Still Searching for a Perfect Holiday Gift for that Special Truck Nut? Well, Search no More. The Truck Trend editors have once again compiled a choice selection of gift ideas, from very affordable to very useful, all guaranteed (well, pretty much guaranteed) to thrill the most discerning auto fan.
Bedwood and Parts RetroLiner
Truck bedliner, but with a fancy twist.
| Bedwood Bedliner 2
Instead of simply applying some dreary, dark drop-in bedliner, the RetroLiner goes with wood for a classic look. The glossy, brown finish harkens back to a simpler time, and Bedwood and Parts offers nearly 40 different wood species for installation. Kits can be made for over 200 past and present truck applications and every single piece of wood is meticulously CAD-designed, measured, cut, sanded, and prepared. Installation instructions and hardware is included.
Bed Wood and Parts, LLC
(877) 206-9663
www.bedwoodandparts.com
Black and Decker iMobile
While not the sexiest or most interesting gift out there by any means, if you're looking for a reasonably priced present for the car guy who has also every electronic gizmo, Black and Decker's iMobile power inverter might just be it. It might look like any old plug-in inverter, but the iMobile has a few key advantages over gas station or dime store models. First is its compact size -- the iMobile is not only one of the smaller 12V/cigarette lighter inverters on the market, but also one of the few that folds back on itself. This makies it much easier to store in your glovebox or center console. One of the reasons why it is so small is another one of its benefits -- no noisy fan. Black & Decker found a way to eliminate the cooling fan, which is boon for anyone who enjoys listening to music in the car. Along with the port for standard three-prong plugs, the iMobile offers a slot for USB charged devices as well. Its 100W output is not particularly outstanding, but enough to charge mobile phones, MP3 players and even most laptops. MSRP: $29.99
| Black And Decker Imobile
Black and Decker
www.blackanddecker.com
Casio Edifice
Casio thoroughly understands that professional motorsports and slick, stylish watches are an inseparable match. Case in point: the new Edifice range of timepieces, which successful blend racecar cues, modern European style, and rugged, all-weather versatility. Available in six models, these motorsport-inspired chronographs offer double disk hands, multilayer dials, world time clocks, 100-meter water resistance, and cutting-edge design. If that's not enough, the range's top models are solar powered, feature a 1/1000th second stopwatch, and use up to five multi-mission drive motors for seamless operation. It's no surprise that the Red Bull Racing team wears these timepieces on any given Formula 1 race weekend. MSRP: $150-$500
Casio
www.edifice.casio.com
Escort Passport iQ
Billed as the Ultimate Driving Companion (with apologies to BMW), this unit combines radar and laser detection with full-feature GPS navigation in one windshield-mounted device. It's certainly convenient to mount just one device, but can a jack-of-all-gizmos do everything well? NAVTEQ navigation features bird-view with lane assist (so you don't miss an exit), points of interest, and readouts showing posted speed limits (where available) and vehicle speed. The 5-inch screen's graphics are a bit low-res/jaggy; there's no traffic info; the windshield-facing speaker makes it hard to hear directions; and because it weighs as much as two devices, it jiggles if you mount it up high, where detectors usually go. Naturally the detector uses GPS to memorize stationary motion-detector radar sources and to warn of known red-light and speed cameras (from Escort's Defender database and those you enter yourself).
