Our car enthusiast’s gift guide

Choosing a Christmas gift for the passionate petrolhead in your life need not be a struggle. We’ve rounded up the best gifts this holiday season and each one speaks directly to the car enthusiast. Whether you’re working on a budget of R200 and under, between R400-R699 or keeping it under the R1500 mark, we’ve got you covered in our guide. We’ve also thrown in our pick for the Super Coolest Car Gift and the Ultimate Gift for the Car Enthusiast.

Finding the perfect gift under R200 is easy when you have a little help! And since we ourselves are passionate about our cars and anything to do with driving, we’ve got some nifty gift ideas you probably didn’t think would make Santa’s list… 

• Let’s be honest, every car enthusiast is passionate about shiny, sleek and sexy wheels! So, why not give them the gift that will help keep their beloved car in tiptop condition? Shield Car Care products are well known and your petrol head will appreciate the Shield 5 Piece Car Care Promo Kit.
• Find it at: Builder’s Warehouse. Price: R152 

• A totally cool gift would be one that is unexpected right? That’s why we love these Skeleton Valve Caps. Not only are they super stylish, but for under R200, you can give them something snazzy to add a personal touch and jazz up their wheels.
•  Find them at: Takealot. Price: R179

 PS We also love the South African flag insignia valve caps for only R69.

• For the neat freak who likes to keep their car tidy, the Moto-Quip 2-in-1 Boot Oraniser is a perfect gift you can pick up for under R400! It features 2 storage boxes that are connected with a Velcro system compartment and can be folded flat for easy storage.
•  Find it at: Takealot. Price: R399

• Another great gift for the person who likes clean spaces would be this Portable High Power Car Vacuum Cleaner. It has a handy cigarette lighter connector and takes up a small amount of space, so they can keep this little vacuum cleaner right there in their car to suck up any and all messes on the spot.
•  Find it at: Makro. Price: R499 

• Ferrari fragrances are always a good choice for the car loving man - and they smell pretty amazing too! One that stands out in olfactory delight is the Ferrari Racing Red DT fragrance. This manly-man scent features top notes of Lime, Pepper and Artemisia, with middle notes of Lavender, Clary Sage and Metallic Notes, finished off on a base of Cedar, Tonka Bean and Leather.
• Find it at: Dis-chem. Price: R695 

• Help them keep things cool in the car with this 7.5L capacity car refrigerator that doubles as a warmer (for when the temperatures drop). It’s portable and lightweight, and the added shoulder strap means he/she can take it with them for a picnic. We also really love the three extra cup holders in the lid, making this the perfect buddy for long road trips with the whole family.
• Find it at: Takealot. Price: R762

• Car geeks love to have it all and you can’t call yourself a true car geek unless you have a bunch of really cool gadgets in your car. Let them toss the old jumper cables and get ahead with technology and this nifty little JUMP Multifunctional Car Starter Device. Designed with maximum user safety in mind, this device can seamlessly start 12v petrol vehicles up to 4.0L and 12v diesel vehicles up to 2.0L. 
•  It’s also perfect for load shedding as it can be used to charge a cell phone or used as an LED torch.
•  Find it at: Tiger Wheel & Tyre – www.twt.to. Price: R1 295 (online exclusive pricing)

• If you’ve ever heard them complain about “stuff moving around in the back” then this is one gift any 4x4, SUV or hatch driver will appreciate. The Booxe Customised Boot Mat is customized to fit specific car makes/ models so, you’ll have to know what car you’re buying for. Once that is settled, you can make the decision to choose the standard boot mat or upgrade to the one that offers bumper protection. 
•  Find them at: Booxe.co.za. Price: Prices vary depending on the mat size, but you’re looking in the region of R1100 - R1600.

 Okay, now this is one gift the car enthusiast will appreciate more than he/ she could possibly ever know! In fact, it’s one of those gifts anyone with a car will appreciate really, and they don’t even know it yet!

This clever, Solar powered Tyre Pressure Monitoring System mounts seamlessly onto any dashboard and shows the driver the current state of all four tyres. It keeps them in the know on each tyre’s pressure and temperature readings. Plus, it alerts them if the pressure gets too high/ low, or if the temperature could be a flag for concern. With peace of mind, they will never have to worry about checking their tyres at the petrol station ever again.

Find it at: Tiger Wheel & Tyre (available in store only). Price: R2995 (includes fitting at Tiger Wheel & Tyre)

 There is one thing car enthusiasts will love and treasure more than any cool and nifty gadget and that is the health and wellbeing of their beloved car. So, why not really spoil them with a Service Plan through MotorHappy?

They’ll be covered for two years and you can choose to pay it all up front, or opt for the monthly payment plans, which are determined by the make and model of the vehicle. Just think, you’ll be giving them two years worth of hassle free servicing, plus the Motorhappy Service Plan which comes with free Roadside Assistance.

Find it at: MotorHappy. Price: Price varies depending on vehicle model and age. You can opt to pay a monthly fee or pay one lump sum for a two-year Service Plan.