How do you begin to search for car stocking fillers for anybody? It appears that Christmas is just around the corner and that means it's time to start thinking about the right presents for the important people in your life. We've covered a whole range of car gifts for petrolheads and even diverted into separate brands.
While finding larger gifts is hard enough, buying non-generic car stocking fillers for others can be a nightmare, especially if they happen to be for self-confessed petrolheads.
There are many different genres that your petrolhead loved one might be into. From books to model cars and even gaming, the automotive industry expands into so many areas. For example, we've even created a guide on Porsche-related gifts. It just goes to show how much money there is within a brand.
Best car stocking fillers at a glance:
Editor's pick: Meguiar's Ultimate Wash and Wax Car Shampoo and Conditioner - buy from Amazon
Best car stocking filler for model car fans: Hot Wheels Team Transport BMW M Set - buy from Amazon
Best car stocking filler for F1 fans: F1 2023 - buy from Amazon
But don't worry, if our BMW gift guide among others isn't helpful enough. CAR has your back with a list of what we'd happily receive as our car stocking fillers. Though to be faithfully honest, some gifts will fit in bigger socks than others.
The best car stocking fillers
Editor's pick
Instead of fancy people shampoo, fancy car shampoo is sure to be appreciated. This wash from Meguiar's is a very effective car shampoo that can also be used as a snow foam. It's pH neutral and won't remove existing paint protection such as wax - and a biodegradable solution too. The shampoo can be diluted at a 1:5 ratio, so it shouldn't run out in hurry.
Pros
- pH neutral
- Can also be used as snow foam
- Comes with a nice smell
Cons
- They could've offered a larger bottle
- Other options may last longer
Best cleaning kit stocking filler
The perfect gift for someone whose obsessed with maintaining a shiny finish on their car, Autoglym's neat Wash and Protect cleaning kit includes 500ml of foaming car wash, 500ml of wax as well as two microfibre towels for a streak-free surface.
This is a wonderful present for someone who is looking forward to the many cars and coffee meets beginning in the new year, and needs a cleaning kit to prepare their pride and joy.
Pros
- Incredibly useful cleaning kit
- Microfibre towels are a nice touch
- Aqua wax provides up to six weeks of protection
Cons
- Wash mitt not included
- Buying individual products may offer better value for money
The best complete car cleaning kit stocking filler
On the larger end of the Autoglym cleaning kit scale, we have the Supreme Car Care Cleaning Kit. It consists of 12 items which includes everything from shampoo and conditioner to glass cleaner, and even a can of wheel protector.
Tyre dressing is also included as well as a wash mitt and two microfibre towels to ensure that you have a great finish to your cleaning job on whichever component. You just have to hope the stocking is large enough to fit all of that kit inside.
Pros
- Very comprehensive cleaning kit
- Includes good quality mitt and microfibre towels
- Comes from a trusted brand
Cons
- Some de-icer spray would've been a nice addition
- Won't suit all budgets
The best motoring book stocking fillers
The best stocking filler book for trivia nerds
Does the car enthusiast in your life live for weird car facts and anecdotes? Then they'll love to see this gift in their stocking, or should we say four gifts? Each one is packed full of arcane bits of trivia, a sizable chunk of which are focused on British Leyland. It's available as either a set of ebooks on the Kindle or in print, both making perfect stocking fillers.
Pros
- Ideal for car enthusiasts
- Loads of facts to behold
- Four books are better than one
Cons
- Maybe too boring for some
- If you want print versions you'll have to buy individually
The best stocking filler book for fans of left-field cars
We've read this book for one of our previous editions of the monthly CAR Book Club. We find it to be the best-value interesting read available right now. It's packed with so many stories which is guaranteed to teach someone at least ten new things.
From Armstrong Siddeley to Willys, this book has many bygone marques which satisfies the fix of a rare and weird car lover. We highly recommend giving this one a read.
Pros
- Fulfilled with interesting and fascinating stories
- Lots to learn - even for car experts
- Includes rarely seen archive and contemporary images
Cons
- A couple of cars in there aren't that lost or forgotten
- May not appeal if you're not interested in the 1940s and '50s
The best stocking filler book for classic car fans
Offering a big dollop of nostalgia and showcasing some witty and iconic car brochures, this book is a perfect stocking filler for any old car fanatic. Covering brochures from the 1960s to the 1980s what this book lacks in size it more than makes up for in style and imagery. We've had a thumb through and conclude it'd make a spectacular small coffee table book.
