10 holiday gifts perfect for the car nut on your list
These moderately priced items are built to bring holiday cheer to young and old
Here are 10 cool car gadget gift ideas for the enthusiast on your list, for $100 or less: Build wax cars
The problem with craftstyle presents for kids is that parents inevitably have to play with them. Why not buy the child of a car buff the Hot Wheels Car Maker Playset, which melts wax into car moulds which then harden when cooled off. Voice instructions navigate users through the process, with plenty of decal stickers included for customization. $50; visit hotwheels.com. Bump and run
Griffin Technology takes a bold step with Moto TC Rally Car, which lets automobile addicts operate a remote control car via a free app that’s compatible with Apple devices. The car features im- pact sensors which detect “virtual” damage so if you race against another Moto TC Rally Car, you can ding your opponent to win the ultimate endurance contest. $100; visit griffintechnology.com. Turismo is back
Gran Turismo 6 features 33 tracks, 1,200 real cars, an updated physics model and the ability to customize cars to squeeze an extra hundredth of a second off lap time. Only available for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. Xbox owners can play Forza Motorsport 5, launched last month. Let Bowzer snooze
The Snoozer Lookout II Pet Car Seat gives your dog an ideal space to hang while on the commute. It’s got faux lamb-wool interior and provides a warm, comfortable place for Bowzer while being chauffeured around town. Included accessories are a seat belt strap, and a storage tray underneath to hold Bowzer’s stuff. $95; visit snoozerpetproducts.com. Training wheels
A kid’s not likely to be a car enthusiast at ages two to four, but what better time to turn them into one? Constructive Playthings’ Sit-On Simulated Driver features a bouncy seat, three-speed gearshift, 11 car sounds and a dashboard screen that moves to simulate the road. $80; visit cptoy.com. R2D2 to go
The R2D2 USB Car Charger fits into the cupholder, and responds to anything you say with the Star Wars droid’s signature beeps and whistles. It connects via wired connection to the cigarette lighter adapter and has two USB charging ports featuring 2.1 amps. The best part is that R2D2’s head rotates and lights up when an item is attached for charging. $50; visit thinkgeek.com. Taste mechless difference
A great sub-$100 car stereo is JVC’s KD-X200, which is mechless, meaning it does not have an optical drive. It’s perfect for people wishing to brave the excellent future of transmitting music to their car stereo via the USB and auxiliary port, rather than via a CD slot. Android users will be thrilled that a free downloadable JVC app lets you operate this product from your phone. $90; visit jvc.ca. Kick it old school
For the automobile enthusiast who is not ready for a car stereo that’ll render their CD collection extinct, Sony’s CDX-GT270MP CD receiver keeps the discs relevant. It’s got a built-in threeband equalizer, detachable front-panel design, a 24-bit digital-to-analog converter, and delivers solid sound for only $80; visit sony.ca. Wheels for nostalgia buffs
For automobile enthusiasts who collect nostalgia, why not select from an array of die-cast classic model cars from Genuine Hotrod Hardware, which recently introduced its 1:18 scale 1932 Ford Roadster Coupe, 1977 Mustang Cobra II, and more. The cars have authentic touches such as functioning doors and realistic gauges. Prices vary (under $100); visit genuinehotrod.com. Personality goes a long way
If all else fails and you’re looking for novelty, Car Lashes are exactly as they sound and entirely as they look: Big eye lashes that are designed to attach to the vehicle’s headlights so they look like a big pair of lit eyeballs. The product arrives with two lashes, 3M adhesive and instructions. But we trust and hope that most consumers could probably make do without the instructions. $25; visit canadiantire.ca.