JAZZ UP YOUR CAR

Fancy accessories add up to a great looking car that gives you a comfy drive too.

Cars are not just for driving–as we all know. Cars are also meant for showing off, meant for comfort and meant for style. The six month or yearly trips to the workshop for a dose of maintenance are also not enough. Driving a great set of wheels means driving something that looks good, feels good and impresses the world. And no matter what type of car you drive, not matter what it costs, accessorising means adding a great deal of oomph value to the baby. It also improves the functionality of your car.

What kind of accessories do you get?
Think of all the hours you spend commuting to and fro when it comes to work. Think of the time you spend driving around your family, shopping for groceries, dropping the kids off to school... Seems like part of your life is spent inside the car, isn’t it? So it’s obvious that you’d want it all dolled up, with some fancy gizmos and extras to give you a comfortable drive. What are the accessories that you should be focusing on?

FOCUS ON INTERIORS
Car seat covers:
The first thing to remember after getting anew car is to get car seat covers. Apart from protecting the seats from grime and these also add padding to make seating comfortable. Seat covers in the market now cost anything from Rs 1500 to Rs 4500 and more... (the fancier the car or the brand the higher the prices). While choosing seat covers, pick one with extra padding if you need more cushion. Seat covers made of fabrics like neoprene or polyurethane keep the temperature regulated when the weather warms up. You can make a statement of sorts with leather covers or contrast cream interiors with brightly coloured covers.

Floor mats:
Your car will have a carpet when it comes from the manufacturer. To not ruin it thanks to the dirt and grime from your shoes and to add to the good looks of your car, floor mats are mandatory. Rubber or coir, there are various options for your car mats. Get one with some colour to brighten up the interiors of your car.

Steering wheels:
Ah! the thin, boring steering wheel that came with your new car... It made driving such a chore, didn’t it? Now, increase your car’s style quotient with something fancy... Like racing- style steering wheels, comfortable foam- padded steering wheels, leather steering wheels or something unusual.

Shift knobs:
Shift knobs, too, can be changed to something fancy. Today, the market will give you everything... from racing cars to classic cars.

Gauges:
Does your dash need some flash? If you don’t have twinkling and blinking instrumentation –something like the cockpit of a Boeing 737 –on your dashboard, it doesn’t feel like you are doing much driving, are you? If parts to improve the performance of your vehicle are added to your car, check out how these are working with gauges. Make sure they are in tune with the factory parts of your car.

Organisers:
Create order out of chaos. You find some fancy organisers in car markets nowadays and these come in use when you want to stash away your papers, cellphone, organisers and other important stuff.

EXTERIOR CAR ACCESSORIES
Ooh la la! This is a whole new ballgame altogether. Get the old lady glowing with fancy lights, grand fog lights –everything that add up to making her look more fancy on the speed bahn. However, before that it would be important to consult the little black book of traffic rules and find out what is challan- able and what is not. Do remember, however, that exterior car accessories can improve the safety quotient of your car.

Car lights:
The blue- white of Xenon bulbs make for bold cars –traffic rules permitting. Some people go in for neon under- car lights to add some drama to the drive. Fog lights, etc are also critical to safety when you are driving in foggy conditions. Always ensure that you get the best of makes when it comes to your car lights. Rear lights too are of various kinds. You can get something fancy for your number plates to show off too.
In-car entertainment systems:
From LCD monitors, ceiling ACs and ceiling monitors to DVD players for some super movie- watching and music- listening, entertainment inside cars is getting so hi- tech that there will come a time when you won’t just feel like stepping out of your car.

Roof racks:
Need extra space when you’re packing up your car for a vacation and some things just won’t fit in the trunk? Get some fancy roof racks and pile on the stuff. A great way to utilise space.

Grilles:
These don’t have much to do for the performance of your vehicle, but grilles make for some real fancy car decor. Stylish grilles are very popular with people who want to bling it on with style.

CREATE A LOOK
Sometimes, car designers can work wonders with your vehicle. Some TV programmes feature great ideas to dress up one’s drive. While you can get your mechanic to do some upgrades, you can use your creativity and work out some very stylish themes. Use a few accessories to create magic.

Batmobile anyone?
Get a great paint job, with some sleek xenon lights and silver car seats. See if someone can add tail fins.

Movie star looks:
Flashing a red car? Try to get under car lights in the same colour. See if anyone will tailor you seat covers with flecks of gold, or silvery tones. Add some really flashy gauges to make your dash look like something from outer space, and hooray... You are a star on the road.

Get eyeballs to stick:
Creative paint jobs –seen the ones that look like bullet holes? –fancy sunscreens, weird car colours, antennas in the front over the windscreens, everything that looks otherworldly and grand should be tried out. You are going from one place to the other, and giving people something to look at is not such a bad idea, is it?