Falling head over wheels

CAR ACCESSORIES

So you can't buy that Ferrari but still want to get noticed? How about jazzing up your hatchback or mid-sizer to grab eyeballs?

Though manufacturers and dealers are loading up cars like never before, buyers prefer to gloss up their prized possessions themselves with the finest accessories off the shelf. And boy, there are a lot of things that one can buy.

Accessorising cars usually begins with a teflon coating, for protecting the exteriors from minor scratches, right down to alloy wheels caps with lots of trimmings in between.

Music systems top the list of extravagances that one splurge on.

With 'regular' blokes spending up to a lakh on a good system, read Pioneer, Sony, Blaupaunkt, Velocity, that comes with an amplifier, woofer, sub-woofer, tweeters, the works. 2000 wattage is standard even if you are a ghazal fan, and a player with a dual CD changer is an absolute must.

There are several urban tales of music freaks having loaded up their cars to the extent that they have to re-consider their choice of cars as their Santros or Ikons are not big enough to drum up the rhythm.

For those incorrigible couch potatoes, LCD screens (Rs 7,000-Rs 55,000) backed by DVD players (Rs 12,000-Rs 95,000) also fall in the category of standard fittings.

With the average commuting time on the rise, seat covers have become a key part of the makeover exercise.

PETA ambassador Pamela Anderson can beg all she wants but not many people think twice before buying leather upholstery (Rs 22,000-Rs 65,000) for their seats. Those more considerate towards Anderson's cause, opt for non-organic rexine seat covers.

Even those who prefer to put their feet up in the car are paying more attention to the floor matting which is available in rubber, plastic, cloth and transparent varieties.

Long distance commuters or those looking for a truly refreshing drive can get a four-bottle refrigerator fixed in their car. At Rs 8,000 these cooling machines are relatively hassle-free as they run on a micro-chip and don't have a compressor. Refrigerators were a standard accessory in the Tata Safari Limited Edition series.

Exteriors also get their fair share of embellishments with teflon or dinitrol coating for scratch and dust proofing.

Spoilers, three-blade wipers, alloy or steel wheel caps, halogen headlamps with cut-outs and tinted windows all add to the sporty look that most buyers aspire for. Stickers are definitely out, though you can still buy them for anything between Rs 300 and Rs 1,200.

Power windows with a tinted dark film add that touch of class, while custom-made drapes provide the much-desired privacy.

With Nicholas Cage setting rather high standards for car thiefs in the Hollywood movie 'Gone in sixty seconds', central locking and a security system now qualify as absolute necessities. A central locking without sensors costs Rs 3,500 and one with sensors can go up to Rs 5,500.

There is no upper limit to how much a true accessory freak can spend on his wheels for there is always a more expensive and more elaborate option to every trinket in the market.