Summer is here, which is of course the best season to take the vehicle out for a cruise or long vacation road trip. To that end, there are a variety of automotive accessories that can make your summer adventures even better. To enhance your time spent behind the wheel this summer, explore our list of recommended accessories.
Window Tint
While the primary reason drivers install tint is to enhance the appearance of their ride, it also has so many practical uses in the summer months besides a cool custom look.
Tinting blocks the majority of UV rays to prevent sunburn and reduces up to 60 per cent of direct sunlight to keep you from sticking to your seat.
Audio Accessories
What’s summer without your favorite tunes? For those who don’t have an auxiliary input jack on your radio, there are a number of manufacturers that deliver tunes from your iPod over an FM frequency to your car stereo. As long as your car stereo can receive FM frequencies, you’re in good shape (Google FM digital transmitters.) For the adventurers who travel where Deep Woods Off is mandatory and radio reception is nil, there are relatively inexpensive satellite radio receivers, which will deliver reception no matter where you roam over your vehicle’s FM station.
GPS Upgrades
Summer is the perfect time for a road trip, but it’s not much fun getting lost. There are arrays of inexpensive portable units ready to install to guide you to your ideal vacation spot. If you want to forget suction cups and charger cords and just enjoy the ride, have an integrated dash unit installed.
Video Accessories
For parents, the road trip is the quintessential summer experience. Driving the kids long distances can be a test of sanity, so consider purchasing either a portable player or custom-installed DVD unit with drop-down TVs and headrest screens. The dreaded question “Are we there yet?” can be answered with the push of a button. Hopefully when their favorite characters appear on the screen silence will settle over the back seat.
Remote Starters
When I was living on the Prairies, the remote starter was a valuable winter accessory to get the engine running in the morning enough so the vinyl seat wouldn’t crack when you sat on it. Well, the inverse is true in the summertime. You might start sweating just thinking about sitting in sun-baked leather seats that feel like the surface of the sun.
With the push of a button, you can start your vehicle to get the preset AC blowing ice cold for your arrival.
Trailers and Hitches
The outdoors beckons the adventurer in some of us, whether it’s a local trailer park or wilderness retreat. If you’re considering travelling with a portable dwelling, then you have to become familiar with the world of vehicle hitches and their accompanying trailers. As the subjects could be an entire book on their own here some initial considerations:
The Hitch
When you go shopping for towing equipment, one of the most bewildering choices you face is selecting a hitch. There are many designs, functions and weight classes depending on the type of vehicle you’re driving and it’s easy to become confused about the details of each kind. As a person who worked for various vehicle manufacturers for more than 20 years, I’m partial to the hitches sold by dealerships as they’re the ones who designed and manufactured the vehicle. However, there are a number of reputable companies out there that can educate you on the proper hitch for your vehicle. When in doubt, communicate with the new vehicle dealer that sells your type of vehicle and ask for a recommendation.
The Camping Trailer
This topic is even more complex than the hitch. Here is a brief outline on choosing the type of camping trailer you might consider. If you only want to camp during summer, a lightweight, less-expensive trailer with tent-style, pop-out walls may be more appropriate than a four-season camper version with heavy insulation and higher price tag.
Create a checklist of your biggest priorities in a trailer and take it with you when shopping to help decide on the type of model, bathroom, kitchen and bedroom style you prefer. As well, consult your vehicle owner’s manual to learn how much weight it can safely tow. Understanding this number will help you choose a trailer that does not exceed your vehicle’s weight allowance when fully loaded with gear and water.
Laurence Malley is a retired automotive engineer with more than 35 years in the industry.
