5 gift ideas for the gearhead in your life

Choosing a gift for the car person in your life is a stressful decision. With a never-ending range of options—from affordable trinkets to custom parts for their beloved project car—buying for a gearhead is just plain tough. We wanted to help, so we went to the source and asked the Hagerty Forums readers to list off the best gifts they have received over the years in last week’s Question of the Week. Take inspiration from some of these top responses. 

Tickets

No, not the kind they bring home themselves after an impromptu meeting with Johnny Law. Clear out an item on their bucket list by handing them the tickets for a race, auction, or concours. It’s pretty easy to find out about an event they are interested in without raising suspicion—they’ve likely talked about it already. It doesn’t have to be the 24 Hours of Le Mans to be awesome; a night at the local drag strip is hardly an evening wasted.

Tools

This is the old standby for many gift-givers. The nice part about buying tools is the ease of finding an excuse to own two of the same tool. With the exception of a few specialty tools that you rarely need anyway, duplicates never hurt anyone. Top suggestions are a high-quality ratchet set, a floor jack, or screwdrivers. The person you are buying for likely had a lapse in judgement and used their nice screwdriver as a punch again this year… and therefore will appreciate the replacement. 

A go-kart

Make your favorite gearhead the coolest kid on the block, no matter their age. The best part of go-karts is the fun-for-all-ages factor. Buy one for a son or daughter and we guarantee they will be yelling at you to get out of the driver’s seat long enough for them to get some driving time. Search around for a used version and fix it up together for an extra-awesome bonding experience. 

Tires

We know it sounds boring, but a fresh set of tires are a more-than-gentle nudge to get out there and drive. It is also a safety concern; so if you notice your beloved enthusiast cruising around on old dry-rotted, bald, or otherwise sad tires, Christmas is a perfect time to get them fresh treads. Tires are a big purchase on a project car, and one that many DIYers will put off until they absolutely have to—there are cooler parts to buy. Bonus points if you get period-correct rubber and use your Hagerty Drivers Club discount at Coker Tire. 

Floor mats

Unsexy as floor mats may be, they keep our beloved cars and trucks clean—which means we spend less time cleaning and more time driving. As with tires and tools, options for this gift idea are diverse; you can get as custom as your wallet may support. Helping your nearest and dearest enthusiasts take care of their beloved car will be noted.

And if you need to stuff some stockings, be sure to poke around The Shop by Hagerty, where you can source the perfect sweater for your holiday party, or ornaments to bring some automotive flair to the Christmas tree. 

Is there a suggestion you think should be included? Leave it in a comment below and be sure to weigh in on this week’s Question of the Week as well, so we can include your feedback in next week’s wrap-up.