Having been someone who spent her own resources in acquiring and maintaining a vehicle, I always find it to be a treat when someone gives me a thoughtful auto-related gift. I’m not exactly a car nut, but I find that the costs related to having a car can sometimes take quite a toll on the budget, so getting free stuff for my car is always great.
If you know a car-owning friend or family that has a birthday or some other special occasion coming up, it would be best to orient your present towards his or her vehicle. I am certain that they will very much appreciate it, especially if you choose your gift well.
Car Care Products
This is a no-brainer, but trust me, if the target of your gift isn’t exactly rolling in the dough, gifting them with car care accessories will make their wallets thank you profusely. No self-respecting car-owner will refuse a thoughtful gift of a jumbo can of WD-40 or their favorite flavor (no, it’s not for eating) of Turtle Wax. If you can spare the money, go ahead and buy them an entire set of products; it will save them lots of money and time in the long run, and they will really appreciate you for that.
Car Decorations
Help your friend or family spruce things up inside their automobile by getting them something attractive and eye-catching for the interior, or even the exterior of their wheeled machine. This requires a tad more research and poking around as you have to find out what the person likes. Bobbleheads and fuzzy dice are cute, but not everyone wants them cluttering up their dashboards and mirrors. Take a look at what’s already there in their car, and know what the person likes (like what you usually do when you get gifts for someone).
Parts & Components
This is a tricky thing to give unless you yourself are an auto enthusiast and know exactly what your friend or family member is looking for. This may not just be about the essential systems of the car; augmentations and enhancements like a better car stereo unit or speakers fall into this category. All the same, if you do not have enough geek cred to make a decision on what to give them, make sure you have a source of sound advice, lest you end up wasting money on a gift that may not be fully appreciated.
Even if you are going to give them something pre-owned (expected when the car owner you’re giving a gift to likes older models, particularly), be a little considerate and clean it up and put it in a decent box. Also, before you consider it an unlikely thing to give… yes, tires and wheels are fair game. Buy rims online so you have the option of choosing from a lot of designs. As with above, make sure you have a gearhead adviser in case you don’t know what you’re doing.
Tools
I don’t mean getting them an entire tool shed worth of automobile-related tools (though you could if you wanted to), but even a handy and complete emergency tool kit (pictured above) of very high quality will be very appreciated by any car owner. The stuff that gets packaged along with the car is often second-rate and cheap, so replacing them with premium tools will certainly give them a tad more security on the road.
Happy gift-giving and driving, everyone!
About the Author
Stacey Thompson is a professional writer, marketer, entrepreneur, and a lover of weird little animals. She is based in San Diego, California, and is currently making the switch from a sedan to a sport utility truck. She also maintains a blog with her gal pals, Word Baristas.
