Troubleshooter: Why that loaded used car could unload your wallet

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The favourite hype description for car sellers everywhere has to be the word ‘loaded’, meaning it’s got every conceivable option that was available when it was built. It rates right up there with ‘all the bells and whistles,’ and really, who wouldn’t want all of the latest and greatest features? Well, maybe those who have learned the hard way that the more equipment you build into a vehicle, the more things there are that can go wrong. Here are a few that might seem good on paper, but can leave a whole lot to be desired in practice. Next time you’re out kicking tires, be sure to keep these in mind.

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Troubleshooter: Why that loaded used car could unload your wallet Back to video

Automatic air suspension

This nifty feature is becoming more common than you might think, as it can make a high-riding, difficult-to-enter 4WD truck as easy to step into as a mild-mannered sedan. The problem is that in our climate, on-board air compressors and lines can be prone to freeze-ups caused by condensation. Moreover, air-springs don’t age well and their flexible seals and air-bags inevitably develop leaks. Crucially, the cost of replacement parts can be shocking, and transforming an air-equipped vehicle to a conventional suspension system can be difficult as well as expensive.

HID/LED lamps

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While they’re great to provide superior night-vision distance, vehicles equipped with these lights come with surprisingly high price tags for replacement bulbs (if you can get separate bulbs instead of complete lamp assemblies). HID (High-Intensity Discharge) bulbs can run $200 and up, and LED (Light-Emitting Diode) lamps seldom offer bulbs on their own. If you notice a decidedly bright white light (with some blueness in it) coming from the headlamps, ask if the lamps were HID originally or aftermarket add-ons. In Ontario, for example, this conversion is banned and similar rules for LEDs may be on the way.

Multi-zone climate control systems

These were always a lot of hype with little function to back them up. Think about it: unless a vehicle’s cabin is actually partitioned with air-tight barriers, what good does it do to have different temperature air coming out of the left dash vent versus the right? The basic heater-box construction for most multi-zone systems isn’t necessarily the problem; it’s the requirement for more electric actuators to make it work. These little servos can run $100 or more depending on the make and model, and while some are easily changed, others require complete dash removal for access.

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If this sounds scary from a price point of view, it’s nothing compared to repairing rear HVAC systems. These units, popular in minivans and full-sized SUVs, usually use lines that run under the vehicle from the engine bay to the rear HVAC units to carry both refrigerant gas and engine coolant. Their weakest links are the long lines that get exposed to the worst that our roads and climate can throw at them, and which can easily run over $1,000 just for parts. But there are alternatives: the lines going to the back can usually be capped off, leaving the front system to work as before — indeed, it often works better without the draw of a rear system in operation. The cost of this repair is a fraction of the cost of replacing the lines.

There are other features to avoid we will cover in a future column. For now, just remember: a fully-loaded car may well require a fully-loaded wallet to keep everything up and running.