11 Costly Car Dealer Upgrades to Avoid

Photo by DVS1mn

1. Fabric Protection

A common dealer upgrade that consumers are pitched is fabric protection. Although this add-on was worth the money in the late 1970s and early 1980s, most automakers have significantly upgraded the interiors of their vehicles over the past several decades. These upgrades incorporate fabrics and materials that are stain and scratch resistant in most cases. This doesn’t mean that the auto owner can spill a beverage and leave the liquid for days at a time; however, if spills are promptly wiped up and cleaned, paying for fabric protection just does not make sense. When the service is purchased, the spray will be applied by one of the shop employees before driving away with the vehicle. With the low cost of the spray, this upgrade results in mostly profit for the auto dealership. For consumers who have family members with allergy issues, the spray also introduces additional chemicals to the interior of the vehicle which can cause issues until it wears off. Apply store-bought Scotch guard will provide equivalent protection if desired, and will cost a fraction of the price.