Daydreaming about a new car? Then you might need a harsh dose of reality. Not only are new models expensive, but the features they come with may not be worth the investment – or the ensuing years of loan payments and debt. 

New technology still has glitches 
A report from AAA, conducted with the Automobile Club of Southern California, noted that many crash-prevention technologies still have problems that take away from their effectiveness. The study found that blind-spot monitoring systems, for instance, often struggled to identify motorcycles. The technology also failed to work correctly at high speeds or on highways, giving the driver little notice of road dangers. 

Similarly, there were issues with lane-departure warnings, which are supposed to let drivers know about nearby cars coming into their lane. Subpar road conditions – such as faded lane lines, construction zones or confusing intersections – interfere with the system. As problems arise with these technologies, many car owners get fed up and choose to ignore the alerts altogether. 

"Some blind-spot monitoring systems we tested had a short detection range, which meant that a vehicle was already in the blind spot before the alert came on," said Megan McKernan, the manager of automotive engineering at the Automobile Club of Southern California. "The lane-departure warning system on several vehicles experienced false-positive and miss-detections, which resulted in an inconsistent driver warning. This can be annoying and could result in the driver disabling the system due to the false alerts." 

Get the best used cars
Instead of throwing away money on a new car that doesn't live up to your expectations, find a used car that does. New Jersey Auto Auction is home to hundreds of Carfax-certified used cars, trucks and vans, and one of these options could be your next ride. With so many high-quality vehicles at low prices, it's easy to find a model to meet your needs. Many even have some of the features you want – without the high price tag or surprise glitches. 

Not all new car features are bad, but many of the best amenities can be found in used vehicles. Cars that are only a few years old often have the must-have features you want in a ride, so be sure to do your research and find the best fit.