The average American drives almost 30 miles a day between commuting to work, running errands, and shuttling the kids to and fro, which puts plenty of wear and tear on the family ride. That said, the average cost of a new car still sits around $30,000, which often means putting off the purchase until absolutely necessary. However, that doesn't mean you have to make do with an out-of-date vehicle. A few simple car upgrades can elevate it from tolerable to practically luxurious. Check out a few of the most beneficial additions below:

Auxiliary input

This simple addition to your car's stereo system can be the most life-changing. In today's smartphone-centric and digital-media-heavy world, the days of CD changers and stockpiles of cassette tapes are long gone. That means if you have an older model or bare-bones vehicle, you're stuck using annoying adapters to try and hook up your iPhone to the speakers. By adding an auxiliary input, you save yourself a lot of hassle and can finally listen to your favorite podcasts and streaming services with ease.

Remote starter

Adding a remote car starter to your vehicle has long been the best way to make chilly morning commutes infinitely more comfortable. With the click of a button you get the engine running, ensuring you start your day in a vehicle that's toasty warm instead of spending the first 20 minutes of your drive watching your fingers turn purple. If you live in snowier climes, using the remote starter will also make snow removal easier, potentially saving you from a late start at the office. But don't think it's just a help in winter; remote starters also help cool the car in summer, too (just make sure you leave the AC switch to "on" when you park the car).

Car navigation system

Being able to plug your phone into your car's speakers is handy for tunes and podcasts, but when it comes to getting directions most of us still prefer a visual aid. Today, you can forgo annoying suction-cup GPS and iPhone mounts and get a screen installed directly into your vehicle. This will of course depend on the make and model of your car (you'll want to make sure you've got the corresponding system), but a few hundred dollars later and these car upgrades will make your ride feel like it just rolled off the lot.