The Best Used Cars to Buy If You Smoke

No lectures here – you know that smoking is bad for you. In fact, right now, only about 15% of adults in the United States smoke, and that means that over the years, motor vehicle manufacturers have become less and less inclined to accommodate smokers. In 1994, Chrysler led the way by removing lighters from its vehicles, leaving just the jack to plug in things like cell phone chargers. Now, people who want to smoke in their vehicles have to pay extra – sometimes over $400 if they’re buying a luxury model – to get a “smoker’s package.”

Option on most vehicles

If you are looking for a full smoker’s package in a used vehicle, you may have to do some shopping around. The full package would be a lighter in the front and ashtrays both front and rear. In some models (again, usually the higher-end vehicles), a lighter is also included for rear passengers. The reason you’ll have to do some looking to find a car with a smoker’s package is that for at least the past fifteen years, they have been available only as an option on most vehicles, and not available at all on some.

Most major auto manufacturers still do continue to offer a smoker’s package, at an extra cost, but of course there is no guarantee that the previous owner of the car you are thinking of buying will have requested one.

The alternative

We sincerely hope that you are not basing the decision as to what vehicle to buy on whether it has a lighter and an ashtray. If you are, then you are dramatically reducing your choices. And besides, there is an alternative – lighters and ashtrays are simply parts, and you can always buy parts. You can get them from a dealership, or from an after-market outlet. We have even seen smoker’s packages for various makes and models for sale on eBay.

The Final Word

The best used car to buy if you are a smoker is the same used car you would buy if you were not a smoker. Don’t limit yourself to vehicles with lighters and ashtrays. You can always have them installed after the fact. At YourMechanic, we would far rather see you in a car that is mechanically sound and fun to drive than agonizing over how to get your cigarette lit, and where to put it out. So buy the car, and then get the smoker’s package installed.


Next Step

Schedule Pre-purchase Car Inspection

The most popular service booked by readers of this article is Pre-purchase Car Inspection. YourMechanic’s technicians bring the dealership to you by performing this job at your home or office 7-days a week between 7AM-9PM. We currently cover over 2,000 cities and have 100k+ 5-star reviews... LEARN MORE

SEE PRICING & SCHEDULING

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Recent Pre-purchase Car Inspection reviews

Excellent Rating

(5,493)

Rating Summary
5,137
193
39
38
86
5,137
193
39
38
86

Jermaine

25 years of experience
382 reviews
Jermaine
25 years of experience
Dodge Durango V6-3.6L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Silver Spring, Maryland
Awesome mechanic! Very reliable !! Awesome personality! Explained everything and now I feel less stressed.
Hyundai Ioniq - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Chevy Chase, Maryland
Jermaine was very friendly, efficient and professional. He kindly explained to me those things that did not score well in the service report, so that it didn't come as a surprise, and I would know what to do about it.

Caz

18 years of experience
146 reviews
Caz
18 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz GLA250 L4-2.0L Turbo - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Woodstock, Georgia
Caz was extremely knowledgeable, personable and provided excellent service. He was on time for the appointment and answered and explained everything I asked concerning my vehicle. I will definitely use the company again and I would love to have Caz as my mechanic! Excellent!
Mercedes-Benz S550 - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Mableton, Georgia
Caz Arrived on time much earlier than scheduled. He was very professional in inspecting the car and made excellent recommendations.

Brian

19 years of experience
138 reviews
Brian
19 years of experience
Lexus RX350 V6-3.5L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - McDonough, Georgia
Brian was very informational and knowledgeable about the Inspection. He throughly inform me what issues on vehicle. Great Mechanic !!!
Ford Transit-350 HD - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - McDonough, Georgia
Great service. Honest , respectful and truly cares about making sure you get the best options possible at an affordable price. Finding a mechanic you can trust is rare. I highly recommend Brain.

Jay

24 years of experience
262 reviews
Jay
24 years of experience
Honda CR-V L4-2.4L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Glendale Heights, Illinois
Jay did a great job! Excellent at taking time to explain things about your car. And provided sound recommendation on repair. Courteous and responsive. I would definitely recommend Jay!
BMW 535i xDrive - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Des Plaines, Illinois
Excellent ! Jay is very detail oriented and forward thinking. I would highly recommend him to anyone.

Need Help With Your Car?

Our certified mobile mechanics make house calls in over 2,000 U.S. cities. Fast, free online quotes for your car repair.

GET A QUOTE

Related articles

The Best Used Cars to Buy if You're Hauling a Horse Trailer
Horse Horse owners need a vehicle with towing capacity. Depending on the size of your trailer and the weight of your horse or horses, you probably won’t be able to get away with less than a 3,000-pound towing capacity, and...
How to Buy a Good Quality Brake Master Cylinder
The The master cylinder acts as the brake fluid reservoir on your vehicle. It’s necessary that this part be in good repair in order for the brake system to work properly – that means seals intact, pistons functioning optimally, and...
How to Replace a Lost or Stolen Car Title in California
Like Like all other states, California requires that vehicle owners have the title to their vehicle for a number of different purposes. If you decide to sell the car, you’ll need the title. You’ll also need it to trade it...

Related questions

Car burning oil
Hi there, thanks for writing in about your 2006 BMW 750Li. The two causes of an engine to burn oil are faulty piston rings and faulty valve guides or seals. If the piston rings are faulty, this will allow oil...
My car is overheating and coolant is leaking
This may suggest a blown head gasket. When this happens, the cylinder head gasket fails which can cause coolant to leak into the combustion chamber causing it to be ignited with the fuel. This is what causes the light colored...
Car is overheating and smoking, the is coolant low, and there is a rattling noise
Hello. From what you describe, it would appear that your vehicle may be experiencing more than one issue. If the vehicle needs to be constantly jumped, then there is likely an issue with the battery or the charging system. I...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com