So, you bought your first car. Chances are you've spent most of the time since either driving it or gazing out of the window admiring your car parked on the driveway. But what comes next? Despite the fact that you've just dropped thousands of pounds on your pride and joy, there's still a little capacity left in your wallet, and you feel the need to spend.
Don't worry, your new car is crying out for accessories and random stuff, both essential and useless. As usual, we have done the googling for you and compiled a list of must-have (or not) car paraphernalia you never realised you needed.
Phone holder
Using, or even holding, a mobile device while driving will get you a fine and points on your licence. The simple way to avoid temptation is to have a mount or holder for your phone. This is essential if you use your phone as your satnav.
There are many types of in-car phone mounts, from wobbly clamps that fit into your car's heating/air vents to self adhesive types and mounts that attach to your windscreen with a suction cup. We don't recommend the vent-mounting types as they're generally not very stable and if you have the heater on, they can put your phone right in a stream of hot air.
Most holders have a spring loaded clamp that grips the phone. Recently, however, magnetic holders for Apple MagSafe iPhones, and any phone with a compatible case or cover, have become popular. Magnetic phone holders put up less of a fight than the spring clamp types when it comes to fitting your phone into the holder or removing it at the end of your journey.
Dashcam
Surprisingly, most insurers won't lower your premiums simply because you have a dashcam, despite the fact that they can make the circumstances of an accident very clear and help establish liability. That said, some enlightened insurers will offer something in recognition of the potential benefit of documenting your journeys on video.
Insurance discounts aside, a dashcam can help you to back up an insurance claim, and prove to police that an incident was not your fault.
Some dashcams come with an additional rear camera, while others have both front and rear facing camera on the same unit, thus showing the driver and the car's interior, as well as a view through the rear window.
Footwell mats and boot/trunk cargo mat
Your car will probably come with mats, at least in the driver and front passenger footwell spaces, but it can be worth investing in really sturdy, good quality mats. Shoe heels wear through floor mats faster than you might think, so even if your car already has mats, they won't last forever. Cheap mats often slide around and can get in the way of the car's foot pedals, so a rubber backing is preferred for that reason and for its waterproof qualities. Mats, even good ones, are easier and cheaper to replace than the car's carpet, so don't settle for the most basic.
Protective boot mats are especially important for carpeted cargo spaces, but are a good idea in any car to protect the boot's interior from muddy wellies, leaking bottles and overexcited or incontinent dogs.
Made of rubber or PVC, boot mats and liners are available sized to fit specific car models or in cut-to-size versions that can be modified with a utility knife or scissors.
Boot/trunk organisers
While we're in the cargo space, why not get a couple of boot organisers? They're usually made from heavy, canvas-like fabric with strategically placed rigid panels. The fold down flat when not in use, but open up to provide handy boxes to contain items that would otherwise roll around the cargo space unconfined.
They're great for the shopping, for shoes and boots, and especially convenient for moving items you may put in and take out of the car frequently.
Tyre inflator and pressure gauge
In the olden days, when we were a hardier breed, we used to inflate tyres with a foot pump. Of course, that instrument of torture has now been widely replaced by electric tyre inflators that plug into the vehicle's 12v power socket/cigarette lighter.
While these gadgets have a built in pressure gauge, it's also a good idea to have a separate gauge so one can check the tyre pressures quickly and regularly.
You can stow your tyre inflator in your neat new boot organiser when not in use.
Jump leads (at least) or portable jump starter (better)
This is for drivers of internal combustion engine vehicles. If your car is new then you probably won't experience problems with the battery or alternator - at least not for a few years - but it's not impossible for even a new car to get a flat battery.
A jump starter is basically a big, rechargeable battery with a couple of clip-on leads that attach to your battery. It's not a fix for battery or alternator issues but it can get you started on your journey home if an issue crops up unexpectedly.
In older cars especially, it can be easy to leave lights on when you leave the vehicle and when the engine isn't running that will drain your battery surprisingly quickly.
Your car's electrical system normally recharges the battery as you drive around (it's kind of similar to the way a dynamo can power bicycle lights), but if your car's alternator has a fault then the battery won't charge and you will eventually have trouble starting it.
