Gift Guide: 35 Awesome Car Accessories under $50

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This article was updated with new products and information in November 2023.

Are you hunting for the perfect gift for that car nerd friend? Got a budget to stick to? Check out our awesome gift guide packed with car accessories and gear- all under 50 bucks. It’s a win-win for both your wallet and their pleasure.

Picking presents for car buffs can be a real pickle, especially with all the exclusive and model-specific stuff. For this guide, we’ve cracked the code and found 35 auto accessories for under 50 bucks that’ll pique the excitement of any car lover.

Looking for more gift ideas? Check out our guide to the best gifts for dads, gifts for DIY'ers, and gifts for teens.

Car and Driver Magazine Subscription

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.

"Real Cars Don't Shift Themselves" T-Shirt

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.

Road Trip Tumbler

Stay healthy and hydrated on the road with the RTIC road trip tumbler. RTIC, the official cooler and drinkware brand of NASCAR has a collection perfect for fans, with options to personalize NASCA logos, drivers, and teams. Plus, the tumbler fits seamlessly into car cup holders!

WeatherTech CupFone

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.

Chemical Guys Torq Foam Blaster 6

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.

The Original

Mechanix is one of the best-known names in the automotive glove market. They offer comfort, durability, and, perhaps most crucially, maintain the dexterity of your bare hands. While primarily designed for car work, they're a smart addition to your glove box. You might not use them often, but when changing a flat tire on the roadside, you’ll be happy you’ll appreciate having them.

Pokipo Garage Power Tool Organizer

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.

Govee Underglow Car Lights

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.

East Mount Smart Heated Travel Mug

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.

Premier Car Care Kit by Armor All

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.

Govee Interior Car Accent Lights

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.

Black+Decker Dustbuster Cordless Car Vacuum

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.

Dog Family Car Windshield Sunshade

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.

Dickies Short Sleeve Coveralls

While coveralls have traditionally been used to protect your clothing while you work manual labor, they are now doubling as a major fashion piece. Dickies, a classic brand, offers affordable coveralls for under $50—a smart gift choice for both the closet and the garage.

Amooca Car Seat Headrest Hook

Stay effortlessly organized with these headrest hooks. With four in a pack, you can hang multiple bags- preventing spills from grocery bags and purses during sharp turns or sudden stops. This is the item you never knew you needed- but will learn you can’t live without.

Car and Driver 4-Port Car Charger

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!

F1 '22 Official Video Game

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.

Tidify Car Front Seat Organizer

With the Tidify front seat multi-pocket organizer, your favorite car lover can access everything they need in one organized place and avoid having to search for items on the floor or in the center console or glove compartment. It's larger than most other organizers and has plenty of pockets and compartments.

Chemical Guys Woolly Mammoth Drying Towel

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.

EcoCut Pro Wiper Blade Cutter Trimmer

Increase the lifespan of your wipers with this small blade trimmer. The simple device slices off a tiny amount of the rubber on your wiper, providing a fresh new surface. To use it properly, make one continuous stroke without stopping in the middle to avoid gouging. When used correctly, it can nearly double the lifespan of our windshield wipers.

Stalwart Electric Car Blanket

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.

Girls Auto Clinic Glove Box Guide

Patrice Banks of Girls Auto Clinic is a certified legend for women in the automotive world. The Glove Box Guide is an impressive book, with clear illustrations and instructions, offering a basic understanding of car mechanics. While marketed towards women, its content is universally accessible. It is ideal for new drivers or anyone needing guidance should their car break down in a parking lot.

Drive Auto Car Trunk Organizer

We can't think of anyone who doesn't need one of these handy carryalls. With customizable inserts, it features multiple compartments for stuff of almost any size, from groceries to tools. Best of all, it collapses to half-size for smaller cars or lesser loads.

Road & Track Crew's Big & Fast Cars Book

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.

Car Cup Holder Tray with Expandable Base

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.

Snow Joe 4-In-1 Telescoping Snow Broom

In snowy areas, a reliable snow removal tool is critical. This four-in-one snow broom functions as a broom, a scraper, an LED, and an emergency flasher. It pushes deep, heavy, wet snow from your vehicle as a broom. Following the initial sweep, the scraper tackles window ice, and the light enhances visibility in the early mornings or late nights.

Ancel AD310 Enhanced Universal OBD II Scanner

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.

Klein Tools 15-in-1 Multi-Bit Ratcheting Screwdriver

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.

Car and Driver Phone Mount with FM Transmitter

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!

Tekton Digital Tire Gauge

A handy stocking stuffer for any car owner. A push of a button lets them select one of four measurement ranges. The nozzle seals onto the valve stem quickly and completely, and, after they're done, a 30-second automatic shutoff means they never have to worry about running down the batteries.

RAK Telescoping Magnetic Pickup Tool

Another awesome stocking stuffer for any driveway mechanic—or anyone who's dropped a nut, bolt, or other small metal piece beyond reach. This telescoping arm will pick up anything magnetic.

Active Pets Dog Car Seat Cover

Best pals love to ride along in cars with their owners, and this waterproof universal dog seat cover keeps the slobber and paw prints to a minimum. Designed to cover an entire rear bench seat with a max unfurled size of 48 by 54 inches, it'll fit most any car, truck, or SUV.

DeWALT 3/8-Inch Drive, SAE/Metric 34-Piece Socket Set

This must-have set features a removable inner tray designed to fit in most tool chests. It also has side hinges that interlock with similar DeWALT tool sets for an organized storage solution. Included is a 72-tooth ratchet that's great for accessing tough-to-reach spots.

Armor All 2.5-Gallon Wet/Dry Garage/Shop Vacuum

If there's a driveway mechanic or garage rat on your shopping list, help them keep their workspace clean and neat with this handy shop vac. It's not pro grade by any means—but it is super handy all around the garage, basement, or workshop.

BDK PolyPro Car Seat Covers—Full Set

They might not be the best of the best, but for older cars, beaters, and work vehicles, you can't deny the value of a decent set of seat covers—especially at this price. Available in 11 color combinations, they're machine washable and have a universal fit.

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