The Great British summer is almost here once again and will as usual bring something of a dilemma for a fair few motorists. It’s not exactly a secret that Brits love to moan about the weather – winters are too cold, summers too hot, spring too wet and so on and so forth – so it’s hardly surprising that when things get hot and sticky behind the wheel, the ranting kicks off in a big way.
There is some good news however as this is also the time of year when various retailers begin selling all manner of accessories designed to make driving in the summer that little less painful. Of course, accessories range from the truly weird to the wildly wonderful and one size never fits all, but when it comes to genuine comfort and enjoyment behind the wheel in the summer, certain examples rule the roost.
Here’s a look at the Top Five car accessories for summer 2014, according to UK retailers:
5 – Window Tint Sheets
Don’t want to commit to tinted windows or shell out for a pricey procedure? No problem – simply invest in a slightly less expensive and 100% DIY alternative. Window tint sheets cost next to nothing and yet manage to keep the interior of your car much cooler, while at the same time doing a pretty good job of keeping UV rays at bay. Some are of course better quality than others and it’s best not to go for the bargain-basement grey Clingfilm variety, but it’s never an expensive process.
4 – Summer Seat Covers
Leather seats look all well and good most of the year, but when the sun’s at its peak and things are really heating up, it can be a bit like sitting on a frying pan…and a sweaty one, at that. Even if they don’t look quite as snazzy, treat yourself to a set of seat covers in a sensible colour and a material that doesn’t absorb and store the heat of the sun.
3 – Remote Started Control
If your car supports such a gadget, there’s really nothing better for creating a nice, cool and calm environment before you even get in. It’s a case of just hitting a button on the remote control to set the air conditioning going for a few minutes or so before you get in, by which time you can have the car suitably chilled to any temperature you desire!
2 – Cool Box
Unless you’re lucky enough to have a car with a built-in fridge, you simply must have a car-based cool box in your life. The reason being that when it’s 32 degrees outside the car and 45 degrees on the inside, it will take about five minutes for those steaks, milk and veggies you bought from the supermarket to be completely ruined.
1 – Air Freshener…A Good One!
And finally, it’s a bit of a tender point admittedly but a fact nonetheless – all that additional sweat and moisture that builds up in the car over the summer won’t do anything for its fragrance. So without getting carried away, get something of an odour neutraliser to make sure that even if the car is like a sauna, at least it doesn’t stink!