These are the times when a jump starter, or even a basic set of jump leads, can get you home or to your mechanic's workshop.
Bluetooth transmitter
Many older cars will have very basic stereos and no built-in Bluetooth. If your car only has a radio/CD player or, worst case, just an FM radio, then you don't necessarily have to pay through the nose for a new ICE system, or a new car, to expand your options.
An inexpensive Bluetooth transmitter is a little gadget that plugs into your 12v accessory socket/cigarette lighter. Once tuned to an empty frequency on your radio - one that is not occupied by a broadcasting station - the transmitter's Bluetooth capability allows you to play media from your phone or other Bluetooth device through your car's radio, to answer phone calls and to use your phone's voice activated AI assistant. Most models also have USB ports, often one for playing media directly from a USB drive and one for charging phones, tablets etc.
Starting around £20, they're a cheap way to make your journeys more entertaining.
Cup holder adapter
Cup holders in cars may be fine for coffee cups or a can of cola, but if you're one of the many people who drag a one-litre cylindrical water bottle around with you, rare is the cup holder that will cope. Don't worry, letting your bottle roll around on the passenger seat isn't your only option. eBay and Amazon have ranges of car cup holder adapters that use the car's existing holder as an anchor point for a wider receptacle that will take larger bottles.
It's not a perfect solution, but it works very well in the right vehicle. As cup holders are often built into the centre console, the adapter raises the height of the drink holder, so the arrangement may get in the way when changing gears or applying the handbrake. Check your car before buying; you should be able to tell if it'll work for you.
Cleaning products
From bottles of car shampoo to power washers, there are countless options for sale when it comes to keeping your car in showroom condition.
For those of us who just want to wash and go, a bottle of car wash solution that applies wax as you wash is a real time saver. Don't forget cloths, sponges and a product for cleaning windows. Some products designed to be applied to the inside of windscreens and windows claim to prevent the glass from fogging up, but their effectiveness ranges from pretty effective to pretty useless.
When it comes to actually getting the water onto your car, it all depends whether you're a hose person or a bucket person. Power washers are great for getting your car really clean and for getting to awkward areas like the underside and inside the wheel arches, but do exercise a little care. Some power washers are really powerful and can force water into places it shouldn't go, damage less robust components and even adversely affect the car's finish. Read the instructions and don't point your jet washer at anything the manual tells you not to point it at (including your annoying neighbour, even if he isn't explicitly mentioned in the manual).
Steering wheel security lock
Still one of the simplest, cheapest and most effective anti-theft devices, a steering wheel locking bar or similar physical deterrent can reduce the risk of crooks even attempting to steal your car. Even though they may not be completely impregnable to a determined and well-equipped criminal, a good steering wheel lock is instantly visible to anyone who glances into the car. It tells the would-be thief that your car is going to take longer to steal than others, and attempting to do so may not be a quiet process.
Private number plates from Regtransfers
We saved the best until last.
Even the best cars suffer from a flaw: they're not unique. Your Nissan, Lexus or BMW may be nice, but there are thousands more just like it. Have you ever come out of a supermarket, or returned to the carpark of a major amusement park only to realise that you've got to find your car amongst countless examples of the same model in the same colour?
A personal number plate can literally transform your car. It can give your car a personality of its own and, if you want, it can reflect your personality too.
If you've ever been to a top car show, especially one specialising in luxury cars and supercars, you'll know that even those people who own a rare Ferrari, Bugatti, or other model of which there may be only a handful in the country, tend to display personalised plates on them. It's almost as if they feel that a car isn't really complete without nice plates to finish off the package.
There are more benefits to owning your own private registration than you might realise.
- They make your car unique.
- They can hide the age of your vehicle.
- They are fun.
- Price records are still constantly being broken. The values of good plates can increase substantially, making them a great investment opportunity.
- No matter how often you change your car, your personal registration can stay with you for life.
- They make a great gift.
Browse or search Regtransfers.co.uk to see what we have for you. We really do believe that we have a perfect plate for everyone.
