What are your 'must-have' options when buying a car?

[Acheron]

For me, i love cars with Sat Nav. I dont know why, i just like gadgets i suppose and nothing is better than a screen with loads of buttons and options, regardless as to how crap the nav actually is.

I wouldnt have leather seats again, but the deal breaker for me is Xenon headlights. I dont know why, but i love them so much. My last 2 cars have had them, and i dont think i could go back

Also, and again, i know this is odd, but slanted low dashboards irritate me. For example, the dash in the vectra and the 3-series is quite square, and feels quite high, there's like a 'shelf' between you and the windscreen. However cars like the octavia and passat, have a slanted dashboard, with the radio at an angle, and i dont like these dashboards that 'run up' to the bottom of the windscreen.

If that makes any sense.

Which it doesnt :P

[GroundEffect]

Has to be high-revving.

That's about it, for me.

[George H]

iPod and iPhone compatible and a multifunction steering wheel.

[Alex]

Decent power, good brakes and handling. Wish I could delete everything else (except air-con).

[bob1179]

4 wheels, an engine and somewhere to sit?

I'm not really into new cars, I like 'em a bit older see.

Though I have to admit the most important thing for me is grunt, I like a nice grunty engine that makes a nice noise. The more cylinders the better.

[thinfourth2]

Can i listen to radio 4?

[Jasandjules]

Depends on what I am buying the car for.....

The dog car, well air con is good, and good safety features.

The sports car, well, convertible, and that's about it.... Usually a TVR badge on the front helps.

[mybrainhurts]

Fluffy dice...not pink, though

[RicksAlfas]

When I swapped my car recently I wanted leather (not grey, black or cream), sat nav and a sunroof.

[Motorrad]

Air conditioning- living/having lived places where temps rise above 30 degrees C it's bloody miserable sat in traffic or on motorways without it.

Don't know if I'd be that bothered living in the UK however.

edit to add

LW radio for the UK.

[Chrisw666]

Seats, wheels, engine, gearbox, brakes. Apart from that most other stuff is just a nice bonus waiting patiently to need fixing.

[soad]

I'd say sat nat, leather seats and dab radio - at least on newer cars.

[Fittster]

Wouldn't buy an everyday car without air-con.

[W00DY]

No must-haves. I do really like a sunroof though.

[Evangelion]

1 - RWD
2 - Must handle well (goes with 1 really, or should)
(so why do I drive a 206? you must all be asking)
3 - Aircon. I used to think it was a silly thing to have when there are only a dozen days that need it in this country (if you're lucky!) until it was pointed out that it cleans the air in the winter as well. I suppose you could use the same argument for convertibles but I still bought one.

[Vladimir]

A sunroof, non run flat tyres and leather seats that last better than cloth.

That's about it - most cars are specced up to the eyeballs and I have no time for shatnav or other silly gimmicks.

We buy cars to drive not d1ck about with like it's an i-phone. Finding a 335d without i-drive/shatnav was a mission but well worth the effort.

[mike325112]

Motorrad said:

Air conditioning- living/having lived places where temps rise above 30 degrees C it's bloody miserable sat in traffic or on motorways without it.

Don't know if I'd be that bothered living in the UK however.

edit to add

LW radio for the UK.

For TMS by any chance?? Bought a car without it before, never again.

[anonymous-user]

Climate control, leather and the ability to add an ipod connection. A sunroof, cruise control and steering wheel controls are bonuses but not deal breakers.

[Tampon]

Cruise control, I search this first with cars I am getting then narrow it down to makes models with it.

all day trips to the south of france mean I wouldn;t be able to walk without it.

[Motorrad]

mike325112 said:

For TMS by any chance?? Bought a car without it before, never again.

Yes, that and the World Service. Can be picked up almost down to southern France.