When buying a car, most people look for the typical things: does it run well, get good gas mileage and have good ratings. But cars are becoming increasingly inundated with all of the bells and whistles you can think of. The average American is spending more and more time behind the wheel, so you might as well make it comfortable.

Here are some extra features to look for when buying a car.

Sunroof.  I live for my sunroof. Any summer day feels instantly better when I open my sunroof. Many cars do not come equipped with a sunroof, so if this is a priority to you, make sure you check. Also note the difference between a sunroof and a moon-roof: sunroofs open up completely, moon-roofs do not. When buying a car, make sure to check the functionality of these features. No sense in buying a car with a busted sunroof.

Cup holders. Believe it or not, my car does not have cup holders. To this day, it drives me crazy. Cup holders do more than hold a cup; it also become a catchall for other items like cell phones, pens, etc. If you are an avid beverage drinker, make sure you have accessible cup holders. Notice if the backseats have cup holders to accommodate all passengers in your car.

Stereo system. Music lovers know what it means to have a great sound system. This could involved incredible speakers with a great sub woofer. While most cars come with adequate speakers, you might have to upgrade if you really want to jam. Also check out what type of media your car can play. Is it only cassette or CD adaptable, or does it have a built in mP3 player dock? Know what your music listening style is and buy accordingly. Thankfully, sound system upgrades are usually easy to make (but vary in cost depending on the quality and size of the system), so you can usually customize any car to fit your music-listening needs.

Key-less entry. Everything is controlled by remotes these days. Key-less entry usually means you can unlock/open a car door when you press a button on a key chain. This is ideal for when you have your hand full of groceries, or if you want to easily access your car.

Automatic doors. This feature, popular is mini-vans, is great for kids. The sliding door cannot be slammed shut. You simply start to engage the door and it automatically shuts but in a slowed version. This helps keep little fingers from getting smushed in the door, plus it breaks down on the wear and tear of slamming a door shut. But where automatic doors really show their magic is when opening. A mom with an armful of kids and groceries can open the car door with a simple click of a button. Parents of the world rejoice as family vans become instantly cooler.

Remote starting. Start your car from within the house with the click of a button. Enough said.

Happy car shopping!