Christmas gifts for car people

November 28, 10:22 PMOrlando Auto ExaminerMichael Block

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courtesy of classiccar.com

He's making a list and checking it twice, and whaddya know, on the list is a pair of fuzzy dice!

Santa began officially gathering gifts for everyone as of today, and if a car freak is on your list, make sure to pass these tips along to Mr. Kringle:

Tools: Every car person loves tools. Period. Every car person needs tools. Period. Car people that say they don't love tools are lying. Period. Make sure Santa's getting a tool they don't already have, and a giddy squeal of delight when they rip open the package is guaranteed. Period.

Car accessories: From an auxiliary transmission cooler to an aerodynamic rear wing, from a sweet stereo to a set of wheels, the sky's practically the limit for car accessories. A level of caution needs to be exercised here... because car people are choosy about what accessories go on their car. An accessory others may like might be one your car-fiend loved one can't stand. So find out what kind of accessories he or she likes, and tell Santa the right place to get them - in other words, if they're wishing for a GPS system, then he's not likely to find one at a discount auto parts store.

Die-cast car models: A die-cast car model makes a perfect car-lover's Christmas present. Available in sizes from 1/64th scale (approx 2" in length) to 1/4th scale (approx 3' in length), a die-cast car model is the closest many people will get to owning the car of their dreams. If Santa asks, die-cast models can be easily located in toy stores, local hobby shops, and even wholesale warehouses like Sam's Club sometimes carry models in 1/24th scale (approx 6" in length) and 1/18th scale (approx 9" in length). Those looking for rare, limited-edition, or highly-detailed models can direct him to online stores, at sites such as exoticar.com or amalgamcollection.com.

Media: A book on automotive history, a service manual, or a subscription to a car magazine are all excellent gifts for a car buff. Again, be sure that Santa's getting the car buff a medium that is relevant to the person's specific interests; a NASCAR fan getting a gift subscription to an import tuner magazine may not go over well. But any serious car person enjoys learning more about their hobby, and learning resources are great gifts and are a surefire way to brighten a car geek's holiday.

An actual car: Sure, you can have Santa give an actual car to a car person for Christmas. And, no, they don't have to be have been so good as to get a brand-new Lexus. A old jalopy that costs only a few hundred dollars that just needs some good TLC is a fantastic gift. It gives the car person a project to get excited about, and shows support for their hobby... as well as tolerance.

Now, just like all those times when Santa gives you those dorky loafers and covers his tracks by putting Grandma's name on the From tag, there are a couple automotive loafer-equivalents that Santa can give a car fanatic. Make sure he doesn't get them...

Items needed for regular maintenance: All cars are high-maintenance machines, and nobody likes to be reminded of that. This may seem to contradict with the suggestion of tools, but tools allow car people to play as well as work. Regardless of how much your automotive enthusiast needs a new set of tires, or a fan belt, or a new window motor, Santa won't get much of anything except a half-hearted 'thank you' for maintenance items.

Car detailing supplies: Sure, car people may need soap, wax, a wheel brush, or other stuff to keep their car clean. But Ol' St. Nick knows that giving a car person car soap for a gift is like giving a spouse a box of chocolates and a dozen roses for Valentine's Day. It's predictable and it's been done a bazillion times. Santa only gives car detailing supplies to car boys and car girls who were just good enough to not get a lump of coal.

Car people have been regarded as hard-to-shop-for in the past, since, as mentioned, they can be a bit picky about their automobiles. But with this short guide, you... I mean, Santa... can ensure that even the most selective automotive enthusiast will be anxious to run to the Christmas tree on the morning of December 25th.