Keep in mind that no matter how careful and thorough you were in doing your pre-trip preparations, unexpected problems can still happen. So it is a good idea to have some basic accessories on board in case of an emergency.
With any type of vehicle, that includes a mobile phone, and with cars, jumper cables, a torch, and a few litres of water and oil can be worth their weight in gold if they’re needed 50 miles from nowhere.
However, when you step into the tantalising world of vehicle accessories, your chosen chariot can be transformed from the ordinary to the eye-catching.
The choices are endless, and in terms of cars alone, the accessories market is worth billions of dollars a year. Possibilities range from flashy hubcaps to state-of-the-art parking sensors and reversing cameras that will warn you if you are backing into something undesirable – like a fence or a passing pedestrian.
Stereo systems rank among Australian car-lovers’ most coveted accessories, and more and more drivers are buying GPS navigation systems if their car didn’t come with one already installed.
Saul Abelesz of Futura Car Audio, a Melbourne company that specialises in a large range of accessories, says Parrot mobile phone systems are currently the biggest craze among his customers.
“Our certified installers can adapt Parrot bluetooth car kits to any car stereo system,” Mr Abelesz says.
“It will give you direct sound through your car’s factory speakers for legal hands-free talking, as well as iPod and iPhone music streaming. The kit synchronises your entire phone book and thousands of your iPhone or iPod songs to give you full control from one simple device.”
Cutting edge accessories are transforming car interiors into technologically advanced entertainment capsules, as well as making journeys safer and more comfortable. “We can replace your rear view mirror with a video monitor that displays images from a tiny high-definition full-colour reversing camera the size of a five cent coin that is fitted discretely in the bumper bar,” Mr Abelesz says.
“Or you can keep your kids entertained on a long drive to Sydney with a wide screen 10.2-inch roof DVD player and wireless head phones or – last but not least – an all in one in-dash seven-inch full colour touch screen that controls the lot.
“It includes bluetooth for hands-free calling, and synchronises your entire phone book, DVD player, digital television, reversing camera, satellite navigation, iPod, digital radio – the list goes on and on.”