How to Customize Your New Car Easily
Getting behind the wheel of your new car is an exhilarating experience. However, it may feel a bit foreign to you at first. And, if it’s your first new car in a while or your first new car ever, you might feel overwhelmed by all the bells and whistles.
Available Now: 2021 Chevrolet Blazer
Everything you need to know about your car is in your owner’s manual, but it’s not exactly an inviting piece of literature. There is an easier and much more fun way to make your car feel more like yours than studying the manual, according to New York Times writer Norman Mayersohn.
“Put the paper owner’s manual back and open the electronic version that’s available in many cars. The driver’s seat is a comfortable spot, and you have a cup holder for your coffee, so let’s settle in and set up your new baby. And if you’ve owned the car for several years and haven’t done this, you are in for a nice surprise,” he writes.
Mayersohn recommends focusing on the safety systems first; make sure they are set to your preferences. You may prefer to activate or de-activate the alerts for the driver-assist tech available in your car. Then move on to features that focus on your comfort and the performance of your vehicle.
He suggests setting the position of your mirrors and having them fold when you park, set the “welcome light” to greet you when you unlock the door if applicable, and then move onto performance features.
“A choice that’s nearly universal in newer vehicles is drive modes, typically some variation of Sport, Comfort, and Economy, often selected with a switch on the center console,” he adds.
Available Now: 2021 Chevrolet Colorado
Your new car won’t feel like it’s yours until you’ve finalized the settings for your seat and mirrors, set up your infotainment selections, and figured out the advanced driver-assist technologies.
DeAnn Owens is a Dayton transplant by way of the Windy City, yet considers herself to be a California girl at heart even though she’s only visited there once. To get through the dreaded allergy season unique to the Miami Valley, she reads, writes, complains about the weather, and enjoys spending time with her husband, two sons, and their newest addition, a Boston terrier puppy that is now in charge of all their lives. In the future, she hopes to write a novel and travel through time. See more articles by DeAnn.