and it already looks ****

Most aftermarket alloys used to look very aftermarket and never really matched in with the vehicle's styling. Nowadays well chosen aftermarket alloy designs can blend in just as well any manufactures alloys, so it's quite easy to add them yourself for a fraction of the price.

Hachiko

La Fenetre wrote: »

Most aftermarket alloys used to look very aftermarket and never really matched in with the vehicle's styling. Nowadays well chosen aftermarket alloy designs can blend in just as well any manufactures alloys, so it's quite easy to add them yourself for a fraction of the price.

Some cars don't look right without OEM alloys, it can also affect resale values.

La Fenetre

Hachiko wrote: »

Some cars don't look right without OEM alloys, it can also affect resale values.

Or rather some cars don't look right with the wrong alloys. There's nothing wrong with well chosen aftermarket alloys.

colm_mcm

With the choice out there now, it's possible to get a wheel that looks like it should come as standard equipment (I don't mean a replica, just well designed inoffensive wheels)
I would favour OEM too I most cases though.

La Fenetre

colm_mcm wrote: »

With the choice out there now, it's possible to get a wheel that looks like it should come as standard equipment (I don't mean a replica, just well designed inoffensive wheels)
I would favour OEM too I most cases though.

I favor OEM too when priced accordingly, but I'd never pay the extortionate prices some manufactures ask.

Hachiko

Any is250 i see for sale has OEM alloys, putting on aftermarket ones doesn't really work. I did consider some but just did a paint job on mine in the end. If you put on other alloys it will not help when you want to sell it on.

colm_mcm

Your wheels turned out very well with the new colour.

Hachiko

indeed, they look far better than previous.

dr.fuzzenstein

La Fenetre wrote: »

Manufactures could easily provide base models with that style of steel wheels as cheaply, the reason they don't is to goad people into forking out on buying a pack of "extras" and paying extremely extortionate rates for same. I'd wager they make more money on extras than they do on the car itself.

Which is why back in the day no one had alloys. You had steel wheels with nice hubcabs. Never any need for it.
Now you have horrible plastic hubcaps or alloys. But I think modern cars wouldn't work with the old style of steel wheels and chrome hubcaps.

colm_mcm

fiat 500 has nice steelies. it is retro though.

draiochtanois

This post has been deleted.

dar83

La Fenetre wrote: »

Most aftermarket alloys used to look very aftermarket and never really matched in with the vehicle's styling. Nowadays well chosen aftermarket alloy designs can blend in just as well any manufactures alloys, so it's quite easy to add them yourself for a fraction of the price.

In fairness for any decent set of alloys you're usually better off paying the extra from the dealership when you order the car, as you'll pay less than paying for a decent set afterwards. Unless we're talking Halfords efforts or OEM Replica's, which lets be honest shouldn't be considered on par and are probably the only thing that will come close to proper savings on the originals added on to begin with.

La Fenetre

dar83 wrote: »

In fairness for any decent set of alloys you're usually better off paying the extra from the dealership when you order the car, as you'll pay less than paying for a decent set afterwards. Unless we're talking Halfords efforts or OEM Replica's, which lets be honest shouldn't be considered on par and are probably the only thing that will come close to proper savings on the originals added on to begin with.

I've seen dealers ask 800-900 extra just for ordinary 16" alloys, I don't think that's a good deal.

colm_mcm

Nowadays there's usually a spec just above poverty spec that has alloys included. No point in buying alloys from the parts department as an accessory if you can get them from factory. They wouldn't have proper 3/5/whatever year warranty on them for a start and you'd have to inform your insurance company (technically)

duffman3833

people are mentioning auto lights, auto wiper and electric seats, are you really gonna say no to a car with out them, are we getting that lazy we require everything to be automated?

duffman3833

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Which is why back in the day no one had alloys. You had steel wheels with nice hubcabs. Never any need for it.
Now you have horrible plastic hubcaps or alloys. But I think modern cars wouldn't work with the old style of steel wheels and chrome hubcaps.

i think the dacia logan is the car best suited for your description

Eoin

duffman3833 wrote: »

people are mentioning auto lights, auto wiper and electric seats, are you really gonna say no to a car with out them,

They were never must-haves for me, but now I do have them I'd probably find it hard to change to a car with fewer gadgets. As an aside, I'd prefer to go back to having permanent dipped beams, not auto ones.

duffman3833 wrote: »

are we getting that lazy we require everything to be automated?

I'm sure people said the same about power steering and electric windows.

duffman3833

Eoin wrote: »

They were never must-haves for me, but now I do have them I'd probably find it hard to change to a car with fewer gadgets. As an aside, I'd prefer to go back to having permanent dipped beams, not auto ones.



I'm sure people said the same about power steering and electric windows.

power steering i would have for safety, easier to maneuver while driving and avoiding objects but i could live without electric windows. But if all these fancy options are available in my budget yea would be nice to have but wouldn't spend more to get them

Oafley Jones

duffman3833 wrote: »

power steering i would have for safety, easier to maneuver while driving and avoiding objects but i could live without electric windows. But if all these fancy options are available in my budget yea would be nice to have but wouldn't spend more to get them

Manual windows take far more time with your hand off the wheel.

Auto lights as standard comes up the odd time as a safety measure. Purely owing to the amount of idiots that don't know when to turn them on. Seeing the usual DRL newcomers over the past week or two.