What's your favorite car feature that is wholly unnecessary, but you can't imagine going without?

[SmugAardvark]

Like the title says, what's your favorite car feature that is wholly unnecessary, but you can't imagine going without?

For me, it's heating in places where heating is traditionally not found. Before the Jaguar, I'd never owned a car with heated seats or a heated steering wheel. They always seemed entirely superfluous. I can always just turn on the car's heater to warm up, right?

Well, now that I've had it all winter, I know the value of warm hands and warmer buns. In fact, I never even set the A/C higher than 70 degrees (usually 60-65). I much prefer being cool over warm, so it's nice to drive home when it's about 45 degrees out with the sunroof open and my seat heater/wheel heater cranked. Keeps my important bits cozy without feeling like I'm in a sweat box.

So Oppo, what's yours?

[CB]

@smugaardvark Smartphone integration. Totally unnecessary, but I love having it.

[SmugAardvark]

@cb said in What's your favorite car feature that is wholly unnecessary, but you can't imagine going without?:

@smugaardvark Smartphone integration. Totally unnecessary, but I love having it.

Oh yeah, that's a great one too! I haven't had to shuffle radio stations in over a year, quite fantastic.

[Italia]

@smugaardvark electric start.

[SmugAardvark]

@italia said in What's your favorite car feature that is wholly unnecessary, but you can't imagine going without?:

@smugaardvark electric start.

Nice choice. It is pretty awesome being able to unlock the car, push a button to start it, drive wherever I want, then park it and push the button to shut it down and walk off without ever having to take my key out of my pocket.

[Italia]

@smugaardvark I meant as opposed to hand crank but keyless stuff is neat too.

[Chariotoflove]

@smugaardvark Radar cruise control. Love it on road trips and really miss it when it’s not there.

[spacekraken]

@smugaardvark +100 for heated seats. Really one of the few features I swear by being worth the added tech. Phone integration is no slouch either.

My other one would have to be AWD (combined with electronic brake limited-slips) at this point. I don't ever NEED it but holy wow it makes snow/ice/heavy rain driving a lot more fun once you know the car control a bit. Fully unnecessary, not a replacement for snow tires (and I have those), definitely a big part of why I like my car in the snow.

[SmugAardvark]

@italia Haha, oh I get it now.

[Just Jeepin']

All of it.

[SmugAardvark]

@just-jeepin I think your brakes are too strong and tires too grippy. Your windshield tipped right over!

[zipfuel]

Add the panoramic roof to the list - totally transforms the interior of my wagon.
Seat heater and open sunroof weather is one of my favorite times of year.

[BritsnSwedes was MINIGTI]

@smugaardvark definitely agree, steering wheel heat in my Volvo is awfully nice.

[RallyWrench]

@smugaardvark Manual transmissions?

[way2blu]

@smugaardvark

Paw pup headlights:

Any time a car changes shape in unusual ways is cool. See also: reverse hinged hoods, billionaire doors, active aero, etc.

[VincentMalamute]

@italia said in What's your favorite car feature that is wholly unnecessary, but you can't imagine going without?:

@smugaardvark electric start.

haha! I DD'd a base model Dodge Caravan for years and when I finally got a newer old minivan like maybe in 2010, the remote door lock/unlock fob thrilled me to no end.

[DealkillerPoweredByFocus]

@smugaardvark Heated seats are great, with remote start, it’s awesome. I can start my car from my office, walk down and be in a toasty seat by the time I get there.

[jminer]

For me it’s heated seats, cruise control and a sunroof.

None of them make a car any more of a car but oh so much more comfortable. They were the three things I wish my Focus wagon had (well that and reliability) and my sportwagen does and love every bit of it!

[Longtime Lurker]

@smugaardvark While I haven't owned a car with heated seats, I have driven one that did, And instantly fell in love with them. Having a remote start installed on my Ranger is an absolute luxury. But what I miss most that my Caravan had but my Ranger doesn't is heated mirrors. Have I lasted 10 years without them? Yes. Do I wish I had them everyday the mirrors are frosted over? Yes.

[Dr. Zoidberg]

@smugaardvark Auto-dimming rear view mirror is very handy in a world where half the people drive with high beams on and trucks are lifted four feet in the air.

[derp]

I enjoy a lot of unnecessary stuff on my daily driver. Totally willing to live without on a car that's about driving, but for a commuter/random work truck?

Heated seats
Bluetooth stereo
Blind spot indicators (yes I still use my mirrors and actually check over my shoulder every lane change, but redundancy isn't all bad)
Backup camera - especially with a hitch
Cruise control (you take it for granted till you do salt lake city to saint paul in one shot without it)
Auto dimming rear view and driver side mirrors
Single touch up and down front windows

Only thing I wish it had in addition (and next truck must have) is a heated steering wheel. I have fucked up circulation from nerve damage so a heated wheel will help a ton in winters.

All that bougie stuff aside, I can still hop in my Supra with no driver aids and have an absolute blast. If anything it makes having a more pure or raw driving experience that much more special.

[pip bip]

@smugaardvark i've got nothing.

[SmugAardvark]

@derpwagon said in What's your favorite car feature that is wholly unnecessary, but you can't imagine going without?:

Cruise control (you take it for granted till you do salt lake city to saint paul in one shot without it)

I did Florida to California in a Nissan Cube packed literally to the roof with all my worldly belongings. It was a 6MT without cruise control.

Would not recommend to others.

[SmugAardvark]

@pip-bip You must have something...

[SmugAardvark]

@dr-zoidberg No kidding. Driving the C5 sucks at night, because even regular-sized modern pickups seem to have their headlights burning directly into my retinas.