Pros
- Fascinating dive through period car brochures
- Lots of different marques and models
- Brilliant imagery with rich colours
Cons
- Not long enough
- A larger size would have been better
The best stocking filler book for quizzing fun
Do you know a car-mad petrolhead that knows anything and everything about cars? well, put them to the test with the Ultimate Classic Car Quiz Book. There are 150 multiple choice car questions in this cool pocket-sized book. And if that's not enough 2/3 of the book is devoted to discussing the history surrounding each question, so there's always something to learn . Plus, any gift with a Porsche 928 GTS on it gets a nod of approval from us.
Pros
- Great book for quizzing your car friends
- Lots to learn
- 25% of author royalties are donated to charity
Cons
- Quizzing isn't for everyone
- Many questions may be too obscure for some
The best toy car stocking fillers
Best Lego stocking filler gift
The Speed Champions series by Lego has taken the market with both hands, as a plethora of cars licenced by different manufacturers is available. Arguably one of the best comes in the form of a white Lamborghini Countach.
Introduced in 1974 as a replacement to the revolutionary Miura, the Countach spanned many iterations and lasted well-until 1990. The car depicted in this Lego set looks like an 80s 5000S OR QV - the most distinctive of the range.
Pros
- Perfect for ages eight years and over
- The best detail out of the Speed Champions cars
- Lego is a trusted brand
Cons
- Only one colour and spec
- Small size might not appeal to some
The best for toy car collectors
We're certain that a lot of you CAR readers are deeply into BMW's M division products. From M3s to M5s and even the Z3M Coupe, there's a Bavarian beast for you and probably someone you know very dearly.
Hot Wheels recognised this and offers this wonderful set of BMW M cars and a retro trailer truck to go with them. Included is the timeless E39 M5 and E46 M3 as well as the contemporary F87 M2, indicated by the side decals. What's more? It's a great value set for what you get.
Pros
- Ideal for any BMW M fan
- Makes for a wonderful display
- Die cast construction should withstand any knocks and bumps
Cons
- Hot wheel models carry a premium price
- E39 M5s don't suit white that much, do they?
Best stocking filler for a Japanese car lover
If you like your cars Japanese, tuned and with a flatbed truck included, this is the stocking filler for you - or for someone you know who loves the Japanese car scene.
Not only is the bed on the truck movable, so you can roll on the cars more easily, but the detail on the Honda Civic, Toyota Celica GT-Four, and Nissan Sentra SE-R is rather impressive for 1:64 scale. We can't imagine how joyed someone would feel after opening up their stocking to this Team Transport set.
Pros
- Great gift for Japanese car fans
- Truck has movable bed
- Great value for money
Cons
- Arguably not as cool as the BMW set
- Less detailed than the BMW set
The racing game car stocking fillers
11.
Forza Motorsport
Best stocking filler for Forza fans
It's taken a while (since 2017!) for Forza to release a new Motorsport game after the hype of Horizon 4 and 5 over the last few years. Thankfully, some new features are waiting.
It'll be hard to beat the rawness and satisfying progressiveness of Forza Motorsport 4, but the new Motorsport does introduce some rather epic new tracks including Kyalami and the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course. The car list is nowhere near as comprehensive as Motorsport 4, but some neat new additions such as the Cadillac V-Series R and Nissan Z are available, which is nice to see.
Pros
- Fresh reboot of the Forza Motorsport Series
- Healthy list of cars
- Satisfying game to play
Cons
- Some cars will probably be reserved as DLC
- Not available on PlayStation
12.
F1 2024
Best stocking filler for F1 fans
F1 is the pinnacle of open-wheel single-seater racing, so it's no wonder that it is popular all over the world. Every fan has probably dreamed of carving up one of the famous racing circuits in an RB19 or Mercedes W15, and taking to the world of gaming can get you close to that feeling.
The great news about F1 is that with every year comes fresh physics and handling updates. You can check out the newly innovated driver career mode when you can drive as your favourite driver, or even start from scratch as a rookie.
