Troubleshooter: Features that fail, part 2

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Don’t miss Part 1: Why that loaded used car could unload your wallet .

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With the seemingly never-ending race to load as many features into vehicles as possible, car shoppers need to be aware of the balance between benefit and cost — especially when cruising pre-owned lots looking for that unicorn cream-puff. There are some systems and components that will provide reasonable service life with minimal upkeep, but there are others that can break both the bank and the love affair between a driver and their metal.

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Troubleshooter: Features that fail, part 2 Back to video

Glass panel roofs

I personally never understood the supposed benefit of a glass roof in any type of vehicle. First, you can’t drive with them open at any speed over a crawl without excessive wind noise. On hot and sunny days, you’ll be reaching for their pull shade to give the air-conditioning system a fighting chance. And then there’s the dubious idea of building a roof panel (that’s supposed to protect you in a roll-over) with a fragile substance like glass.

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Unlike other glass panels in your vehicle, there’s no chance of price deal when the need for new sunroof glass comes up. These fancy features often start at $1000 (before installation fees), and prices tend to go up from there. It isn’t just the glass, either: these roofs incorporate all manner of peripheral parts, such as drive motors, drains, seals, and linkages. And unlike fine wine, sunroof systems don’t get better with age. If you recently purchased an older ride with a sunroof that doesn’t leak, don’t temp fate by opening it.

If there’s anything worse than an old glass sunroof, it has to be a retractable fabric roof panel. Don’t just walk — run away from those, or be ready to break out the credit card.

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Heated seats can burn more than just your pants

Who doesn’t want to get all warm and toasty when hitting the car seat on a frosty morning? The problem is that those heated seats do wear out. The working part of a heated seat is a thin pad with heated wire elements, and depending on the weight that the seat is forced to bear (and admit it, some of us are definitely harder on car seats than others), their lifespan can be limited. The only way to replace one is to remove and disassemble the seat, which often carries a bill of around $500 or more. Save yourself some grief and money; when driving an older vehicle in cold weather, consider wearing warm clothing.

A general safety note as well: never set off in winter without some extra layers stashed in the trunk. Even if you’re just popping to the shops, breakdowns can happen in new and old cars alike. You should always be prepared for the possibility of a cold wait for a tow.

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Rear seat entertainment

The big question with these expensive, quickly-obsolete options: ‘why?’ Rather than spending big bucks for this option, why not just get a couple of inexpensive tablets. That way your backseat passengers can have a screen that’s easily adjusted to eliminate glare and a touch screen that’s far easier to use than one mounted at the back of the front seat headrests — and of course the ultimate in portability.

Used vehicles with collision mitigation systems

If you’re thinking of a vehicle that’s five years or older, has been Canadian winter driven, and is loaded with things like parking and lane-keeping assist as well as emergency braking, think twice. These systems are loaded with electronics and wiring that don’t age well when exposed to our climate,  and can be particularly expensive to repair. All of their safety advantages are easily replaced with an attentive, experienced, and properly trained driver. Some will say that feature is getting to be as rare as those cream-puffs we dream about, but I try to keep positive.