With the festive season just around the corner and the official countdown to Christmas drawing nearer by the day, if you’re hoping for a stress-free occasion this year then it pays to start planning your gift shopping list now.
Whilst gift buying for some friends and family might be easy, for others, it can be nothing short of a nightmare. Whether it’s the person who has everything, or someone with very specific tastes, finding a present that is guaranteed to put a smile on their face is no mean feat. But, with a little extra time to work with and a bit of thinking outside the box, it’s possible to please even the most difficult of individuals.
If you’ve got a car lover on your hands, but a car is frankly a little too extravagant a gift, then there are plenty of inspired bits of kit and accessories that are guaranteed to get you in their good books. From bespoke in-car accents to the latest must-have gadgets, a quality gift that keeps on giving is the way to go, and we’ve hunted down all the impressive luxury options you need to know about for Christmas 2018.
Bespoke pieces
You may not fancy stretching to the new car of their dreams, but that’s not to say you can’t aim to impress with a different big ticket gift this year. A piece of furniture made from car parts can make a great statement item for the home, office or garden – whether it’s a bar made from a VW camper van boot, a chair constructed from Mini parts, or a sofa based on a classic Chevy.
Such one-off pieces are entirely unique and make for thoughtful gifts that are sure to knock any motoring enthusiast’s socks off – but be aware that they also require plenty of advanced planning to ensure they are ready in time for the big day. Start now, and you should have sufficient time to find a craftsman who can create an entirely bespoke gift over the next few weeks – try Etsy and Ebay, which are good places to start.
Bespoke pieces of furniture such as these start from around £1,500, £5,000 and over is not unusual – expect to pay more for larger pieces of furniture.
Experience gifts
Buying for someone who already has every possession under the sun? Give them the gift of a great experience, and they’ll be thanking you for years to come. Whilst material gifts can be great in the moment, they are often cast aside and forgotten later down the line – but a special experience creates memories that last, giving them a story to tell that will last a lifetime.
Silverstone is a magical place for racing fans, and there are a variety of experience gifts and days out there that will allow them to drive a supercar of their dreams. The course runs several different experience days with different luxury car marques, from Ferrari and Lamborgini to Aston martin and Porsche.
Porsche lovers can choose between a 718, 911, Panamera, Cayenne or Macan for 90 minutes on the Silverstone track, driving one of the world’s best cars whilst experiencing this special track in way that isn’t possible on a race day. The experiences start from just £275, but whole day multi car, stunt skill or weekend experiences are also available for a heftier price-tag.
Motion simulation
For the car lovers who enjoy driving a range of exciting cars and undertaking driving experiences as we’ve outlined above, why not gift them with the ultimate present – their very own driving simulator?
Providing hour upon hour of driving fun, any petrolhead will be thrilled with a gift like this to have in their home, available to use every day. The world’s first variable driving position racing simulator range, Motion Simulation provides the ultimate experience and a gift that will utilised a lot, and likely not just by it’s new owner, but everyone who catches a glimpse of this shiny piece of equipment!
Opt for the TL Series for the full effect, or the LC Series, which offers a more compact size. Both boast full motion option, variable driving positions, and the former features an immersive 200-degree screen, while the latter has various TV stand options for the user to configure how they wish.
Personalised number plates
If you’re looking for a gift that really has that wow factor, then a set of personalised number plates could be it. It is easy to choose a registration that means something special – just pick their birthday, initials or reference something important to them.
You can buy a basic ‘current style’ private number plate from around £155 before registration fees and taxes, though if money is no object then you want to choose a shorter, more exclusive number plate that can set you back up to several thousand pounds – depending on the characters you go for. For example, if the initials JK and number 2 are significant, 2 JK is a whopping £77,500, whereas JK02 ZZZ will cost just £155. With this in mind, it pays to try a few different combinations to find the right balance of shortness and price. You can buy a registration without associating it with any car and some suppliers also allow you to buy gift certificates.
In-car coffee machine
Coffee lovers, rejoice, because you can now get your favourite morning beverage in the comfort of your own car. A great gift for the caffeine fiend, they are powered by the cigarette lighter or USB port, and brew fresh coffee from ground beans or pods, wherever you happen to be. There will never be any need to queue in the service station again!
Choose your machine carefully, as not all are created equal. The most popular, and arguably the best, is Handpresso, which offers a special auto kit with a case and storage for all associated coffee paraphernalia. Add to that a charging kit to keep you powered up at all times, and you’re looking at a price-tag of £254 – not bad for adding a touch of luxury to your morning commute.
Techy car kits
The classic car lover may well drive an enviable ride, but older motors are rarely equipped with some of the car tech that most of us take for granted today. Stand-alone kits such as Yuwei’s waterproof wireless camera kit will set you back around £300, while a similar model by AUTO-VOX sits in the £100-£200 range.
Momo are one of the top brands when it comes to steering wheels, making an impressive range in terms of style and materials. The stylish heritage range is a must, with prices ranging from around £200 to £340.
Roof rack/box
Adventurers will love the gift of a roof box or roof rack to set them up well for their exciting endeavours on the road. Perfect for storing away skis, snowboards, securing mountain bikes and creating space for extra luggage, the gift of a roof box, or indeed a roof rack or bars, is the ideal accompaniment to their luxury vehicle. Thule offer a good selection of these very products to ensure your adventures go without a hitch, head to trailertek.com to find out more.
Stocking Fillers
Sites like Ebay are full of cheap accessories for cars and car tech, but although they might seem like a good idea for stocking fillers, as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. Lack of quality, a nasty plastic look and feel and limited shelf life mean they are rarely worth the effort – but nonetheless, there are still some high-quality manufacturers out there who make tech that does work well and accessories that exude class. Choose quality and opt for high-end where possible and you’re sure to land a gift the car lover in your life will love.
Nardi make a high-quality range of gear stick and handbrake knobs and covers, including a modern range in perforated leather and a heritage range in beautiful wood, with prices ranging from £40 to £140.
There are also plenty of artists and craftsmen out there who produce limited edition and one-off items that the car lover will appreciate. Anyone who loves F1 will have a favorite circuit and might have been lucky enough to see a race there. You can commemorate this special occasion with a Single Circuit Picture made by Graham & Leigh, priced between a minimal £39-£70.
Opt for class when choosing your luxury Christmas gifts this year, and you’ll succeed every time.
