Great Gadget Gift Ideas for the Car Nut
Although cars might be a mystery to you, having a car enthusiast on your Christmas list is a really good thing. There are tons of cool and unique gadgets on the market that makes shopping for your car nut super fun and easy.
Take a peak at these top selling electronics guaranteed to make long trips more enjoyable, plus a few eclectic gift ideas that will surprise and delight your car aficionado this Holiday Season.
Car audio plays a quintessential role in the enjoyment of driving for many car lovers. Nothing is more invigorating than blasting your favourite tunes as you watch the world whizzing by on the open road.
Cassette players are a thing of the past so if you know someone who still has one in their vehicle, a new receiver might be just the thing to slip under the Christmas tree this year!
Today's car stereos are geared to support the latest in technology. Amongst other desirable features, many sport an iPod adaptor, and are satellite radio- and HD radio-ready. An auxiliary input on the front plate of many models means you can easily hook up other music sources including MP3 players, CD players and cassette players through the car stereo. Also, slick new LCD screens are sharp and bright and are equipped to display the song and artist, as well as the radio station.
Quality speakers and amplifiers will significantly boost sound quality in a car stereo system. If you have heard your car nut tossing out buzzwords like sub-woofer, tri-axial, or distortion, they are probably looking to upgrade their sound system. Choosing new speakers depends a lot on personal taste, so if your are considering them as a gift you may want to do a little legwork ahead of time and consult the person you are gifting to. In this instance, a surprise may not always be the best approach – unless it comes in the form of a gift certificate!
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Speakers
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$109.99
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Amplifiers
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$249.99
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Satellite radio can be subscribed to through SIRIUS and XM satellite radio. The major differences between the two services were erased last year when they merged.
Although both have a wide variety of channels including music, sports, talk, entertainment, and news to choose from, they each appeal to different audiences for their subtle difference in offerings. SIRIUS originally had the advantage over XM because of their bold content and exclusive relationship with the NFL and NASCAR. XM had more traction with news-oriented markets with their brand-name news providers like CNN, BBC World News, ABC, Bloomberg Radio, The Weather Channel and others, but also catered to mainstream and niche markets. Since SIRIUS bought XM out last year however, customers have been able to tailor their service by subscribing to one station, and supplementing it with favourites from the other.
Some newer vehicles have a satellite receiver built into their audio set up, but portable units are very popular because they can be enjoyed in the car as well as in the home by through the stereo. If you are considering the gift of satellite radio for someone on your Christmas list, there are two components to consider: the receiver and the subscription.
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Airtime Cards
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$75.00
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Nowadays, all you need is an AM/FM radio and an FM transmitter for full access to a portable library of tunes from an MP3 player. An FM transmitter usually plugs into the lighter in the car, and then connects to an iPod or other MP3 player to play music through an unused FM frequency.
Some FM transmitters have a useful auto scan function that will find a free FM frequency for the driver so they don't have to take their eyes off the road, some are wireless, while others provide a sturdy base for an iPod or iPhone. Price point will be determined by features, but you can easily find a really great gift in an FM transmitter for between $40 and $100.
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FM Transmitters
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$79.99
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$39.99
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$299.99
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Many newer model vehicles include built-in, factory issue GPS units, but if you know a car nut that doesn't yet have one, your Christmas shopping ends here!
Aftermarket GPS are hugely popular for travelers, businessmen and women, and the adventurer at heart, and they are the perfect gift for that person who has everything!
The technology of portable GPS units now include some pretty cool features to help you safely navigate your way to your destination but Text to Speech, and screen size are probably the two features you should prioritize when evaluating your options.
Text to Speech is an upgrade on regular voice prompts. Whereas voice prompts call out your next turn (eg. turn right in 300m), text to speech will read out actual street names (eg. Turn left on 5th Avenue), which makes finding your way that much easier.
The most popular of the large screen sizes is the 4.3” widescreen because is makes a notable difference when it comes to deciphering a map from behind the wheel.
Other popular features can include mapping packages, points of interest (POI), Bluetooth capability, and in general, the size and weight of the unit.
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Auto GPS
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$259.99
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$349.99 
$459.96
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$319.99
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One of the modern conveniences of driving is the access to a power source for all your electronics. A universal charger will come in handy for the tech savvy car nut as they can keep their phones, cameras, laptops, iPods etc. charged up and ready to go!
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Power Devices
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$179.99
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$29.99
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$49.99
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Still struggling to find the perfect gift for the car lover on your Christmas list? Consider some of these fun specialty items:
- Coffee lovers will get a kick out of a heated travel mug. These cool go-mugs are equipped with a detachable DC lighter cord to keep beverages hot in the vehicle.
- Perhaps he/she enjoys uninterrupted driving? A portable DVD player may come in handy for keeping fellow travelers out of mischief
- A couple of great stocking stuffers under $10 might include a digital tire pressure gauge or a home security key chain.
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$229.99
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$29.99
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$9.96
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