| Escort Passport IQ Boot Screen
The unit warns when you exceed the posted limit by 10 mph and can display the numeric frequency of the radar (X, K, Ka, and Ku bands are monitored). Mounting it to rest on the dash cures the jiggling but can compromise the effectiveness of the laser lenses, especially the tiny rear-looking one on the face of the unit that needs to see past the seats out the rear window. The price equals about three speeding tickets, or one plus a detector and a nav unit. It won't make inveterate speeders invincible (nothing can), but it buys convenience and some peace of mind. MSRP: $650
| Escort Passport IQ Menu Screen
Escort Radar
http://www.escortradar.com/iq/
GoPoint Technology GL1
It's the ultimate app for the car nut/Apple addict on your list. The GL1 kit provides an Apple-approved connection to link your vehicle's onboard diagnostic (OBDII) port with your iPod, iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad. Then, by running GoPoint's free software your smart player/phone/pad gizmo becomes an onboard mechanic, keeping track of your fuel economy and monitoring the status of other vehicle systems. Did you ever wonder how fast your catalytic converter really warms up on a sub-zero day? You can watch it here. Better yet, when the dreaded "Check Engine" light flashes, GoPoint can tell you what's wrong so you can sound like an expert who won't be easily bamboozled when talking to the service writer. You can also reset the lamp. A scan tool to do this can cost up to $500. Bonus: When plugged in, the cable also charges your device. Beware: the mounting position of some OBDII ports makes it impractical to leave the cable plugged in, and not all cars make all vehicle functions accessible to the GoPoint software, so accurate fuel-economy data may or may not be provided. MSRP: $100
| GoPoint GL1
GoPoint Technology
http://gopointtech.com/blog/products/
Ionic Clean Home Car Wash
If you're ready to raise car-washing to a high-tech art, Homeright offers the Ionic Clean system, which amounts to a large filter canister that purifies and de-ionizes garden-hose water so that your rinse water will leave no streaks or spots. It comes with a 20-foot hose and a nylon spray brush, but a finish-friendlier boar's hair bristle attachment is available, as is an extension pole to facilitate Ionic Clean's other great use: washing the outside windows of your home. Filter life varies with your water's hardness (amount of dissolved solids), and in suburban Detroit it lasted for at least a couple hours of sustained flow (an electronic hardness tester tells you when it's time to swap the filter). The system works as advertised, cleaning cars and windows virtually streak/spot-free. It saves gobs of time on windows, less on cars unless you're really willing to let your car air-dry. MSRP: $249
| Ionic Clean Wash Kit
HomeRight.com
Lamp in a Box
Looking for the perfect gift to brighten a car fan's mood? How about a desk lamp featuring a shade with your favorite car photos? The process is simple. Visit the Lamp in a Box Web site, choose a design template, and upload your photos, or choose from several stock designs featuring a variety of graphics or work from noted artists. These lamps make great additions to the office, man cave, or living room -- and every piece is unique. Each arrives at your door in a handy shipping and carry box, so you can easily move it from place to place. Plus, it's safe to use with new, energy-saving fluorescent bulbs up to 40 watts. For more variety, additional shades are available for just $30 each. MSRP: $59
Lamp-In-A-Box
www.lampinabox.com
Recaro ProRIDE Convertible Child Seat
From Jeeps and 4Runner, Recaro driving seats are de rigueur when it comes to keeping enthusiasts well planted behind the wheel. The renowned seat maker recently unveiled the new ProRIDE line of child seats designed to keep those tiny backseat babblers as safe and secure as mommy and daddy up front. The ProRIDE Convertible (so named because it converts from rear to front facing, accommodating kids from 5 to 70 pounds) features an adjustable head restraint, a five-point harness, a LATCH system (with built-in storage), a top tether anchor, crash-absorbing EPS foam, and side-impact protection for the head, neck, face, torso, and pelvis. The ProRIDE is also certified for travel on an airplane. MSRP: $280
| Recaro Proride Child Seat 1
Recaro
www.recaro.com
SkullyBoom
Here's a great gift for anyone who likes to listen to music. The SkullyBoom is a small, lightweight amplified speaker with no controls. Simply plug it into your phone or iPod and use your device's volume knob (virtual or otherwise) to control what comes out the speaker. One thing we noticed: The SkullyBoom is loud. Like, really loud. It comes with a built-in rechargeable battery (via the included USB cable) that provides four hours of rocking good times. Also cool, the eyeball speaker covers pop off and can be swapped between devices -- so buy two! MSRP: $49.99
| Skullyboom Speaker
SkullyBoom
www.skullyboom.com
Thule Crossover 38-Liter Rolling Carry-On
Thule of Sweden, renowned producer of automotive bike racks and cargo carriers, has recently ventured into making travel gear. Similar to a crossover vehicle, which blends the driving characteristics of car with the utility of an SUV, Thule's Crossover line of bags combines the quality of premium luggage with the functionality of top-notch on-the-go gear. With a range that extends from the 12-Liter Messenger Bag to the 87-Liter Rolling Duffel, the Crossover line offers something for just about every traveler. Shown here is the 38-liter Rolling Carry-On, which is ideal for those travelers who prefer to avoid checking in baggage. Weighing a scant 7 pounds, 8 ounces, the 38-liter Roller features aluminum hardware, water-resistant fabrics, oversized wheels, Thule's exclusive V-Tubing telescoping handle, and a molded polypropylene back panel. Inside, there is a divided main compartment for separating goods (wet from dry, dirty from clean, etc.), and there's even a crush-proof "SafeZone" compartment designed for carrying eyewear, cell phones, and other fragile items. And if you'd rather carry than roll, the 38-Liter even has hide-away backpack straps. MSRP: $289.99
| Thule Crossover Carryon Backpack Mode
Thule
www.thule.com
B(ed)-Light
See what's in the bed of your truck with Extang's newest LED B-Light Tonneau Lighting System. With or without tonneau cover, this eight-unit lighting system mounts easily and securely underneath the bedrails to illuminate the truck bed while being protected from shifting or unsecured bed loads. The lights are operated by a single switch and can be installed on all makes and models of trucks. MSRP: $99.33
| Z Extang Led B Light Tonneau Lighting System
Extang
800-877-2585
www.extang.com
The Ultimate United States Road Atlas and GPS Companion
This road atlas was created to be different from other road atlases on the US market in that it contains seamless, coast to coast mapping, rather than one or two pages per state. It is a bit like using a city or state atlas. You can cross the whole United States from east to west, just turning one page at a time.
