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Gear up for Christmas motoring gifts
Sunday, December 14, 2008 By Dermot Corrigan
The Haynes Combustion Engine (€49.50) is set to be the most popular motoring Christmas gift for 2008, according to Ciaran Crean, managing director of MicksGarage.ie.

‘‘It is a flyer for us - we just cannot keep it in stock,” said Crean. ‘‘It is a ‘build your own’ miniature version of a car engine. It is a fun toy, but it is educational as well, and suitable for anyone with an interest in how an engine works.”

The product has light and sound features, functional spark plugs which also light up, moving pistons and a fan belt. ‘‘The engine is designed to be fun to put together, and to make it easy for you or your kids to understand how a four-stroke engine works,” said Crean.

‘‘It comes with a manual to help you build it, and is the ideal present for the car enthusiast. You can see the pistons going and the spark plugs going up and down. The engine will not work properly if you do not have the timing belt set correctly. It comes in a great Christmassy box also.”

Another fast-selling gift at Micksgarage.ie is the Mechanix Wear Light Glove set (€35), which comes with an in-built torch for amateur mechanics, Crean said.

‘‘Anyone who works on cars or machinery would like the light glove,” he said. ‘‘It provides great illumination in tight areas, whether it is a car or the attic, or you are looking to put on a bolt or screw in screws. It actually fits like a glove so the user keeps the use of their fingers. It is suitable for any kind of DIY really.”

Satellite-navigation devices for motorists - or ‘sat-navs’ - are sought-after Christmas gifts for car owners this year, Crean said. TomTom and Garmin are the sat-nav brands to look out for, Crean said.

‘‘Sat-navs have got more bells and whistles now,” he said. ‘‘They used to be just a guide to get you from A to B, but now they have a whole plethora of functions. Your new sat-nav can now be used as a media device or to show your photos. It can be Bluetoothenabled so you can dial, ring and talk through the device on your dashboard.”

A motoring safety kit (€28.35) is a suitable gift for anyone who has recently started to drive, or is worried about the safety of friends or loved ones on the roads, according to Crean.

‘‘The best safety present you can get is an emergency kit,” he said. ‘‘This includes a comprehensive first-aid kit, an orange high-visibility vest and a boxed warning triangle.

‘‘It comes very neatly packed in its own bag, for ease of storage. It is the essential kit for day-to-day motoring. You can also get a miniature fire extinguisher, emergency puncture repair canister or multiuse emergency torch.”

For motorists with babies or small children, Crean sells a range of baby-friendly travel accessories. ‘‘We sell both baby and toddler gift packs, which include items such as a baby-facing mirror, car baby seat accessories and car organisers,” he said.

‘‘The Sunshine Kids New Baby Essentials Travel Kit (€46.50) contains all the essential travel accessories to ensure a safe, secure and comfortable trip for your baby.”

A novelty gift idea is the Haynes VW Transporter – Radio Controlled Classic Volkswagen Bus (€27.45). ‘‘This is a cool, retro radio-controlled model bus, featuring the iconic Haynes cutaway imagery,” said Crean. ‘‘It is a high-quality, fully functional 1:24 scale model.” The Haynes Automotive DIY Manuals are a suitable choice for mechanically-minded family members or friends, Crean said.

‘‘The Haynes service manuals are available for all brands of cars and motorbikes,” he said. ‘‘They will tell you everything from general day-to-day service stuff, like how to top up the oil or change a bulb, right up to the more technical stuff like replacing a brake disk.”

The Bottari Easy Impact Wrench Kit (€59.23), which can be used to loosen wheel nuts in seconds, is suitable for anyone worried about changing a puncture.

‘‘The wrench kit is used instead of the wheel brace to change a wheel,” said Crean.

‘‘It is powered from the cigarette lighter socket and comes with a 3.3 metre cable and four bolt sizes, so it’s ideal for cars, SUVs, 4x4s and vans. You do not have to break a sweat to remove a wheel in less than 60 seconds.”

Crean also recommended the Polco Jump Starter (€72.45), which can be used to get cars going again, even when the battery is flat.
All prices quoted are taken from www.micksgarage.ie<

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