Do you need to buy a gift for a car-lover?
No problem – we’ve rounded up top suggestions for you below.
All the gifts are available locally and will not break the bank. Better yet, there is not a single pair of socks in sight.
Carrera Go Slot Car Set
You can live your track racing dreams with the Carrera Go Slot Car sets.
Extensions and spares are readily available through many toy retail chains for when the bug bites and tracks need to get bigger, too.
You can also spend a little more for an electric-powered set to save on the cost of batteries.
Priced from R999.
Silicone Key Cover
Protect your key fob from drops and wear with a silicone cover.
It adds a little extra style, too, making your car key easily recognisable in a sea of black rectangles.
Available for most cars from auto accessory stores for R50 upwards.
Lego Technic Sian FKP 37
This is the closest most mortals will get to a Lamborghini Sian.
The Sian FKP 37 Lego Technic building kit (42115) has superb detailing and is a faithful representation of the original in an eye-catching lime green with gold rims.
In true Lego Technic fashion, it features an 8-speed transmission, activated by the movable paddle gear shift, V12 engine with moving pistons, and 4-wheel drive.
It also comes complete with a display stand to show off your hours of hard work.
Priced at R7,499.
Petrolhead T-Shirts
Car fans and quirky car t-shirts go together like white knuckles and a mountain pass.
Double Apex is a local t-shirt brand with many petrolhead designs “for those in the know.”
T-shirt prices range from R250 to R350.
Mechanix Gloves
Mechanix gloves are the choice of professionals and amateurs alike.
If you watch motorsport, there’s a good chance you’ve seen pro pit crews sporting The Original Mechanix gloves in a range of colours.
These gloves are built to last and deliver the feel you need when working with nuts, bolts, and tools in the garage or at the track.
The Original Mechanix gloves are R565 for a pair.
Zartek TX-8 Two-Way Radios
Radios are not just for the neighbourhood watch.
With a 5km line-of-sight range, a proper set of two-way radios is ideal for road trip convoys and 4×4 enthusiasts who need to communicate with spotters outside of the vehicle.
And when you get to your destination, they double as a robust set of radios for the kids to play with.
The Zartek TX-8 Twin Pack, which are rechargeable, is available for R1,000.
Ken Block Nitro RC Car
If you didn’t get the remote control car you wanted as a kid, you may consider buying this for yourself.
The HPI Racing replica of Ken Block’s Digital Zebra Ford Fiesta ST RX43 is a 1/8-scale model and is pre-assembled – ready to race.
It features a rugged chassis, 4WD, disc brakes, and a high-output nitro engine that revs to 32,000RPM.
It is available from GrandPrix Models for R8,999.
Sony Radio with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
For those of us not in a high-end car that already has an infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, you can upgrade with a third-party device.
The Sony XAV-AX200 consists of a 6.4-inch touchscreen entertainment centre you install in your dash – provided it can accommodate a Double-DIN head unit – and comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support.
This provides full voice control of your phone’s functions, including navigation, messaging and music apps.
The system is available for R7,499.
HotWheels Porsche Panamera
The choice of children – and adults – who love cars, HotWheels cars are as much fun to play with as they are to collect.
If you know what you’re looking for, there are some real treasures to be had in every series – which will be worth more than their current asking price in the future.
HotWheels caters for everything from fantasy to real-life legends like the Porsche Panamera.
The cars are priced from R30 and up.
Keyword: The best Christmas gifts for petrolheads