| The Ultimate United States Road Atlas And GPS Companion
The maps are consistently at a great driving scale of 1:1M, while the maps for the major cities and the busy Northeastern Corridor insets, are drawn at 1:250K. The Ultimate United States Road Atlas contains 50% more map pages than conventional products and is clear and easy to read.
It has a 24 page detailed traveler’s guide section highlighting many of the popular tourist destinations and top 20 national parks. MSRP: $24.95
Hema Maps North America
www.hemamaps.com
Light Wrenches
Ever find yourself trying to balance a flashlight while wrenching on some tight-dark space in your engine or scramble to as much work done to your vehicle before the sun goes down? Bossco makes LED Light Wrenches in metric and standard options. Each wrench has a recessed light on both open ends with 3 light options -- low beam, high beam and emergency flashing and available either in Rechargeable and battery powered options. MSRP: $9.99 - $99.99
| Bossco Rechargable Whench Lights
Cuff Lite and Luma Lite
Bossco’s Cuff Lite is a lightweight, one-size fits all, multi-purpose illuminator featuring elastic finger loops and a comfortable, adjustable wristband.
The Luma Lite is a must have addition to any toolbox. It comes with a built-in magnetic base and optional Velcro and hat clip attachments allowing you to work, hands free, with intense direct light on any project near or far.
Both products have an unending array of uses including tools for auto mechanics, plumbers, electricians, handymen, and outdoor sportsmen. The Cuff Lite and Luma Lite are also handy when used as a nightlight for walking, bicycling, setting up camp or as an emergency lighting tool during power failures. MSRP: $7.59 - $10.95
Bossco International
www.bosscointernational.com
Jeep Wranger Black Ops Edition
Call of Duty: Black Ops
| 2011 Jeep Wrangler Black Ops Edition Front Three Quarter 2
We suspect that most die-hard gamers (the type that would actually consider buying a vehicle based solely on its appearance in a video game) are probably either A) not old enough to drive or B) don't leave their parent's basement very often, anyway. But neither of those common assumptions are enough to dissuade Chrysler from milking the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon's role in Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops and offering a special edition car to customers on this side of the LCD monitor.
True to name, the Jeep Wranger Black Ops Edition is painted black and boasts Call of Duty: Black Ops logos on both the front quarter panels and the roof. Other custom touches include a Mopar fuel-filler door, taillamp guards, and 32-inch tires. The standard 202-horsepower, 237-pound-foot 3.8-liter V-6 sits under hood while front and rear locking differentials with live axles and a two-speed transfer case are also specified. Mineral Grey Rubicon wheels round out the Wrangler. The Jeep should also get all the revisions the standard Wrangler gets for 2011 including a seriously updated interior.
"It was important for us to make sure that the Jeep partnership would be authentic and enhance the setting we immerse our fans in with Black Ops," said Mark Lamia, studio head of game developer Treyarch. "Our work with the Jeep team focused around using the Jeep Wrangler in our levels, and gameplay experiences, and translating the style and look of the vehicle in Black Ops to the Jeep on the Showroom floor that fans can own."
The Jeep Wrangler Black Ops Edition will be available in November at an unspecified price. Call of Duty: Black Ops was recently released on November 9 for PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, and Windows PC and be found at your local retail stores.
Source: Chrysler
