Holiday Gift Baskets: Ideas for Gearheads

Gearheads can be tough to shop for. It may seem like they already have everything, but they really don’t. All that focus under the hood and the vehicle itself means other things often take a backseat, presenting a great opportunity for holiday gift baskets that don’t focus on the mechanical.

Consider the type of automotive fanatic you have in your life for ideas below, or gather goods from each category.

The Practical Holiday Gift Basket

One thing you’ll never hear anyone who works on cars complain about is too many light sources, especially if something can get in to brighten a tight working space. That’s where a penlight (or two) can come in handy. Bundle it with a cordless car vacuum cleaner, and you’ve just given a perfect one-two solution for keeping those areas under the seats and alongside the center console super-clean.

Gift ideas:

• Penlights
• Cordless car vacuum

The Technical Holiday Gift Basket

If the person you have in mind has a vehicle that’s more than 10 years old, it’s probably lacking in modern conveniences. Solve that with holiday gift baskets focusing on tech. Turn that never-used 12-volt outlet into a dual USB hub to keep smartphones fully charged with a car charger. A cell phone mount, either magnetic or adhesive, could be a great idea too as more and more states outlaw driving while holding a phone. Really want to impress that special someone? Newer cell phone mounts come with wireless charging built-in while the phone sits in the holder.

Gift ideas:

• 12-volt outlet USB hub
• Hands-free cell phone mount

The Preventative Holiday Gift Basket

If the gearhead in question is a fan of capturing everything on video, start that gift basket with a dash cam. The new breed of dash cams capture 2k Ultra HD video, so you can see even the smallest details in your footage, like a faraway license plate. It also features GPS tracking, so you’ll always know where an incident occurred. A dash cam also gives you first-hand proof of a car accident and helps to report unruly and reckless drivers.

And since peak performance relies on how well the rubber hits the road, include a good-quality tire pressure gauge. You’d be surprised at how many people just guess or go with the ones built into the air pumps at the gas station. Want to go all out? Pair it with a portable tire inflator.

Gift ideas:

• Dash cam
• High-quality tire pressure gauge
• Portable tire inflator

The Aesthetic Holiday Gift Basket

A lot of times, the interior of a vehicle gets tended to last. How about a gift basket that livens up where the driving actually gets done? Steering wheel covers, floor mats and seat covers are all great ways to dress up an interior that’s seen better days. Additional items like a leakproof car trash bag, cupholder liners and vent air fresheners can keep the car looking and smelling good.

Gift ideas:

• New steering wheel or seat covers
• New or weather-specific floormats
• Leakproof car trash bag
• Cupholder liners
• Vent air freshener

As with all presents, holiday gift baskets work out best when you really know what that person wants and needs. So spend a little time getting to know them and their ride before you have fun shopping. They and their car will appreciate your efforts.

Check out all the automotive accessories available on NAPA Online or trust one of our 17,000 NAPA AutoCare locations for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on holiday gift baskets for gearheads, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your local NAPA AUTO PARTS store.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.