The One Vehicle Feature That’s Never Worth the Money for Retirees, According to Car Experts
Written by
Jordan Rosenfeld
Edited by
Amen Oyiboke
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If you’re shopping for a car in retirement, you’re probably looking for something with good gas mileage that’s easy to drive and affordable up front. It’s especially important for retirees, who are often on a limited budget, to be careful when shopping so that they don’t fall for a salesperson’s flashy pitch or purchase a feature they really don’t need.
Extended Warranties
The extended warranty is so superfluous that it’s become a joke that reaches the farthest corners of the internet. In space? There’s an alien trying to sell you an extended warranty. On a high mountain? A sherpa is offering the same.
According to Melanie Musson, an insurance and auto industry expert with Clearsurance.com, “Salespeople are good at selling extended warranties to everyone, especially retirees. They emphasize the tremendous risk of engine failure and the protection the warranty offers.”
Don’t fall for the fear or the hype, she suggested.
While extended warranties can be good for a lot of drivers, most retirees don’t put on enough miles to justify one, Musson said. Not to mention that most new cars come with a manufacturer’s warranty and cars are manufactured to hold up until that warranty expires.
A powertrain warranty, for example, typically covers up to 100,000 miles,” Musson said. “Of course, there’s usually a maximum of 10 years covered by that warranty.” However, even if a retiree drives the car for longer than 10 years, they probably won’t put on more than 100,000 miles, and their car will hold up because it was designed to last that many miles.
“Instead of looking for an extended warranty, look for a vehicle that comes with a good manufacturer’s warranty,” she urged.
Infotainment Systems
Ford Smith, founder and CEO of A1 Xpress, a family-owned courier and trucking company, sees “high-end infotainment systems” as one of the most oversold features to older adults. They prey on older adults’ desire to “stay relevant on what is hot” and have more leisure time to enjoy downtime or relax during travels.
“Retirees [are] often told the big screen will make things simpler with clearer directions, bigger icons, less fiddling with buttons, etc,” Smith said. However, in practice, the opposite happens, he said.
“Because menus are often cluttered, software updates also don’t age well, and many older drivers end up defaulting to their phones for directions anyway.”
You don’t want to fork out thousands extra for a system you barely use.
What Does Make Sense
Smith recommended that if you’re going to pay a little extra for some sort of bell or whistle, make sure the vehicle comes with a rearview camera and parking assist system.
“Backing out of driveways, navigating parking lots, and judging distance in reverse become harder with age because turning the head, twisting at the waist and relying on peripheral vision are all more difficult.”
Having a clear rear camera reduces that physical strain, while audible alerts step in when something is out of view or in a blind spot.
This feature lowers the risk of avoidable accidents by compensating for reduced mobility and slower reflexes, he suggested. These systems often come with real-time warnings, as well, and can help retirees “protect their independence.”
No matter what the additional feature is, be sure to do your own research and never give in to any pressure to purchase something you aren’t sure you need.
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