20 great gadgets
Can’t afford a new car, but want some hi-tech kit? We’ve assembled 20 great aftermarket gadgets to keep you at the cutting edge
Philips PD7042£170, 0844 338 04 89, www.philips.comThis keeps two passengers amused with separate DVD drives and individual screens and can also play media from USB and SD memory cards.
Halfords PortablePowerpack 200£89.99, 08457 626625, www.halfords.comJump-start your car yourself with this handy bit of kit. It has a hefty 20Ah battery to recharge your car’s dead one, plus a 12V socket for other gadgets.
Ring RAC63012V compressor£23.93, 0113 213 2000, www.ringautomotive.co.ukPump up your tyres anywhere withRing’s RAC630. It has amulti-mode light, a digital display and plugs into your 12V socket.
Garmin nuLink!1695LMU sat-nav£199.99, 02380 52400 www.garmin.co.ukOur favourite sat-nav’s clever features include live traffic notifications, up-to-date weather information and flight times, plus you can search Google for nearby points of interest by name.
GoPro HD Hero 2 camera£299.99, www.madison.co.ukWe like the GoPro so much that we use it to film Auto Express car reviews. It can shoot in full 1080p HD, has a 170-degree wide-angle lens and is available with a waterproof case and suction-cup mount.
Garmin ecoRoute HD£199.99, 02380 52400 www.garmin.co.ukThis gadget plugs into your on-board diagnostic port and sends data wirelessly to your Garmin sat-nav so that it can display your car’s live mpg, turbo boost and oil temperature.
CTEK MXS 3.6 battery charger£44.99, 01380 722621, www.ctek.comNever get caught out by a flat battery again with this clever charger that can plug into your car’s 12V socket. The CTEK MXS 3.6 is particularly useful if you have to garage your car for any length of time.
Dolphin DPS400 parking sensor kit£49.99 01483 522225, www.parkingsensors.co.ukDon’t want a little screen to tell you about objects behind you when reversing? The Dolphin DPS400 beeps to warn you, and the sensors looks factory fitted as they’re available in 20 different colours.
Ring MP:120 inverter£24.66, 0113 213 2000, www.ringautomotive.co.ukSlimline gadget plugs into cigarette lighter socket and can charge anything with a three-pin plug up to 120 watts. It has a handy USB output as well.
Dyson DC34 Animal£179.99, www.dyson.co.ukFade-free cordless vacuum has a digital motor which spins at 104,000rpm. As with all Dyson kit it’s a good-looking gadget, and it has a motorised head for removing stubborn dirt.
AA Parking smartphone app£1.99, www.theaa.comFind multi-storeys and pay-and-display car parks with AA Parking. Available for iPhone and Android, it has access to info such as phone numbers, covered spaces and whether you can pay on card.
Mobile Fun Dash Genie phone holder£14.99, 0844 249 5060, www.mobilefun.co.ukKeep your phone secured while driving with the Dash Genie. A suction-cup mount secures it to your car and a sticky pad grips most smartphones.
Kenwood DNX4210DAB£999.95, 01923 816444, www.kenwood-electronics.co.ukA simple way to add loads of tech to your car. Provides digital radio, an iPod connection, sat-nav and Bluetooth, plus you can connect a reversing camera.
Aliph Jawbone Icon HD hands-free kit£69.99, 020 3027 2094, eu.jawbone.comThe Jawbone Icon transmits audio only when your jaw moves and has noise-cancelling software and a clever automatic volume control which reacts to the loudness of your caller.
Philips X-tremeVision headlamp bulbs£29.98, 01293 776774, www.philips.comYou’d be surprised how a set of new bulbs can update a car’s look. Philips X-tremeVision puts up to 100 per cent more light on the road over standard bulbs, and won our test in Issue 1,190.
Pure Highway 300Di£179.99, 0845 148 9001, www.pure.comPure’s DAB adaptor is our Product of the Year – it adds digital radio to your car’s existing stereo and also provides a USB port and an aux-in socket for other media.
Logic MIP168KX FM transmitter£29.99, 01923 471000, www.logic3.comDon’t have a USB or auxiliary input in your car? Then you need the Logic MIP168KX. It sends music from your MP3 player through the car stereo via FM, and can charge iPods, too.
Bierley Americam K1 reversing camera£180, 0800 0430 282, www.bierley.proYou don’t need to buy a new car to keep an eye on what’s behind you when reversing. This £180 kit has a screen with a distance guide, 170-degree camera and cabling. Image is flat too, not fish-eyed.
Ring Lyra Daytime Running Lamp kit£59.99, 0113 213 2000, www.ringautomotive.co.ukWant to replicate the latest car styling with a set of DRLs, but can’t afford a new motor? This EU-approved kit’s 18 bulbs illuminate when you fire up the engine.
Road Angel GEM speed camera locator£99.99, www.roadangelgroup.comKnow where accident blackspots are and familiarise yourself with local speed limits with this clever gadget. The small screen has loads of data, and eAssist can call 999 in an emergency.
