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Ticking a box


Ticking a box

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In the moments after you have done the deal on your new car, you're feeling good. You were a bit stressed by the whole argy bargy of negotiating a price, but now it's done, you're relieved and happy.

You're also vulnerable. At this point a nice, immaculately dressed lady (this role is usually filled by a woman) will probably emerge from an office, congratulate you on your purchase, and invite you to sit down to discuss protecting your investment.

Rustproofing, fabric protection for the upholstery, headlight/bonnet protectors and an extended warranty are favourites, because they cost the dealer very little but can be worth thousands in clear profit - often more than the dealer makes on the car itself.

Rustproofing

Rustproofing has already been done at the factory, by sophisticated electrochemical processes, before the car is painted. After all, rust attacks metal, not paint. How can any aftermarket rustproofing treatment be effective if it's applied over the top of a finished car? Electronic rust proofing is not recommended either, this process is best suited to ships and bridges which are in water 24 hours a day. Answer - it's a waste of money.

Fabric protection

Fabric protection can be effective, but is it worth hundreds of dollars? You can buy a can of similar stuff for $10 at the supermarket or furniture shop and do it yourself. 

Headlight and bonnet protectors

Headlight and bonnet protectors? Unless you regularly follow other drivers too closely on dirt roads, all you'll gain from fitting these is greatly reduced headlight efficiency because you can't properly clean them.

Extended warranties

Many extended warranties are not worth the paper they are written on. The list of parts they don't cover is longer than those they do. They're basically a means of ensuring that you bring your car back to the dealer for servicing - where, again, the profits can be greater than on the sale of new cars - because if you go somewhere else, or miss a scheduled service by a few weeks or a couple of thousand kilometres, the warranty provider can, and usually will, refuse your claim.

Some options are worth paying for, others, like those above, are similarly pointless. We'll leave aside indulgences like sunroof, leather, fake tree and shiny bits - if you want to turn your car into a rolling pleasure dome, that's your business - and look here at a few supposedly useful gizmos and gadgets...  

Supposedly useful gizmos and gadgets
Back seat DVD   If you have young kids, get one of these and your life will be joyous. Again, though, aftermarket portable units can cost less and be used in different cars.
Premium audio   This can be tricky, because in a few years the six stack CD player will be redundant in cars and most will simply have a radio receiver with a plug in for your iPod, plus/or a hard drive on to which you can put thousands of songs. A few cars have these features available now, and if you spend a lot of time on the road you'll find such a setup is the last word in convenience. It's also much safer than trying to juggle a CD while you're driving. Some aftermarket products are available, but you need to ensure that they fit neatly in your car, and be aware of the fact that their installation may void your warranty coverage for factory audio system components if problems occur.
Safety features   You can't have too many airbags. If stability control is available, take it. Many cheaper cars offer stability control, side and curtain airbags as a packaged option, usually at a pretty reasonable price - $1200-$1500 or so. It's cheap life insurance.
Satellite navigation   Can be handy, but why pay up to $6000 for it as a factory option when you can buy a portable, plug in aftermarket device, that works just as well, for $200 or so?
Sports suspension/ wheels/tyres   These can make a car steer and handle better. They can also do nothing much except ruin ride quality and cost a fortune. Test drive the standard and optioned versions of your car before you tick this box.

Article by Bill McKinnon, March 2008.

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