Gift Guide: 28 Awesome Car Accessories Under $50

Dec 07, 2023

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Auto enthusiasts love gadgets and gear—and we love deals. If you're shopping for a car lover, here are some great gift ideas that won't break the bank.

Got an auto enthusiast on your shopping list? The trick is to buy them something they'll appreciate and use—without spending too much money. To that end, we've put together this helpful gift guide, full of car accessories that make fun and practical gifts. And they all cost less than 50 bucks.

Buying gifts for an auto enthusiast is particularly difficult since so many automotive products and gear is proprietary and/or model-specific. But there are plenty of options on the market that almost every car enthusiast will appreciate, no matter what they drive—you've just got to take the time and effort to dig. No worries: We've done all the heavy lifting for you.

Here are 27 great automotive accessories that cost less than $50 and will make a great gift for any car lover, no matter the occasion.

The perfect gift for any car lover—particularly those who love manual transmissions. The Ann Arbor T-Shirt Co. makes some of the most clever car-themed T-shirts and hats around; this one is, obviously, among our faves.

This stainless steel electric car kettle lets you select the temperature of the liquid inside up to 194 degrees Fahrenheit. But it's not just for coffee! It can heat water for tea or even instant noodles, and it can even double as an on-the-go baby bottle warmer. Hey, the best gifts are the ones they use time and again.

Every car lover thrives on taking care of their baby, and this kit from Armor All has everything they need to do just that, inside and out, whenever they'd like.

WeatherTech products aren't cheap—that's because they're the best. The CupFone, however, is supremely affordable and makes a fantastic gift, all while maintaining that legendary WeatherTech level of quality.

LED accent light strips are all the rage these days. This set from Govee is one of Amazon's best-sellers because it features a built-in mic that can sync the lights to the car stereo. That's pretty cool. Two lines connect four light strips, and thousands of light and display combinations are available.

Call us biased, but for less than a buck-fifty per issue, your favorite auto enthusiast could get the finest in car news, features, and photos all year long. Car and Driver's cover price is $6.99 an issue ($7.99 in January and October) and is published 10 times a year; you can do the math.

Take your accent lighting a step further with these popular undercarriage lights. They also sync with the car stereo to really show off the grooves. And they're great for displaying some holiday spirit too—no matter the time of year.

The trusty Dustbuster was our Best Overall Car Vacuum in a recent test. We put this stalwart up against the best of the rest, and not one of them worked better than the good ol' Dustbuster. Its around-the-house value is what made it our number-one pick.

Those car/dog lovers will get a kick out of these fun sunshades. There are 20 different breeds available, so your favorite dog person can pick from corgis, bulldogs, poodles, German shepherds, and many, many more.

You can't have too many charging options when it comes to your devices, so why not throw one in your vehicle's 12-volt outlet? This four-port USB car charger does just the trick, offering two on the plug and two on a brick at the end of a five-foot cord for backseat devices. It's perfect for road trips!

Want the kids to help with carwashes? Here's a surefire way to get them into it. The Torq Blaster 6 makes cleaning your car fast, easy, and fun for the whole family. It hooks up to any standard garden hose, so there are no additional tools or machines required to produce foamy fun.

One of the most legendary and immersive sim racing games ever, F1 '22 lets you race different cars on iconic tracks including the new Miami International Autodrome. It's available for PS5 and PS4, as well as PC and Xbox One.

Once the car washing is done, the fun continues with this giant microfiber car drying towel. At 36 by 25 inches, it claims to soak up nearly a full gallon of water, making drying the car, truck, or RV a breeze.

Perfect for road trips, tailgating, and any time the temperatures dip, this electric heated blanket plugs right into any 12v socket. Measuring 59 by 43 inches with a 96-inch long cord, it's made of polyester fleece.

The perfect gift for young auto enthusiasts, the Big & Fast Cars book by the R&T Crew and author Dan Bova is stuffed with facts, photos, jokes, and more to keep your little car lover entertained for hours.

Okay, this is kind of genius. The cupholder expands from 2.6 to 3.9 inches and is still compatible with bottles, mugs, and cups with a 3.4- to 3.8-inch diameter. Then, the snack tray rotates 360 degrees and is great for holding keys, wallets, and other EDC. Or your lunch.

One of the best-selling OBD-II scanners you can buy, the Ancel AD310 is listed at $49.99—but it's often on sale. Instead of paying the local mechanic to diagnose the issue with any car, users can reset the Check Engine and Air Bag lights, read error codes, and save money at the repair shop.

Multi-tools are perfect for the garage—but they're also great around the house, which makes them an ideal gift for almost anyone. This excellent choice from Klein Tools features Phillips (#0, #1, #2, #3), Slotted (3/16-Inch, 1/4-Inch), Square (#1, #2), Torx (T10, T15, T20, T25), and Combo (#1, #2) bits.

Mounting your phone is a great hands-free way to follow directions or shuffle your music. This phone mount features one-touch opening, an FM transmitter to listen to music via Bluetooth, and USB charging ports for your devices. It even comes with both a dash and vent mount, so you can choose where you want to stick it!

Despite the affordable price, this convenient tool rack with welded joints is sturdy enough to hold up to 130 pounds of tools. It's easy to assemble, a cinch to install, and keeps all your favorite car lover's power tools organized and within easy reach.

Jon Langston is an avid motorcyclist and gear collector whose work has appeared in Men's Journal, Cycle World, The Drive, Rider, Iron & Air, Motorcyclist, and more.

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