Holiday Shopping Guide: Car Gear

by David Kiley (RSS feed)
Dec 17th 2010 at 4:02PM

People who like cars, and are really into their cars, appreciate gifts that feed their obsession.

When it comes to accessorizing their cars, it's best to leave them to their catalogs of wheels, wheel covers and turbo chargers. But there are a number of items one can buy the driving enthusiast to make his or her hobby a bit richer.

1. Escort Passport 9500ix Radar Detector

"No false alarms" is the chief claim of the Escort. This machine not only detects four bands of radar as well as speed-trap and red-light cameras, it can, with the help of an internal global-positioning-system antenna, sort out which signals are worth slowing down for and which aren't worth bothering you about: Price: $370.00

2. Vintage Poster

Is your recipient a Porsche fanatic? BMW? Peugeot? Comb websites like www.allposters.com or www.internationalposters.com for vintage, original posters that show off the car company's heritage. Prices can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Figure a few hundred for proper framing.

3. Skip Barber Driving School

Experience the "serious fun" of the most prestigious racing school in the world. Each day begins with a short classroom "chalk talk," then you're on the race track. Learn and practice the same techniques we taught to Jeff Gordon, Michael Andretti and hundreds of other famous drivers. What you can expect: 1 Day racing School---$1,799.00; 3 Day Racing School--$3,999.00.

Fratelli Orsini Driving Gloves

4. For the owner of a Mercedes-Benz SL, Aston Martin, Maserati or Porsche, driving gloves can be a nice accessory. It may seem as au currant as an ascot, but actually such fine and extravagant details go with an extravagant car. One option is winter leather driving gloves by Fratelli Orsini: $87.00-$100.00

Cole Haan Air Grant Driving Moccasins

5. Like driving gloves, driving shoes are not critical to enjoying the driving of a fine motor car, but they are still nice to have. Consider Cole Haan, Air Grant Driving Moccasins, which are the result of collaboration between Cole Haan and Nike, which contributed its "Air" technology in the sole: $148.00.

6. Garmin nuvi 3790LMT

Most new luxury cars come with GPS Navigation. But if your recipient has an older vintage luxury car, they will need an add-on GPS. Consider the Garmin nuvi. Lifetime maps and traffic, speech recognition, nüRoute™ technology, 3-D terrain view, multi-touch glass display, lane assist with junction view, Bluetooth® wireless, widescreen, preloaded street maps for North America, speaks street names: $499.00

7. Mulholland Weekend Bags

Travel in style with the Hippo Duffel Medium Weekend Bag from Mulholland Brothers®.
Made from a poly vinyl cotton blend to provide you rugged durability with classic and refined styling. Case can be carried either by hand using the rolled leather handle grips or over your shoulder using the adjustable leather shoulder strap. Dimensions: 21.0" wide x 13.0" deep x 13.5" high. Weight: 4.6 lbs. Price $799.00

The Safari Weekend Bag from Mulholland Brothers® is designed for the regal traveler with a taste for style. Outer material is made from rich saddle leathers or vintage waxe canvas for a refined look with durable dependability. Case can be carried either by hand using the leather handle grips or over your shoulder using the adjustable leather shoulder strap. Dimensions: 19.5" wide x 9.5" deep x 14.0" high. Weight: 4.8 lbs. Price: $879.00

Genuine Porsche Varsity Jacket

You don't have to be an Porsche owner to wear this jacket. Admiring the legendary German brand is enough.This varsity jacket features a heavyweight melton wool body, quilted lining, and snap front. Rugged yet supple calf leather sleeves with ribbed sleeves and trim. Embroidered Porsche Crest on the front with Porsche logo on the back: Price $259.00

Gallery: Holiday Shopping: Car Gear In Time For Christmas