Christmas Gift Ideas
Christmas Gift Ideas
It’s fast approaching the festive season, and we all know that at least one person who is tricky to buy a gift for, so we’ve spent a bit of time brainstorming some great motoring gift ideas. We’ve tried to encompass a variety of budgets for this, so however tight the purse strings are, you should find something useful.
Dash cam
These are becoming more and more popular. Not only do they give you video evidence of an accident, but several insurance companies now give discount to drivers who use them. You can get budget friendly cameras from around £25, and in most cases, they are easy enough for install them yourself.The front facing camera models are the most widely used, but often an extra camera is being used to record activity from the rear window.
More expensive cameras also come with motion sensor technology, so it sets to record if there is movement detected near to the vehicle.
Tyre Inflator
A compact unit that is easily stored away in the boot of your car, ready to inflate car tyres should you be alerted to a deflation or puncture. Most of these units also offer a tyre pressure check function, to see if tyre pressures are as they should be. I’ve mentioned in previous blogs about the importance of checking your tyre pressures. Pick one of these up for as little as a tenner, and they will prove invaluable if you ever get a flat tyre! Well worth having.
DAB receiver
Not all cars have a DAB digital radio as standard, even some modern cars, so if you know someone who enjoys listening to digital radio on the move, then the answer could be a DAB digital receiver unit. The budget for these is a bit higher, you’re looking around £100 for something that is half decent, but they are very easy to install and use.
Parking Sensors
This could be a controversial gift, if you’re buying them for a loved one, this could give the impression that you think they are a bad driver! Parking sensors can be really useful, when those pesky bollards and shopping trolleys appear from nowhere. The sensors audibly alert you to their presence so that you can take action. Many cars come with the option of having these fitted at the factory, but they are also available as an after market product – from as little as £20.
Ice Scrapers
However limited the budget, you should be able to stretch to one of these .Get fancy and have one with a furry mitt or a torch attached to it for an extra bit of luxury, but a standard plastic ice scraper can be yours to wrap for as little as £1.
RFID Key Pouch
I’ve mentioned in a previous blog post about the perils of keyless car thefts, so this could be a really thoughtful gift for someone with a car with a keyless entry/start system. This is a pouch to protect the key from thieves, it blocks “Radio Frequency Identification”, so keys can’t easily be scanned or copied, if inside this pouch. For around £5, you could help your loved one to protect their pride & joy from the thieves.
Winter Emergency Kit
There are two options here, either buy a ready made kit, or make your own. The costs are likely to be similar depending on what’s included. If you make your own, you can add certain personal touches to the kit – such as a packet of their favourite biscuits in case they get stranded. Things to include in a kit could be a blanket, a wind up torch, hand warmers, foil blankets. You can pick up these ready made kits from around £30.
Valet Voucher
Let’s finish on something we can offer! A great gift to give to the person who has everything is a voucher to get their vehicle valeted. We all love that feeling of getting into a brand new car, but it quickly wears off as we get sticky handprints on the upholstery, or muddy wheel arches. A professional valet will make the vehicle like new again, and in most cases (certainly in my case), the vehicle can be cleaned at your home, or place of work, so you don’t even have to drop it off anywhere. We offer vouchers for mini valets and full Valets, give me a call or email if you want a voucher for someone this Christmas.
So there we have it! A selection of gift ideas to suit every budget. Let me know if you have your own motoring related gift ideas, I can add them to a future blog post.
We wish you a Merry Christmas, and a very Happy New Year!