If your dad is a car nut, and you still haven’t decided what to buy him for Father’s Day, you’re in luck. To help every son or daughter on their quest for a great automotive-themed gift, we have compiled 10 great buys you could grab for dad.
We made sure to find some miserly items, as well some exorbitant ones, to fit the budget of just about anybody. The first 5 items are for the gift-buyer on a budget, as each one costs less than $100, while the second five are for those with more resources, as each one costs more than $100.
Click below, and check out some of the coolest car-themed gifts that could score you some brownie points with your old man.
For a man with tastes for fine wine, having luxury wine stoppers is a must, and Mercedes-Benz has the answer. The set includes four stoppers, each one modeled after a different classic Mercedes-Benz shift knob, complete with a classy looking carrying case. Four different colors come with the set; red, rose, white and champagne, and each is meant for a different kind of wine.
The set will run you $74.00.
This gift is on the other end of the class spectrum compared to wine stoppers. It’s a six-speed toilet plunger. And while it seems like a joke, this is the Mercedes-Benz of plungers, featuring a 15.5-inch tall billet aluminum handle complete with an engraved six-speed shift pattern on the top. The company that makes it claims that if you stick it to the floor, its a great way to practice your shifts while sitting on the throne.
Plunge your toilet from plugged to clear in less than five seconds for just $49.95.
Surely the number one Father’s Day gift is a new, preferably expensive car. But for most of us, that just isn’t a real option. So instead, why not buy your dad a book filled with ridiculously fast cars shot in some of the most stunning garages in the world. Published by Motor Books, Dream Garages International looks at some of the most extravagant garages and car collections in the world, and documents them in stunning photos for your viewing pleasure.
The book is yours for $26.25.
Watching a car roll down an assembly line is an amazing sight, and taking your dad on an assembly plant tour is a sure fire way to make him smile – not to mention you get to spend some quality father-child bonding time together. There are all kinds of plants in North America, and quite a few of them offer tours. For example, you can tour Ford’s Rouge River facility in Michigan, complete with a theater experience and an impressive museum.
If Ford isn’t your brand of choice, you can always take a tour of Chevrolet’s Bowling Green, Kentucky facility where the Corvette is built.
Ticket prices vary, but you’re probably looking at between $15 and $30 for most tours.
A liquor-dispensing gas pump may be little more than a gimmick, but no real man cave is complete without one. Your dad is sure to love it, especially if you pre-fill it with his booze of choice.
You can grab a liquor dispensing gas pump for $31.59.
Racing school is a great way to enjoy high-level vehicle dynamics without spending an arm and leg to buy a sports car. Most schools include a full day of instruction, followed by some hot laps in a variety of different cars. Is your dad into NASCAR? There’s a school for that. Is he more into F1 style open wheel racing? There’s a school for that too. Many automakers, especially German ones, offer these types of courses as well, so be sure to check with your local dealer for info.
Prices vary greatly, with starting prices sitting around $400, and some courses going all the way up to $1,800 and beyond.
The engine block coffee table has become infamous in the automotive community, with instant respect going to anyone who owns one of these beautifully functional pieces of auto art. If you want to get real specific, find a car that your Father really loves, and get him a table made with that block. Or better yet, take his car in middle of the night, pull the block, and ship it off to be made into a table. He might be mad at first, but he’ll come around when he sees the end results.
Prices for these babies ranges quite a bit depending on where you get them, but it seems you will be spending at least $1,000 on one.
Nobody wants the insane costs that come along with owning a high-power exotic sports car, so why not just let dad rip around in one for a day or two then take it back. Yes, an exotic car rental should make every dad giddy with excitement, especially considering you can pilot very expensive cars for just a fraction of their purchase price.
Again, there are many places to rent exotics, but for an example, Gotham Dream Cars will rent you a Ferrari 458 Italia for $2,150 a day.
Every set of tools is really only as good as the box that they are stored in, so make sure you dad has somewhere truly special to put his tools, like the 53-inch stainless steel toolbox from Kobalt. This tool chest comes with 16 drawers for tool storage, gas lift shocks for the top shelf, drawer lock system, LED lighting, and even a built-in Pioneer stereo system. If that’s not enough, there is also a 1.6 cubic-ft fridge in the bottom left hand corner of the chest for dad to keep his brews cold.
Of course, all these features don’t come cheap, with the tool chest coming in at $1600.
Though the perfect one can be hard to find, the ultimate Father’s day gift is a classic project car. Something that your dad will not only love to own, but also to work on. A car from his past perhaps with some special meaning to him might be a good choice. A classic project car is another perfect opportunity to squeeze in some quality father-child bonding time, as nothing makes a dad more proud than teaching his son or daughter how to tune and adjust a carburetor.
For example, you could pickup this 1970 Mustang that was rescued from a farmer’s field, for just $3000.