Extra options for your car: worth shelling out for or a waste of cash?

A massive production with thousands of extras. Yes, it's fair to say that the global automotive industry has learned well from Cecil B De Mille. It wasn't all that long ago that some prominent car makers were asking us to pay extra for a basic radio, and ever since the Mini was successfully relaunched in 2000, with an options list longer than the Irish constitution, car makers have been hoovering the wallets of every customer who crosses the threshold of a dealership.

Of course, that’s what we all want, isn’t it? We live in the age of the individual and we want to be able to specify our cars in such a way as no other one on the road will be quite the same. We want to feel unique, and car makers are more than happy to help us – for a consideration.

We are, however, fooling ourselves. Yes, it’s nice to be individual, but you know what’s nicer? Having some extra cash in your back pocket. Thousands of us are tipping many thousands of euro down the drain when it comes to speccing the options on a new car.

Only a select few options will retain some or all of their value come resale time, while many others will be, at best, a waste of cash and, at worst, may make a car harder to sell on later. As Doug DeMuro, writer for US motoring website jalopnik.com, puts it: "Go look at cars that are four or five years old, and you'll discover that nobody cares what options they have. As an example, the going rate for a 2009 Buick Enclave appears to be something like $22,000. That means it doesn't matter what features your 2009 Buick Enclave has: it's still worth $22,000. You installed a rock garden in back? $22,000. You converted the second row into a gymnasium for ferrets? $22,000. God himself comes in through the gauge cluster every time you start the car to give you daily guidance? None of these things will increase your value."

If you want the perfect second-hand value spec then it's simple: whatever model you're looking at, go for the second trim level up from basic, and make sure that the car is painted black, silver, grey or blue. Red at a stretch. There, that's it. Whatever car you apply that rule of thumb to – from a Skoda Citigo to a Range Rover – you've just hit the sweet spot for resale value. If, though, you're determined to dip into the options lists, here's a handy list of dos and don'ts.

DO: Air conditioning Increasingly, air con is a standard feature even on relatively humble family cars. The upshot is that many more of us expect to have it now, and its convenience isn't limited to hot and sunny days – try demisting your windows on a cold, damp morning without it. If it's not fitted as standard, tick the box.

DON'T: Big wheels Yes, they look great and yes, you'll be able to boast to your mates that you're rolling on a pimped set of 20s, but you're wasting an enormous amount of cash. The average wheel size across all models and makes is 16in; anything larger than that is going to be expensive to fit new tyres to. Second-hand buyers know this. On a family car, stick with 16s; if it's an executive or sporting model, don't go larger than 19s. By the time you're selling – and after numerous scrapes in city car parks – the allure of 20-inch alloys will be as tarnished as the wheels themselves.

DO: Manual gearbox Despite predictions of the death of the humble manual gearbox, in Ireland we still love our stick-shifts and fear automatics. According to a recent survey by Ford, 85 per cent of European buyers choose manuals and here at home it's a whopping 96 per cent. The only exception is when you're dealing with a large executive or luxury model. If it's a BMW 5 Series or bigger, go with auto.

DON'T: Sat-nav Actually, as with automatic gearboxes, this is something of a split decision. Built-in sat-navs are hugely expensive and awkward to update the maps on. Buying a €99 Garmin from the local shopping centre is a much more sensible option, and you get to keep it when you sell the car. Again, the exception is larger, more prestigious vehicles; buyers will expect to see something map-like on those big touch-screens.

DO: Leather seats Yup, some cowhide on the inside will help come resale time. Even part-leather seats will prove enticing, but be warned: the basic leather option is as good as the ritzy one, and the ritzy one will be worth no more when you offload the car. Stick the with basic.

DON'T: Cruise control It's a nice thing to have when you're doing lots of motorway miles, but most of us just drive locally, so don't bother with it.

DO: Parking sensors Probably not necessary if your car of choice is a small one, but with exterior visibility generally on the decrease thanks to things like thick window and door pillars, reversing sensors are a sensible option, and many potential buyers will thank you (and pay you) for protecting your bumpers.

DON'T: Four-seat packages Some car makers (Mini most notably) offer the option of having individual bucket seats in the rear, instead of a three-abreast bench. Avoid it
– it's impractical and second-hand buyers hate that. Equally, never buy a five-seat version of a car that's supposed to have seven. The VW Touran and Citroën C4 Picasso spring to mind.

DO: Metallic paint Always, every time. Tick that box. It's usually not expensive and it always looks good on the second-hand ad. Buyers expect it these days. Just make sure the colour is sensible. No one agrees that your electric lime green 5 Series is a good thing.

SPLIT DECISION: Bluetooth Increasingly, Bluetooth phone connectivity is expected by buyers, and obviously it's good for keeping you on the right side of the law when it comes to using your phone in the car. That said, many manufacturers still charge through the nose to have it fitted, and you can find better value in aftermarket or dealer-fit kits. Shop around.