College Road Trip: Used Car Features Ideal For Freshmen Commuters

Entering the first year of college comes with a lot of transitions and changes for students. For students commuting to college, you want to have a reliable ride that can help you get to your classes everyday. This is why it's important to take a little extra time while shopping for used cars. Purchasing a used car can not only help you save money, but it can come packaged with plenty of extra features to help you college experience a big success. Read on to see a variety of vehicle features that will help make your commuting trips a lot easier and can provide extra perks for the college life.

Keyless Entry

When coming to and from class, you may have piles of books, a backpack, purse, and even a bagged lunch in hand. It can be a major hassle to put things down, open a door, and then pick it all up again. Avoid all of this by purchasing a used car that has a keyless entry. These entries will automatically detect you using fob technology. The rear trunk can open or it can even be used for side doors. You'll get your heavy items placed down quickly and avoid the extra strain it takes as you're fumbling for keys. This also makes it a lot easier if you take night classes and cannot see your door handles very well in the dark.

Parking Sensors

Parking at many universities can be a crowded and messy process. You may have to deal with packed parking garages, competitive spaces, and tight corners. Instead of adding even more debt to your college life, you have the option of purchasing a vehicle with parking sensors. These sensors can help you park at all different angles and will make it easy to snag the last open spot on campus. If you're getting close to a car accident disaster, the sensors will go off and some cars even have automatic brakes to help prevent a collision.

USB Ports

It seems like every semester there is some type of new gadget that needs to be brought with you to class. Tablets, laptops, and phones are just the basics among other technology. Before filling your car with adapters, tangles of wires, and a huge mess, consider purchasing a used vehicle that has USB ports built into it. The open ports will make it easy to charge multiple devices and you won't have to keep swapping devices out while you're on the road. Some ports will even connect directly to the entertainment center so you can stream music and other media as needed.

Heated Seats

A lot of college classes take place during the bitterly cold months of December and February. Instead of shivering in your vehicle as you get the last few minutes of studying in, you can feel calm, relaxed, and warm thanks to heated seats. Heated seats make a huge difference in a vehicle and once you have them, you'll feel like you cannot drive without them. Along with the seats, some vehicles have heated steering wheels. These extra features are ideal for any early morning or night classes where temperatures may drop.

Third-Row Seating

In most cases, you won't be going through your college life alone. Once you start making friends, you'll want to take breaks between classes, enjoy some meals, and explore the local area. If this is the case, then you can look into used cars that offer third-row seating. The extra seats makes it a lot easier for groups of friends to travel together and you could even travel to classes with other commuting students.

By making a list of your most-wanted preferences, a car dealer can show you the best options for your vehicle.