When you’ve negotiated the price of the new car that you’re happy with, it is then time to go in and sign all the papers. There is one-stop that happens before that, however. Usually, you are brought into a separate room with another salesperson to discuss the add ons to your purchase.
This is when the high-pressure sales really start because many of these add ons are where the dealer makes most of their money. The thing is that some of these addons are not going to benefit you at all and only serve to put more money into the pocket of the dealer.
That said, there are some addons that certainly make sense to purchase and can actually save you money in the long run or provide peace of mind at a minimum. In this article, we will go over what some of the addons are worth buying so you can avoid making a costly mistake.
Extended warranty
New cars come with a warranty from the factory that is included in the sale price. They are not all the same, however. Usually, you will get a minimum of three years and 36,000 miles covered whichever comes first.
If you plan to have your car for much longer than your loan so you can have a period without any car payments then this warranty will be lacking. It could be a good idea to buy an extended warranty. This will add some extra years and miles to what is covered.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to buy the extended warranty while at the dealer. You can buy one at any time before the current warranty expires. This gives you a lot of leeways to search the auto extended warranty reviews to find the one that is going to work best for you.
Read the fine print, however, as the coverage is not all the same and some are more comprehensive than others. Also consider that even when you get a comprehensive plan, many things won’t be covered even under a bumper to bumper plan. Basically they cover any defects from the manufacturing process so not all repairs are covered.
Key protection
Modern car keys are very complex and can’t be duplicated easily. This is good so you can protect yourself against car thieves, but bad when you lose your keys or they get broken.
It means an expensive fix to replace those keys. If you have ever accidentally washed your pants with your car keys in them then you understand how easy it can be to ruin your keys. And the price tag that comes with it is insane.
Buying key protection for many is going to be worth it. Most dealers will include this in an extended warranty, but beware that not everything is going to be covered in that bundle. If this is the case, then you should opt for the no questions asked policy so you pay your one-time fee and then you can have a key made free when you need it.