Pros
- Realistic F1 environments and team feedback
- Improved physics and handling
- Engaging career mode
Cons
- Bit too hardcore for some
- If you prefer other racing series then this isn't the game for you
The best miscellaneous stocking fillers for petrolheads
Pretty much every car in the world comes with a key, and while the car shouldn't be hard to misplace, the keys are relatively easy to lose. The Chipolo bundle is great at helping you to never lose your keys and wallet. The trackers have lots of features that can be controlled using the Chipolo app on your Android or Apple phone, like notifications to remind you to take your keys and wallet with you, or the ability to find your phone by double-pressing the tracker.
The Chipolo trackers are IPX5 rated for water and dust resistance, and come a 60-metre connection range. The Chipolo ONE features a 2-year replaceable coin battery whereas the Chipolo CARD has a 1-year non-replaceable battery. The CARD and the ONE trackers are all available to buy separately.
Pros
- Great for those who might lose their keys often
- Works with the Chipolo app
- Small size is ideal to attach to keyrings or place in wallet
Cons
- Chipolo CARD comes with a non-replaceable battery
- 'Apple/Google find my device' versions cost more
Luxury car manufacturers and aftershave go together like Rolls and Royce, so it's only natural that Jaguar would get in on the action. Housed in a classy green bottle, this 100ml Eau de Toilette would make for a charming stocking filler idea. We've (thoroughly) tested it and were surprised by the lack of leather and wood, but pleasantly intrigued by the fruity notes.
Pros
- Nice bottle
- Strong Eau de Toilette
- Great value for money
Cons
- Subjective smell
- 3-4 hours scent time may need to be re-applied through the day
Phones are impressive nowadays - they can make and receive calls, send text messages, and crucially for motorists they can provide navigation. So it's important to make sure that your phone always has enough battery to get you home, that's where the Groov-e power bank comes in. With three charging ports and a 20,000mAh capacity you can ensure that your phone and your passengers' devices are never left without juice.
The Groov-e Power Banks are pre-charged so they can be used straight out of the box, and the 20,000mAh is good for up to eight full charges of your smartphone device.
Pros
- Provide eight full charges of your smartphone
- Great value for money
- Good built quality
Cons
- This one is wired, but wireless options are available
- Not the fastest way to charge your phone
The best stocking filler gift for travellers
We like the Coffee Flask from Hydro Flask for a number of reasons. It actually keeps fluids hot (up to 12 hours) and cold (up to 24 hours); it's really well made, featuring a grippy powder coated finish; it's easy to clean and great to use; there are several colours and volumes to choose from; and it replaces single-use water bottles.
Pros
- Ideal replacement for many cups and bottles
- Made with quality materials
- Leakproof lid is ideal for use in the car
Cons
- Limited choice in colours
- Other options may be more affordable
The best motoring themed coffee
It seems that coffee blends into car culture a lot more seamlessly than it needs to. There are actual car meets scattered across the globe that combine the two things, and then you have to remember a rather trendy place called Caffeine and Machine.
There's quite a few U.S brands that produce motoring-themed coffee, but we have a neat option in the UK as well. Although it's available for purchase through Selfridges & Co, Ride and Grind operates its coffee business from a wonderful pink gin-spec Russian IMZ-Ural motorcycle with a 1974 side car.
The 'Rocket Fuel' tin of coffee beans is in that same colour as well. But we love the ground coffee due to the fact it's the most straightforward to make.
Pros
- A cool story behind the brand
- You're supporting a small business
- Great looking tin
Cons
- You're paying more for the tin than the coffee
- Not a great selection of products available
How you can generate more car stocking fillers ideas
You can always filter by brand if you know your gift recipient well. For example, if they're a fan of cars bearing the three-pointed star, they would probably like a car stocking filler something from our Mercedes gift guide. It could be anything from a t-shirt, a book, an umbrella with a 300SL gear knob as a handle, or a model car. There is something for everyone as far as motoring gifts go.
Then again, car books are great too as car stocking fillers. They often have all bases covered in terms of being a substantial gift to someone that'll last forever in someone's memory. Small ones that fit in stocking fillers are reassuringly affordable as well. Little quiz or quick fact books are sublime answers to the stocking question.
But perhaps if the car stocking fillers are well... quite large. Then a car advent calendar for a loved one would be a fabulous way to treat a petrolhead over the course of December. And these car stocking fillers can be achieved without necessarily breaking the bank either, which is handy.
Aaron Hussain is a commercial content writer at Bauer Media writing for Parkers and CAR. He is obsessed with classic cars and anything with a fascinating story to tell.
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