Cars are expensive enough, gobbling ever-pricier fuel, but there are times when even automotive skinflints should consider loosening their grip on that dollar. We've identified some purchases — for car shoppers and car owners — where the payoff's worth the extra expense. Don't cheat yourself out of safety or the joy of driving.
Replacement Tires
Tires are notoriously hard to shop for. They're round! They're black! They have different squiggles on the tread! Many folks just throw up their hands and buy the cheapest thing that can keep their rims off the pavement. Big mistake: Tires are the single most important thing you can purchase to affect the safety, handling and ride of your car.
We can't tell you exactly what the best tires are for your car: That's part of the problem — it varies. You'll need to do some homework, and this tool from online vendor The Tire Rack can help. One tip: As you shop around, don't make the tire's wear rating (how long it lasts) your top priority. Look instead for a top traction and temperature rating. Those indicate how well the tires will stick to wet roads and run at high speed under a heavy load (basically, an indication of the tire's resistance to blowing out). Surely that matters more than getting a few more miles out of your donuts.
Built-In Navigation System
A built-in navigation system can add thousands to the cost of a new car, and that gives many folks pause, especially if they're already holding a GPS in their hand — their mobile phone. But dealing with a phone as navigation device while driving can be fiddly and dangerous. You wouldn't text while you were driving, right? (Don't answer that.)
The top reason to buy the factory system is safety: not just because navigating with a built-in system is easier, but because it frequently serves as a big screen for a rearview camera. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that nearly 200 people are killed each year in back-over accidents. Also, the screen typically serves as a multifunction display that allows you to control your music, climate, and other aspects of your ride more easily (and easier means safer, thanks to less time with your eyes off the road).
A Nicer Towel
No, not for you, silly — for the car. For some people, washing the car means taking it to the car wash. For others, it's a driveway ritual involving exotic potions and cotton swabs. And for a lot of us, it's just another chore to squeeze in on the weekend. But you can make that task a whole lot more pleasant, and better for your car, with one of the new microfiber drying cloths. It's a splurge not to use those free old bath towels, but the $10 - $20 you shell out for a few of these will save you time and laundry, and reduce the risk of scratching your paint. A friend swears by Meguiar's Water Magnet Microfiber Drying Towel.
