# Ridiculous add-ones pushed by car dealers **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 10, 2021, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ridiculous-add-ones-pushed-by-car-dealers/939712 "2021-04-10T00:47:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ridiculous-add-ones-pushed-by-car-dealers/939712/21 "2021-04-12T05:38:26Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > True story: I did have an encounter with genuine Moonshine. It didn’t turn out well. So did I. It was pretty rough stuff, and I tried a sip, didn’t like it, and refused the rest. It was almost as if the distiller (some cousin of a friend of mine) was trying to get it as strong as possible. Let’s just say that you had to wait 15 minutes after drinking before you dared light a smoke. As for nitrogen in tires, it’s a real thing. The last time I got a set of tires, the cost (tires and installation) included inflation of the tires. The tire dealer told me that they inflated all tires with nitrogen as a matter of course; and if, over time, the tires needed a top-up, ordinary air from any gas station was just fine. I never noticed a difference between the ride provided by those tires, and the previous ones that were filled with air. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ridiculous-add-ones-pushed-by-car-dealers/939712/22 "2021-04-12T08:06:08Z")
I once had the opposite experience. I was a fleet manager at the time and my wife’s car was dying. She knew exactly what she wanted so I called my contact at the dealership and we did a deal where he put it through as a trade sale and I paid in full upfront. A couple of weeks later he called me up and told me that the car was ready and the following day I took my excited wife (she had never had a brand new car before) to collect it. We went into the showroom and I spotted my guy talking to a couple of suits. When he saw me, he called out and lobbed some keys in my direction. “It’s parked outside,” he said and that was it. My wife was really disappointed. I think she was expecting a ceremonial handover like Mercedes used to do. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ridiculous-add-ones-pushed-by-car-dealers/939712/23 "2021-04-12T13:39:52Z")
I once helped a friend buy a car. While we were in The Room and looking over the itemized charges, I pointed out the $200 for mud guards. The salescritter said they were already installed, so I said to take them off as that was too much. He said they could not since no one was available to do that. I stood up and motioned my friend to go and he backed down by immediately saying they’d be included at no charge. It did not make a big difference in the overall price but felt like a small victory. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ridiculous-add-ones-pushed-by-car-dealers/939712/24 "2021-04-12T13:56:45Z")
Mobilier: The Chandelier For Your Car! [![](https://i.redd.it/1o4uj3kf7rj11.jpg) ](https://i.redd.it/1o4uj3kf7rj11.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![TheCuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thecuse/32/2854_2.png) [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ridiculous-add-ones-pushed-by-car-dealers/939712/25 "2021-04-12T13:58:02Z")
We had a dealership here who was tacking on VIN etching on the windshield and windows. Charging something like $1,000 (even though it only cost them $25.00 to do). And in some cases, they claimed it was required by insurance companies. They got sued and had to reimburse a lot of people. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ridiculous-add-ones-pushed-by-car-dealers/939712/26 "2021-04-12T14:28:19Z")
I had the same experience with the locking lug nuts. They wanted to charge after the deal was done but I declined. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ridiculous-add-ones-pushed-by-car-dealers/939712/27 "2021-04-12T16:32:32Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Nitrogen tire fill. I’ll bet you can only drive 'em at night. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ridiculous-add-ones-pushed-by-car-dealers/939712/28 "2021-04-12T20:56:23Z")
Tell them you can’t afford pure nitrogen and ask if they can just put in 78% nitrogen. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ridiculous-add-ones-pushed-by-car-dealers/939712/29 "2021-04-13T14:32:29Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > blinker fluid It’s a “[real thing](http://www.dudeiwantthat.com/omg/fools/blinker-fluid.asp)”; somehow, my buddy _miraculously_ ended up with a bottle after he got a ticket for failure to use his turn signal. I still haven’t owned up to being the one to send it to him. If you’re headlights aren’t so bright, you can top them off with [headlight fluid](https://i.etsystatic.com/18739636/r/il/b18c8e/1673770240/il_794xN.1673770240_hddn.jpg), too. Unfortunately, both come empty & you have to break the soda bottle-like seal to untwist/remove the plastic cap & fill it with the liquid of your choice before giving/sending it to someone. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ridiculous-add-ones-pushed-by-car-dealers/939712/30 "2021-04-13T14:37:43Z")
Replacement wiring smoke is a real thing. [![](https://i0.wp.com/granttiller.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/smoke-2.png?ssl=1) ](https://i0.wp.com/granttiller.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/smoke-2.png?ssl=1) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ridiculous-add-ones-pushed-by-car-dealers/939712/31 "2021-04-13T21:38:00Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Unfortunately, both come empty & you have to break the soda bottle-like seal to untwist/remove the plastic cap & fill it with the liquid of your choice before giving/sending it to someone. Sounds like a lot of work, and that’ll give you an appetite. You’ve earned a bowl of this… [https://www.amazon.com/Think-Geek-Canned-Unicorn-Meat/dp/B004CRYE2C](https://www.amazon.com/Think-Geek-Canned-Unicorn-Meat/dp/B004CRYE2C) Ahem. Spark plug springs, brake coolant, battery filter… ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ridiculous-add-ones-pushed-by-car-dealers/939712/32 "2021-04-13T22:49:27Z")
An important mechanical part of your car that hardly anyone bothers to check on: Piston return springs! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFX\_Xq9WHTI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFX_Xq9WHTI) ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2021, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ridiculous-add-ones-pushed-by-car-dealers/939712/33 "2021-11-03T22:54:04Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Nitrogen in tires. C’mon! At least make is sound real. That is real, apparently. Saw cars at a dealership a couple of weeks ago that had signs on them about nitrogen-filled tires. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2021, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ridiculous-add-ones-pushed-by-car-dealers/939712/34 "2021-11-03T23:08:28Z")
Correct. I think Costco fills tires they install with nitrogen (the little green valve caps). Still, I think it is a gimmick. > **[Nitrogen vs. Air in Tire: Is Nitrogen Better Than Air in Tires? | Rx Mechanic](https://rxmechanic.com/nitrogen-vs-air-in-tire/)** > > You can perform routine care measures, like ensuring the tire pressure is at the recommended level. Talking about pressure, we bring you the nitrogen vs. air in tire debate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ridiculous-add-ones-pushed-by-car-dealers/939712.md?page=1)