Useful and Fun Gifts for Gearheads

Buying gifts for enthusiasts of anything can be a daunting task. Serious car lovers can be hard to shop for because they likely already have everything they need. You might also be concerned that their expertise might make them a harsh judge of whatever you purchase.

But, there are some useful and just plain fun items on the market that are sure the please even the craziest of car lovers. Whether it’s a custom feature or a helpful tool for completing a quick oil change, you’re sure to find something on this list that will make the grade.

Practical and Helpful Gifts

True car lovers tend to fall into the DIY maintenance and repair consumer category. These folks thrive on taking care of their car needs at home. For some people, the task of changing the oil in the car is on par with practicing yoga for others. It’s meditative, a quiet time for contemplation while engaged in a mental endeavor.

To help make at home oil changes even more Zen-like, consider supplying your car geek friend or family member with the necessities so they can save their money for more exciting automotive purchases.

While there are kits available, complete with the necessary tools required for oil changes, you can always create your own by purchasing a drain pans, filter wrenches, funnels, gloves, oil absorbers, oil drains, as well as the required plugs and gaskets.

You can even transport these items in another practical gift by placing them all in a utility bucket, ideal for storing these kinds of tools and great to have on hand for sunny afternoon DIY car washes in the driveway.

Add a few rolls of paper towels and maybe even fashion a ribbon around the bucket handle by tying a bow out of new rags.

It’s likely that the car nerd you’re shopping for already has these tools, but it’s always nice to have extras, particularly when it comes to the disposable items, like the oil absorbers.

Of course, you can always take it up a notch and purchase something slightly more innovative, like the Mercedes-designed vacuum oil changers.

Vacuum oil changers work by sucking the oil out of the engine, saving you (and your back) from having to crawl under the car and do it.

Manual vacuum oil changers have a pump that is operated by hand and connected to a hose that stretches through the dipstick tube until it finds the bottom of the engine pan. The suction then removes the oil and any residual oil sludge in a matter of minutes.

It works like this:

• First, make sure that your engine is warm so that the oil flows easily and smoothly.
• Next, insert the vacuum oil changer tube into the dipstick tube and close the pinch valve.
• Pump the canister about fifty times in order to build the vacuum.
• Let go of the pinch valve and watch as it starts pulling oil out of your car.

This entire process should take about ten minutes.

Most manual vacuum oil changers will run you about fifty bucks.

Lots of car enthusiasts consider themselves to be purists though when it comes to good old-fashioned car maintenance.

If that’s the case for the car nerd in your life, likes the quiet solitude found only underneath the car, no worries.

You can always purchase a scissor lift, but it will cost you.

Scissor lifts are somewhat portable, small, the ideal size to fit in home garages, and generally start around $1,500.  While this might seem a bit steep, these lifts are capable of raising and supporting up to 6,000 pounds of mechanical muscle. And, compared to ramps and jack stands, they are far safer, which makes them a wise investment and worth every penny.

Besides, in this day and age, you can always find deals and sales specials on the internet. Do some comparison and see if you can score a scissor lift for under a grand.

Your DIY car geek will enjoy a professional edge over his or her buddies and you’ll breathe easier, due to the enhanced safety provided by the scissor lift.

Other practical considerations are save-for-a-rainy-day-type gift cards for service appointments or for shopping at automotive parts shops.

Fine-tuning Car Maintenance with Technology

There are some super cool automotive inventions that can make car maintenance easier, more predictable, and let’s face it, fun.

For example, if you want to check the health of your car and ensure that you are staying on top of its required service, or if you get a surprised “check engine” light status, you need Car MD.

Oh, wait, this isn’t about you. You’re supposed to be shopping for the car lover in your life.

Let’s take a look at the diagnostic genius of the CarMD tech tool.

This professional quality tool connects to your car’s OBD 2 port and monitors its on-board diagnostics, which account for approximately eighty percent of the car’s systems.

In addition to monitoring your car’s diagnostics, the CarMD will tell you what is wrong with you car, and better yet, how much it will cost you to fix it.

You are no longer at the mercy of mechanics when it comes to getting an honest estimate for repairs.

This will save you money in the long run, helping you avoid unnecessary maintenance fees, by preventing the need for larger repairs and allowing you to plan for routine maintenance.

With CarMD, you’ll enjoy greater confidence and control when it comes to your car’s health.

An ideal gift, the CarMD diagnostic tool costs $119.85, and is sure to please car geeks of all ages and abilities.

However, make sure you remind them that, as impressive as the CarMD is, it’s not a total monitoring system.

It doesn’t, for example, measure or monitor tire pressure.

Hey, there’s another gift idea…

Proper tire inflation is crucial to a car’s optimal performance, and car enthusiasts are well aware of this.

While the car lover in your life likely already owns a tire pressure gauge, it might be time for an upgrade

There are three kinds of tire pressure gauges: stick, digital, and dial.

The stick and dial are fine, but the digital is more tech-savvy.

Its LCD display is often able to illuminate, which is idea for low-lit areas or times of day. Digital tire pressure gauges tend to be more durable, better able to resist damage from dust and dirt accumulation.

Prices of best-selling digital tire pressure gauges run the gamut, from just under ten dollars to over two hundred for a wireless model.

A drawback for some is the fact that digital tire pressure gauges require batteries.

But, hey, throw a pack of those in the supply bucket as an extra thoughtful accompaniment to your gift.

You can even gift cutting-edge technology for car lovers, depending on their other interests.

Subscription services are a fun way to experience new innovations.

Consider a year-long subscription to Sirius XM for the car nerd who also appreciates easy access to the latest commercial-free music, news, weather, and other entertainment channels.

Or, purchase an OnStar subscription, offered by General Motors, to meet navigation, hands-free, and other diagnostic needs.

One of the best car gifts I ever received was a remote car starter, purchased and installed as an early Christmas gift, from my very thoughtful and forward-thinking youngest sister.

With the remote car starter, I felt better able to brave the start of what was a typically brutal New England winter.

From the comfort of my home, I could push a button and the car would start remotely, warming up while I got myself ready for work.

When it comes to tech gifts, you’ve got lots of gifting options.

Fun Customization

Of course, there are countless gifts for car lovers, many of which involve personalization and customization.

What you can’t find already in existence, you can likely order, making it easy to customize car mats with logos from favorite  sports teams, for example.

Does your car enthusiast also live for all things Star Wars-related?

Check out these Darth Vader tire valve stem caps.

Or, you can purchase clothing and accessories that reflect your car nerd’s automotive tastes and preferences.

Socks, ties, shirts, fashion knows no bounds when it comes to car-related style.

With the internet and your imagination at your disposal, you’re sure to come up with practical and personalized ideas for a gift that will delight the most discerning of car geeks.