Feature: put it there … or there
Modern cars have a storage spot for most items but there’s always room for improvement
OLDER cars lack storage places for those items we regularly carry around. Some of these have always been with us: spectacles, wallets and handbags. Others are more recent; cellphones need to be plugged in to a charger, stored in a bin or placed where they can be used, either via hands-free or for the navigation app… which always works better than any car’s built-in sat-nav. The following are our favourite modern add-ons. When we did research, we noticed prices varying greatly from R60 to R1 300 and there are hundreds of different designs available. Some examples are: air vent with magnet – only useful for older, steel dashboards; air vent clamp; and suction clamp – this clamps your phone and attaches to a smooth surface using a suction pad. Due to the varied textures of most facias, the latter type works best when attached to a window. Some of these have a flexible arm bending to any position, which will be a benefit for steeply raked windscreens or low-positioned vents, but might cause vibration over poorly surfaced roads.
An unusual option is one which attaches to the top of the steering wheel so your phone sits between your hands where visibility and access is perfect. The downside is your instrumentation may not be visible depending on the size of your phone. Turning ability could also be compromised.
One of the more innovative magnetic phone holders uses the car’s CD slot for mounting. This is clearly for those who have ditched their CDS and replaced them with Bluetooth/usb. There are fold-out storage organisers with Velcro on the bottom that grip onto any boot carpet. These are useful to stop items from sliding about and getting damaged.
Other options have straps that hang over the front seat headrests. You can store goods such as nappies and bottles for babies and they are much easier to reach than a bag on the floor or rear seat. Another must-have are cupholders. Many cars, old and new, have too few of these or holders that are poorly positioned. Some are too small to hold your favourite whistle-wetter, such as the popular 800 ml cycling water bottle. One solution – which may not be elegant but is cheap and versatile – is to make your own.
My test case was an Audi-engined VW Microbus with zero holders. Look around your garage or storeroom for thick cardboard tubing or a plastic canister (the kind used to contain soap powder or the like). Saw off a section to the desired size. Choose a reasonably accessible location and strap it to a seat mounting or seatbelt stalk. I used an old bicycle inner tube but bungies, rope or even cable ties will also work. Modern technology can be very versatile. If your base-spec car or older classic has only a radio and a couple of speakers, that’s all you need to play music from your smartphone. For a reasonable outlay, you can purchase a device which plugs into the 12 V socket and uses Bluetooth to connect to any chosen unused FM frequency. As long as the radio and the device are set to the same frequency, you can play your music through the existing speakers. Now that’s modern technology at its coolest.
If your car has neither a radio nor speakers, you still have the option of placing a small Bluetooth speaker – these have become inexpensive – in one of those DIY phone holders, where the cylinder will amplify the sound.