The Best Gifts for Car Dads

We’ve been recommending this niftyShark Tankproduct, which stops small items from falling down beneath the dreaded car-seat gap, since 2017. (When contributor Alison Freerpurchased oneafter paying a mechanic $300 to unbolt her car seat and rescue a stranded phone.)

If your dad has been forced through life circumstance (say, the practical realities of raising you and your siblings) to purchase an everyday vehicle instead of his dream vintage sports car, Jason Torchinsky ofThe Autopianoffers an easy fix. “One of my favorite ways to fun-up a boring commuter car is to slap a nice big pair of yellow fog lamps on the front,” he says. “Do you need them? Probably not. Do they instantly make your RAV4 or CR-V or whatever all of a sudden feel a snacktillion times more exciting? Hell yeah they do.”

Replace your dad’s tree-shaped air freshener with this altogether more pleasantly scented one that comes recommended by our menswear columnist,Chris Black.

Bru’s ceramic-lined travel mugs are preferred by Strategist writer Brenley Goertzen’sgadget-loving dadbecause they don’t taint the taste of drinks, and they’re designed to fit all standard car cup holders.

When I reached out to theBring a Trailerteam about the best gifts for car dads, they suggested a set of front and rear video dashcams from Viofo. These will let Dad record all his drives and give him peace of mind should any accidents or theft attempts occur.

For tinkering dads on the move,The Autopian’s David Tracy suggests gifting this soft but durable tool bag. “Mine is ten years old and I’ve beaten it up like you wouldn’t believe,” he says. “The thing is absolutely unkillable, and even the zipper still works.”

In the home garage, though, a standing tool chest like this is ideal. Tracy got his as a wedding present; he notes that the price has gone up since then, but you can get some good secondhand deals on Facebook Marketplace.

AAA Northeast Car Doctor John Paulsays all serious DIYers will appreciate a good set of ramps that “are great for doing those money-saving oil changes at home.”

Paul also recommends Lisle’s colorful creepers, which can be used to slide under cars and as roll-around seating in the garage.

The Bring a Trailerguys say this all-in-one jump-starter and tire inflator (that can also charge devices via USB-C and USB-A) would feature on many a car dad’s wish list.

Paul also likes this simpler air cordless pump from Worx because the battery is replaceable and also works with many other Worx tools.

Such as this vacuum, which he says can “clean up everything from beach sand to last year’s Christmas-tree needles.”

Paul adds that mechanically inclined dads would benefit from a good computer-scan tool. He likes Innova’s because its connected phone app has great UX.

For dads who keep their whips sparkling clean, Paul says these wipe-on, wipe-off conditioning “sauces” produce close to professional results. And the packaging is rather fun.

Braver car dads might prefer this more permanent ceramic coating, which can protect a precious car’s paintwork for years.

A pressure washer is another car-care gizmo that’s fun to use and useful for other household purposes too. The Bring a Trailerteam likes this racing-car-red one.

And they also recommend a pair of these professional-looking gloves for dads who spend a lot of time in the garage.

As Paul puts it, when it comes to car maintenance and repair, “information is power.” An Alldata repair-manual subscription gives Dad access to manuals for every make of car — some might even get a kick out of reading manuals for vehicles they don’t own or work on.

If you’re unsure which tools to buy, everyone I spoke with said that a Harbor Freight gift certificate is an extremely safe bet.

As is a spa day for his cherished ride.

This build-it-yourself motor kit is an ideal gift for car dads looking to indoctrinate the next generation. Tracy and his daughter took on the project together, and he enjoyed himself even more than she did. “Most engine rebuilds take months,” he says. “This took a couple of hours, and it even lights up.”

When it comes to collectible cars, you can do better than Hot Wheels. Several car lovers I spoke with suggested that Candylab’s stylish wooden miniatures would make excellent gifts.

Tamiya’s nostalgic radio-controlled car kits are also beloved by car dads, according to the Bring a Trailer team. You build and paint them yourself, and the result is an intricate scale model that even drives (although not quite as fast as a real Porsche).

If you can’t spring for an actual Alfa Romeo, Model Citizen’s tiny version is insanely detailed and just as shiny.

LEGO’s Land Rover kit is much coveted, too. Or if he’s really into Formula 1, aLEGO Technic race-car kitmight be more appropriate.

If you know which specific cars your dad obsesses over, Tracy suggests digging through eBay for vintage brochures relevant to his interests. “You’d be surprised how much cool historical art there is out there,” he says. “I managed to snag some original design drawings of the Jeep Grand Cherokee ZJ — one of my favorite vehicles.”

“Every car guy has a soft spot for Porsches,” says Mike Prichinello, co-founder ofClassic Car Club Manhattan. So this coffee-table book of archival sketches can’t fail.

Or there’s also this tribute to souped-up Porsches recommended by Paul, which he says shows that these very fancy European cars “are designed to be driven, not just looked at.”

Paul also recommends any of Tom Cotter’s Barn Find books about valuable cars discovered in forgotten corners of the regional USA.

Peter Egan is a legendary automotive journalist who many car dads will be familiar with from his monthlyRoad & Trackcolumn, “Side Glances.” The Bring a Trailer guys recommend gifting fans a volume or two of Egan’s collected columns, which remain fascinating and nerdy reading.

As does this thrilling account of drug-smuggler-slash-race-car driver Randy Lanier’s rise and fall.

ForCarcastco-host Matt D’Andria, “the best gifts are experiences.” At the absolute top of his wish list are tickets to the annual Rolex Motorsports Reunion, which celebrates classic-car culture in Monterey, California, each summer.

D’Andria also likes the idea of gifting a father-son or father-daughter driving experience. “You can hit up Speed Vegas for a few laps in a supercar of your choice, or dive into a more complex racing school likeRadford,” he suggests.

“Whipping a sports car around a track — even for a short amount of time — is one of the best ways a human being can spend their time on this earth,” says Tracy. Especially if that sports car is a Porsche.

A dirt-driving day with Team O’Neil will teach Dad “how to master the art of the Scandinavian Flick and find traction where it’s scarce,” says Prichinello.

And if it’s too much hassle to get him to the track, this Logitech wheel (that works with racing simulators on PCs and gaming consoles) provides a racing experience that’s almost as real yet nowhere near as dangerous, says Paul.

Buying for a design-minded car dad? Anything from Period Correct, a classic motorsports-influenced clothing label that the Bring a Trailer team put me onto, will impress.

Bring a Trailer also has plenty of merch of its own, including this minimalist cap.

Prichinello says this Japanese-made “brain bucket” has saved his life on multiple occasions and would be a nice gift for dads who regularly hit the track.

And while there are dozens of automotive-themed watches out there, “Chopard has a deep history of supporting motorsport and the automotive culture at large,” he adds. This particular watch pays homage to the historic Chopard-sponsored 1,000-mile rally race in Italy.

As you might have gathered by now, car dads love all things Porsche, so it’s worth taking a look at its watches, too.

“Any greaser will vouch” that Chuck Taylors are the original and best driving shoes, says Prichinello. “The thin soul and minimal construction give the driver perfect pedal feel.”