The “most wonderful time of the year” is almost upon us once again and this year it’s looking as if we’ll actually be allowed to enjoy ourselves too! But for those of us whose loved ones are petrol headed off-road enthusiasts, Christmas can end up being a really expensive experience. Unless you want to get them a nice pair of driving gloves and a few novelty air fresheners.
To ensure you don’t waste your precious hard-earned pennies this Christmas season, we’ve put together what we believe are the top 5 most desirable 4×4 gifts for anyone that likes to spend more time driving off the road than on it.
1. EVC throttle control
Electronic throttle controllers work to sharpen your vehicle’s throttle response and tune it to reduce accelerator lag. This is what happens when you put your foot down and get a lagging response from the engine and can be frustrating or even dangerous in the wrong circumstances. The EVC throttle controller, however, allows you to provide new points of reference for your throttle mapping. This allows you to either sharpen or dampen the response to suit your specific needs and situation, with a sharper throttle leading to better throttle response, reduced accelerator lag and an improved overall driving experience.
2. Wheel arch kit
From an aesthetic perspective, wheel arch kits (or fender flares) are a means of giving your vehicle more presence. From a practical perspective, meanwhile, they could allow for larger wheels to be installed, if that’s something you’re interested in. If you’ve caught your significant other salivating over larger wheels and bemoaning their stock arches, this could be a very welcome gift this Christmas.
3. Snorkel
4×4 snorkels not only look incredibly cool but they could end up saving your engine in the long run too. They are positioned high enough to ensure water and mud doesn’t clog up the engine when driving through some of the more ambitious off-road courses. It might seem like an odd choice for a gift but if your 4×4 loving friend or family member doesn’t have a snorkel installed already, they will undoubtedly be overjoyed to see one under the tree this year.
4. Fridge
What could be more convenient (and wonderfully decadent) than being able to crack out a cold beer after a long day spent on the green lanes and watch the sunset from the back of your trusty 4×4? So much more than just glorified cool boxes, 4×4 fridges are powered by either the vehicle’s 12v system or by a regular 240v socket at home. They can be anything from beer fridges to full-blown fridge-freezers with multiple compartments and room for dozens of home-cooked meals. If your other half is really into the idea of making their rig a home away from home then this is the obvious choice.
5. Rooftop tent
Speaking of homes away from home, a roof tent arguably completes the illusion and can transform even a quite subtle 4×4 vehicle into a comfortable bedroom. There are dozens of potential tents to go for but we’d always recommend the ARB Simpson 3 if your beloved is going to be doing some serious travelling. It’s everything you could ever hope for in a roof tent and then some!
Image: Di-Ant / Shutterstock.com
