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Are you thinking of upgrading your car with some trendy add-ons? Perhaps with accessories that weren’t a part of the car? Before you hit that buy button, take a close look at the accessories and their utility, as not all aftermarket items are useful. In this article, we’ve talked about 10 such car accessories that you should never buy.
We’ve compiled the list based on our personal experience, with the intention of saving the hard-earned money of our readers. So, without any further ado, let’s get started.
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1. Aftermarket, Oversized Spoilers
While the company-fitted spoilers are often effective in reducing a car’s drag and increasing the fuel efficiency, the generic aftermarket spoilers are usually designed with aesthetics in mind (and with little regard for their primary function).
As a result, such spoilers increase a car’s drag, which, in turn, decreases the fuel efficiency. Further, it can also cause a problem in insurance, as aftermarket spoilers aren’t always considered an official or legal part of the car.
I’ve also seen a driver hurt a pedestrian with the spoiler, just because he didn’t have enough idea of the spoiler’s width (and the rear left part of the spoiler hit the pedestrian on his right elbow). Moreover, aftermarket spoilers aren’t worth your money.
2. Generic Large Rims or Alloys
There’s a significant number of car buyers who prefer installing bigger, sometimes massive wheels on their cars, as they might look good to them.
However, such wheels (bigger and broader than what the company provides in the top model of the vehicle) often add additional stress to the car’s suspension, wheel bearings, control arms, and steering components, leading to premature wear. Oversized tires also impact the acceleration and braking of a car, and reduce fuel efficiency.
Talking about low-profile (larger alloy wheels), they’re much more prone to rim damage, especially on uneven surfaces. They also lead to stiffer rides, as they’re not as good at absorbing shocks from the road.
I’m not saying that Creta or Seltos base model owners can’t get the rims available on the top model to elevate how they’re car looks, as those are the ones designed by the manufacturers. However, it is the aftermarket models, the ones designed for all vehicles, that might not perform as well.
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3. Fake Exhaust Tips
The decorative add-ons that mimic real performance exhausts are of no use either, especially the cheap aftermarket ones that are made of low-quality metal or coated plastic. Such products, which you can often buy from e-commerce platforms, can rust, corrode, or discolor within weeks, especially during the rainy season in India.
While many of the most fake exhaust tips don’t provide a perfect fit, they might tend to loosen or vibrate over time, causing annoying rattling noises. Some tips also require drilling, welding, or clamping onto the original ones, voiding the manufacturer’s warranty.
4. Flashing Rear Lights
While the Indian road safety laws (CMVR) mandate brake lights that emit a steady red light, flashing or blinking brake lights aren’t legal for regular vehicles, except for certain emergency vehicles. Besides this, they also cause signal confusion, can be mistaken for hazard lights, or turn indicators.
5. Loud Aftermarket Horns
In my limited experience on the road, highways, and expressways in northern India, I’ve come across several cars, relatively small in size (hatchbacks, compact SUVs), but the drivers deem it fit to install horns of an SUV, or perhaps even a small commercial vehicle.
Not only are they extremely loud, but hitting such horns on a busy road can momentarily distract other drivers. Further, such horns have no real traffic benefits, except that they irritate the drivers and pedestrians around.
It’s worth mentioning here that the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) have set strict decibel limits on horns, and aftermarket horns might violate that limit, which could result in a fine.
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6. Rear Seat Neck Support
Another car accessory that you should never purchase is a rear seat neck support. They might look inexpensive and promising at first, but they are often made of poor-quality materials and finishes; they lack durability. Even otherwise, they don’t provide the required neck support to prove their mettle as a practical car accessory.
7. Steering-Mount Trays
I need not mention why steering-mount trays, or anything that prevents you from controlling a car’s steering, while driving a car, is extremely dangerous. Even when the car is at rest, the trays don’t usually provide a solid grip on the steering.
I wouldn’t recommend anyone get a steering tray, especially for laptops. You can perhaps use the tray for having food, but that should be the extent of it.
8. Center Armrest Mat
Not all cars come with a center armrest, and the ones that do, they’re often available on a higher trim that might cost thousands, if not lakhs, more than the lower variant. Further, it provides a legitimate benefit by giving you a place to rest your arm on while driving, especially on long routes.
As a result, I understand why several customers often get an aftermarket armrest in their car. However, getting a center armrest mat, whether it is for the company-fitted armrest or an aftermarket one, could be a mistake, primarily since the product being sold doesn’t fulfill its purpose.
First of all, it doesn’t stick to the armrest, but stays on top of it (or at least tries to) using elastic bands. Well, most of them do. Second, the material on top isn’t that comfortable after all. If you’re getting an aftermarket armrest after all, ensure that it is soft enough from the beginning.
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9. Cheap Seat Fabric Layer (Breathable)
I am not against the good-quality breathable seat covers that are almost as good as the branded ones that you can purchase as accessories directly from automakers (kudos to the artisans who can stitch them by hand).
However, it is the cheap, poor-quality breathable covers or half-seat coverings available online that aren’t worth your money. They don’t latch onto your seats that well, and the materials are often not good enough.
10. Blind Spot Mirror
Again, this sounds like an excellent idea, adding a mirror that gives you a wider field of view than the regular ORVM. However, the little circular mirrors, especially the one installed on the co-passenger’s side, aren’t big enough to provide a clear, glanceable view of the road.
Bonus: Multi-Port Cable
The cheap multi-port cables available in the market often malfunction after a few weeks. Further, the ports on the cable might not function properly. If you still want to get one, invest in a branded cable with a valid warranty.
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