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Buying a car is a big investment. Not only can they be expensive and take up a good portion of your budget if you finance them, but they also will be something you will most likely use every day. From taking long summer road trips to running errands and driving to work, a car, outside of your home, may be the most important thing you own. Thus, you want to make sure that you find the right vehicle for you.

Shelton Used Cars offers the best used car inventory in the Woodlawn area near Mount Vernon. We take pride in offering in-house financing so that you are able to know quickly if you qualify for a car loan. For over 40 years, our customer service has been the best in the car sales business. In our last blog post, we discussed what to look for in terms of exterior features when buying a car. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at what interior features to look for when buying a car. Stop by, and check out our used car inventory today!

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A CAR

The Big Decision: Leather or Cloth?

The leather or cloth decision is the biggest decision you have to make when buying a car. The biggest determining factor is price. Leather can cost significantly more than cloth. However, the benefits of leather can be worth the extra money. For example, if you have toddlers, leather seats can be a life saver. They are constantly eating in the car, and if they drop a drink, this can spell disaster for cloth seats. Leather you can wipe up quickly and easily. You’ll need to decide which one you prefer when buying a car.

INTERIOR FEATURES 

Seats

First things first, the seats. Since you will most likely be driving your car every day of your life, the seats are extremely important. You want the seats to be comfortable and roomy, especially if you are buying a commuter car. If you are buying a used car and you have kids, you may want to ask if the car was smoked in. Usually, you can tell when you sit in it; however, many used car dealers are adept at hiding that fact. Furthermore, new and newer cars offer the options of heated and cooling seats and dual climate control for added comfort and convenience. Massage capabilities are even available. Shelton Used Cars in Woodlawn recommends that you definitely take your time, and sit in the vehicle. Test driving your chosen vehicles will also give you a great idea for how they feel while driving.

Dashboard

Having a dashboard that is functional and readable is important as well. You want to be able to clearly see your gas gauge, speedometer, oil gauge, tire pressures, engine coolant temperature gauge, turn signals, engine malfunction lights, emergency and bright light indicators, and more. You need to be able to easily see these signals while you are driving without having them be distracting as you drive.

GPS Screen

Most newer vehicles have a GPS screen in-between the driver’s dashboard and the passenger side. Here, more frequently, you will find the temperature controls, radio controls, navigation system, power outlets, USB ports, DVD and CD player, and more. Some of these are quite big and very user-friendly.

The Cool Things

Remote Start

We here at Shelton Used Cars in Woodlawn near Mount Vernon believe that remote start is one of the best cool things ever invented for cars. Remote start is where you can start your vehicle with your key fob without having to be in it. On those cold Illinois days when it’s icy out, being able to start your car from inside your home, we believe, is absolutely priceless.

Keyless Entry

Keyless entry is just that — entering without a key. As this pertains to cars, you can enter your vehicle keyless with a key fob or with a keypad where you enter a code of your choosing. Keyless entry makes getting in your car a lot easier when your hands are full, and it has cut down on the number of times people lock their keys in the car (which has not been the best thing for locksmiths). This is because people have gotten so used to just pressing a button to enter and exit their car that they usually have their keys in their hands when they leave.

In-Car Entertainment System

If you have kids, having an in-car entertainment system can be life-saving, especially on long trips. This is where you can play a movie and everyone in the car can watch. However, these have waned in popularity in recent years due to the proliferation of iPads and other hand-held devices that now play movies on-demand.

Sunroof

A sunroof allows extra light into your vehicle and provides extra ventilation. It’s also fun to be able to see the moon and the stars.

Backup Cameras

Backup cameras have almost become universal in new cars today. Backup cameras allow you to see what’s behind you, and some will even beep a warning if, say, a person walks behind you and your vehicle is in reverse. Some have cool features such as lines to show you where the sides of your vehicle are in relation to what’s behind you, and some are now offering features where you can see everything around you. Shelton Used Cars believes that these are now essential safety features, especially if you have teen drivers in your home.

HOW SHELTON USED CARS CAN HELP YOU FIND YOUR NEXT CAR

Cars today have so many cool features, and the future will only bring more features that will make cars more energy efficient, safer, and affordable. It’s truly amazing to watch the latest innovations in cars and how they save more lives on the road.

Shelton Used Cars in Woodlawn near Mount Vernon is passionate about helping drivers find the car that will best suit their needs. Whether you are looking for a used car with a leather interior or one with a backup camera, we can help. With 40 years in business under our belts, we have the knowledge and experience to find you an affordable car that will fit your needs. We offer in-house financing, which means you buy here and pay here. This enables a faster decision for you and allows you to pay us instead of a big bank. We purposely have streamlined our used car selection so that we can continue to offer unparalleled customer service and value to our customers.

As the best used car dealer, Shelton Used Cars takes pride in being your local car dealership that you can trust. We offer a two-year warranty on all of our used cars (which is almost unheard of in the used car industry) because we know you are getting a top-quality car that will work. We’ve heard the horror stories of people buying lemons and then having to make lemonade. Not at our used car dealership. We aim to exceed your expectations every time. We welcome any questions on our used vehicles, our financing, or our automotive parts. Stop by today to see our used car inventory!