Convenience package
A convenience package is a set of minor functional enhancements to a vehicle, sold and priced as a unit. Many of these items are now included as standard equipment in a "step up" model of a particular vehicle line. As vehicles imported to the United States do not generally include the lowest "stripper" model, many of these features are standard on such imports. For domestic manufactures, vehicles will often use a common wiring harness regardless of features installed and so the marginal cost of adding these enhancements can be quite low for the manufacture and so enhance profitability. This use of a standard wiring harness can make it relatively easy to upgrade an older car using components from salvage vehicles. Many of the features now taken as standard, such as the passenger compartment dome light were once extra cost features or only seen in higher end models. Some features listed below may not be available on lower priced vehicles.
Typical convenience package enhancements include:
- Automatic headlight dimmer (may be part of a safety package)
- Coming/Leaving Home light activation to illuminate the surrounding of a vehicle when passengers and/or the driver emerge.
- Automatic central rear view mirror dimmer (may be part of a safety package)
- Cruise control, either plain or adaptive (the vehicle will automatically adjust its velocity to preceding vehicles when the feature is enabled.)
- Convenience turn signal (turn signal will automatically flash three times at a single tip of the turn signal lever.)
- Bluetooth cellphone link
- Glove compartment light
- Ground light on lower edge of door
- Passenger assist strap or handhold
- Vanity mirror on sun visor
- Vanity mirror light
- Map light
- Umbrella holder in door pillar.
Convenience items now generally included as standard include:
- Passenger compartment dome light
- Trunk light
Convenience items that are sometimes in favor include:
- Carriage side light (a white light on the B or C pillars to assist passengers during entry and exit)
- Swiveling front seat - the seat rotates toward the door opening so that one can sit in the seat before bringing one's legs inside of the vehicle.
Convenience items not generally included on modern cars include:
- Engine compartment light
- Automobile camping package:
- Window screens
- Fold up rear seat back
- Added cushions or pads
- Hatchback tent extension
- Fitted luggage for touring (usually for use with a sports or grand touring car)
Obsolete items appearing only in antique cars
- Rumble seat
- Rumble seat entrance step
- Trunk rack
- Removable exterior trunk
See also