Don't Waste Your Money on This Useless Car Stuff

Even the most hardcore car enthusiasts understand that the convenience and joy of driving can be a costly love affair. But even after you've paid for your ride's monthly payments, insurance, and fuel or electricity costs, the automotive aftermarket accessories industry is sitting there with its hands out, waiting for you to hand over more money. 

Some boast claims to boost your vehicle's performance, fuel economy, safety and security. Others can make you feel good by customizing your interior or adding features that didn't previously come with your vehicle when you bought it. 

Here are 12 car accessories that, despite their claims, are often unnecessary and not worth your hard-earned money

Air Fresheners

If you want to hang an object in the car's rearview mirror that blocks outward visibility, potentially causes you and your passenger health problems, and constantly needs to be replaced, go ahead and buy yourself an air freshener. But for the rest of us, air fresheners, well, they generally stink. 

The chemicals that make up these products can cause health issues like headaches, loss of coordination, nausea, liver, kidney, and central nervous system damage, cancer, and more. Some air fresheners contain phthalates that can affect hormone balance and potentially impact reproductive health, while others are flammable.

A cheap, easy, and safe way to get rid of odours is to sprinkle some baking soda onto the carpets, let it sit overnight, then vacuum it away. 

Car Alarms

Most modern vehicles already come from the factory with security systems and alarms. An aftermarket alarm system might put you at ease, but they don’t do much to actually deter theft. For starters, there could be a high rate of false alarms due to an alarm's sensitivity to faulty key fobs or wiring problems, the public generally ignores it when a car alarm is sounding, and alarms can be bypassed easily by thieves. 

Colour-Coded Tire Pressure Valve Covers

These aftermarket valve stems change colour from green to red when your tires need air. Convenient, right? But there are a few reasons why these are on our list of useless car stuff. 

First, like car alarms, most vehicles today already come with low-tire-pressure indicators. Part of the vehicle's Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), these dashboard lights (typically a cross-section of a tire with an exclamation point in the middle) can be yellow or amber to alert drivers when one or more of the car's tires are significantly under-inflated. Second, a simple handheld tire pressure gauge and your own eyes are all you need to find out if you need to add air to your tires. 

Expensive Detailing Products

Despite the claims of YouTube car detailers, washing your car should be a simple exercise. It's a task that can be accomplished without needing special or expensive vehicle detailing products.

While many detailing products have contributed to your vehicle's sheen, it's important to be aware of their potential drawbacks. These include the environmental impact, health hazards associated with certain chemicals, and the risk of damage if not used correctly. It's crucial to understand that while cars do require specialized cleaning products (don’t use dish soap or Windex to clean a car, for example), their effectiveness can be subjective and may depend on proper application and vehicle condition. When cleaning your car, the cheaper stuff will usually work as effectively as the expensive brand-name stuff.

Engine Sound Generators

These devices artificially amplify or modify your vehicle's existing gas engine or electric motor sound. The aftermarket systems available are not just limited to simple intake noises but also include more sophisticated systems that generate and broadcast pre-recorded engine sounds into the interior, offering a wide array of options to explore. 

The makers of engine sound generators highlight how these devices can potentially enhance your driving experience, creating more sporty or distinctive powerplant noises. Depending on your ability to fend off the potential poseur insults from trying to make your four-cylinder sound like a V8, these devices can be filed under "useless."

Engine Treatments

In the automotive world, "snake oil" refers to products or claims presented as having significant benefits or solving complex problems but are ineffective or even harmful. Useless engine treatments are high on the snake oil list. 

Many of these engine treatments are marketed as specially formulated products to address a plethora of problems that may occur with your engine over time, such as reduced lubrication, increased friction, and the accumulation of deposits, claiming to restore engine compression, stop leaks, or improve oil pressure.

It's crucial to understand that many of these treatments use cheap or generic additives that may not have undergone the same level of rigorous testing that your vehicle's original engine fluids would have been put under. Some additives may disrupt the original chemistry of your car's engine oil, potentially leading to increased friction, reduced fuel efficiency, or even long-term engine damage. Some can clog oil passages or filters or cause other issues, underscoring the potential for engine damage.

Electronic Rust Inhibitors

Given our harsh driving climate and the use of corrosive materials on our roads to combat snow and ice, the threat of a rusty car is a pressing concern for many Canadian drivers. These worries have led to the popularity of electronic rust prevention systems (ERPS), which use electromagnetic technology to inhibit corrosion. 

While some users have reported positive experiences, it's important to note that there's a lack of official data that shows that cars with ERPS have less rust than those without it. It's crucial to understand that ERPS can work when the metal is submerged in water, like on a boat, but this doesn't apply to a vehicle driving on a rainy or snowy road, highlighting the limitations of this technology. Plus, these devices can slowly drain your battery because they run even if the car is turned off, and rustproofing sprays and waxes are cheaper and more effective. 

Universal Floor Mats

These aftermarket one-size-fits-all mats are generally more expensive than standard floor mats. If these mats don't fit snugly, they can become a safety hazard when they move around the footwell and get wedged behind the clutch, brake, or accelerator pedals, making them a potential waste of your hard-earned money. 

Opting for custom liners designed using the original measurements of your vehicle's footwells could be a more cost-effective and safer choice in the long run. 

Key Protection Insurance

Losing your car keys is a major inconvenience. Plus, with newer key fobs incorporating features like remote entry and start, going to the dealer and replacing these new sophisticated key systems — particularly on luxury cars — can cost hundreds of dollars, and most comprehensive automotive insurance policies do not provide coverage for lost keys.

Some dealers feed into this fear by offering key protection, a separate insurance policy just for your keys. Instead, it's better to spend your money to add roadside assistance to your insurance portfolio. This way, if you lose your car keys or have damaged keys that don't work, your insurance provider will send a locksmith to your location to provide you with replacement keys, a cost-effective solution that comes with a list of other potentially useful perks compared to key protection insurance.

Nitrogen-filled Tires

Now that you've learned that colour-coded tire valve stem covers are unnecessary car accessories, nitrogen-filled tires are another expense you can avoid. Why spend your hard-earned money on something that doesn't significantly improve your driving experience? 

Using nitrogen can cost significantly more than filling with regular air, typically free at many gas stations or if you have a portable tire pressure pump. However, the practical challenges of using nitrogen, such as finding a location that offers nitrogen refills, can be a deterrent. Even with nitrogen, tires still need regular maintenance and pressure checks, adding to the inconvenience. While filling your tires with nitrogen may seem appealing, it's important to remember that regular air is sufficient to maintain your tires' pressure.

Seat Covers

There's a compelling case for investing in aftermarket seat covers. They can breathe new life into older cars with worn or torn seats or shield the original upholstery from the rigours of daily use, spills, stains, and other damage. With a diverse array of materials and styles, they can also inject a personalized touch that's uniquely yours. 

It's worth noting that seat covers can have their drawbacks. The fit and quality can be questionable, and more significantly, they could void vehicle warranties if they interfere with safety features like airbags. 

Steering Wheel Covers

Like seat covers, the cons of buying an alternate steering wheel cover far outweigh any claimed disadvantages. Sure, steering wheel cover makers will try to convince you that their products will improve comfort, grip, and protection for the steering wheel in your car. With covers available in materials like fake leather, neoprene, or other fabrics, personalization is also a big selling point. 

However, if not properly fitted or made of poor-quality materials, some covers can slip, potentially leading to losing control of your vehicle. Some cover materials, like silicone-based covers, can be slippery and affect grip. More alarmingly, others can damage the original steering wheel over time, a potential cost you may not have considered.