5 Essential Tech Upgrades for an Old Car

Not everyone is in the financial position to buy a new car when their vehicle becomes outdated or old. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from some of the latest technology that comes as standard in many new cars manufactured today. If you’re envious of new car drivers but don’t have the money to upgrade, consider these tech additions. You might be surprised how much of a difference they can make to your driving experience.

LED Lights

Many new cars come with LED daytime running lights, while halogen is a more standard option in older vehicles. If you purchase new LED bulbs for your car from leading suppliers like XK Glow, you can experience a range of benefits.

LED headlights are brighter and produce more lumens, and they can be easy to install, even by a beginner. You might also enjoy how long they last compared to traditional halogen bulbs and their energy efficiency, which may lead to less drain on your car battery.

A Dash Cam

While you may hope never to need footage from your dashcam to give to an insurance company, it can be a helpful and cost-effective upgrade to consider for your old car. Dashcams can continuously record the view from your dash, providing footage of an accident if it happens in front of you or involves your vehicle. You can purchase entry-level models that simply record or more advanced models with safety features like crash sensing and driver assist.

Rearview Cameras

You might be more than competent in your reversing skills for parallel parking and leaving narrow parking lots, but that doesn’t mean you won’t benefit from a reversing camera. Most new cars come with them as standard, and they are becoming popular with drivers from all walks of life. Tests have also shown that rearview cameras save lives. While drivers should always physically check their surroundings before reversing, a camera can be an excellent additional safety measure.

Android and Apple Head Units

We rely on our phones for everything, such as navigation, music, and phone calls. Using a mobile device while driving can be distracting, and it might even put you and other road users at risk.  Many new cars now come with head units that connect to your mobile device and provide a distraction-free way to use your phone’s features. As old cars don’t have this feature built in, you can purchase after-market versions to avoid missing out on their benefits.

OBD Adapters

If your car was manufactured after 1996, you might benefit from an OBD adapter. These adapters allow you to diagnose potentially severe issues in your vehicle that might be picked up much easier in a later model vehicle.

While you likely still need to take your car to a mechanic, you might save money by not having a professional spend hours trying to diagnose a problem. Instead, you can use an OBD adapter and have valuable diagnostic information sent to an app.

There’s no denying that new cars are generally much more comfortable, convenient, and safer than many old cars. However, there’s no reason you can’t benefit from some of their technology. If you’re not quite ready to upgrade your vehicle, some of these tech updates above might be worth a closer look.