Multi-car family means every gift has to be useful

Jim Kenzie

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

ME UNDER $50

There are all sorts of emergency/accessory lights available, but three that caught my eye were a 12 V Mini spotlight that plugs into your cigarette-lighter socket (remember those?) for a mere $3.99; a bigger Sylvania LED work light with a flex cable that is currently on sale for $11.99 (regularly $19.99), and a Lightmates wind-up unit that doesn't need batteries at all.

Now, I saw one of these on sale during one of my Canadian Tire visits, but its website now says it is no longer available, so you may be out of luck here. At Canadian Tire, Walmart.

Speaking of mundane, floor mats are about as mundane as it gets. But those Pant Saver units that have deep channels to trap huge quantities of snowmelt before it spills all over your carpet and stains it, really are the trick. $40 at http://koolatrononline.stores.yahoo.net

I take a lot of pictures of cars, and it seems they are always dirty when I find a nice backdrop. Wiping them down with almost anything usually makes things worse. But one device that does work – assuming we're just talking dust and not caked-on mud – is the California Car Duster.

The cornrow-like strands are impregnated with some magic potion that actually traps dust, so you don't just spread it around. $14.99-$24.99 from www.calcarduster.com or Canadian Tire. PARTNER UNDER $100

I'm sure a CAA membership is already spoken for in the gift lists. But it is still something I wouldn't want anyone I love, driving in Canada, to be without. Canadian Automobile Association, South Central Ontario

Lady Leadfoot (my partner) would never own an iPhone, which would make this gift suggestion redundant. But if I had some spare cash, I'd buy her a good satellite navigational system. Garmin and Tom Tom GPS seem to be popular brand names. We'd probably find one that's easiest to use. The cheapest I've seen is around $200, and you can go way beyond that, but still they're much less expensive than the optional SatNav packages on most cars. And because we're in and out of different cars all the time, a portable unit is the only way to go for us. Future Shop, BestBuy, Canadian Tire, online at www.gpscentral.ca, www.radioworld.ca

An Indian billionaire bought his wife a luxury jet; not gonna happen on a freelancer's income so maybe I'd buy her something else that's aluminum and cylindrical. Like a nice water bottle from Mountain Equipment Co-op.

PRICE UNLIMITED

Ever wish you had a way to tell that guy behind you that:

a) his high beams are on,

b) his tail lights are off (probably because he only has his daytime running lights on,

c) he's a jerk?

The E-messenger is a pixelboard that fits into your rear window and allows you to pre-program various messages, then display them at the touch of a button. $70, on sale at Canadian Tire for $41.99.

I once partnered with a guy to buy a race car. For various reasons, it never happened, but somehow he ended up with my lovely little air compressor. If someone would like to buy me another, I'd be very happy. DeWalt makes a nice one, model number 15G; the frame is on wheels to make it easy to move around. A tank big enough to do the job, small enough to be handy. Under $400 at any auto supply store.

I haven't had much luck asking for that Porsche 911 Turbo over the years. Maybe I should switch to a Ferrari 430 Maranello Spyder. $165,300.

jim@jimkenzie.com

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